Wolf-Girl: Changing (On Hold)

6. Life Goes On

I hadn't been given the all clear exactly, Jakob was still worried about my bones, my head and the indoor wolf thing, but after a little, OK a lot, of nagging, I was allowed back into the outside world.

I would go to school tomorrow, which I was actually looking forward to - never thought that would happen.

But first, I had to attend a council meeting with my brothers, and what a great picture that would be; me in a wheel chair, Ethan on crutches, Murphy in bandages, and Lewis and Jack standing out as liars. Happy families don't grow on trees, especially in my world.

Dad came to the clinic, to take me, Murphy and Ethan to the meeting. He insisted in pushing me, even though I told him more than one time that I was perfectly able.

The meeting, was taking place in my Uncle's house, and by the time we arrived those not involved in the planning of the meetings were being informed of the topics we were going to discuss, mainly me and Luke.

Everyone stared at us, or well at me as we entered.

"Ethan, Murphy. Sit." Dad said, indicating two free seats. To which he then wheeled me between them.

The Elders then talked about me and my current condition. Including my changing. Inside.

"As you all know, Eliza," Dad said, gesturing toward me as I scowled at his use of my proper name, "for some reason, has the ability to shift, inside. We don't know the reason, and we want you to think of some possible theories."

Claudia, being Claudia, and absolutely hating my guts, said "well we all know her brother is a blood sucking parasite," I suddenly felt uncomfortable, and seeing the looks on my family's faces, I wasn't alone. "We never thought that was possible," she continued, a smug look plastered on her oh so perfect face. "Maybe her whole family has a blood abomination." Right. Too far.

"Claudia why don't you just shut the fuck up about my family. You can hate me for all I care, but DON'T take it out on my family." Through my whole speech, everyone in the room was stock still, in surprise at her crudeness, and by my outbreak.

"Well, what a family it is. Dead mother. Luke the vampire. Clyde and Daniel dead. Murphy's depressed." Murphy looked pale. Face plastered with the question "how did she know?" and looked like he was going to scream. "And you, the biggest fucking freak in existence." God, I hate her. But one good thing came out of her rant, Dad told her to leave, or he'd MAKE her leave, one way or another, and as much as I'm glad Dad didn't do anything stupid, I would have enjoyed watching him kick her too slim arse.

"Ellie, you OK?" It was Murphy.

"Yeah. I can handle Claudia. But when she started talking about... Mum and you and Luke and..." I burst into tears. I was making quite a habit of that recently. I hadn't cried for seven years, and now I was crying every other day. I was vaguely aware of the Elders' eyes on me, but they didn't speak.

"Ellie, do you want to go?" asked Dad after I'd stopped sobbing.

"No, I'm fine," I sniffed.

"Sure?"

"Sure."

The rest of the meeting consisted of many worried glances at me and the rest of the Horcrooks, witnesses describing me change, and the witnesses of the two Luke attacks describing him.

I had to speak on both of them, though I could tell that the Elders were scared.

After the meeting everyone left apart from Dad, and therefore me too.

"How long has this been going on?" he demanded.

"Claudia?" he nodded. "Since her tenth birthday. She knew she wasn't going to change, and she flipped out. By this point I'd already been a wolf for almost four years. And she loathed me for it. She already hated me because I was your daughter, important. Her jealousy just increased that."