Death's Saviour

Song of the Chapter: I’m Dangerous by The EverLove

Last night was hectic due to all that happened and the pace in which it happened. We made it to Dusk’s aunt's house and I got to meet Lora who was nice but a little hard to look at due to the scars that blinded her. Lora was understanding about the situation and accepting as she welcomed me into her home, or mostly accepting. I do have to admit Lora being so perceptive even though her vision was taken has been a little hard to swallow for me considering she knew my scent and was able to look right at me even though her eyes are white and she can’t truly see me. I grumble thinking about all the events, I shouldn’t be at school today but Dusk insisted that I had to go or else it would look as if I were part of the events that took place last night revolving around the Hellhound. Obviously, Perry left me out of the little details that he shared with the white-furred pack. I’m assuming Perry would have hoped they would kill us without him having to feel guilty because he gave us up. Well, we will see how he reacts when he sees me healthy and alive today, or as healthy as I can be considering I’m dizzy and vomiting most of the ride here. Dusk promised me that I’ll be okay, I’ll shift soon, and this part of the transformation will be over. My whole body aches but I try not to let it show. I pause from my thoughts looking back over my shoulder and into the forest near the parking lot. Before this all happened, I wouldn’t have seen anything, now my eyesight is sharpening as I see Dusk looking at me as she gives me an encouraging wolfish grin. I move into the school heading right for my locker to grab what I need for my classes. I don’t see Perry right away as I enter class, I don’t share any classes with him apart from lunch but I have no doubt that I will see him then. I, however, have classes with Carl, so I settle down beside him as the first bell goes, he looks about as good as I’m feeling. The Wolves file in right before the second bell causing me to narrow my eyes, I watch Crane and his group settle in at the back of the class. I can smell the Wolf on them now. Class starts, and I turn around trying to focus on the teacher in front of us.

“Perry is acting weird this morning,” Carl whispers in my ear, I grip the edge of my desk tightly as my knuckles go white, of course, he is.

“Let’s just say a lot went down yesterday.” I boil as I allow anger to seep into my voice.

“He told me about Dusk shooting him down, he asked her to make him a wolf and he even asked her to marry him. Perry me about all of it with a weird smile on his face making it creepy considering I don’t think any of this warrants a smile.” Carl tells me, his eyes meeting mine as I look at him, he’s pale.

“Perry gave Sally and Chris up for harbouring the Hellhound. Last night Wolves attacked their house, they would have killed us if Dusk hadn’t killed them instead. Chris and Sally have fled, and I’ve moved somewhere safe.” I whisper to Carl; his eyes widen before filling with dark anger as he takes in what I’m telling him.

“I can’t believe he did that to you guys, he must really be losing it,” Carl says in a deep tone as he pats me on the shoulder causing me to wince as his fingers land right on my bite mark.

The bite mark may be healing but right now it seriously throbs as it starts to scar. Carl gives me a raised eyebrow look but I shake my head at him, now is not the time to explain this to him. I turn my head to look outside and am about to look back when I do a double-take. A very dark, almost black, brown wolf sits out in the soccer field looking in the window directly at me. I glance casually around the room to see if anyone else sees it, but they don’t seem to. I suck in a breath as I try to focus back on class instead of the wolf. I manage to make it through the first period even though this wolf is still present outside. I see it, it’s almost like it is following me, still it seems like no one else sees it, so I don’t lose my cool. As lunch rolls around I lose Carl in the hallways, he promises me that he’ll play it cool with Perry, he won’t tell him that he has seen me. I’m going to join them and play it like I know nothing about anything to see how Perry reacts. I grab my lunch and as I look down outside I see that wolf again sitting right where I can see it. Bizarre! I move with a purpose and pride as I step outside heading towards the table where Perry has his head buried in a book and Carl is keeping watch for me. When I settle down at the table Perry doesn’t look up, he’s too engrossed in his book.

“Hey Noah, did you understand those history notes we had to write I missed that last little bit about Hitler’s death?” Carl asks me drawing Perry’s attention.

It works as he slams his book closed looking right at me, his face pales and his eyes widen.

“Yeah buddy, I can let you borrow them tonight if you want,” I answer Carl who sends a thank you look at me as he bites into his apple.

I pull out a sandwich that consists of cooked deer meat Lora made Dusk and I last night, I put in a sandwich, so it doesn’t seem weird. Dusk was telling me that I’m going to be craving meat and blood as the wolf becomes closer to the surface. As my body begins to prepare for the shift I’m going to have the animalistic urge to kill and eat meat, so it is better if I’m eating meat already because that should help to keep those urges under control. I don’t want to kill anyone by accident. I take a bite into my sandwich as I close my eyes at how delicious and perfect that taste is. Lora sure knows how to cook her meat, though Dusk promised me it is better fresh from a kill.

“What’s in the sandwich that’s having you make that face?” Carl questions me as he takes in my savouring face and my sandwich.

“Deer, Dusk made me try it, damn is it good cooked. Do you want to try a bite?” I ask him as I offer it to him while watching Perry out of the corner of my eye, his mouth has dropped open as a new fury fills his eyes.

Carl takes the sandwich from my hands as he bites into it making a sound in the back of his throat that I know is approval. He hands the sandwich back over to me before finishing chewing on the bite he took as he winks at me while I grin.

“Tell Dusk to make you an extra one next time, that is some good deer very spot hitting!” Carl tells me, I laugh though I note there is something in his voice that seems slightly off.

We are both smiling when suddenly Perry launches himself over the table at me as his right hook connects with my nose. We both go tumbling back as anger bursts into my body as Perry tries to hit me again. I block him as he throws another punch and I block it again in between his flying fists I see the wolf hovering beside our bench where moments ago I just sat. The sight of it makes me pale as I look directly into its grey eyes. I’m distracted which allows Perry to land another good punch on my jaw as I roll over as I spit up blood from my cracked lip. I come back up with a new uncontrollable fury, deep aggression registers in my bones as I throw a punch that breaks Perry’s nose. The sight of the blood gushing out of it makes me want more.

“You took what I wanted, scooped it right out from under me. I bet you don’t even love her, you just did this because she looks like Hannah!” Perry spits at me, I fly at him hitting him hard in the stomach crumpling him.

“I didn’t take anything from you Perry. She was never yours. This life was never yours. I love her for who she is, she is nothing like Hannah and she never will be.” I respond calmly even though I clench my teeth hitting him again in the gut sending him to the ground.

“Fuck you, Noah! I won’t stand for this, she is mine, that life is mine and I’ll kill you for standing in my way!” Perry screams at me as a crowd begins to gather while I throw another punch that lands right on the side of Perry’s head sending him flat to his back as his eyes roll up in his head.

Perry is only out for half a second but when he comes back up his eyes are foggy, and I know I did a number on him, maybe even gave him a concussion. I’m about to strike out again when Carl grabs me around the waist as if he seems like he is restraining me, I smell why. Just great.

“What is going on here?” The biology teachers asks, her voice is high and annoying to my ears.

“Noah and Perry just got into a little bit of a scuffle miss,” Carl explains using his best innocent voice as he lets me go, I wince at the pain beginning in my hand that causes my arm to throb and my jaw aches as a little bit more blood trickles from my busted lip.

“To the principal’s office now, both of you!” Her voice demands, I frown at her as a headache begins to settle into my mind and aches tremble through my body.

My stomach rolls involuntarily as I vomit on Perry who moans on the ground. I turn he rolls over barfing into the grass and the whole crowd of students give a disgusted sound. Shit, I can feel my body having that urge, I’m going to shift right here in front of everyone. I look at Carl with wide panicked eyes as I try not to tremble. Carl meets my eyes, but he isn’t focused on me, he is focused on something besides me. I look down at the grass, right beside me I see the wolf sitting looking up at me, so close that I could touch it if I reached my hands out. A hand touches my shoulder causing me to flinch away from it as a figure whispers something to Carl. It turns out to be Danny who has stepped up to nudge me in the direction of the teacher who leads Perry away as she escorts us to the principal’s office. I don’t fight as I go even though each movement is painful as I begin to sweat as things spin before me. Finally, Danny seats me in a chair and the world stops spinning.

“Noah, Perry it would seem you have been brought in for fighting on school property. Is that right Danny?” The principal asks Danny who seems to be playing witness, I grab onto the principal’s voice as the room starts to spin again.

“That’s right, it was a small scrum,” Danny responds as Perry rubs his head while Danny places a hand on my shoulder digging his fingers into my flesh, the pain grounds me.

“Care to enlighten me on what you were fighting about?” The principal presses, I swallow licking my lips.

“Noah stole something from me!” Perry responds with a wicked smile on his face, he is trying to get me in trouble.

“I guess you could say figuratively I stole something from Perry in his mind. This girl and I started dating yesterday and Perry isn’t taking the news very well. Apparently, he thought she nad him were an item so now he feels as though I have taken her from him.” I explain in a calm voice even though I grind my teeth in my mouth.

“So, this dispute is over a simple girl, really boys are you not more mature than that?” The principal sighs, his tone is full of disappointment that makes Perry turn his eyes to the floor.

“I thought so but when Perry attacked me I chose to defend myself, is that so wrong sir?” I ask in my most innocent voice, Perry’s eyes harden as they fly up to glare at me.

“Oh I see, so Perry you were the one to throw the first punch?” The principal questions turning his attention to Perry for a moment allowing me to suck in a deep breath.

At first, Perry seems to ignore the question, then he slowly shakes his head in agreement with the words spoken to him. I try not to smile at putting this on him, this will be the first time I’ve ever seen him in trouble at school and I’m going to savour just how sweet this moment is.

“Noah I would have expected this from you due to Hannah and your past, but Perry we had an agreement. You and I agreed that when I let you attend this school you wouldn’t obsess over any more girls. I’m very disappointed in you Perry. I didn’t want to ever have this issue with you, it was part of your court order. You are both suspended for two weeks!” The principal groans, he starts writing things down on a pad of paper as Perry goes white at his words.

Perr has a history of obsessing over girls, this is new to me. I blink, when I do strong pain rockets through me and I see the wolf again sitting beside the desk as it looks up at me. My stomach rolls as I beg it to settle. I still can’t do what I know it wants to do right now. Suddenly screams erupt out in the hallway as voices holler. I can feel the panic coming in from the people and I can smell the scent of death as Danny turns releasing my shoulder. Panic shoots through me causing my heart to beat painfully.

“What the hell?” The principal whispers as he stands to make a move towards the door, Danny turns to glance at me curiosity written on his face.

“A student is dead! We saw nothing, just heard screams in the forest when something threw his body from the trees, it ripped his throat out sir!” The biology teacher babbles as she bursts into the room tears spilling down her face as she sucks in ragged breaths while her blood-stained hands flail.

“Boys stay here!” The principal commands us but we don’t listen, he knows it.

I trail a little bit back as Perry follows behind the principal closely, everyone will be curious to know who it is and how it happened. Suddenly Danny’s hand grab my shoulders as he steers me while I turn my head to meet his eyes.

“You need to get out of here Noah, this is no place for a new wolf. I’m doing you this one favour, remember it!” Danny tells me as he moves me at a quick pace down the hallways towards a men’s washroom.

I catch my reflection in the glass windows of the rooms as we go down the hallways, my eyes flicker between glowing and not glowing as Danny slides me into the nearest men’s bathroom where he lets me curl into a ball in the corner under the sinks. I squeeze myself tightly due to the pain within me.

“She will come for me,” I whisper to myself under my breath repeatedly to calm myself.

“When the halls clear make a run for it or climb out the window if you have to, just get out of here!” Danny commands then he is gone.

I close my eyes trying to breathe, but then they fly open when the door opens again. I let out a sigh that is is Carl and not one of the Wolves lead by Danny. Carl’s eyes widen when he sees me, then he asks one simple question.

“Do you need to get out of here before you shift?” Carl asks his voice is concerned instead of hateful as he looks down at me.

I can’t answer with my words, so I just nod my head. Carl seems to be thinking as the alarm goes off over our heads. This alarm is one I am not used to as it means code black, a lockdown alarm meaning students will be pouring back into the school quickly. I have missed my escape window. Carl scrunches up his eyebrows as he tries to think of a way for me to escape. We both jump when the large window over our heads props open then swift as a fox Dusk peeks her head into the school. I don’t flinch when I see the blood covering her face from her lips to her chin spattering across her cheeks. Carl opens his mouth and closes it as he flinches away.

“I did what I had to do!” Dusk tells him in a defiant tone, Carl regains himself simply nodding at her before looking between us.

“Help me up,” I tell Carl my voice shaky.

Quickly Carl helps me as I walk over towards the wall with the window in it. Using my last little bit of strength, I climb up a urinal pushing off the stall door as I jump for Dusk, she catches me mid-air pulling me up into the window as she jumps down out the other side.

“Hey, Noah be safe! I’ll cover for you, but we need to talk sometime!” Carl calls up from beneath me, I turn back to look down smiling at him.

“Thank you, Carl, for not hating me,” I tell him as he nods at me

“You owe me the story behind this man!” Carl calls after me as the bathroom door begins to bang and Carl moves for it as I jump down onto the ground on the other side of the window.

Dusk and I crouch in the bushes as the sound of a fire truck, the police, and an ambulance blare closer. I glance to my left noticing something lying out in the grass of the field. I realize it must be the kid Dusk killed to create a distraction to get me out of here. We bolted across the grass into the forest just in time as a group of people move out of the back doors. We run until I can’t run anymore as my legs give up. I tumble to the ground as my muscles tremble.

“Who did you kill?” I question as I try to distract myself from the horrible pain shooting through me.

“A freshman, a wolf. I thought this through and did my research in case this happened, Noah. This guy was my next target, he had killed over ten humans since he first started shifting on full moons. Ten is a high number for someone who was as young as him, he was a sadist and killed because he could.” Dusk explains to me, I nod at her as I can sense her lack of regret at what she has done.

I can understand this, he was a killer, he was sick in the mind and he served his purpose.

“There is a wolf!” I gasp out as I look past Dusk seeing the wolf sitting in the bushes with its dark brown fur and grey eyes.

Dusk’s eyes begin to glow, but she doesn’t attack the wolf, instead, she opens her palm out towards it beckoning it to come to her. The wolf does though its eyes never leave me as it does so.

“Do not be afraid Noah, this is your wolf.” Dusk whispers in my ear as she leads it over to me, we look each other straight in the eyes and I can see now they are my eyes.

Suddenly the wolf steps forward into me, I can feel it awakening in my soul. I can feel the strength and animal that comes with it, I can feel my wolf and it causes my stomach to roll as I cry out because my muscles move while bones crack repositioning beneath my stretching skin.

“Don’t fight the shift, Noah, allow it to happen.” Dusk’s voice soothes me and I listen to her as I stop fighting the pain as I let it grip me.

I scrunch my eyes up as I suck in a deep breath of air and pant. Everything hurts so badly until I collapse onto the ground as the pain vanishes. I feel something and everything all at once. I can smell everything as I take in a deep breath, I can smell the wind and how it has a tangy scent to it that carries around me. I can smell each type of tree around us, I can smell the drying dew that is hidden beneath me in the grass. I can smell everything and hear far and wide. I can hear the leaves rustling overhead with the wind promising the beginning of another storm, I can hear rabbits chattering in the distance and snakes slithering through the underbrush. The world is so open and full of things that I never knew about before. I let out a sigh of relief.

‘Open your eyes Noah!’ - Dusk’s voice rings into my mind causing me to flinch away from it as it scares me, how is she in my mind with her voice?

I take in another sniff, I pick up oak and freshwater that mix with the forest in Dusk’s scent as it rolls off her in waves.

‘Am I dead? How did you speak in my mind?’ - I try to say aloud but my voice doesn’t meet my ears, instead, I can hear it in my mind as if I’m sending a message through my brain and I can feel Dusk receiving it.

‘When you are a wolf, Noah, this is how we communicate. When you are in human form and wish tot alk to a wolf or simply share a private conversation it can be done this way.’ - Dusk’s voice rings with excitement and I can feel something nudge my shoulder.

I give a grunt and open my eyes, what I see around me is beautiful and blinding. I blink as I take in the world from this new point of view, everything still has the same colours as before and I’m able to recognize them. I find this knowledge weird and interesting at the same time considering humans always assumed dogs couldn’t see in colour. To me, all the colours are more vibrant than before, vibrant enough that I feel as though I could really feel them.

‘We see colour.’ - I think, and I don’t even notice that this thought isn’t private until Dusk responds to my statement.

‘We are still connected to our human forms, we remember everything they have experienced, including colour.’ - Dusk explains her words making sense to me as I turn my head to her.

When I catch her in my vision I come to a halt, I take her in and how I thought she was huge in human form but now I stand toe to toe with her, eye to eye. If anything, I am slightly taller than her which would mean I’m taller than the average human. I suck in a breath as I look into her wolf eyes and I can see mine reflected there, they are grey eyes. The colour doesn’t change from human to wolf. A recognition slams into me as I understand that our eyes represent who and what we are, they make us. For that reason, they don’t change even though our physical bodies do. I look down seeing paws where my hands and feet used to be, big paws covered in thick dark brown fur. The colour of my fur makes me laugh since I know now that the wolf I was seeing truly was me, I just wasn’t ready to accept it. I focus on Dusk again as I take in her form and how gorgeous she truly is with all that raw power built up in her muscles. Dusk meets my eyes giving me a lopsided smile as her black fur moves so easily over her muscles hidden beneath. Blood no longer cakes her face. Dusk nudges me again with her shoulder as I stand on wobbly paws. I try to walk a little before stumbling ending up with my jaw in the dirt. I give a little huff as Dusk let’s out a gruff sound beside me that vibrates as laughter in my mind. She looks down at me.

‘How do you feel?’ - She asks me as I look up at her with a look that’s supposed to say, really.

As I pull my body back into a standing position I try to walk again.

‘I feel like a toddler must, and I’m hungry.’ - I huff out as I tumble again ending up leaning against the nearest tree to me as my stomach rumbles and I feel a deep ache for meat shoot through me.

‘Your mind will get used to this form quickly, now follow me and we’ll catch us some deer.’ - Dusk tells me, the way she says deer in such a suggesting tone makes my lips turn up as I bare my canines at her.

Dusk sees the challenge before I know what is happening she bowls me over standing over me as my paws dangle uselessly in the air my soft stomach exposed. I laugh at how serious she is standing over me, then I stiffen as she leans down hanging her head so close to mine that I can see every little detail in her green eyes. A new sexual hunger awakens within me urging me to act.

‘You are dead.’ - Dusk whispers simply as she trails one claw on her front paw down my stomach, her deadly tone causes me to shiver with need.

Then she licks my ear as she lets me up and I give chase after her as she takes off into the forest. Dusk wasn’t lying when she said my mind would get used to this form quickly, soon enough I’m keeping pace with her as she runs and our fur brushes together making us appear like one wolf. I look over at Dusk and I can’t help feel so peaceful and at home with her. This is where I truly belong, this is my home, here with her. I am a wolf now and I am fully Dusk’s mate. I will not be wasting this gift that she has given me, I will live this life the way that I should. My nose picks up the scent that can only be deer and the idea of meat shoves all other thoughts from my mind. Meat is my number one priority, and meat is what Dusk promises me as we circle the deer downwind to pick out our meal.