Wolf's Bane

Chapter 5 Pt. 2

After going out for ice cream, the two sisters finally made their way home. Gage had passed out on her sister's shoulders while Luna carried a bag with Sam's Ice cream. She bought him a small container to eat at the house. Gage had ice cream all over her face and hands, but that didn't stop the teen from carrying her sister home.

Luna managed to walk up the steps of her house before pausing for a moment. She had no idea how much he had done or what he's done. Something about the atmosphere caused her to feel a difference. She placed her hand on the door and slowly opened it. When she stepped inside, it was a shake. She honestly couldn't tell it was the house she had lived in for so long. "Well... Damn." She said as she looked around for Sam. She quickly found him on his phone on the couch. "How did you do this so fast, Sammy?"

Hearing the door open caused Sam to lift his head from the screen on his phone. Samuel and his mother had been discussing his findings. But when Luna began to talk, the texts were quickly hidden by the flipping of his phone. He'd have to talk to her later about it. For now, blue eyes were brought to Luna's face. Her question caused him to look around. How did he do it so fast? "When you put something to mind and have a goal, time seems to stop until the goal is complete." It was a more philosophical answer, but it worked for that moment.

Standing, Sam moved to Luna, only to take the sleeping Gage from her shoulders. "I'll put sleepy here to bed." He said as he carried the girl to her room. This would hopefully allow Luna to look around more.

Luna let Sam take Gage before walking around the living room. Most of the junk was gone. Everything was dusted and clean. Her clothes seemed nicely folded as well. Her eyes soon made it to the bathroom. It was also clean. It looked more lively to her. She smiled a bit as she continued to look around the house. Soon she made it to the kitchen. Her feet froze before she made it entirely into the area. She was still shaken from earlier but managed to find the courage to walk in. She managed to look around, seeing it typical for the first time in years. She remembered this room more than anything else. The clean stove made her think of her mother when she used to cook. Luna's eyes then wandered to the place around the sink. The stain was now gone. She walked over to it only to place her hand on the wall where it had been. It wasn't long before she caught herself crying at the border.

Sam stood in the archway as he watched her slowly look around the kitchen. He silently walked up behind her when she touched the wall. Her shoulders shook as the tears fell from her eyes. It was then his hands gently touched the outer side of her arms. The warmth of his breath on the back of her head. "It's going to be alright, Luna. I'm here now." His voice was soft-spoken before his arms were wrapped around her chest. She turned toward him in a split second, and his hands were pressed against her back. A protective yet warm embrace. "I'll protect you always."

Luna hugged him tightly before her legs finally gave out on her. She ended up dragging them both to the floor as she sat in tears. She didn't know if she was grateful, but she could finally see the happy mother's memories after a long time. "Thank you, Sam. Thank you so much." Her words were muffled, but they seemed to be audible. She knew she owed him for everything he'd done for her, but she couldn't figure out what to do. "Who knew cleaning would make me turn into a child?" She silently laughed as she tried to wipe her face from the tears.

Sam gracefully went to the kitchen floor with her as her legs buckled. He ensured she didn't hurt herself as her body met the lukewarm linoleum. Unsure if she was distressed or not, these emotions were reassured by the receipt of thanks. "No, my moon, thank you." He spoke softly only to run his fingers through her gorgeous red hair gently. He knew the words would be heard by her, but at this point, he didn't care. She had allowed him not only to enter her life but to show him a vulnerable moment.

It was then Sam began to think. If she could show him a vulnerable moment, then maybe he could show her his own secret. This would be a make-or-break moment. What would he do if she rejected him after knowing? He doubted she would tell anyone even if she did reject him. Many people had run around and claimed werewolves, and none of them had ever been believed. "Luna, can I show you something?"

Luna moved away for a second to try and compose herself. Her hands, once again, wiped her eyes off before she nodded. She wasn't sure what he could show her. He'd already done a lot and didn't see whatever he could do. "Yeah, what is it?" She took a deep breath and sniffled before smiling the best she could at that moment.

"Now, don't freak out, and remember, what you see will never hurt you." These words were hushed as he stood at his feet. Looking around, he moved across the threshold and entered the living room, where there was much more room. It was then he began to strip. First, his shoes were removed and placed on the side of the couch. Then he pulled his socks off. His eyes never left Luna's face as he removed each article of clothing.

Once he was fully bare to her, a light began to emanate from his skin. Painlessly, his body changed shape. The amber eyes of the beast looked at Luna before the bright blue showed.

Luna had covered her eyes before Sam could take off everything. She was confused about why he chose to do this until light could be seen through her fingers. "Sam, what in the world are you-" She peeked through her fingers only to see the wolf. Her hands dropped, and she stood frozen. This was strange but oddly familiar. "Sammy?" She didn't stand or move her green eyes from the animal but decided to crawl to it. She was more amazed than scared. It was fascinating. The only thing she could think of was that he was handsome. She slowly reached her hand out as she made it to the living room so she could touch him. "Look at you."

A velvet nose sniffed the air. There was no scent of fear that came from her. Hearing his nickname, though, the black raven wolf gave sway to its tail. Seeing her crawl caused the posture of the beast to change. Instead of the cowering hunch it was doing, the wolf stood straight. Its head was held high, and the round-tipped ears pulled forward in an alert position. When she finally reached the living room, the extended hand was sniffed, only licked by a flesh-pink tongue. He didn't move, though. He didn't want to scare her away. Eyes of blue locked onto the green gaze before Sam tried to reach out to her psyche. Can you hear me? Luna?

Luna smiled a bit as the wolf licked her hand, then returned to her sitting position. She crossed her legs as she stared at him for a second. Why wasn't she scared? There was a large animal in her house. She must be terrified. Hearing the voice in her head caused her to become startled, however. She jumped a little as she looked around before looking at Sam. "Did you say that? Can you talk in my head? How did you do that?" She didn't realize how many questions she now held for the boy. She slowly took her hand to pet his fur. She was curious about how it felt. She was suddenly surprised by the soft texture. "Wow."

Her jump caused the beast's ears to pull back some. “I'm sorry, Luna. I don't mean to frighten you.” The voice spoke. A light began to emit from the wolf, and a soft whine left its jaws before the light faded. Sam knelt in front of Luna with her hand in his hair. "I'll answer anything you want me to." He could feel her mind whirling with questions. Though he knew he would have to get dressed.

Moving away from her, he kept himself covered before he quickly, inhumanly quickly, got dressed. This would show her how he also cleaned the entire house in a short amount of time.

She looked away for a second before looking back after he got dressed. She was honestly speechless as she saw the boy she's only known for a few days to come into view again. She smiled at him. She couldn't help but smile at him. At this point, just looking at him caused her to forget that she was tired or stressed. "Sam... That was so cool." She said this quietly but loud enough to make herself clear. She finally understood a lot of things. She didn't know a lot about him, but she was glad he trusted her with this. "It was so soft." She looked at her hand for a second and then at Sam again.

"You think that was cool?" Sam smirked slightly, only to move to her once he was fully dressed. "If you thought that was cool, then you have a lot to experience." He knelt on the floor before her and took her hands in his own. "Do you accept me?" Sam knew the question was confusing for the human mind to comprehend, but he soon spoke again. "Think long and hard about this, don't answer unless you are absolutely sure." He smiled again and leaned forward. His nose gently brushed her own.

Luna smiled at him before slowly nodding her head. She wasn't sure exactly what she was accepting. The statement was broad, but Luna wanted to be a part of it. Whatever it was, she tried to understand it better. "I don't really have to think about it." She said quietly before laughing softly. She just hoped he wouldn't break her trust. That's all she really asked for.

Sam gave a soft smile. His blue eyes brightened before he kissed her hands. The excitement seemed to fill the atmosphere as the wolf ran in circles. "Meet me tonight at the high school. Bring Gage as well. I know you, and she is a package deal."

"What are we doing?" Luna tilted her head slightly. She was trying to think of what the boy was planning, but he was nothing but surprised so far.

"Well, you know my secret, but Gage still needs to learn, so I'm going to introduce both of you to the pack." Then, he took out his phone and began to flip through his texts until he found the right one. Sam’s fingers quickly moved as he sent the mass message. "There are pups Gage's age, and if my suspicions are correct, she's like me." When the 'sent' message appeared on his phone, he flipped it closed. "Which means now is a crucial time in her life." He looked at Luna and smiled. "Also, if she is like me, you may be as well. Being around sameness could awaken the other side."

Luna was stunned. When did he get the idea they were like him. She had been human all her life. She looked towards her sister's door before running her fingers through her hair a bit. She started noticing her sister's traits after an animal, but not herself. Luna shook her head a bit before looking back at Sam. "Sammy, I don't think so... I'd love to meet your....uh... what did you call it? Pack? I'd like to meet them, but I don't think I'm like you. I can't do the whole cool-changing thing." Luna moved her hands around Sam like she was trying to perform her magic before placing them on the floor with a thud.

The gesture she made with her hands caused the male to chuckle. "Even so, I want you to be a part of my world. You are my Moon, and if Gage is like me, then you'd have to understand everything." The sound of a wolf howling echoed from his back pocket. "Damn it. I thought I put you on vibrate." He pulled out his phone and looked at the contact on the small front screen. It was his mother. "Huh, a text from my mom."

"Your mom?" Luna wasn't trying to be nosey, but the girl slowly tried to peer over the phone. "What'd she say? Do you have to go home or something?" She didn't want him to leave but wouldn't stop him if he had to. She planned on meeting him later anyway.