The Pack

He was lying behind me licking my neck as I awoke.

I shifted a little causing him to stop, sadly. "Are you all right love? Your going to feel odd for a while but it will get better soon. You've been in a dead sleep for hours." He murmured into my ear.

I reached for my neck to make sure it truly had happened. Bumpy and far from healing they were there. The deep marks of his teeth scared me though I did my best not to show it. Pulling back my hand I notice blood on my fingers and figured it was time for answers.

"So um... when we... you know, yo...you bit me. Was that it?" I asked warily looking into those vast forests. I was shaking and breathing heavier than normal.

He gave me odd look and I notice a twinge of sorrow held there. "Yes love. Soon you will feel it calling to you, a sweet whisper at first and then a firestorm that will consume you. I'm sorry I didn't give you more time to think but it was now or one month from now and I couldn't wait.

It's selfish I know, but I wanted to be the one who holds you during your change, and be the one who teaches you how walk on four legs. If it had not happened now then someone else was bound to force it on you or..." He hesitated.

My hand in his gave an unspoken permission. "Or they would have killed you." He let it roll over me. Would they have really killed me? Would he have stopped them? For a moment those silly questions swam in my head but I finally concluded he would kill to keep me safe

"Second thoughts are dangers sweet heart, especially in our world. I was told once by a vampire to not make decisions that take hesitation, so I know my choice was right." At that I broke out in happy tears which oddly gained me a sweet kiss on the forehead.

"There is so much I want to tell you and much more to show you." He paused; I believe to choose his words carefully. "Yes we are werewolves and no we are not evil creatures spawned from the damned. We are nature's teeth and claws... Our purpose is far from clear to us but this much is true; we are unlike the humans in almost every way. I'm sure your biggest question is shape shifting.

Now he really had my attention! Shape shifting was my most treasured question.. "Yes, as you saw with Luis, we can turn into a wolf. Or coloring and markings are similar to those that make us look different in human form. There is another but ill tell you more on that another time."

We talked for what seemed like forever. It was a lot to take in at once but I memorized it all even though the pain of my body was getting worse. I hadn't realized my shivering and heavy breathing were getting worse. I figured it was a fever since I felt on fire suddenly. Not even the sweat pouring out of me helped.

Matt noticed my change instantly and screamed, "SHIT. Justin, get the fuck in here quick its starting!" He looked so worried. "Its ok Cody please try hard and breathe." Please hold me was all I could think of.

Justin rushed in and looking very concerned at my sweating and shivering. "Damn it Matt you should have waited! Cody look at me and listen carefully. Your about to pass out, no matter what you see, hear, and feel remember we are here waiting for you. Trust us, all of us and we will lead you home."

His voice trailed off and I saw the ocean before me. The black sand felt odd in-between my toes. I was nine again staring out into the blue green waters. My mother and I had gone to Hawaii for our celebration of her divorce from the bastard who helped make me.

"Hi there" said a friendly voice from behind me. It was a teenager who looked about seventeen or eighteen. He had dark brown eyes and black hair with a deep tan. "I'm Scott what's your name?"

I was scared and he could tell. Thinking back to the memory as I was reliving it felt really odd but different, it seemed like he was feeding off of it which I never noticed before.

"Hi, I'm Cody" I peeped out.

"Nice to meet you squirt. You like dogs? I have a big doggy that just loves to play with little kids. You wanna meet him?" He asked pointing at the personal tent set up on the beach.

NO... please not again I don't want to feel it. Please make it stopped I begged and screamed! Strangely though I was screaming he didn't seem to notice, it was like I was there again... just the same.

"Ok!" I heard myself say happily. Oh god, please stop this.

Time jumped ahead and I was crying as he dragged himself across my mouth, all the while his dog was biting at my crotch. My cries for help were finally heard and he was dragged off me and beaten there on the beach in front of a lot of people.

It all changed again and to my horror, a memory no nightmare. This was the scariest thing in all my life. I was ten now hiding in my mother's closet at home. I could here my father ruing our house in his attempt to find me.

"Where the fucks are you? You fucking little shhit!" He was drunk and got it in his head it was my fault for the divorce. Apparently I had caused his drunken beating of my mom? He was getting closer every second and I knew what he had in mind. Somehow knowing it ahead of time is worse than wishing for it to stop.

The hard smacking of meat on the floor filled my ears. He was beating me to death, again. Just like before I had blacked out only this time I wake up to a gun shot. My mother came home to find him in the act and she had gotten the shot gun and blew a hole in him, or at least that what I was told.

I was twelve now. In the play ground bathroom with a boy named Robby. We were going to mess around but this time I knew better and I was ready. I was so scared I had started to shake in anticipation. This was all part of the great scheme wasn't it? As if on cue the door flew open and the bully of the yard was there.

"Haha you little faggot fell for it!" he screamed at me. I turned to see Robby's fist come at my face. But this time I didn't get hit. This time I dodged it and suddenly gripped his arm. My nails were now claws that ripped into his flesh. I felt alive and pissed. I screamed, howled was more like it!

The bully's face turned stark white with fear. I was a god to him now as I reached forward and placed my other clawed hand on his neck. I felt his life fade all at once as I tore out his throat!

Oh god what am I doing!

Suddenly I was in the woods where my rage dropped away as fast as it had come to me. There was no sign of the boys I had held neither was there blood on my hands. It was a perfect sunny day to be out in nature so I started to walk along the path before me. After I while I came upon a red headed boy.

"Don't look back..." The boy said as a torrent of sound sprang up behind me. His voice was so familiar that I ached to remember his name.

"What's all that noise?" I asked staring into his green eyes.

"It's your past and before you is your future..." He was pointing to a small clearing where six wolves sat.

"I'm scared" I said crying lightly and unsure.

He giggled a little saying, "It's ok to be scared, but we are here to help you. We are your true family if you accept us..."

"I... I'm not a wolf." I lowered my head in shame.

"Of course you are! Don't you feel your paws and tail?" As the words left his mouth I felt so strange.

The world looked and felt more different than ever. My paws felt the cool earth and spoke with it. The wind played songs with my fur as it rustled through. My tail couldn't stop wagging with joy!

"YES! I feel it!" I was crying harder.

Out of no where a mirror appeared against some trees close to me. I padded up to it slowly begging for the dream to never end. When I looked into it I forgot how to breathe. Before me was an animal of extreme and profound meaning to me. It had the same sandy coloring as my hair with hints of reddish brown and my amber eyes seemed to glow in the sunlight.

I felt powerful and beautiful.

I looked back to find the boy but all I saw was a seventh wolf trotting over to the clearing. It had reddish brown fur with hints of my sandy colors. Stopping to look back at me I met those eyes again. They were perfect but most of all more beautiful than ever.

He motioned with his head for me to follow and I did. I got close to the circle of other wolves; they all stared at me with extreme intent. I got brave and moved closer to him that our noses touched.

MATTHEW!

"Matthew." Was all I could whisper out before it all faded.

This new world was familiar but similar to the last. I could smell Matt's room but there was something different about it. I could `feel' them before I had even opened my eyes. They all smelled alike but with subtle differences, like dogs.

My senses were on fire with tons of information, but when I felt him touch to me it all stopped.

"Its ok Cody I'm here with you. We all are." He whispered into my ear wit the greatest care I have ever felt.

"Are... are you real?" Was all I could manage out of my raw throat.

I felt it then, his lips on my cheek, like a static shock of pure power that rippled down to the rest of my body. But it was his words I needed more than life!

"Yes." His voice glided across my senses.

"Am... I...?" I asked hoarsely.

"Yes... my love, you are"

I felt eternity brush over me. All of my life I had felt removed from the world ever searching for my true home. Though I loved my mother more than I can say I felt the last and final wall move away.

The flesh beneath my skin rippled with so much force that my bones broke and mended instantly. Fur sprouted all over my body as it bent to its new shape. My crying broke out into a howl that was joined by the others. My ears filled with our song as it played off the walls to meet us again.

I am WOLF!