The Cursed Gift

Evelynn (Eve-Lynn) Age 13 The sun slipped beneath the horizon, leaving behind a dim wash of twilight as the old family van rolled to a stop. Evelynn Cane rubbed the sleep from her eyes, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose before leaning toward the window. The headlights stretched across the metal bars of the pack gate, turning everything into a hazy blur. Two shadowy figures stepped out from the gatehouse and approached the driver’s side window. After a brief exchange and shuffling of documents, the gates creaked open. “Sit back, Evelynn,” her mother, Tara, said sharply. “We’ll be at our new home in a few minutes.” Evelynn groaned and slumped back, her arms crossing tightly over her chest. Weeks of living in the car had left her cramped and irritable, wedged between boxes and bags in the far backseat. Her lower lip pushed into a pout, an expression that earned her mother’s warning growl instantly. “Don’t worry, sweetie,” her father, Paul, said gently, glancing at her through the rearview mirror. “We’re all tired of feeling like sardines. We’ll be out of the van soon.” The van rolled through the gates and onto a long gravel road. They passed the packhouse, a few smaller homes, and small business buildings, but mostly, they passed trees. Endless trees. Evelynn frowned. “Why aren’t we staying in the packhouse? Don’t pack members usually stay there?” Her mother sighed. “You know why.” The words fell flat and final. Evelynn turned back to the window, pressing her forehead against the cool glass. The trees blurred past in dark streaks. What could she say? She already knew the answer. It was her fault that they were outcasts. Evelynn Cane was... different. She wasn’t just an awkward teenager, like all young werewolves on the verge of getting their wolves were. No, her difference ran deeper. She saw things, not dreams or guesses, but the future. It had started when she was ten. Her mother handed her the plates to set the table for dinner. One touch of the plate, a simple action, had spiraled into something else entirely. Evelynn saw it slip, saw it shatter. The image had come and gone in the blink of an eye, but it had been enough to make her hesitate. “Be careful with the dishes, Mama.” Her tiny voice warned, but her mother waved her off. That night, while washing dishes, a plate slipped from Tara’s soapy hands and shattered across the kitchen floor. She chalked it up as just bad luck, even dismissing it as coincidence, but then other things Evelynn mentioned started happening. As Evelynn grew older, the visions grew clearer. She saw her friend trapped in a bear trap during a game in the woods, days before it happened. Her parents didn’t believe her. They couldn’t. All the pack children had been inside that day because of the rain. But two days later, the Alpha issued a warning to keep the kids out of the woods until the warriors could thoroughly check the grounds. Soon the truth came out. The beta’s youngest son was in the hospital with a shattered leg from a bear trap and was having surgery. Her parents thought Evelynn’s visions caused the boy’s accident. “Evelynn, how did you know about the bear trap?” Her father, Paul, cautiously asked that evening. Evelynn shrugged unhappily. “Michael and I were playing chess, and when I shook his hand because he won and I saw it. Is he going to be okay?” That was when her parents understood the visions weren’t random but triggered by touch. Her mother suggested she wear gloves to prevent the visions, which only made life in the pack worse for Evelynn. Rumors about her spread quickly. Germaphobe, weirdo, freak were all words to describe her among the pack kids. The gloves were a common target for teasing, which eventually led to ridicule about her size and nerdy personality. She stopped going outside as much and stopped trying to fit in with the other kids. She found it easier to remain indoors, lost in her reading and even safer. “You’re just petite,” her mother said, “don’t let them get to you,” but her mother’s words didn’t help. Eventually, Evelynn learned how to disappear. She kept her head down, stayed quiet in class, and remained invisible. She would slip her gloves off and tuck them into her backpack before leaving the packhouse for school, pretending she didn’t need them, but it never worked. The Head Warrior’s son, Steven, made sure of that. He had a way of finding her. Evelynn was leaving the packhouse when he crept up on her. He quickly snatched the gloves from her hands and held them over his head. “Give those back!” Evelynn cried, tears welling in her eyes. Steven laughed as she struggled to reach them. Other kids gathered around, drawn into the torturous game. A chorus of voices rose; some cheered Steven on, while others laughed and teased Evelynn. With all her strength, she jumped up to grab them, but Steven was just too tall. Her hand barely brushed his pinky finger when it happened. Heat and smoke consumed her vision. Angry shouts roared to life as flames climbed up the walls. She gasped and stumbled back. Steven shoved her hard, making her fall onto the ground with a loud thud. Pain and blood burned her hands as the gravel bit into her skin. “You’re just a stupid freak!” Steven sneered. “A dumb runt afraid of itty-bitty germs!” Laughter exploded all around her. The words hit harder than the fall. Evelynn dropped her head so no one could see the tears streaking down her cheeks. She felt a confusing mix of fury and shame, unsure of where one emotion ended and the other began. She didn’t understand why this was happening to her. Why did they treat her so differently? “You’re the one who’s stupid.” She spoke without thinking. “Your mother will start a fire, and your father will lose everything.” The words slipped out before she could stop them. “Evelynn Cane!” Her stomach dropped. The Alpha stood just behind the crowd, his presence cutting through the moment like a blade. His eyes locked onto hers, burning with anger. “Get to my office now. I’m calling your parents,” he ordered, and she quietly obeyed. That night, the sounds of a heated argument reverberated through the packhouse’s kitchen. Steven’s father was having an affair with a young omega she-wolf. The couple confronted his wife in the pack kitchen so he could reject her. It didn’t end well. Steven’s mother lost her mind and threw boiling hot oil at the pair, sending them to the hospital with third-degree burns. From the oil splatter, a fire spread quickly, consuming part of the old packhouse. Steven and the other kids accused Evelynn of causing the incident, thinking she was a witch. If the Alpha hadn’t heard Evelynn’s words himself, he would never have put two and two together. She was such a quiet kid. With no other choice, he offered her parents a transfer to his cousin’s pack. It wasn’t a punishment, not officially, but they understood what it meant. So, they left and moved to the new pack. But things only got worse. During her annual checkup, Evelynn’s hand brushed against the doctor’s stethoscope, and her vision shifted. A sickness spread like rot, devouring the pack until nothing remained except a haunted wooden packhouse. No one survived. She tried to warn everyone, but the Alpha dismissed her as nothing more than a stupid child. It wasn’t until the wolves got sick that people got scared. But it was too late. Evelynn was branded a curse, a bad omen. The family was expelled from the pack, giving them just enough time to pack up their personal belongings. Now, they were here at Moon Lake Pack, starting over... again. “Dad, are you going to the packhouse tonight to meet the Alpha?” Evelynn asked. He shook his head, “No, I’m meeting the Beta. I need to explain our situation, then the Alpha will be by tomorrow sometime to officially welcome us into the pack.” She pressed her lips tightly together to avoid saying her thoughts aloud. Situation... You mean explain the lie. The van slowed as it turned down a narrow path at the edge of the territory. They pulled up to a small, tattered-looking cabin. Evelynn stared at it in disgust. Weathered wood and dark windows matched well with the overgrown yard and weed-filled flower beds. The sagging porch looked as if it hadn’t been touched in years. “This is it?” she asked quietly. Her father beamed with excitement. “I was told it needs a little work, but nothing I can’t handle.” A little work? Evelynn laughed. She knew her dad loved hands-on jobs, but this was more than a little. He was usually tasked with maintenance duties. This pack would probably be no different. “Well, no time like the present.” Tara said, pulling open the van’s side door. The moment Evelynn stepped inside, stale air filled her nose. It was a shabby two-bedroom cabin. Dust coated every surface, and a faint scent of mildew hung in the air. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was livable with its mismatched furniture pieces that looked like they had been gathered at random and left there. The couch dipped in the middle, but it looked comfortable. It wasn’t that bad. Her mother went around and opened windows, letting the stale, stagnant smell escape and a fresh, cool summer breeze in. Her father disappeared down the hall to find the electrical panel. A moment later, the lights flickered on. “And I said, let there be light!” Paul said with a dramatic bow, making Tara roll her eyes and Evelynn giggle at her father’s antics. “Go check out your room,” he added quietly, leaning closer. The room was a blank canvas with a few pieces of furniture. There were only two twin bed frames with no mattresses and a dresser. Her gaze drifted around the space. She could already see where she would put everything. She just needed a place to put her books. Her mother walked in behind her, put her hands on her hips, and frowned. “No bookshelves, an extra bed, or no mattresses... Wonderful.” Tara muttered, throwing up her hands. “Guess we are camping tonight... again... I’m thrilled.” She gritted her teeth and walked back out into the living room, calling for her husband. Evelynn sighed. They lived out of their van for what seemed like forever. Many packs were weary of a family of lone wolves needing a home. Too many questions arose that just couldn’t be answered. She could hear her parents’ murmuring voices coming from the living room. It sounded like another argument. She peeked around the corner, just out of sight. Her mother looked overly stressed, pressing her hand to her forehead, tears glittering in her eyes. Her father moved closer, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “It will be fine, I promise.” He said. “I have a good feeling about this one.” Tara wanted to argue, but Paul quieted her with another kiss. “I’ll ask the Beta to have new mattresses delivered. He seemed nice when I spoke with him over the phone.” Tara didn’t answer right away. When she finally did, her voice was quieter. “Just... stick to the story.” Her father hesitated, then nodded. “I’ll explain enough...” The words settled heavy in Evelynn’s mind. He was going to explain enough, not the truth, never the truth. Evelynn followed her mother onto the front porch and watched her dad shift into the familiar brown-pepper wolf. He shook out his fur, then dashed off. Her mother stood beside her, watching the same spot long after he was gone. Would they be able to stay this time? Please accept the lie. She silently prayed to the Moon Goddess. Her eyes fell upon Evelynn, who was already looking up at her expectantly. She didn’t want to put more worries on her daughter’s shoulders, so she pushed the thoughts aside, then plastered on a familiar fake smile she always wore. “Come on. Let’s unpack the van and find those sleeping bags.” Tara said, and Evelynn nodded.