—(Mark)—
The sun is just beginning to rise when I wake up. I've forgotten that today is a full moon, and I need to make sure that I stay level-headed throughout the day. I'm already easily agitated on normal days.
I've debated not attending school today, but it would send mixed signals to Michael if I didn't show up. I just came out yesterday, and not showing up today would be like saying I regret doing it.
I realize that Scott will be going through his first full moon. I should probably give him a heads up that he'll need to take steps to make sure he doesn't shift and hurt someone while he's not in control.
When I pull into the school parking lot, I take a moment to gather myself before exiting my truck. I put on my "don't talk to me" face before heading in.
Just as I'm about to enter the school, the school counselor is waiting for me. Just what I needed—someone poking at my head.
"Hey, Markus, would you like to discuss the incident that occurred yesterday with me?" she asks once I reach the doors.
"What incident? I just told everyone that I'm bisexual. Nothing happened," I state.
"Hmm… then would you like to discuss the point where you threatened everyone with physical violence if they had a problem with it?"
"Nope, I only implied I would do something that would get me suspended not physical violence. And don't you have to talk to Michael about how he was the one who was outed in school against his wishes?"
"I've already contacted Michael about the situation, and we've been discussing the matter. But right now, I want to offer you the same option to come to my room whenever you feel the need to," she says in a gentle tone.
"I'm good. I have a therapist if I need to talk to someone. If you'll excuse me, I have classes to attend." I start to walk past her.
"Just so you know, Markus, for what it's worth, I think it was brave of you to stand up for Michael like you did. Though I do wish you hadn't threatened your peers like you did."
I pause for a moment before responding.
"I didn't do anything brave. I just did the right thing."
It's lunch period when I pull Stiles aside to give him a rundown on what to expect from Scott's night endeavors.
"Hey, Stiles, this will be Scott's first full moon, so he'll be feral and not in control, and he'll definitely be shifting. You can't, under any circumstances, let Scott escape from wherever he's going to be holding out tonight."
"Wait, wait, I thought you would be handling him tonight," he stammers out.
"Hell no. I'm more likely to seriously injure him. He'll do something stupid and challenge me while I'm also trying to keep myself in check, and I'll snap completely."
"Besides, I'll be driving to my pack's territory when school ends so I can be with them."
"That's great! Take Scott with you!"
"Not an option either. Stiles, you have to understand that Scott is a friend, not a packmate, to me. I tolerate him and the shit he does because he doesn't know better, and believe me, I've been lenient when I correct him. But my pack will see him as an outsider, and the first wrong step, and he's done for."
"Look, here is a can of mountain ash. This stuff acts like a barrier and will keep supernaturals out or in. You'll be able to cross since you're just human."
"'Just human,' he says," he scoffs.
"Look, Stiles, I really don't care whether you're insecure about not being a werewolf. It's not all it's cracked up to be."
"Of course you would think that."
"Look, I'm not having this conversation with you today. Before Scott starts to lose control, make a circle around him with this. It'll keep him contained." I shove the can to his chest and move away from him to continue with my day.
For most of the day, I've kept my conversations short and to the point. Before school ends, I stop by Coach Harris's office to tell him that I won't be at today's practice for family reasons. He tells me to take care, and I leave, skipping the last class of the day.
When I start the drive to James's cabin, I'm already on edge. I could feel the pull towards my pack.
I finally reach the pack territory, the familiar scent of pine and earth grounding me as I step out of my truck.
The moon hangs heavy in the sky, its pull stronger than I've ever felt. I'm barely able to hold off the change, my muscles twitching beneath my skin. It's like trying to hold back a tide with my bare hands.
The moment I step into the clearing with the cabin, the shift overtakes me. My bones crack and reshape, muscles stretching and coiling with newfound power.
The transformation sweeps over me with an urgency I can't resist, senses alive and acute. Every sound is magnified, every scent is intensified.
The forest is alive around me, and I'm driven by a primal need to hunt. I lunge into the underbrush, the scent of prey intoxicating and irresistible. A rabbit darts in front of me, a flicker of movement in the darkness. I crouch low, muscles coiling like a spring, ready to pounce.
But just as I'm about to strike, a flash of memory stops me cold. The world around me fades, replaced by the haunting recollection of that night.
I see the werewolf towering over me, its yellow eyes glinting with a predatory hunger. I feel the sharp claws dragging across my chest, the burning agony searing into my skin as if it were happening all over again.
The memory overwhelms me, pulling me back to a place I'd tried so hard to forget. My heart races, a mix of fear and pain crashing over me like a wave. I stagger backward, shifting back to human form as the rabbit scampers away.
Numb and disoriented, I mindlesslg wander back to the cabin, each step heavy. The moonlight flickers through the trees, casting ghostly shadows that seem to follow me. By the time I reach the cabin, I'm shaking, my body and mind struggling to process my memories that I had kept locked away.
James is waiting for me, his concern evident as he meets me at the door. "Mark, what happened? You're normally more in control." he asks, guiding me inside.
"I don't know, I had this urge to shift when I reach the clearing and I couldn't help myself " I mumble, trying to make sense of the fragmented memories. "I was hunting, and then... it all just came back. The memories of that night, the pain and fear."
James nods, listening patiently as I recount the bits and pieces that I can remember, the fear still lingering in my voice. "It's okay, Mark. We knew that it was a possibility that memories of that night might appear now that you're in a better headspace to process them," he assures me, his presence steady and calming.
We talk for a while, piecing together what we can, but exhaustion weighs heavy on my eyelids. I finally crawl into bed, mind still reeling.
As I drift off, the nightmare resurfaces, the claws tearing at my skin, the werewolf's growl echoing in my ears. But in sleep, the past can't reach me, and I finally find a moment's peace. James' reassurance lingers, a tether to the present, as I slip into a deep, dreamless state.