This is not happening to me, the sentence kept repeating in my head. That stupid boy, that shitty wolf. Aileen stomped on the ground, and the wood broke in half. She sat down, empty-handed. Her mother would worry now. She should call home. Aileen took out her phone and opened her contacts. She tapped on 'MOM', but it did not make the call. She saw an X on the signal bars and yelled in anger. " She knew the next bus would leave by 10: 30am, which gave her an hour to waste. Aileen picked herself up and found the boy. She had her wallet and a few clothes inside. She needed to find the bag.
Aileen dusted off the mud and leaves from her bottom and walked towards the village. The humidity was increasing, and it drenched her back in sweat. Her throat was parched, and her stomach grumbled. If she didn't get out of here soon, she will die of hunger. Aileen thought, as she carefully stepped over a thorny branch. There was a rustle to her left. She turned her head and sniffed. It was a wolf's scent, not the boy, but someone different. I was stronger and challenging. Aileen stopped in her tracks. Could it be a spiriter? She thought. If so, she could convince them about the audition. She still has a chance.
Veering away from her path, Aileen ran after the smell. She ran past the trees, avoiding the branches, puddles, and holes, her pupils dilating and turning red, her claws sharpening, she realized, that she was transforming. Aileen stopped immediately. Her breathing was normal. She looked at her hands and saw the sharp claws instead of nails. She touched her face and felt hair growing out of her cheeks and neck. What was happening? Aileen yelled in her head, It had been years since she transformed. She thought she had lost her wolf. Her ears picked something, she turned around, and suddenly someone crashed on her.
They both tumbled down, rolling in the hills. Aileen could feel his weight on her. He was a wolf and a strong one. Could this be him? She wondered. They stopped rolling when the person on top of her grabbed the trunk of a tree. Aileen opened her eyes. They were normal again. Good. She groaned as she pushed away from the wolf, who was struggling to get up. "Get off," she said, standing up. "What are you doing here?" she heard a growl and looked at the person who had crashed into her. He was taller than her and had a strong built. His eyes glowed green, but there was no hair on his body, no claws. His black hair was a mess from the fall. "Do I know you?" Aileen said, dusting away the mud from her arms. "I said, what are you doing here," he growled again, taking a step towards her.
"I was here for the audition. You know, the Raybron Valley should hire a guide. I was mugged getting here, and they didn't let me audition." Aileen yelled out her answer. She was frustrated. She could hear him sniff at her, contemplating if she was dangerous. "Get going, this place is off-limits." He said in his normal voice, which was not far along from a growl. She watched him look at the sky, then at the trees. She followed his lead. "What are you watching?" she asked, looking at the sky. The guy looked down and pursed his lips. "Don't move." He whispered. Aileen glanced to her side. What was happening? Were they being attacked? Is this the audition? Before she could feel happy at the last thought.
A loud, hungry cry went out from behind her. Judging from the cry the thing was close to her.
"What was that?" she asked, clearly scared. The wolf never cried out like that. It was frightening. She felt goosebumps and her wolf screamed at her to run away. She almost listened to the voice and was about to run when the guy grabbed her arm. "Don't move. They will sense you." He said, sniffing in the direction. "Who will?" Aileen asked. He was still grabbing his arm. Her ears perked up as she heard loud steps running toward them. "Hold this." He handed her a weak tree branch and took out a shotgun. "Am I supposed to protect myself with this?" she said, waving it in the air. The guy loaded his gun, and she smelled Wolfsbane. "it's a werebeast, isn't it?" she asked in a whisper. Aileen had never seen a were beast. She prayed that when she will come across one, she would be trained. This was not how it was supposed to go.
"On my mark, fling it at him." He said, pointing the gun at a clear path among the trees. Aileen noticed a dragon tattoo snaking upon his arm. She aimed for the path, her heart beating wildly, her breath coming out fast. "Relax, you are distracting me." He said, staring at the path. She could hear the steps getting closer, the growl, the claws. "Get ready." The guy said and loaded his gun. Aileen grabbed the branch tighter and perfected her aim. A frightening howl tore the forest, and then the werebeast came into view.
It had a lizard's tail and the body of an elephant. Its legs and head were of a wolf. She could see his yellow eyes darting at her and then the guy. With another howl, it lunged for both of them. She heard him yell, "Now." Aileen flung the stick at the beast. It hit his head and dropped in front of it. Suddenly, the guy grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, blocking her with his body. "How was that help?" she asked. "It was a distraction." He said. The werebeast growled. It took its mark, eyes straight at the guy, and it lunged. Aileen screamed and closed her eyes as she heard a gunshot.
When she opened her eyes, and saw werebeast dead on the ground, a bullet hole in his head. The guy looked unharmed. He unloaded his gun and put it back in his belt. "Are you hurt?" he asked, looking at her. His eyes were back to normal, and she saw how beautiful they were. A mixture of gray and blue. "No," Aileen mumbled. "Good, get lost." The guy said and ran past her at wolf speed.