Furry Humans

❝Do one thing that scares you.❞

Awkward.

That was the only way I could describe the atmosphere I’m currently residing in. It wasn’t the same as before, we weren’t the same family that used to joke around, ask one another for help, laugh freely. No. That changed, the second he disappeared from my life as well as finding out the hidden life afterward. Nothing was the same, never will be, now we’re a family of a werewolf, human and a half-in-half teenager. What happy “normal” family we are.

I couldn’t help but chuckle humorlessly at that thought.

Mom’s eyes cut over my way at the sound, sadness clouding them. “Are you hungry? I made pancakes,” she stated, setting down a plate of golden colored pancakes and eggs.

I shook my head, rubbing my eyes while feeling a slight headache throb against my temples again. “No thank you,” I mumble, sliding off the bar stool.

I could feel his eyes burning into the back of my head, as I pushed my feet into my shoes. Standing straight, I strode over towards the door and slipped my jacket on.

“You sure you don’t want either of us to drive you to school?” Mom called out just as my hand hovered over the doorknob.

I glanced over my shoulder, gazing at her for a moment before shifting my gaze over to Dad. He sat, hunched over, fingers interlocked and pressed against his lips, a hard edge around his eyes as he stared right back at me.

“I’m positive,” I said, my eyes never straying from his.

And with those words, I turn away, twisting the knob and walking out the door, into the cold winter air, the sound of the door slamming shut. The sound was familiar to the door of my mind shutting away the lies and tells I’ve told over the years.

I could see a few people standing outside, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, finding out that a whole town was filled with werewolves that were thought to live in folktale stories, was kinda unnerving.

I stuff my hands deeper into my jacket pocket while listening to the sound of snow crunching underneath the weight of my feet. The temperature seems to be dropping with each hour, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if it started to snow fully by the end of the night. I finally make it to the edge of the school grounds and my eyes drift over to the stone sign to my left.

CRYSTALHIGH

Home to the Wolves

I stared at it for a moment, there was a part of me that wanted to laugh so hard that tears would stream down my cheeks, and the other half wanted to shiver up in fear at how obvious it was. With a sigh, I stride forward, my hand clasping my bag strap.

“Abigail,” that familiar deep voice called out to me.

I lifted my eyes to see Xavier, leaning near the school’s entrance doors. My eyes were traitors as they skid down his form with minds of their, drinking him in. His hair was a disheveled as if he ran his hand through his hair, a black plain shirt covered his top half, but it didn’t keep the muscles underneath from appearing just as he lifted his arm; dark blue jeans snugged against his hips, covering his legs from the cold while his signature converse completed the outfit.

Took everything for me not to drool as I changed my path, and started walking his way. I couldn’t help but sense something different with him, and myself, it was when we touched: those tingles begun. My attraction towards him amplified from just finding he finding him hot– I admit– to something. . . deeper.

“Hey,” I greet, escaping my drifting thoughts.

His eyes slant down, and a half smile loft at his lips. My heart thumps a tad faster.

“You doing okay?” he asks, his hand lifting and softly brushing the side of my face.

I hum, “I’m getting there.” I comment, forcing a smile just as I feel eyes on the back of my head.

I look over my shoulder and see the fewer students that were outside, staring at us, mostly me. I turn my attention back to Xavier with questioning eyes.

“Do they. .” I trail off and his nod answers my question, his brows furrowed.

“My Dad didn’t have a choice,” he explains. “They needed to know.”

I bob my head, flicking my gaze off to the side for a moment. “Great,” I mutter.

The shrill sound of the school bell suddenly echoes, signaling everyone to head to class, and Xavier heads over towards the door waving me over.

“Come on.”

He holds the door open for me as I walk through the threshold, the heat of the building instantly hitting me in the face. I could sense Xavier behind me just as everything in hall quiets.

’I don’t like this.′

Every eye in the hall, landed on my form, Xavier stopped just beside me standing closer than before, but that didn’t stop my nerves from resurfacing. My eyes shift over toward a familiar blonde boy, the same one myself and Noah encountered the day we were given our projects.

His lips tilt into a smirk, and his eyes glow a bright gold, a usual color, I suppress a flinch and gulp. A low growl rumbles from beside me as I feel fingers graze the inside of my wrist, with the tingles I feel I knew it was Xavier gathering my attention. He nodded down the hall which lead to my first class.

Gently, he wraps his hand around my wrist, he begins to pull me down the hall, our shoes scraping along the tile floor, the eyes of everyone following us. I take deep breathes to calm down my heart, the headache from earlier coming back in full force.

“Xavier!”

He halts in his steps unexpectedly, I almost run into his back, glaring when the muscles clearly are seen under his shirt tense up. Frowning, I peer around his arm to see a familiar brunette standing a few feet in front of him.

“Is it true?” she states, a gleam shining in her eyes. “The little human knows about us, now?” her eyes cut my way.

Xavier was silent for a second before gritting out: “Yes.”

A mischievous smile cracks at her lips, her green eyes brightening to the point where they were almost glowing. My eyebrows crease together as she takes a step closer the same moment Xavier’s hand tightening around my wrist.

“Then she knows what we’re capable of then?” she releases a giggle, that didn’t sit well with my stomach.

Xavier kept silent.

“You don’t mind if I show her, hmn?” she states, stalking forward like the animal she was, her features suddenly shifting.

Her gloss covered lips spread into another grin, this time revealing her whiten teeth, her canines began to length in size. My eyes widen, when the color of her eyes began to flash from forest green to a bright yellow, my chest rose and fell in panic as she stalked forward.

“Mommy. .”

My mouth falls open. Images began to flash through my mind’s eye, others were too fast for me to catch on and others I could see clearly. They flickered in and out like a movie film.

Trees surrounded me, trapping my body in the heart of the forest, every little thing causing my small body to jump in fright.

A growl resonated.

“Courtney I need you not to provoke me, right now.” I heard Xavier say, his voice sounding far away.

She laughed, “Why? I’m just showing who’s at the top of the food chain.” she released a growl, causing my skin to crawl.

The hall was dead silent, classes forgotten and the only thing the other students were focused was the scene before them.

My head whipped around, my curious eyes looking for the source of the foreign sound before connecting with blood red eyes, a small gasp escapes my mouth as the wolf stalks forward another growl rumbling from its chest, filled with bloodlust.

“Mommy. .?” I call out, backing away, tears clouding my eyes. ”Masey?”

“It won’t hurt. . not much,” Courtney finishes, hand reaching out toward me.

The wolf pounced, paws outstretched and claws extended ready to rip me apart and before it could, a faint whoosh! in the trees was heard just something, the speed of light past me, blowing my hair in my face. A strangled whimper echoed in my ears along with a sickening snap before liquid splattered over me.

My small hands reached up and pushed my hair away from my face, the sight of a man in front of me.

It happened so fast, I almost missed it if it weren’t for the scraping of sneakers.

Xavier wasn’t by my side anymore, instead, he had Courtney pinned by her neck against the lockers, a small crater formed under her body from the force.

“Xavier!!” a familiar voice called out.

He growled, hand tightening around Courtney’s neck, she whimpered, both her hands scratching at his hand.

“You won’t be laying a single hand on my mate," he growled, his voice deeper than ever. “If you do, I’ll show who’s exactly in charge here.” I couldn’t hold in the gasp when I saw his eye color.

A solid black.

“You’re safe now.” the man’s whisper, echoed in the wind, a gentle smile on his lips.