Pain blooms as I curl up into a ball, even before Jace pulls his fist away from my stomach.
"Damnit, Helene. See what you are forcing me to do?"
It has been a long time… since I've felt so offended. Being assaulted for a misunderstanding is somehow much worse than being attacked for who you actually are - and what you actually did!
> Thanks for the warning. <
I snark at my new counterpart. At least the regeneration of a werewolf, even unshifted, is fast enough to almost make the strike turn into a phantom pain after a few seconds.
But it doesn't erase the mental effect. The knowledge of what it felt like to be struck or the point that was 'made'.
Her supposed fated mate was willing to go so far to end the pair bond. He'd already started with violence, the precedent is now set. Each next action of his will be 'easier'. Quicker. Less considered.
The reasons why don't really matter. I roll away from them slowly and onto my knees.
"I bet it's easy… to tell yourself that."
"What did you say?"
I feel like a right mess - so I'm sure I look like one. Covered in muck and smelling like, well, a werewolf. A wet one. Even if I'm in human form, the lupine scent is still there.
If someone were to take a 'picture' right now, I'd be quite upset-
Of course… Chad.
Jace got away only because that asshole let go and started 'recording'. These 'phones' are handy devices, but like all great power... seem to be quite the double edged sword. I sneer a little toward the lens pointed my way.
"I said that I bet it's easy to tell yourself that you are attacking me because it's my fault. If you'd bothered to even check, you'd have noticed that I'm not even bonded with anyone. There is no marking. I accepted your rejection."
"Bullshit, I'm still-"
"Yes, I can see that. You're still so attached to me that *your* side of our bond remains. But I'm the one to get yelled at and hit. It's like you're a child throwing a tantrum."
"That's... no. What?"
My completely original plan of making him... well, think what is happening is his fault has at least confused the issue in his head. I can see the lost look in his eyes and the way his shoulders drooped while considering it. And Chad… seems to be eating it all up.
"Dude..."
Kyle looked at him coldly. Like there was something deeply wrong with the 'leader' of their little three person boy's club. Coming from such a nice young man, I can only imagine such a twist of the knife must sting quite a bit.
"It's not like that! I don't- no, no she must have done something! Didn't you say she was muttering curses?!"
The one recording it all laughed and pointed at himself when Jace spun on him.
"Me? Yeah, I said that. I was making it up, I thought."
It was my turn to laugh.
"Yes, you're quite good at making things up. Your father would never believe my side of things. Each time you tried to seclude me and convince me to let you-"
"Maybe you're right, Jace."
His smile disappeared along with his phone as he loudly interrupted me. Though I'm sure the former didn't go in his pocket with it, it's still gone. Perhaps you could say it went in mine?
Not that it's very valuable that I'd want to keep it... that ugly hearted smile. Worth some 'change' of a sneer back of my own, at least.
"She must have some kind of deviant bloodline. I always thought she was weird."
Quick to label me the bad one here. In any case, he clearly doesn't want me to talk about *that* while he records. Even if he could just delete it or edit it. Unfortunate.
I know that look, the 'say one more word' one. I'd probably be attacked before Jace could process my accusation, anyway.
I try to stand some more and 'fall' on my rear with a cute cry. A little acting about how weak I still am, so that I can do what I need next.
"Guys, this has already gone-"
"Shut up, Kyle! You're not the one still attached to this bitch. Have you even been paying attention the last few minutes?!"
The clawed arm swung to gesture in my direction. I noted the transformation was slowly creeping up past his bicep, fur growing each second. Without a doubt, I must really be 'pissing him off'.
Not a phrase that means what it sounds like - but 'when in rome'. Why did this girl even know that one? While I try to figure that out, their doormat stares at me dully.
"What do you mean?"
"Is she even looking at us like she normally does? She's not even talking the same way as usual."
Well, right and right. Even if I'm playing sort of nicely with the one inside me if I do say so myself, it's hard to look at these three wolves without a little... glaring. But I was just dumped and also beaten?
Shouldn't I be mad? A woman scorned.
That explanation doesn't get a passing grade from the men, I guess. Only they are allowed to be upset.
As for my speaking - even knowing the words she would use if talking about the same topic is clearly… not enough. I am a Princess, even if I'm speaking the language here by using her memories of it. The voice pitch might be the same for physical reasons - but the cadence of the sounds I articulate must sound noticeably different.
"I guess you are sharper than I gave you credit, Jace. Sad that you're still being manipulated by him though. Your friend there is scum."
I jut a dirt covered chin towards Chad, not really saddened at all. At the same time, I start to remove my shoes and pretend to check them for rocks. The motion seems to bring the angered rude man up short.
"How am I still bonded to your mark when you don't even have one? Have you been fooling me all along? Huh?"
Sharp, but he insists on hitting his unknowns with the flat of the blade instead of just slicing through. I sigh and look away while slapping the knock-off trail sneakers that Helene owned into the ground.
Really, what can he possibly think he is even saying?
I get that this is unusual. Believe me... everything about today, including the other stuff I haven't wanted to acknowledge yet, is making me grow numb to the word unusual. But really?
I'm sorry to say, but this lovestruck girl was entirely too pure to fool you.
I mean, she died because you wanted to break up!
"Are we done? I'd like to leave."
"No! You're not going any-"
"Jace, I think we should head back to pack leader first. She really isn't acting normal."
The eyes that are staring at me have that same look as when this body's original soul screamed and argued him away before things went too far. I can tell Chad's instincts for trouble are good. Wary now, because of my changed nature.
I guess that's actually helpful. They can run off, then I can also-
"Fine, but we bring her with us."
"Of course. We can't let a deviant wolf just escape and go rogue. There'll be a trial first."
"...Alright, but let's not hurt her. We can just tie her up or something."
Ah. That's not good. Even the nice one is giving in.
"Hey... isn't that Kyle's mom? Why is she naked out here?"
The three idiot werewolves turned as I pointed, even the one who... really shouldn't have. I would have understood if he started before the second part, but he only jerked his head around at the word 'naked'…
With that question I didn't want answered in mind, the next second I'm bounding away into the forest. Rushing the first shift. The process was thankfully not so different from my old world. I heard them all start to curse loudly at the same time.
My senses change with each step. From human to predator. My sense of smell becomes extra sharp as black fur explodes from my skin. My clothes rip in a few places... but they're not completely ruined because they were kind of baggy on me.
Second-hand goods. I mean the things I'm wearing, not… why does this world have so many strange phrases?! It's like everything can be made to sound like you are referencing sex!
> Can you take the reins a little? I'd rather focus on making the plan. <
The wolf spirit inside seemed to be happy we ran as one when I shifted - and quite ecstatic to be 'let loose'. Of course, my body is not completely recovered yet, from... dying. Because it did, for some minutes.
I feel like we can't move very fast because of it. Not just compared to my fox form in my original world - which had been compared to lightning dancing in the wind! By my mother and father.
No... the memories in my head now suggest I'm not likely getting enough distance from them. That I'll be caught, because I've been caught in games of chase with others of the pack before. Those were playful bites and scratches that already hurt so bad.
This... won't be quite as playful.
Running does make me a criminal. A rogue. Werewolf society says that the accused must stand before the pack leader for judgment. As long as I'm in their territory…
I wouldn't trust the wisdom of a wolf to boil water, let alone look at a situation objectively!
My wolf growls at my prejudiced rebuke and I roll my mental eyes. It was a bit weird to not be the one operating the body that is moving. My body now, I suppose.
Actually, it's not the nicest feeling in general... two 'brains', one body. I suppose I can now understand how that double-headed serpent that visited the palace felt.
Still, there was something else to be done - and the faster the better. Because it is distracting that it sits there at the edge of my vision! I rally my prior knowledge of magic and compare it to what I know from this life once again.
Certainly enough, I decided that what I've been seeing since I got here can be only two things:
A patient fey trickster…
Or exactly what it says 'on the tin'.
| CONGRATULATIONS! APOCALYPSE SYSTEM HAS CHOSEN YOU! |
My money is on the former. This has to be a supernatural con man.