She-Wolf

Chapter Two; Fight or Flight

The rest of the day flew by without a hitch. Finally, I found myself changed and ready for gym- my least favorite class. It wasn't because I wasn't any more fit than anyone else(though that was a factor), but the urge to run had my eyes glowing gold. Anytime I found myself running for any reason the urge to shift took over, and sometimes it was too hard to resist. Especially when outdoors.

I bit my lip, praying we wouldn't have to do anything since it was the first day. No such luck.

The teacher- Coach French- blew her whistle, and all the girls around me quieted. I could see the boys on the other side of the gym still sitting down. "Alright girls! Today's an easy day. Next week once we have uniforms we'll start for real. Three laps around the gym. Anyone stops running and you all get to start again!"

The boys' coach began to play music through a Bluetooth speaker on the wall as everyone began to run- girls and boys. I ended up next to a boy with rich brown hair, the sections framing his face bleached blond. He looked extremely annoyed as he watched a muscled red-head speed past. "No need to show off!" he called after the boy, then grumbling underneath his breath, "Little shit."

I smiled a little at that, but something about his voice seemed familiar... I couldn't put my finger on where I'd heard it before.

Focusing my energy on the mystery boy's voice rather than running, I managed to keep my wolf at bay, even as it stirred just under the surface.

~ | ~ | ~

I was the last out of the gym, hanging back to let the other students push and shove their way out the door, and snatch their stuff from the locker room. I took my time in getting my stuff, knowing I wasn't in any rush.

The moment I stepped out the door I took a deep breath- the air wasn't perfect in the hall, but I was pretty sure at least half the students in the gym forgot to wear deodorant. Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant smelling room, even after just three laps around the gym.

A loud voice reverberated around the corner, startling me out of my thoughts. "Hey, faggot! Where're you going in such a hurry?"

I turned the corner, not surprised to find a circle of guys surrounding someone. I knew a fight was about to break out, and I was tempted to just duck my head and run. This wasn't any of my business. However... this felt unfair. Whoever these bullies had cornered was alone and likely didn't have anyone coming to back him up.

I searched the faces of the ten or so boys, trying to gauge the danger level when I saw him. It was the boy I ran next to in gym class at the heart of the group, pressed against the wall by a large, menacing guy with forearms as big as his neck.

My nails bit into the soft skin of my palms, my heart pounding loud in my ears. A familiar prickling sensation erupted on my skin as my nails gained claw-like points, my teeth sharpening, eyes a radiant gold. My protective instinct surged. "Let him go," I growled, gathering myself to my full five-foot-nothing height. I tucked my chin down slightly on instinct, glaring at the bullies as if I was trying to peer over glasses- the pose cast a shadow over my face, making my expression look more menacing, hopefully.

"Hey there," the bully holding the boy drawled, his southern accent thick as everyone turned to look at me. "How you doing, sexy?" The boy who was pinned to the wall stared at me, jaw dropped, crystal blue eyes flashing. Despite his silent warning, I dropped my bag from my back in one fluid movement, striding forward. I wasn't going to leave him on his own.

I jerked my chin towards the bullies' victim. "Let him go. This hardly seems like a fair fight."

"What, you mean gay-tard here?" the guy asked, pushing into his victim's shoulder. The boy grunted.