Forsaken, A Werewolf Story (Rewrite)

Chapter 30

When we got back to Redwood Harbor we delivered food to a thankful Nico before skipping out on everyone, the sun was long down by then but we had about two hours before Curfew, so Sebastian and I decided to go out and have fun.

Swapping out back to the dirt bike we drove into the woods following trails until we were far away from the town that nobody would risk stumbling onto us. We parked the bike and stripped down, the anxiety of the last time was nowhere as strong.

"I promise I won't peek, I am a gentleman after all," Sebastian said.

"Right." I took off my top and bra.

"Unless you'd like me to? Then I shall do my best to accommodate you."

"Just shush," I mumbled cheeks flushed.

I didn't waste time when I was done to go over to wolf form, feeling the cool earth on my paws. Sebastian joined me and we enjoyed a walk, sniffing every new plant, investigating every insect, getting to know the woods and—

Rabbit hopping out of a bush!

I chased after.

Didn't think, my wolf took over.

Heart beating. Leaves rustling. Adrenaline-rushing in. Cold air hitting my lungs...

A sensation I'd never felt; The exhilaration of chasing prey.

It dove into a burrow and I lost track of it.

Sebastian caught up and rolled all around, making a wolf's best approximation of a laugh. A little frustration came over as I tried to dig. Had he not seen the tasty rabbit?

Then I stopped.

Tasty rabbit? What was I doing? What was I thinking?

Sebastian came over and pawed at me. When I turned to face him he licked my snout in comfort.

It was then that a pack of wolves emerged out of the undergrowth, they surrounded us, growling at us, fangs bared. Sebastian came in front of me, protecting me, posture lowered, tails between his legs and bowing down. I looked at him then back at the other wolves. I didn't know their scent, but their pelt felt familiar; the Lindell boys...

Sebastian shifted back, "We don't want trouble,"

The largest wolf transformed back into Leonard, the Lindell dad. "You're hunting in our territory. You know the rules, these woods are ours."

"I wasn't,"

I shifted back and stepped in front of Sebastian "I'm the one who chased the stupid rabbit, and I'm part of your pack in case you don't remember."

"You're forsaken," he said, the wolves accentuating his word with a growl, "Don't think that just because we haven't banished you that it means you have the same rights as us."

"Leave Sebastian alone, you want to punish someone, then punish me."

Papa Lindell shot a glance at his sons. "We will talk about this later, he is the enemy you should not associate with him. He can go, you will follow us."

"Fine, whatever."

We turned back to wolves, went back to the bike where I made sure Sebastian was off safely, then retrieved my clothes before following the Lindells back to their home. By the time we got there, my clothes were kind of soaked in saliva but I didn't care.

I got dressed back and waited.

It wasn't Leonard but Matilda who came to see me, her expression harsh. "I heard you and a forsaken were hunting in our woods," she said, hands on her hips.

"First, we weren't hunting, I saw a rabbit and just chased without thinking, second Sebastian didn't do anything."

"Sebastian is part of the Forsaken pack, you must not associate with them, we are your pack."

"Well, you've made a bang-up job of making me feel welcome! Treated me like a second-class wolf for a crime I didn't do."

"Juno, our laws have a purpose—"

"You keep saying that, but I never agreed to any of this, I wasn't given a choice. The Horsemen, those evil forsakens, have been thousand times more welcoming than you have! And I'm just fed up with all of this. When I was struggling with being a wolf, were you there? No, of course not!"

"Are you done?" Matilda asked.

"Does what I think, what I feel even matter?"

Matilda sighed. "Juno, you're my wolf-child, we aren't unreasonable, our laws have a purpose, they have meaning, you're just a child who doesn't understand the world they live in, it's not even been a month, you will adjust."

I didn't answer. She came and sat next to me.

"Miriam told me you broke up."

"Yeah, so what?"

"I think you're upset with her and acting out."

Ugh, I did not want that kind of talk right then. "And I think you haven't even given a chance to the Horsemen, what does it matter if they don't follow your laws? Have they hurt you in any way?"

"It's complicated Juno, you'll understand in time. What we do and say for your own good. We only want what's best for you."

"Look, I belong in this pack... That's what my wolf says, I can feel it in my heart... But the Human part of me also belongs with the horsemen..."

"How so?"

"My brother is joining them, you wouldn't take him but they would... And Sebastian and I have started seeing each other."

"I see..."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"I'm not unreasonable, and I can't expect you to just understand and accept everything we say, you were not ready to be a wolf, hopefully, you'll come in time to accept the spirits' ways."

"Can I go now?"

"You're not a prisoner, Juno. But, I would like you to come back tomorrow, have dinner with us, be a part of this family, this pack."

"Fine."

"I'll get someone to drive you home."

"I think I'll walk."

I hadn't brought my cane, having left it at the Horsemen's —Sebastian's bike did not exactly have space for it— but I needed to be away from them. I got up and started walking, it was a short walk but with my bad joints, it was long and painful. By the time I was home I was sore and still upset, this was just so frustrating, getting that condescending 'You'll understand when you're older' crap, but for werewolves...

"Juno?" Mom asked when I came in. "Are you okay?"

"Just peachy," I groaned.

"I can tell when something is wrong, what's going on?"

"I don't want to talk about it..."

"Is it Sebastian, did your date go wrong?" I'd mentioned it to my parents in passing.

"No, kind of..." I sighed. "Can we talk another time?"

"Of course." She kissed my head and let me go, I went down and hid in my room.

Nico came over, having come back before me. He sat down next to me and patted my head. "I got your cane back."

"Thanks."

"Sebastian told me what happened, did they do anything to you?"

"No, just scolded me, told me I'm too ignorant to understand why they act like that, but I'm not like formally punished."

"We'll figure it out."

I hoped so...

I checked my phone, Sebastian had sent me two dozen texts asking if I was okay. The reply I sent was short.

I'm fine. I'm sorry for them. <