Shifting Lives
Description
"All you need in the ever changing world is someone that you can truly belong to." A group of orphans search for a place of their own and end up finding more than they bargained for. (A werewolf story.)
Foreword
Summary: All you need in the ever changing world is someone that you can truly belong to.
Author's Note: As promised, this is my attempt at another supernatural story. As always, my story will be character driven and not action driven. (Still can't write a good action scene to save my soul.) This will be my stab at werewolves, a growing genre in the literary culture; we'll see how I do.
2nd Author's Note: First attempt at posting in AsianFanFiction so I'm still trying to figure out how to do this. (Winglin.net has failed me... guess it's time to switch over.) Forgive me if things looks strange until I can learn this new format. Thanks in advance.
Rating: I'm going to say T for Teens, ages 13 and up though I would really prefer it if you were at least 16 to be reading this. There should be some romance, some violence, and a few deaths here and there. (What's werewolf story without a bit of blood, right?)
Warning: My usual spiel on criticism applies as always. No complaints about creative differences, aka character pairings, are ever allowed – I will delete comments (if I remember to) that violates this rule. Don't like my pairing, you are welcome to write a story of your own with the ones you want, but this is my story and I will pair them as I see fit. If you find my writing style (and inability to apply grammar) to be horrifying – please do drop me a note; I’d love to hear from you. Otherwise, enjoy the story.
Editing Keys: *thoughts*; «dreams»; "spoken words"
Characters: Too many to name; just read the story –but my usual suspects will be here.
Shameless Self Promotion: My completed stories!
♥In Her Shadow - http://www.winglin.net/fanfic/Shadow/
♥Another Cup of Macchiato - http://www.winglin.net/fanfic/AnotherCup/
♥Quiet Life [One Shot] - http://winglin.net/fanfic/Quiet/
♥Elemental Disconnect - http://www.winglin.net/fanfic/Elemental/
♥Reckless Hearts - http://www.winglin.net/fanfic/Reckless/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prologue I
The scream alerted them.
The wolf was on the loose and had lost control. Even with the waiting guards only ten feet away in the shrubs, it was still too late to save the girl. They were barely able to save themselves – it took 6 men and eight tranquilizers to bring down the beast.
“Oh god,” one of the guards muttered as he stared down at the mangled body. The pungent scent of a fresh kill was overwhelming and he had to turn away, gritting his teeth to stay in control. “There’s going to be hell to pay for this.”
“It was a mistake,” another guard said stoically as he reloaded his gun… just in case. Their kind was notoriously difficult to tranq, their super active metabolism processed drugs through their system too quickly sometimes. And he’s never seen anyone take so many tranquilizers to bring down – then again, it was a full moon tonight and he wasn’t exactly like the others.
“That doesn’t matter,” a third guard said as he pulled the cuffs from his back pocket. He stood over the unconscious big wolf, cautiously waiting. “The Alpha is going to want someone to pay for this.”
“It was a mistake,” the other guard repeated, bringing over a blanket to drape over the wolf before stepping back – just in case – to join the wait. “There wasn’t anything he could have done.”
“This is going to be bad,” a first man said as he joined his fellow guards.
“Yeah, and I don’t mean just for him,” nodding to the wolf as the animal seem to shimmer slightly. Gray fur melted into pale skin, claws retracted into long fingers, powerful snot and jaws receded into a handsome youthful face; the wolf was at least partially back to man now. But it was still full moon out, and the man can change again at any moment.
Slapping on the cuffs, the guard wrapped the man in the blanket and nudged the other to pick up the feet. Together, they hauled the wolf/man into the truck they had made their journey into the woods with. One of them would have to watch him and tranq him again if he starts to come around before they make it back into town.
“What should we do with the girl?”
“Bring her,” one of them answered tensely. “The Alpha is going to want to see.”
“Can’t imagine why,” the other replied grimly as he looked down at the girl again as he shook his head in pity. “I certainly wouldn’t want to see my daughter in her final mistake.”
‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡
Prologue II
Ella knew who it was before she picked up the phone. She was, after all, on borrowed time. And time was up. “Hello?”
“Did you really think you were going to be able to stay away?”
Sitting down, she clutched the phone tightly for a moment, her already racing up skipping a beat. Up til now, she’s been so very careful. Never stay too long. Never use her real name. Never let anyone get too close. It was the only way to stay free. But she’s broken all the rules this time, and for the most dangerous reason of all…
“Come home of your own accord or I will come get you myself.”
“No.” The denial came too quickly, gave away too much. “I’ll come home.”
There was a considerable pause that had her holding her breath. “You have two days’ time,” and click, the line was dead.
Setting the phone down on the cradle very carefully, she got up and wept silently as she packed up her Spartan apartment into the duffle she had arrived in town with. She could run again; but what would be the point? They’d still find her in the end. There was only so far she could go. Best to face the music now before things get out of hand; before someone else got hurt – she couldn't live with that.
Fixing her face in the mirror, she sat by the phone again. Twisting the intricately carved silver ring on her index finger over and over again, she took breaths to work up her courage and finally dialed the reason she had let her guard down.
“Hello?”
She took another breath, struggling to keep her voice calm. “It’s me.”
“Hey, baby,” was the causal response. “How are you? What’s going on?”
“Can I come over?” Ella asked, knowing the answer already as she stared out the window at the cloudless sky and bright full moon.
There was hesitation in his voice, rightly so. “Um… tonight is really not a good night.”
And because she understood only too well even if he didn’t know, she accepted it without argument. Plus there was so little time left, “Okay. I… I just called to tell you… I’ve been called home and…”
“Wait, what?”
“I…” she took a breath to calm herself, telling herself to make it convincing. “I have to go home. I wanted to tell you before I left.”
“What? Tonight? You're leaving tonight? Is everything okay?”
Pressing her hand hard against , she stifled a painful cry and gulped down her agony. It had to be this way – he mustn't know. “Everything’s fine but they need me home immediately for a family thing, you know how it is." Invoking family resonated with him and she knew that. "I just wanted to call you, hear your voice, before I go.”
“I wish it wasn't such a hurry though; I could have come with you,” his voice was distant, soft with distraction. She knew why. “Be safe, alright. Stay on the main roads and call me if anything comes up.”
There was so much she wanted to say and so much she couldn’t. She knew he wouldn’t understand; couldn’t really. Viciously twisting the ring on her finger again, “I love you, okay?”
There was silence on the other end. “Why are you saying this?” he asked quietly. They weren't verbally affectionate; it wasn't in their nature to be.
“I just wanted you to know, that’s all.” She wouldn’t get another chance. “Mom always said that when you leave for a trip, you should always say what you need to say before you go because you never know. So I’m saying it.” And she meant it. No matter what the future holds, no one else will ever touch the place in her heart reserved for him – she knew that, she couldn't explain it but she knew it.
Again, there was a hesitation in his voice. “I love you too.” There was doubt, doubt because of what he was not because of what he felt; she understood. “Be safe, okay?”
“I will,” she held onto that – his comfort and assurance.
“I’ll see you when you get back.”
No, he won’t. “Good bye, Chun.” Because she wasn’t coming back.
And thus, our story begins…
Comments