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.
"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
