Winterlust (COMPLETE)

Living a Lie

Violet

Violet stirs on the couch. It’s dark outside. How long have I been asleep? “Violet, won’t you come and have some dinner?”, Muriel calls from the kitchen. How does she know I’m awake? “Sure thing, Aunt Muriel”, she calls back. Violet looks around for her phone and then realizes she left it at school in her coat. The events of the day come rushing back to her, and she gasps. “Violet, it’s alright. Please come to the kitchen”, Evelyn says softly from the doorway. “What time is it, mom? I left my phone at school.” “It’s seven thirty, and you must be starving”, Evelyn holds out her hand. Violet takes her mother’s hand warily and walks with her to the kitchen.

Muriel smiles at Violet from her seat at the table, and pats the chair to her left. “We have some things we need to talk to you about. Please sit down and eat.” Violet looks over at Evelyn who is taking her seat to Muriel’s right. She isn’t looking at Violet. Muriel serves dinner from her seat and places her napkin on her lap. “Violet, I’m going to ask you some questions. Your mother and I need you to answer them honestly. No matter how far fetched or seemingly wrong your answers are, I promise you won’t be in any trouble. This is going to raise so many questions in your mind, and I promise you I’ll answer them all after we’re finished. Okay?” Violet nods and looks down at her plate. Her stomach begins from grumble. “I know you’re hungry, and it’s important that you eat right now.”, Muriel assures her.

The women eat in silence for a few minutes before Muriel clears her throat and begins, “Violet, I need you to tell me as much as you can remember about your dream.” Violet looks up at Muriel and blinks a few times. “Go on, sweetheart. We don’t have a lot of time”, Evelyn encourages her.

“Well, I uh… there was a man and uh…”, Violet fumbles for words, “he said something about a wolf is rising”. “Did you see the man?”, Muriel asks softly. Violet shakes her head and looks back down at her plate, pushing her carrots around with her fork. “What about the Cold Moon?”, Muriel asks gently. “Bring her to me before the Cold Moon, is what he said. Oh, and I could smell basil really strongly.” Muriel and Evelyn exchange glances. Violet puts her head back down.

“Okay. Let’s talk about your senses. You said you smelled basil. Have you experienced any other strong scents?” Violet thinks for a moment before answering. “Yes,” she says slowly, “Yesterday at school I smelled oranges, and then again at the gym”. Evelyn gasps, “Mother!” Mother? Muriel shushes Evelyn and turns her attention back to Violet. “Did you meet anyone new yesterday, or see any strangers that seemed out of place?” Violet furrows her brow and looks at Muriel quizzically. “Yes, there was a new student in class at the gym. She said she got new body wash. She was pretty muscular already, so it seemed weird that she would want to take a self defence class.”

Muriel rocks back in her chair for a moment, thinking. “Okay darling. Tell me, when is the last time you had a protein shake?” “H-how… how did you know?”, she looks to her mother, wide eyed. “That’s not important. What matters this instant is that you tell us how long it’s been”, Evelyn replies. “Since Saturday”, Violet mumbles. “Good”, Muriel says firmly. Good? “Last question, dear. Tell us why you ran home from school without a coat on.” “I could hear someone calling my name. It was almost like a whisper. Nobody was paying any attention to me or anything. It scared me and then the voice said to run home”, Violet answered, her voice barely above a whisper, “Please will someone tell me what’s going on? I’m frightened.”

Muriel nods and stands. “I’ll leave you two alone. Evelyn, I’m going to look for tracks out in the yard. Someone has been here.” Muriel grabs her coat in the front hall and steps out the front door, closing it gently behind her.

Evelyn stares at Violet blankly for a few minutes, trying to form words. “Mom, please”, Violet begs. With a heavy sigh, Evelyn leans over and crosses her arms on the table. Might as well jump right in. “Sweetheart, we are werewolves”, Evelyn says, manner of factly. “We… what?” “Look, I don’t have time to convince you. All will be revealed soon enough, but in the meantime we need to get moving.” “Moving where?”, Violet asks, still dumbfounded. This can’t be happening.

“Your father was a wonderful man, and somewhere deep down, he loves you very much. Because of the mate bond, we fell instantly in love at age 19”, “The what?”, Violet interjects. Evelyn ignores the question and continues to speak, “But your father was born a Cold Wolf. I want you to think about how rare it is to know someone with the same birthday as you. Then apply that to a species you didn’t even know existed. Reaching maturity on the day of the Cold Moon in December is extremely rare. This wolf is more powerful than the average wolf, with heightened wolf senses. They have the ability so sense other Cold Wolves, and they have the gift of premonition. Without the proper training, the Cold Wolf can become power hungry, and will harm anyone who he deems a threat to him.”

Evelyn reaches over and touches Violet’s arm with the scar on it. “Any other Cold Wolf is a threat to his power, even if it’s his own child. He truly couldn’t help himself, sweetheart.” “But mom, what does all of this mean?”, Violet leans in. “Well, werewolves experience their first shift around age thirteen. I have been feeding you a low dose of wolfsbane in your shakes to suppress your wolf and mask your scent. I’ve been taking it too, as mates can find each other by their scent. If you don’t shift by your 18th birthday - the Cold Moon, you won’t gain your full power. Therefore you’d no longer be a threat to your father, and he’d leave us alone for good.”

Violet jumps up and runs to the fridge and yanks it open. “I’ll drink my shakes! I promise, mom!” Evelyn steps in behind her and closes the door. “It’s too late. Your wolf is rising and all the wolfsbane in the world can’t protect you now. It would only harm you at this point.” Evelyn pulls her daughter into her arms and pats her hair, rocking ever so slightly. “Now we run. Our best chance is to stay one step ahead of him.”

Muriel enters the front door and shakes off her boots. “There’s a set of tracks around the perimeter of the yard. My senses are dulled a bit because of my age, but wolves have definitely been here.” “Wait! Why did you call Auntie Muriel ‘mother’?”, Violet jumps back, looking at Evelyn. “I am your grandmother, dear. I bought the inn in town so I can be the first line of defence for you and your mother. We can explain more later, but you must get packing now.”