White Wolf Rising [Completed]

Part 23: Awake

 Simona woke up in a strange bed. Her body achy and sore. The black veins that had covered half of her body gone. She didn't feel the same. The thumping of her heart felt different, stronger, louder.

There was a plate with a ham sandwich and glass of milk sitting by the bed. Where the hell was she?

She crawled out of the bed trying to steady herself. She saw herself in the mirror on the bedroom wall. Her face looked different, her skin was clear. She hadn't had pimples or blemishes before, but her skin looked radiant. Her breasts looked higher, her belly was still fluffy and squishy but felt firm at the same time.

Her head began to pound. There was a humming in her ears, a faint whispering she couldn't quite make out in her head. A low voice that was trying to break through the thumping in her ears.

Trying to walk to soon she stumbled, "Motherfuck..." She said grabbing her throbbing head.

There was a tap at the door startling her.

"Hello?"

Sheriff Daniels stepped inside, "Simona, I'm glad to see you're finally awake."

"Sheriff? Where am I?"

Clearing his voice he answered, "At my house. Your grandmother thought it might be best if you recovered here. I gave you some herbs earlier that usually help our kind heal faster."

"Huh?" She said trying to stand again, this time her legs steadied themselves and the humming in her ears subsided. "Wait, where's Rachel? Did you find her." She asked in a panic, his thumb tracing the half heart tattoo that she and Rachel shared.

"Not yet."

Her heart dropped, "Someone took her. Some guy. There was another man with him. I didn't really get to see him. They were driving a black-"

"I know who did it Simona. I'm working on tracking them down." He said crossing his arms over his chest, showing just how thick his arms muscles were. For a man in his late 50's he was built like a brick house.

"Who? Who took her?"

"Don't worry, I've got it under control. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. My head hurts like hell though. How did I get here?" She asked nervously. A voice breathed at her ears, closing her eyes she focused on the man in front of her. Every time she ignored the voice she felt weak, like her legs may give out on her again. Her head pounded again. "What is happening to me?"

He nodded knowing all too well what that felt like, "It'll pass. Simona I have something to tell you that isn't going to be easy to hear." He remained standing by the door, his arm crossed, his face stoic and still. "It goes by many names, your people call them Werewolves, L, my people call them Lycan or Lykos..."

* * * *

After talking with the Sheriff for over an hour Simona didn't know what to say or what to think. Could any of this be true? How could it be? This was the stuff of make believe. Not of reality.

"And Caleb?"

"I don't know where he is. He left here in a hurry. Upset with me. Angry at the world. He's a good kid, but he's confused right now. I know he would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. He is a victim in all of this as well."

Simona stared in him in shock. "Can you take me home please. I need to speak with my Grandma. I have to...I have to get out of here." She said feeling like she needed confirmation. She needed to hear all of this from the woman she trusted most. Someone who would never lie to her.