The Handicapped Luna

I'm Octavia Blaunch, a member of the High-Moon pack. It's morning, but I'm sitting in this bed waiting. I wait for anything. I just need change. I pray to the Moon Goddess to show me some compassion. It's Friday and it's my birthday tonight. Or tomorrow? At 1:36 in the morning, my wolf will come out. I'll be eighteen years old. This is the age that we generally get our wolf. My mother says around two, maybe three hours before the time of my birthday, I may start to feel weird. I might even feel like I'm having cramps. And the bigger the wolf, the longer the transformation. But the size of your wolf tends to depend on rank. My dad is the Alpha's beta. My mom is from a Gamma family, a long line of trainers. So, in theory, I'd have at least a decent sized wolf, right? Doubtful, my family is high-ranking sure. But, I have limitations that will likely never get me far in this life. My left leg is only half formed. From conception, it just never formed from my knee down. So, technically, there's nothing I'll be able to contribute to this pack. I'm useless. I don't train because there's no point. I roll around in a wheel chair all day. My right leg is a noodle. My arms are the only thing that's even a little bit strong. But, of course, I have to use them for getting in and out of my chair and my bed. Heck, even my shower. My house is the only accommodation our Alpha agreed to give our family. He denied me a motorized scooter because it was an unnecessary expense. He said to give me my own caregiver was a waste of resources. So, I and my mother have worked hard to give me what independence I have. She is the only person who reminds me to look towards the sky. I am no less than anyone else. But, "anyone else" doesn't see me as anything less than the crippled I am. I've never been one to ask for help. I try my hardest to handle everything on my own. I refuse to give into anyone by asking for help. And tonight is no exception. Things will change for me. However... First, I need to get ready for school. So, I sit up and rub my eyes. I reach over and grab the handle of my chair, making sure it's there. I begin scooting over while holding onto the chair behind me. And, I gently drop in my seat. I want to be dressed up for my birthday. So I have a dark green dress and a gold belt ready to go. I grab my stockings from my drawer and the lone right-footed black flat from my closet. With gold earrings and gold eye shadow, I make my way into my own bathroom. As I'm just getting my dress down over my body, my mother calls to me from outside the bathroom. "Come in, Mom. I'm dressed." "Hey Tavie. Baby girl, I've got a gift I wanted to go ahead and give you before school." She hands me a forest green velvet box with a large black bow to open. "Thank you, mom!" I excitedly rip off the bow and open the box. Inside is a beautiful golden charm bracelet. And, it's complete with a golden wolf howling "Wow, Mom! This is amazing." I quickly put it on. Mom looks at me with mothering pride and places a kiss on my cheek, "I love you, Tavie." She stares back at my reflection and comes out of her thoughts, "Do you need help getting your stockings on?" "No, mom. I can do it." "Baby, when I said never ask others, too much, for help... I never meant me. I'm your mother, it's my job." "I know, mom. But I've got it." She agrees to go and make me a cup of coffee and a bagel, and let's me finish getting ready. Pulling on my nude stockings, I take my left side and roll it up behind my knee and pin it using a safety pin. After throwing on my flat, I roll to the mirror and put on a little makeup. I grab the rest of my jewelry, put them on, and head to the kitchen. Mom has my coffee and bagel ready. She asks if I'm ready to go. And we leave for school. I live by the main pack house. Except our home is in the back. We make our way around the main pack house and out the gate. We turn, driving away for school. There are three main locations that any of us go to train. First is school. School teaches all the fundamentals. And the gym is training for all of us still in school. Second is the High Moon Citadale. That's for all those eighteen and up. Once a week, eighteen year olds go to train till they are finished with school. Once school is done, you go two out of the seven days for vigorous training. Lastly, is the High-Moon Wolf Arena. Once a week, we are supposed to let our wolves out for their own training. They spar with each other or drag heavy objects with their massive jaw. Occasionally, they set the arena up for high jumping and bounding from one block to another. It's to simulate jumping in nature or having to jump off a cliff and over to another. And, it's very important to get excersize for both you and your wolf. Only taking care of one of your counterparts only helps in one form. But both together, and your strength for both human and wolf becomes exponential. So, here I am again. My limitations mean I'll only ever go so far. The citadale's chief trainer, my Uncle Brad, already told my parents I'll be excused indefinitely. And the arena's chief said something like, "Pending following arrival of Wolf." Not realizing how loud I was with my thoughts, my mom looked up from the steering wheel. "What's wrong. Tavie?" BIG, sigh... "I'm just thinking about training." Mom looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, honey. I wish you didn't have to deal with this." She turned a corner checking her watch. "Hopefully tonight you will get a wolf that has some promise." I didn't say anything. For all I know, my wolf will simply have a disability too. Suddenly, I'd swear that someone stabbed my hip with an ice pick. I jumped and screamed. Because that REALLY hurt. "Ouch!" "What is it, honey?" "Just a cramp." I hastily try to rub the pain away. Mom looked uncertain. But, she seemed to shake off whatever thought she had dismissively. We got to school, and mom helped me out. Being a teacher herself, we parted ways, and I found my locker. I grabbed one of my books, but just as I was reaching for another, someone snapped my locker door shut and relocked it. Here goes the first speed bump of my birthday. Jasmine Baxley. Head cheerleader and Ms. Perfect... "Hey noodle!" That's my nickname for my small stature. "Good luck tonight. Too bad most of the school will be at my birthday party." "Jasmine, you know your birthday us next Saturday. You just wanted to make sure you could rub it in my nose by having your party today. But, way to go. Most of the school will be there. And yet, watch Preston be at my house." This made her mad. Preston is my only friend. Every girl has the hots for him. But he is only interested in training and finding his mate. Till his destined mate appears, he's not interested in any girls. And, trains to be beta. Besides me, his other best friend is Maxwell Valex, the son of the High-Moon Alpha. Preston is his chosen Beta. And when Maxwell becomes alpha, my father steps down, and our family will simply be pack members. Preston has asked Maxwell if he will allow us to stay out back behind the pack house. Maxwell agreed. "Listen here, Noodle. Preston will be mine. He may not know it yet. But, I will have his pups one day. And, you won't stop that from happening. " Preston is already 18. You can sense your mate as long as you are of age. But, if your mate isn't of age, they won't notice you. Jasmine is NOT his mate. I roll my eyes and turn my wheel. I'm realizing I've left a book since she-witch slammed my locker shut. I'll get it later, or I will share it with Preston. Suddenly, I'm lurched forward and thrown on the ground. "Noodle, don't turn your back on me. You are nothing." She pulls my arm back behind me, causing me pain. This makes me cry out. A familiar voice shouts, "Jasmine! I hear you, loud and clear, down the hall. I will never be your mate. And, thank the Moon Goddess, you're not." Preston reaches down and pulls me up. "Also, some Saint you are, treating someone like Octavia this way. If you're so sure of yourself, you wouldn't need to belittle her to make yourself feel bigger. He places me down on my chair. I look up at Jasmine, who is frozen in shock. Preston fixes my hair. Pushing my loose strands behind my ear, he sees my earrings. "Nice bling, girl." Jasmine looks at me enraged. But, thankfully, Preston grabs the handles of my chair and starts to wheel me away. "Thank you. But I can move myself." "What's your point? Hush up and enjoy a little rest. It's your birthday. And after that, I'm going to push you everywhere today. I'm not letting that happen again. Definitely not today." "Preston, you can't do that. You have training, but I don't. And, I don't want people to see me getting help. I don't want to be seen as broken." "You're not broken. You were never broken. The only thing you need to prove is that no one can break you as you are." I can't help but smile. Whoever gets him as a mate will be so lucky. "Thank you, Preston." We talk about tonight as we head towards our chemistry class. Chemistry is set up with high tables and stools. Preston pushes me to our table and offers me a hand to transfer me to the chair. I tell him no and climb up on my own. Mr. Rogen tells us to work out of our books together. "Oh Preston, can we share. When Jasmine started on me, I never got my Chem Book." "Yeah, girl!" The day went on. And Preston wheeled me to the gym where I sat in the back corner doing my homework or studying. All of a sudden, my hip and my shoulder got REALLY hot. And, pain shot through the rest of my body. I screamed! And not thinking, I stood up with my right leg. But the pain sent shockwaves through my body, and without the support of my left leg, I hit the floor. "Tavie!" Preston runs over to me, screaming my name. But, I could barely hear anything. The pain blinded me, and everything felt hot! Preston's gym teacher ran to me. "Is she shifting?" "No, I can't be. My birthday isn't till 1:36 in the morning." "Well, Ms. Blaunch, your wolf is going to be enormous then. You are about to have a long night. Because it's barely 3 in the afternoon. And, you have all the symptoms of a first phase." She looks at Preston. "Take her home. I'll go let her mother know. Stay with her until her mom is home." Preston picked me up and ran to his car, leaving my wheel chair behind. He placed me in the back seat of his car. He climbed in the front seat and raced to my house.