My very own wolf family

Chapter 22.

A WOLF HOWLED for the first time that night. I twisted and turned in my sheets in mild discomfort. The bedspread felt sweaty and clung to my skin like the clingwrap which wrapped around the sandwich before it was engulfed by my needy stomach.

The sky outside the window was dark and the glistening stars could be seen from within. The splatter of stars reminded me of water droplets shining on spiderwebs like orbs of glass when the sun comes out after a storm.

Thinking back to before this trip to Norway, I thought about how the locations I lived in never had skies clear enough to see all the stars. How different were that world and the one I'm living in now?  Vastly, is the answer. Never before had I imagined there was a place on Earth which wasn't showing signs of human activity and pollution. I thought the Earth was already tarnished to irreplaceable repair.

Iris and Ben, however, had a different perspective from mine. They had done much more exploring before I joined them on their trips.

I've been told that before I came along, they'd take expeditions to rural areas: sandy deserts, luscious rainforests, humid jungles. Exciting stories about sleeping under the stars and encountering wild animals.

Occasionally, I wonder if I was the reason, they stopped doing that. Instead, going to urban concrete jungles. I would also ponder where the financing for the trips came from and what they were searching for.

I had tried to breach the topic a few times previously, but they had instantly closed off and changed the topic.

A cool breeze wafted over my feet. I had pulled off the covers and kicked them onto the floor in hopes of cooling myself down.

Isn't it meant to be cold in the winter? Not so sweltering hot that I have to kick away the bedsheets in frustration?

I purposely directed the thought at Riana but received no response. Silent, for once.

Though I wanted to enjoy the silence brought by Riana's quietness, I sensed something was wrong. Nothing covered me, except my pyjama shorts and top, but only my feet felt cold. Numb, even. I tried to wiggle my toes but couldn't feel them move against each other.

Looking down, I noticed they didn't even move! I must be hallucinating. Probably in a bad dream.

My brain ordered my fingers to pinch my inner elbow, but nothing happened.

I stared at the ceiling in panic as I lay in panic.

Blinking, I remembered an important detail: I could sit up, just not move my fingers and toes. Perhaps my limbs are paralysed but my torso is not.

Just as I attempted to sit up, a wave of pain splashed onto me. Crashing onto me like a big ocean wave; the only difference being I'm not as densely packed as sand.

I tried to distract myself from the pain of knifes stabbing onto every part of my skin by thinking of a response Riana would return. Probably something about my brain being the least dense of all. She definitely would say th- AH!

My loud thoughts carried through to my mouth. I scream out in pain and my face contorts into one of a tortured soul. I'm reminded of the museum Iris and Ben brought me to where I saw a man frozen in time, in agony.

Curse words flow out of my mouth like vomit. Instead of rainbow vomit, it's a cuss vomit decorated with rainbows.

A toe in my right foot cracks, causing my screams to raise to an impossibly louder octave. It's as if my vocal cords suddenly expanded into the same size as Freddy Mercury's. My toenails dig into the skin underneath, making it feel like I'm sanding my toe tips off.

You know that stretching machine those Russians made to stretch people to make them longer? Not just a form of torture, but for the dwarfs who thought they wanted to grow taller so they could bump into cupboards above the kitchen sink more easily? Well, what was happening to me was the exact opposite. It felt like my thigh bone and shins were collapsing. Becoming thicker and sturdier.

I could feel the skin in my legs expanding to reluctantly accommodate the thickening bones. A small part of me hoped there was still enough collagen left in me to reduce stretch marks; it was quickly beaten up by the majority of my brain which was hung over by the excruciating pain. Typical fun.

Riana's presence in my brain also came forth. Normally, it'd be at the back, coming a few steps forwards to voice out her thoughts. However, as I scream, I can see Riana shoving away parts of my brain to get closer to my consciousness.

When Riana finally spoke, or whatever you call her method of communication – projection, maybe? – she felt much closer to the surface. Her voice felt much louder and stronger. Solid instead of a presence drifting in the wind with the majority of its voice carried away before it could reach me.

"Relax and accept me."

I try to take her advice. Relax. But it doesn't work. The attempt is futile.

Instead, by taking one step back, the pain pushes forwards by a mile.

One by one, my spinal disks crack and contort, the cracks sounding like a louder version of cracking knuckles. I've always hated those who crack them. Brian included. But his importance to the pack overlooks the small problem.

I can hear each stitch succumbing to the expanding force as my clothes rip into pieces, leaving me as naked as the day I was born.

Except that my body was covered in fur. Colours of caramel, like my hair, and orange, like traffic cones. Even my nipples were hairy!

My shoulder joints rotate forwards with a snap to have my arms hanging in front of me. Well, what used to be my arms.

A shriek of surprise bursts out of my lips as I see them crooked, like the arms of a dog or wolf.

Wolf. Dog. Animal.

I quickly look down, just in time to see a puffy tail plop out of my buttocks.

Just before I surrendered to Riana, I stupidly wonder how I'm going to stop my tail from getting dirty when I do my business. My brain gives me a mental slap.

***

A/N:

Two consecutive long chapters, released on time! The exciting part you've all been waiting for is here!

I forgot if I'vementioned that Katie doesn't know what Iris and Ben (her mother's sister andhusband) are searching for, so comment if you remember (I don't want to seemlike I don't keep track of things, but I have completely forgotten because toomany things have happened thus far). Do me a favour, thanks. 

I don't understandhow authors who write complicated books keep track of events. Do they writeeverything down? Pfft, of course not (*waving my hand in dismissal*)!

QOTC: What doyou think has happened to Katie?
HA. As if I'd tell what happens!

Jesse's POV next chapter! It only took 22 chapters to reach the firsttime Katie shifts! When I rewrite MVOWF, I plan to decreased the number ofchapters by making them longer.

Run wild,

Hillary

Next chapter: 27august2022