Annelise felt her body brim with fire again and all at once she was kneeling in her own sick, clawing and panting at the forest floor. She looked about and coughed up illuminous spit. Her eyes landed on Becky.
The old woman sat nearby with her hands folded. Annelise stared deep into the woman's eyes but the woman stared silent. Annelise coughed up the last of her medicine and dry heaved. She tried to speak but all that escaped her mouth was a howl. It was high pitched and filled with a sorrow she hadn't known she felt.
Annelise wasn't a stranger to being alone. In fact, she preferred it. She had always felt a barrier between herself and the other. All the adults around seemed to have this unspoken rule about blaming her for everything. Then there was their so called Alpha. Easton seemed particularly hell bent that Annelise be made to stay in her place. That meant at home with Myrtle or in school. In fact, Annelise was one of the only cubs that was still attending school. When most of the others stopped, Annelise had wanted to stop to. Being with mundane felt weird. But Alpha ordered her to remain there. He said she needed to stay occupied. Not that the young Annelise had wanted to spend her days weaving baskets with Myrtle, but being at school meant following human rules.
The pack, like most wolf packs had strict rules on interacting with the humans. 1. Never be alone with a human and never go to a human's city on your won. 2. No physical activities. Lycans were naturally strong and more fit, and human wouldn't be able to understand their abilities. 3. No fraternization. Annelise easily broke all the rules.
She would venture to the human settlements for sweets when Myrtle was too busy to watch her. Sports were fun. She had a can to release all the pent-up energy she often had. That of course lead to fraternization. Well sort of. Annelise wasn't the most popular girl in school. She had no interest\t in dealing with the gossip and dram of the girls. And the girls dislike her because she was always hanging out with the boys. The boys sort of like her because she was good at the sports. But at the same time disliked her because she often forgot to decrease her ability, this she always beat them at sports.
Somehow the Alpha always knew when she had a competition. And he was always there, often with Myrtle. He would give her distracting order throughout her games, breaking her concentration. Her team rarely lost, but Annelise never outshone her teammates, alpha Easton made sure of it. Then they would return to the pack. Myrtle would fuss about her "close calls". And Edwin would just nod along.
"We aren't the type of wolves to draw attention to ourselves." He would comment. "The sooner you learn and accept that, the happier you'll be. Stay low and out of sight is best."
But Annelise didn't feel happy. When she was running to a goal. That's the closest she had ever felt to happy. She felt lonely. Annelise bit her bottom lip again and chocked back the howl that threatened to come up. She had always been lonely, she just didn't know it because didn't know anything else. But they were real. Her parents. Her head and heart aches and broken memories flooded her senses. Being held. Being comforted. Annelise gripped the ground again. When was the last time she had heard, "I love you?"
Her dry heaves restarted and she let go of the tears that had been building. She had no family. She was alone. No wolf was supposed to be alone. It was unnatural. Annelise looked up again blinking through her tears. Becky still sat and hadn't moved at all. But the look in her eyes were the same. Annelise gritted her teeth. She didn't want the woman's pity or concern. And not seeing a shred of that sat her on edge. What is she thinking?
Why don't you ask her?
Annelise bit her lip. She shook her head and coughed into her chest. She wasn't quite sure of what she wanted to know.
"I'm sure you're feeling confused right now."
Annelise shuddered and spat the blood from her lip onto the ground.
"Don't force yourself. You need to rest."
Annelise tense and growled at the old woman. "Don't tell me what to do."
Becky sighed and stood slowly. Annelise pulled back and growled loudly. She didn't want to talk to the old woman anymore, no matter how much she wanted answers.
"I don't claim to have all the answers you seek. But I do know your tired. Physically, mentally and emotionally. We can talk later. But right now, you need rest. And you won't find it here."
Annelise looked around herself and sniffed. She looked down and groaned. She had thrown up during her shift. Her morning meal had been long gone but the solution Becky fed her was now mixed with the foliage and her own bile. In short, Annelise was dressed foully and would need a bath, or at least wash in a water source.
Annelise gingerly stood. Her body was indeed sore. She felt her bones pop and her muscles protested. She felt like she had been tackled, down a rocky hill. She griped the tree behind her for support. Annelise looked back at Becky. Questions formed in her mind again, but she shook them away. "Remind me never to accept anything from you again."
The woman raised her brows at Annelise' dry humor. She hobbled forward and caught Annelise under her left pit. Despite her attire, Becky held Annelise surely, serving as a crutch as they both moved forward.
Becky didn't say anything as they made their way back to the main settlement of the pack. The woman offered no explanation to the questioning glances of stray pack members. She didn't let go of Annelise as they pass the young new wolf's home. Instead, Becky quietly walked Annelise to one of the further inner edges of the pack grounds. Annelise vaguely remembered being brought through the back entrance of a gated portion of the pack houses. Annelise filed the info away for later to ask the woman what position she held that she got to live so close to the Alpha. But as her legs and back increased in soreness she left such inquisitions for after she was cleaned and rested.
Becky made no issue about undressing Annelise as she drew the girl a bath. Annelise didn't protest. She maybe old enough to fend for herself, but her body was fading faster than she could have predicted. When it came time to dip into the tub, Annelise didn't comment on the intense heat. Hot water was better than cold water. And the warmth reminded her of her dream. Two tears escaped her eyes as her head leaned against the edge of the tub. Becky fingered through her mass of curls and Annelise cooed as a distant memory filled her conscious in tandem with her drooping eyes