BLUE-EYED WOLF

DAISY HARPER "At midnight, all the youths in the pack from the tender age of sixteen to the blissful age of twenty five, all come out from their shelters, the moonlight making their bodies sparkle and transforming their sexuality a hundred times stronger..." The door to my study room swung open, and mum's towering figure appeared, a frown on her face and my suitcase in her hands. A groan of disgust escaped her lips as she shook her head in disapproval. "How many times will I tell you to stop reading your father's books?" I rolled my eyes. "Sorry mum but since I'm finally going home to Howlnook Town, I just thought it'll be alright to read through Dad's books." Mum looked unusually uncomfortable and stressed, and I was more shocked by how fast she grabbed the novels in my hands and dumped them in the dusty, old box by the corner. "Werewolves do not exist!" She said firmly. Another eye roll. "Mum, I'm not a three-year old, I know that already, but... they're somehow fun to read." She stopped and looked into my eyes for a long time. "Your father didn't want you to go to Howlnook." "But he didn't tell you why," I said defensively. Mum has always stopped me from asking about my father's family and I've never really bothered to push her because I know how difficult it is for her to take care of me all by herself: By the way, why should I give my mother a headache over a man who abandoned his wife and his baby daughter since the day she was born? "I have a better idea, Daisy," Mummy said, a hopeful smile brightening that beautiful face. "How about we go camping; the weather's perfect and I heard there'll be lots of families around by this time of the year." I groaned in frustration, pushing my bedside lamp away. "Why don't you get it!" I snapped. "I'm tired of staying with you every second of my life." The hurt was visible despite how much she tried to conceal it. My mother was strong but I was her weak point. "Fine!" She said, forcing a smile. "I'll leave. I'll leave you and the house with some cash for a month, so you can be an adult and maybe throw a party, invite your friends and have all the fun you teenagers want." She was really trying. I knew it and I should have agreed, but there was something about Howlnook that just attracted me like magnet, and it's force has never been stronger than this period of my life. I had to go to Howlnook, and I didn't know exactly why. "Your friends will love it, I'm sure of it. Call Olivia, she can help you throw a perfect party." Mum said, trying to sound as cheerful as she could afford to. "Mum, stop it..." I said, tears brimming my eyes. "I don't want a party, I want to go home." Now she was mad at me. "How dare you say that?" She shouted, her eyes burning like a red furnace. "You call an unknown place with unknown people your home?" "I-I didn't mean that way..." I stuttered. "No, it's okay," Mum said, wiping her tears away. "I get it. No matter how hard I try, you'll never appreciate it. So, there's your bag," She said, motioning to my suitcase by the door. "I packed your clothes already." "Mum," I cut in. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." "...The rest of your things are in the trunk of the SUV, meet me downstairs in five minutes." She didn't listen to my pleas and apologies anymore. Before a blink of an eye, she was out of sight and I could hear her slam the entrance door shut. When Sylvia Harper makes up her mind, not even me—her only daughter— can stop her. Like mother, like daughter, I guess. "Five minutes," I hissed in disappointment. "That's not enough time to call Olivia and tell her I'm leaving." Luckily for me, I was fully dressed, by that I mean I had a brown jumper with faded black jeans on. Four minutes later, I was done with my call. "I'll miss you so much," I said tearfully. "Miss you too," Olivia said, half-heartedly as she smooched her latest boyfriend over the phone. I hung up, feeling like a useless old tissue paper nobody wants. "I doubt you will, Oliie." I heard the SUV honk for the fifteenth time, and I quickly said goodbye to Sally, our dog and looked around my bedroom one more time. Despite what I had said earlier, this will always be my home. Right here, with mum and Sally, who else could I possibly need? "Come down now or I'm cancelling your trip!" Mum yelled, making both me and Sally hurry down the staircase with my backpack wrapped in my arms. The morning air was damp and chilly, so I was happy that I wore my thick wool jumpers. Mum had done all the packing so all I needed to do was sit in the backseat of the SUV while mum drove me down to the bus station. "Be careful," She said before handing me my ticket. "I will mum," I said. "It's not as though I'll be leaving alone, Dad has a sister, right? I'm sure she'll be nice and friendly." Mum nodded. "Call me if you feel the slightest strange feeling, okay?" I nodded and embraced her, and to my surprise, mum slipped something into my pocket. I withdrew from her and gently lifted the piece of hard substance. It was an ugly copper pendant. "What the heck?" Mum laughed. "Right before your delivery which was the last time I saw your father, he told me to give you this anytime you finally leave home." I gave it one more look, and suddenly it held so much meaning. "Dad wanted me to have this?" "Yeah." Mum said. "This might sound strange but... he also said that you should never open the pendant unless you're in grave danger." Now that was weird and scary. Subconsciously, I dropped the pendant back in my pocket and forced a smile. "I'm sure I won't be needing this." Mum smiled too. "Of course, you won't." She opened her arms and I walked into it, the comfort and heat of her skin leaving a tingling sensation on mine. Even when I got into the bus, her perfume lingered in the air, bringing me comfort and assurance that I was going to be fine. "Strange Jewelry." A deep male voice said. I had been so deep in my thoughts that I hadn't bothered to look away from the window. Following the voice, I looked away from the rising morning sun, and then my eyes got locked with the stunning fellow sitting next to me. Green eyes, Blonde hair, Bold defined jaws and a dangerous smile. In other words, I was lost in time and space. He looked down at my ticket and his smile broadened. "Howlnook?" I nodded while struggling to regain my composure. "I guess we're headed the same direction, stranger." While I wasn't one who believed in truelove or romance, somehow I could tell that my life will never remain the same after today.