The Wolf Series Novella: 6

Connor fidgeted in his seat and told himself not to worry. After all, every kid who had their First Change was called into the Elder's Mad Tea Party, as the Pack called it behind the Elders' backs. He watched in silence as the they--men and women who had seen a century or more passed them by--passed tea cups and saucers filled with cookies as they eyed him back with smiles that hid very, very sharp teeth. 

So far, all they did was asked about how he felt about the Change and how his progress was, not to mention they've been praising how fast he was getting used to the Wolf. 

He had to admit, his Wolf was stronger than others and sometimes he had difficulty in reigning it in, but they were off to a good start. The Wolf had instincts that helped him in a Hunt or when Changing that made things easier for him. So far, the Wolf and him agreed on mostly everything. 

Like how the Elders were trying to sniff out something. And he was hiding something big. 

Connor sipped on his tea and stuffed his mouth with cookies. Mey's serious black eyes flashed in his mind, the urgent way her fingers dug into his skin. "You can't tell anybody."

A part of him felt reluctant to hide something that could help the Pack, the faces of his friends that would experience the First Change drifted in an out of his brain. How many of them could Mey saved?

--the sweet tang of blood inside his mouth, a high-pitch scream, the smell of fear and terror--

But how much would it cost Mey?

"We are so relieved that you came out safely, Connor. We all remember how it felt to survive the First Change."

They nodded and murmured to themselves and Connor ducked his head. Even days after, the pain still echoed in his limbs, his bones. But worse than that was the realization that he actually survived what so many hadn't. Survivor's guilt, his father told him, they all felt it. It was hard to meet the eyes of his fellow packmates, to see the fear in the eyes of his friends who hadn't gone through the Change or the blame in the parents' eyes of those who had and not survived. Why you? Their eyes said. Why you and not my child?

Nina, the non-official head Elder smiled at him and waved him off. "Off with you then."

Connor stifled a breath of relief and slid off the chair. It was difficult but he kept himself from running as he replayed their conversation, he was sure that he didn't say anything that would put Mey in danger.

"Oh, Connor." Nina called him back as he was at the doorway. He turned, his Wolf bristling.

"Mey was with you, wasn't she?"

He swore his heart stopped and sweat coated his palms. His mind went a mile a minute, trying to think of a reason on why they were asking when they already know the answer.

Right, everybody knew that Mey was with him, so, there wouldn't be any harm in confirming it, right?

His Wolf bared its teeth in challenge but he gripped his Wolf tight, ignoring its warning.

"Yeah, she was."

Nina's eyes glowed and her lips curled into a grin. "That would be all."

Connor blinked and turned away. As soon as he cleared the corner he ran and ran and ran.

He didn't know why he was running, he didn't know why his heart was pounding with fear. He only stopped when he scented a familiar smell--apples and tea: Mey.

He nearly ran into her and reached for her when she nearly fell on her butt when she tried to avoid crashing against him. His fingers pressed against the inside of her wrist, felt the fast pulse of her heart.

He took a deep breath, his Wolf calming at the touch.

Mey frowned at him. "What's wrong?"

His heart beat slowed as he took her place beside her. "Nothing. Where are you going?"

"Nowhere. I'm just out for a walk." She went right and followed the jogging trail that led into the park forest.

Connor let go of her wrist, their hands bumping against each other as they walked side by side. "Oh, I'll come with,"

Mey shot him a weird glance. "Okay."

Connor took another deep--apple tea scented--breath and paced himself even though his Wolf urged him to run...and take her with him.

He didn't. He merely followed her as she walked slowly through the trees, humming under her breath. 

Copyright © 2013 by D.F. Jules

The Wolf Series Novella: 5

His footsteps were different now, the rhythm, the very sound of it but Mey knew that it was him. She opened her eyes and sure enough, Connor stood in her doorway, all gangly limbs and slouching shoulders. His eyes flicked away when his eyes met hers and he pushed one of his hands into his pocket while another held a wide brown envelop that crackled in his grip.

His mouth opened, moved but no sound came out. His lips pressed tightly together and he ducked his head.

Mey knew what he wanted to say, of course she knew, he wanted to say he was sorry, that he didn’t meant to do what he did, that he probably didn’t remember what happened. He wouldn’t be lying, that’s what happened in the First Change, it was a time when instinct won out, where humanity and rationality took a backseat.

She knew that but the burning pain on her shoulder, the ache in her body everytime she breathed didn’t make her feel forgiving, so Mey continued looking at him until he stood squirming at the door. The brown envelop crackled again.

She frowned at it. “What’s that?”

Connor’s shoulders tensed at the hoarseness of her voice; her throat was sore as if she had used up all her voice that night.

Screaming.

He still couldn’t meet her eyes but he lifted the envelope and waved it in front of him. “My x-rays.” He lifted his head for a second to look at her and Mey caught the flash of amber in his usually solid brown eyes. That spot in her neck burned at the sight of it. It had never done that around Connor before. 

“You’re hurt?” A pinch of worry came out of her voice. She could hear it and she hoped that Connor could too. She was angry at him--and herself. 

That didn't mean that he stopped being her bestfriend. 

Amber flashed in his eyes, made even more startling at the dark color of his skin, before he looked down at his shoes again. “No, it’s just customary to get one after...after.” 

His voice was deeper, Mey thought, and although there wasn’t much of a change that she could see, there were a lot that she could feel. Her parents were right, he made a strong wolf. She could feel his wolf prowling inside his skin, restless and so very alive. Her skin burst in goosebumps at the sheer presence of his wolf.

A phone rang from outside her room and Connor flinched. 

“They allowed you to go out already?” It’s only been 3 days since that night, since they found her bleeding on the floor and Connor growling and howling and scrabbling for her.

His throat worked. “I’m not alone.” He shrugged. “Your parents are outside with mine. They know I’m here.”

Mey looked behind him but saw no one. And she was impressed that they were allowing him to be alone with her at all after how they had reacted when she first woke up in the hospital.

“Do—do you want to see?”

Mey blinked. “I think I saw too much all ready.”

His face darkened. “I mean the x-ray not my—not that.”

There was guilt in his voice and anger. And most of all there was shame.

She tried to sit up but her body wouldn’t let her and he finally looked at her when he heard her sucked in a pained breath. He was halfway into the room when he stopped then stood like he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Mey waved a hand at him. “Help me up.”

His shoulders relaxed and the tightness around his mouth softened as he stepped beside the hospital bed. It was awkward because the bed was quite high but Connor managed to pick her up easily. His hold was gentle on her waist but he held his body as far away as he could while still be able to touch her.

“What? Do I smell bad?” The question popped out suddenly, it was one of those weird fears that she had around the pack. 

A small smile appeared on his face before it fell into serious lines once again. “Of course not, it’s just—“

“You think that I’m afraid of you now?”

He pulled away his hands from her waist but she kept hers on his shoulders and he couldn’t move without hurting her so he didn’t. “Aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.” She felt him flinch. “But that’s normal, isn’t it? Considering.”

“I don’t want you to be afraid of me.” His words tumbled out of his mouth and clashed against each other.

“You bit me, Connor.”

He tried to move again but Mey gripped his shoulders tightly, her fingers digging into his skin. Pain blossomed on her shoulder but she ignored it.

“You bit me. You hurt me.”

His face crumpled and a soft sob tore from his chest and his hands were on her waist to push her away but she pulled him down and wrapped her uninjured hand around his neck.

“This scar that I will have for the rest of my life, that’s on you.”

“I know. You don’t have to tell me.” He snarled as he stood unmoving in her arms. “I wasn’t—it was the wolf, Mey. I would never hurt you.”

“You are the wolf, Connor.”

His breath rasped and flecks of amber rose up in the dark of his eyes. “I know. I’m sorry. I wasn't trying to make excuses--"

“You hurt me.” She continued, ignoring the trembling of his body against hers. “And I hurt you.”

He had stopped breathing. “What?”

Mey pulled away from him and cut her eyes to the door. Connor looked over his shoulder and shook his head. “They’re gone to get some coffee or something.”

When he looked back at her, her eyes were intense. “Connor, do you remember what happen?”

“I remember pain and more pain. And you.” Sweat beaded his temple as his mind went to that night. “There was blood and you were saying my name.”

“And?”

His eyes bled amber. “And you did something to me.”

Mey stared straight to his eyes as he searched her face.

“You did, didn’t you? That’s why I Changed so fast. No one had ever Changed that fast. A month maybe. Not in a few days.”

“You’re a strong wolf.”

“Not that strong.” Connor sat on the bed, forgetting his anxiety in his curiosity. “What did you do?”

Mey thought hard about what her parents had told her but the chance to finally share what she could do—especially with this kind of result—was hard to refuse. “It’s just something I can do. I can help people Change easier.”

“I’ve never heard—how—then why did it take so long for you to help me?” Hurt dripped from his voice.

“Because it’s a secret. Mom and dad told me not to.”

“But why?”

She pointed to her shoulder.

He blinked and offered her a sheepish and guilty grin. “Oh. Right.”

“I think they’re afraid that it would put me in this exact situation. I mean, you know me and I still get hurt. What if someone else asks me—“

Connor shook his head. “No. Your mom and dad are right. This should be a secret.”

“You won’t tell? Not even your parents.”

He gripped her hands. “I won’t.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Mey stared at his face until she found what she was looking for. She relaxed and leaned back. “Okay.”

He peered at her from behind his crazy curls. “So, you forgive me?”

“If you forgive me.”

Connor grinned. And just like that Mey grinned back.

When the parents came back to the room they found Connor sharing the bed with Mey, their heads together as he pointed out all the breaks and healing marks on his x-ray.

Copyright © 2013 by D.F. Jules

Song of the Day

Kai 

Passenger-Let Her Go

Well, you see her when you fall asleep

But never to touch and never to keep

'Cause you loved her too much

And you dived too deep

Well, you only need the light when it's burning low

Only miss the sun when it starts to snow

Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low

Only hate the road when you're missin' home

Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go

Song of the Day

This one is a doozy. From Kai to Lei. 

I’m bleeding out

So if the last thing that I do

Is to bring you down

I’ll bleed out for you

So I bare my skin

And I count my sins

And I close my eyes

And I take it in

And I’m bleeding out

I’m bleeding out for you (for you)

When the day has come

That I’ve lost my way around

And the seasons stop and hide beneath the ground

When the sky turns gray

And everything is screaming

I will reach inside

Just to find my heart is beating

You tell me to hold on

Oh you tell me to hold on

But innocence is gone

And what was right is wrong

‘Cause I’m bleeding out

So if the last thing that I do

Is to bring you down

I’ll bleed out for you

So I bare my skin

And I count my sins

And I close my eyes

And I take it in

And I’m bleeding out

I’m bleeding out for you (for you)

When the hour is nigh

And hopelessness is sinking in

And the wolves all cry

To fill the night with hollering

When your eyes are red

And emptiness is all you know

With the darkness fed

I will be your scarecrow

You tell me to hold on

Oh you tell me to hold on

But innocence is gone

And what was right is wrong

‘Cause I’m bleeding out

So if the last thing that I do

Is to bring you down

I’ll bleed out for you

So I bare my skin

And I count my sins

And I close my eyes

And I take it in

And I’m bleeding out

I’m bleeding out for you (for you)

I’m bleeding out for you (for you)

I’m bleeding out for you (for you)

I’m bleeding out for you (for you)

I’m bleeding out for you

‘Cause I’m bleeding out

So if the last thing that I do

Is to bring you down

I’ll bleed out for you

So I bare my skin

And I count my sins

And I close my eyes

And I take it in

And I’m bleeding out

I’m bleeding out for you (for you)

Song of the Day

At first listen, I thought this song was for Leah, my character in Touched (the word Creator jumped at me) but then the sound of it was more DreamWalkers but the lyrics didn't work...then it hit me, once I've reached "that I am a suffocator", that is very much Lorelei, my character in The Wolf Series. It sings about her relationship with Kai, and her thoughts about her power.

I’m wasted, losing time

I’m a foolish, fragile spine

I want all that is not mine

I want him but we’re not right

In the darkness I will meet my creators

And they will all agree, that I’m a suffocator

This other song from the same band is just so LoreleixKai.

That boy, take me away, into the night

Out of the hum of the street lights and into a forest

I'll do whatever you say to me in the dark

Scared I'll be torn apart by a wolf in mask of a familiar name on a birthday card

Blow out all the candles, blow out all the candles

"You're too old to be so shy," he says to me so I stay the night

Just a young heart confusing my mind, but we're both in silence

Wide-eyed, both in silence

This other song by them is surprisingly very LycaonxMey.

Throw me in a landfill

Don't think about the consequences

Throw me in the dirt pit

Don't think about the choices that you make

Throw me in the water

Don't think about the splash I will create

Leave me at the altar

Knowing all the things you just escaped

Push me out to sea

On a little boat that you made

Out of the evergreen that you helped your father cut away

Leave me on the tracks

To wait until the morning train arrives

Don't you dare look back

Walk away

Catch up with the sunrise

'Cause this is torturous electricity

Between both of us and this is

Dangerous 'cause I want you so much

But I hate your guts

I hate you

So leave me in the cold

Wait until the snow covers me up

So I cannot move

So I'm just embedded in the frost

Then leave me in the rain

Wait until my clothes cling to my frame

Wipe away your tear stains

Thought you said you didn't feel pain

The Wolf series Novella: 4

Connor didn't show up at school.

They all knew what that meant.

The Pack was tense, the pack-children was even more tense and Lei was so fear-stricken, worried and frustrated and everything was swirling, festering inside her that she just wanted to go to a quiet place and scream her head off. If only she could see him, but--

“I can help him.”

“No, you can’t! I told you, Mey. What you can do, it needs to be a secret.”

“But he can die, papa. Connor might die.”

“No, he won’t. He’s strong, Mey. He’ll make it.”

“What if he doesn't?” Tears were thick in her voice and her father enveloped her in his arms. But even through the tears, she noticed her father didn't have an answer for her. 

She didn't understand why they wouldn't let her help Connor, they had trained her for this, hadn't they? To practice bringing forth the Wolf inside them, to both calm and stop the Wolf from coming out. They had practiced over and over again until she could do it in her dreams.

Well, she decided, if they didn't want to help then that's on them. She was going to help.

Today was her only chance since the parents were off in a Pack meeting. Mey sneaked into their house (she knew where the spare key was) and went down into the basement. She knew the secret code from Connor, they had played there from time to time. She went from room to room to see where he was and finally she found him behind the fourth door. The room was dark but for a small night light at the corner. He was naked but was covered by a blanket, curled up in one of the darkest corners. The room smelled terrible, like puke and urine and sickly sweat. She could hear him wheeze, and see the shine of sweat on his skin.

He was in a cage.

Chills climbed up her skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. She approached the cage.

“Connor?”

He didn’t respond.

“Connor? It’s me, Mey.”

She saw him twitched and she let out a relieved breath. “You okay? I mean, are you feeling better?” What she meant was, was he close to Changing. There was a reason that the First Change was so feared, it wasn't just intense pain for a moment and then you're done. It was continuous pain as your body tried to change itself over a long period of time; sometimes it took weeks, months.

That was the problem, why sometimes the body or the spirit gave up. They said it was Darwinism at work; that only the strong would finish the Change and become werewolves.

Connor had been absent for 3 days. He wasn't even close to the finish. But maybe she could speed it up a little.

She moved closer to where he was lying and saw that his eyes were open. She stilled at the bright amber color of his pupils and at the way he was staring at her; intense and focused in a way that she had never seen before. She gulped. “Do you know who I am?”

His mouth opened and she could see his long canines. He whispered something.

She knelt beside his cage. “What?”

He whispered again.

“What? I can’t hear you.” She moved closer and placed a hand on the bar.

“Stu...pid.”

Mey blinked, relaxed then scoffed. “Well, at least you still have your charming personality.”

His teeth flashed again. His canines seemed to grow longer--

--he was so fast, Mey didn't knew what was happening until he had his hand wrapped around hers and  pulled her into the space between bars. She was so skinny, he pulled her whole arm and shoulders between the space, and her head smacked right into the bars. Dizzy, she didn't particularly feel it when his teeth pierce the soft skin of her left shoulder.

She screamed as pain blasted her mind wide open. "Connor! Let go!!"

Instinct wanted her flail and fight and run, but she grew in a Pack, she knew that was the last thing you should do. Even as her muscles tensed, she didn't struggle, Training clamped on instinct and she jerked her other hand to touch his jaw, pressing until he loosened his bite. Dribbles of her blood soaked her T shirt and skin. Her head swam with the copper smell of it. "Connor."

His jaw tightened and he bit down again. Fire seared her arm and shoulder. She pressed his jaw again, putting a little more authority into her voice she called out his name again. "Connor."

It came out as a painful hiss and she felt something inside her ripple. Her stomach started to heat up and fire flared from her belly to all her limbs. "Connor. Listen to me."

He clamped harder on her shoulder but his amber eyes rolled toward her.

Mey pressed her fingers against the side of his face, her voice was lower, smoother. "Connor, listen."

His eyes focused on her, the amber of his eyes glowing brightly until her already watering eyes burned. She jerked as she felt his tongue curled against her skin, lapping up the blood off her skin. A keening sound erupted from his throat.

"Connor Wuithall, listen."

His pupils dilate and what was amber flashed red.

Mey didn't feel the pain anymore, the pain was a distant memory at the back of her head. Everything inside her was burning and she felt sweat trickling down her back but she kept her eyes on Connor. He licked her skin again and then took off his teeth from her to snuggle against the hand at his cheek.

Mey dug into her center and let everything rip. "Change."

Connor's body jerked, his skin rippled, his spine arch and then bowed as he fell to his hand and knees. His bones started to break and the wet, crunching sounds of it made Mey want to hurl but she swallowed her fear down and kept her power focused on Connor, to actually will him to Change.

The First Change was always hard and it had contributed to most of the death of Pack Children. A rank smell pierced her concentration as he lost command of his bladder--you do that when you break every bone in your body over and over again, the body molding and remolding, bones breaking, muscles stretching and contracting. She saw his skin melt and spurt fur, weaving in and out of his skin.

She forced more of her power into him. "Change."

The bones of Connor's face shifted underneath his skin, growing flat in some places and bulge in others, fur grew around his face. He vomited and screamed-howl with pain.

And still Mey pushed at him. "Change."

***

They found both Connor and Mey unconscious in the room, Connor was in wolf form and Mey bloodied and delirious.

Copyright © 2013 by D.F. Jules

New covers, new art and banner.

Got myself a shiny new cover for Book Three and story banner made by the awesome Stacey K Wall. 

And an awesome drawing by Mey Yeng for the novella of MeyXConnor: Werewolf Next Door. 

I adore it. She got the details right, Connor's dark skin and Mey's straight hair. And I like that Connor is looking sideways to Mey and she has her face tucked in tight against his. It's so cute. The body proportion is perfect and how it convey a sense of movement, as if someone captured the scene by camera.

The Wolf Series Novella: 3

Connor eyed the limping girl as she walked in front of him. "Want some help?"

Mey ignored him.

"It looks like it hurts."

Mey still ignored him and kept limping to the bus stop. She bit her lip as the road started to incline.

"Come on, Mey, don't be stubborn."

Mey gritted her teeth and soldiered on.

"Why are you so mad anyway?"

That finally got a reaction out of her, although the reaction was a mere glare his way. 

“Fine. I’m sorry that I tackled you in front of Sean Mulberry.” He griped and mumbled under his breath, “What kind of a name is Mulberry anyway.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.” Connor kicked a rock out of his way. “What’s the big deal anyway?”

 “You wouldn’t understand.” Mey sniffed, her long pony tail swinging. Connor had the sudden suspicion that her hair was mocking him. 

“Of course I do. You like him.”

Mey stopped and glared. “If you knew than why did you embarrass me like that?”

“Like what? Why would you be embarrassed? We were playing football.”

“FLAG football, you jerk. You shouldn't have tackled me in the first place. This was a new shirt.”

Connor’s eyes dropped to the shirt which look like every other shirt she ever wore but he was smart enough not to say that. “You should have been paying attention to the game.”

“Are you trying to say that it’s my fault that you tackled me like that?”

“I tackle you all the time. That’s how we play football.”

“Not in front of Sean. Look at me.” She waved her arms in front of her. 

Connor looked at her. “What?”

“I’m all dirty.”

“So am I.”

“Exactly.”

Connor scrunched his eyebrows and scratched his chin. “I don’t get it.”

“I look like a boy.”

“So?”

“I don’t want to look like a boy in front of Sean.”

Connor scoffed. “That’s stupid.”

“Why is that stupid?”

“Because it’s obvious you’re a girl.”

“That’s not what I—OW.” Frustrated, Mey had stomped her sprained foot. 

A smirk started to appear on Connor’s lips but it faded when tears leaked out of her eyes and her lips wobbled. Connor's amusement scattered into utter panic.

“Don’t cry, Mey. Come on, I’m sorry, okay? I promise not to tackle you in front of him again.”

“I’m not crying because of that, you noob. My foot hurts.”

“Oh.” Connor grabbed her backpack and tossed it to a nearby pack-kid who caught it without blinking the carried it along with him to the bus stop. He crouched in front of Mey. “Hop on.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just--”

Connor sent a sharp look over his shoulder and Mey was startled to see flecks of amber light inside his brown eyes. “We’ll miss the bus.”

She was so surprised that she didn't fight when he rolled his eyes, grabbed her arms and pulled them around his neck. Mey huffed and climbed onto his back. The easy way Connor unfolded his body and walked up the hill made her stomach churned. 

“It’s true, isn't it?”

Connor turned his head slightly to look at her. “What?”

Just in case someone was listening, she bent closer and whispered into his ear. “You’re near your First Change.”

Connor said nothing at first before slowly nodding. “Yeah.”

She tried to figure out something to say but she couldn't. The First Change was a dangerous time for all Pack children, time where they experience a pain so intense, four in five children never survived it. Some only survived it physically but not mentally and would end up as a Wild—a werewolf with no human rationality—that would have to be killed. 

Fear tangled inside her and she unconsciously tightened the arms she had around his neck. As if responding to the pressure around his neck, he walked faster. 

Mey put her chin on his right shoulder and pressed her cheek to his. She felt his face move when he smiled.

Copyright © 2013 by D.F. Jules

The Wolf Series Novella: 2

Connor smelt her before he saw her. Not that she smelt bad, she smelt like most people smelt, but there was a trace of something else in her scent that made his stomach clenched.

Blood.

Fresh blood.

He felt the tips of his fingers pinched and his teeth ache along with the anger that boiled inside him when he found her. There was a bruise on her cheek and cuts on her palms, her blood mixed with dirt, like she was thrown onto the ground by someone.

He knew who that someone was. And he was about to be a dead someone.

Mey didn't see him at first, she was trying to wash her hands and the sharp tang of her blood pierce the cloud of other stenches. Her shoulders twitched and as if she felt him there, she peeked over her shoulder and saw him.

Connor didn't know how his face looked but whatever she saw in it, Mey straightened and tried a smile. "I fell."

Connor's brown eyes narrowed. "It's Daniel, isn't it? I warned him not to mess with you again."

Mey heaved a breath. "That's why he messed with me again. Just ignore him, he'll be bored with me and find some other kid to bully."

"Are you saying this is my fault?"

Mey scowled when he grabbed her hand to look at her scrapes. They annoyed her rather than pained her. "No, this is his fault, but you told him off and that only egged him on. Now he has to prove that he's the biggest badass around."

Connor scoffed. "It's not him that's for sure."

Mey's scowled grew deeper when he saw the glint in his eyes. "Connor, didn't you hear me?"

Connor blinked and turned innocent eyes at her.

"Don't give me that look. You're going to go at him again, are you? I told you to just ignore it. Ignore him."

"He hurt you."

Mey paused from trying to put on band-aids on the palm of her hands. At the calm, cold tone of his voice she aimed a sharp look at him. "Yes, he did. But I took care of it. You don't need to butt in."

Connor took her hand and helped her with the band-aid. His touch was gentle on hers, he was always gentle with her.

"Connor."

"What?"

"I took care of it."

"Fine." He turned away. Mey followed him.

"Where are you going? Connor." She grabbed him with one hand, and then grabbed him with the other. He merely pulled her along as he stomped through the crowd.

She saw Arthur from the corner of her eyes and waved at him. He blinked and then moved toward them in the deceptively slow as molasses walk that he was known for. When he reached them he had a smile on his face; Arthur liked to move and talk slow, but that didn't mean that his brain was slow.

"We're going to beat someone up, aren't we?" He asked Connor, totally ignoring the fact that Mey was clutching Connor's arm and digging her heels in. "Who is it?" Arthur's golden eyes flitted back and forth between the two friends and sniffed the air. "Let me guess, Daniel. Did he go after you again, Mey?"

Mey hissed at the sly look on his face, trying valiantly to stop Connor from moving. "Arthur, a little help here."

He grinned but instead of holding on to Connor, he moved behind her and hooked his arms along hers; lifting her from Connor. She fought his hold. "Arthur! Damn it."

Arthur clucked his tongue. "Do you kiss you mom with that mouth?"

She stomped on his toes, he winced but didn't let go. "Just wait."

"For what? For Connor to beat Daniel up?"

He jerked his chin to where Connor was standing predator-still, for someone who hasn't experienced his First Change yet, Connor was already more wolf than some-it was uncanny. Mey moved her legs to where he was standing and Arthur shuffled behind her while still holding her arms. They had really weird looks aimed at them.

Once she reached Connor's side, she saw why Connor was standing so still. Daniel was standing beside the school nurse by the driveway, possibly waiting for his parents to come and pick him up. His left eye was black, his lip was split and a nasty bitemark was on his arm near his elbow. 

Connor slid a glance at Mey, noticed that Arthur was still holding her and scowled at the other boy. Arthur let her go with a smirk and stood back from them. Connor returned his eyes to Mey who sniffed and crossed her arms. "What? I told you I took care of it."

"You bit him?"

"All is fair."

Connor snorted. 

Copyright © 2013 by D.F. Jules