The Greater Wolf

The beginning

It was my 13th birthday, I had been preparing for this for years. My parents knew what I was going to become. I was in the 8th grade and my mom wrote a note to the teacher to keep me out of class until I was fully adjusted.

“To whom it may concern:

Lydia Bramski will be studying at home until further notice. She has been diagnosed with Covid-19, and will not return until she is fully recovered. I have attached her doctors note to this letter.

Thank you for your understanding,

Ann Bramski”

* * * *

When I woke up I kept my eyes closed. There was a new electricity caressing over my skin and everything felt different. I tried to focus on my senses.

I smelled the fresh sent off the fall leaves in the breeze coming through my window and I could hear my mother's heart beating in a slow rhythmic pace in the chair beside me.

I tried not to move, I didn't know how out of control I would be. I had been nervous for this day for so long, but we are here. I started by wiggling my fingers making sure to focus on slowly moving. Then my toes, I heard my Mother's heart beat pick up in speed. It was weird having these senses, but I didn't feel as different as I thought I would. Even a lot of the original blood werewolves have trouble with the change, but I felt in control. I slowly stretched my arms, causing you elbows to pop due to being stiff from sleep, opening my eyes and looked at my Mom.

The early morning sun was shining through my window landing on my moms face. I had never noticed the age lines with her crows feet at the corners of her eyes, or the very few silvery strands of hair in her beautiful black hair before. I even noticed the slight worried look in her eyes as she stared at me.

“Mom are you okay?” I whispered. I hated seeing her worry. Her face relaxed some as she responded, “Don't worry about me honey, how do you feel?”

“I feel strong, I can hear a lot more and see a lot more, but fairly normal. I thought this was going to be hard Mom?”

I was glad to have her by my side, my parents and me are really close and I feel like I can talk to them about everything. My mom had been through this before, she has seen my aunts and uncles change. She is the oldest of six and knows what to expect. I don't know why she looks worried and confused.

“Well my dear you have always been strong, and I'm sure you are stronger. It’s normal to hear more too. However you had less of a fever than I have ever seen for the change, and most of our kind jump awake and try to attack because of their new senses. Even though they know they will change it can still be difficult. You on the other hand seem to be handling it well. Its different than normal. You are acting like nothing even changed.”

I think about it for a minute, I can tell I am different, but it's not unnerving for me. I'm worried maybe I will be weaker than the others. Maybe my senses aren't as strong as the others. “Mom do you think I will be weaker?” she ferows her brows, shakes her head and looks at me for a moment. “I don't know what it means but you have never been weak. I wouldn't worry to much. Are you hungry?”

I could hear the bacon sizzling down stairs in the kitchen, I knew my Dad was working on a huge breakfast, I will be starving for the next couple of days or weeks until my hunger is controlled. I will have more strength than a bitten werewolf, so I will be able to eat normal food, but a lot of it!

* * * *

I ate my huge breakfast very fast, barely tasting anything. I could have eaten more, but I didn't want to scare my parents. Next, I wanted to test my new strength. So I went for a run. I was faster than before I ran the first mile in 1 minute and 20 seconds. Before it took me 4 minutes and 45 seconds. I was still faster than most humans, but others were just as fast. I was faster then any of the kids at my school, so I would hold back there, but now no human would be able to beat me. Running felt good, it sets me free and clears my mind, so I kept running through the forest. I ran through the woods for about 20 miles, it was so fast I barely had time to clear my mind of anything, but that's when I heard the murmuring of voices.

I heard a man's heart racing and I could smell the vile aroma of sweat and cigarette smoke. A woman was yelling and you could hear the sound of metal chains rattling.

There was a boy crying saying he didn't want to and the man telling him there was no other way.

I ran towards it, every sense was pushing me towards it when I knew I should run back for help. I turned the corner and slowed down I knew I was close.

I snuck through the woods and I thought to myself how quiet my steps had become. I peeked around the tree and saw a women tied to a tree about 10 yards away with thick metal chains around her arms, legs and throat. She was about my mother's age, and wore a white slip that you would see someone wearing to bed. She has beautiful white blonde hair flowing down past her waist.

There was a rugged man standing beside the boy. The man was tall with short dark brown hair and scars and tattoos covering his face and arms. He wore a leather jacket and tattered jeans holding a cigarette in one hand well the other was grabbing the boy by his shoulder.

The boy was about my age holding up a gun shaking. His dark eyes where puffy from crying and his curly blonde hair was mated to his forehead from sweat. Yet he still looked handsome and strong.

The lady who had been yelling and pleading looked at the boy. “Bobby you don't have to do this, don't listen to your father, just run and never look back.” she knew him, how? I looked back at the boy named Bobby, he was staring at her crying. The man said than, “Bobby, just do it, the sooner you do, the quicker it will be over, you know you have to kill her, I have trained you on this.” Bobby tried looking away, he turned his eyes in my direction. I hadn't noticed I had stepped out from behind the tree and walked closer until his eyes were on mine.

He looked at me for a moment and then mouthed help. I looked at him with horror as I didn't know what to do. Me and him stared at each other, his eyes were so dark they looked black. It felt like we were communicating with our eyes.

Than I remembered what the lady said, Run! I can run fast, probably faster than just a joy run if I try. I'm sure I could out run that man.

So I ran right at the boy Bobby and grabbed him. I ran away and took him with me! I heard a gunshot and the man yelling at me to come back. I pushed myself faster. I carried him effortlessly. It was like he wasn't there except the tingling in my arm where his skin touched.

I stopped about 3 Miles away when I processed that he was saying stop, I was definitely faster. Faster than even a wolf in human form should be. I sat him down on a broken tree that was laying across the ground. He was out of breath and looked at me with magnetic eyes, I couldn’t look away. They were black except the outer rim had a small amount of green. His eyebrows were furrowed together and his lips were parted. The gun still shaking in his hand.

“What are you?” He said when he finally caught his breath.

“Never-mind We have to help her? He will kill her? Please help me, Help Her!” He begged. I didn't know what to do, he seemed so scared and I knew he was right. That man would kill her. “How, who are they? Who are you?” I asked.

“I'm Bobby and those are my parents! Please don't let him kill my mom!” His mom? “Why does your dad want YOU to kill your own mom?”

He looked angry, “Because she is on the side of the light, we are not. My dad used her and her abilities, to create a stronger son! Please we don't have time for this help her, PLEASE HURRY!” He yelled.

I looked at him for another moment, took the gun and than I just ran. I left him there and ran back to his parents. If I couldn't help at least he wouldn't have to see his own mother get killed. I could hear his dad yelling for him.

“Bobby, come back, you have to do this you know you do. Its how you become strong. You know love is weak. She is only going to make you weak. This will make you strong!” I see his mom still tied to the tree, but she looks more relaxed and she has a slight grin. I stay hidden, his dad walks further into the woods, but I don't hear his footsteps. What creature is he, I can tell he is not human.

He starts to jog and is soon out of sight. I go to his mother. She looks at me confused, “Is my son okay? Is Bobby okay?” She is chained to a tree and she is still asking about him. I know I have to help her. I nod and start breaking the chains off of her. They aren’t burning my hand so at least they don’t have silver in them, but they are strong.

“Thank you,” she whispers. I didn't know what to say. I only have the chains around her arms and feet left, but I hear his heart beat again. “The man is getting closer.” I mumble. I hear her heart start racing again, she looks at me and whispers, “Run go find Bobby and get as far away as possible.” I look at the deathly fear in her eyes. She doesn't want to die, I know that.

“I'm not leaving you, I'm almost done.” she has bright vibrant green eyes. I'm going to save her I think to myself. “Forget about me go find bobby now please! He is important, he will help the side of the light more than you could ever imagine.”

I ignore her, and only have the chains around her feet left, she is almost free. Than I hear his heartbeat again and realize he is about three feet behind me. I jump to my feet and turn around, but he was waiting and ready. He swings and hits me in the stomach with a iron rod. It knocks the wind out of me, I fall to my knees, gasping for air.

“Well well what do I have here? Dont worry I found my son! He will be able to finish his job soon. So you have not fully changed yet, huh, First day? You must be an original and a strong one to be powerful enough to be able to fully comprehend what's going on around you? It's a shame you are on the wrong side and will have to be put down.”

He wants to kill me know too, why am I here, what should I do? How does he know what I am? I look at him and his eyes are black, like coal. Bobby’s mom says, “Run girl grab my son and Go! Please Just…”

“Shut up Marleene, he is going to do this, and he will be the strongest hybrid created. All he has to do is kill you!” He chuckles and this angers me.

I have a sharp pain in my head, I smell the burning scent of sweat coming off of Bobby's Dad. His heart's still racing, I see his hands shaking. A hybrid, I have heard of these. They are humans with demon blood. It gives them strength and different abilities depending on the demons strengths and abilities.

He walks around to the front of Marleene and slaps her in her face, “He would already be stronger if you didn't beg and plead what kind of mother are you. You should want what's best for your son! You should want him to be strong!”

She shakes her head, I can smell the blood dripping from her cheek bone! “I don't want my son to be a murderer like you, any father wouldn't want that for his son if he was a real father, Chaz you aren't a man, your a pathetic low life who just is afraid of people seeing him for what he is, WEAK.”

He smacks her again causing blood to flow from her lip, then his hands wrap around her throat and starts choking her. “I'm not weak! You B****, how dare you.” I grab the gun from my waist band, I point the gun at him but my hands are shaking uncontrollably and I don’t want to shoot Marleen on accident.

She is struggling to stay alive, her pulse is slowing and I hear only the slight rasping of air being able to go in and out of her lungs. I can't move for some reason, my body is aching. I have a horrible pain in my hands. The gun drops from them. They are turning into claws, I'm not supposed to be able to do that until tonight for the full moon, for my first change. I feel my teeth turn to sharp razors, and hair everywhere. My turn is complete. How and why?

I hear Marleene's rapping breath stop, she is close to death. I have to help her so I attack, I grab chaz and throw him off of her. I s***h the last chain from her body and she falls. Chaz is back on his feet, he looks surprised! “How, your a newborn?”

He goes to attack, but I'm faster. I s***h my claws across his legs. Only a disabling action. I don't know if I can kill him, will I be able to Murder a man? He screams and falls to the ground.

I decide I have time to check on Marleene. She is breathing and I can hear her heart beating. She is losing some blood but she should be fine. I try waking her, but she doesn't budge. I don't know what to do.

All of a sudden I'm getting dragged by my hair. Chaz was not as hurt as I thought and his steps make no sound. “I heal fast,” Chaz says answering my thoughts.

He slammed me into another tree, and slams the iron rod towards my face. I rolled out of the way just as the rod hit the tree. I jumped to my feet and slashed my claws towards him, he jumped out of the way and I barely nicked him. He slung his fists and one got me right in the jaw. I staggered but I recovered quickly. I saw his leg was still bleeding and slightly weak, I used that to my advantage.

I jumped and twisted my body so my back would slam into his legs. He fell to the ground and I was ontop of him. He laughed even in the pain. “You are strong, the strongest wolf I have ever ran into. Don't think that means you will win this. I will kill you, and her, Maybe even my son since he wants to be so weak.” How would someone ever want to kill their own son.

He smashes his elbow into my face, but it triggered something even deeper in me. Hate and fear, I hated this man, and I was going to kill him. I flung my claws at his face, he twisted out of my grasp squeezing my ribs. I heard a c***k in them and felt a searing pain, but I didn't stop. I used all four of my limbs to leap at him. I collided with his body and I wrapped my legs around his midsection as he fell to the ground. He kept swinging and struggling to get free. I kept my claws in and kept hitting at him. I felt one of his hands slip to the outside of his thigh. I heard the metal slid out of cloth, it was a form of knife.

I flung my claws out, I knew it had to be now. I felt something cut into my side, so I jabbed my claws in his chest. I looked at his eyes, and they were full of shock, fear, and pain. I felt the warmth of his blood in my hands, I heard the knife clatter to the ground.Then finally I heard his heart stop beating. The fight was over. I pulled my claws out and stared in horror at what I had done.

I heard footsteps, and I turned to attack. Adrenaline was still coursing through my veins. What have I become. I calmed down instantly when I saw him, when I saw Bobby's face. He was looking horrified at his mother, and I heard his pulse in his neck. “She is alive,” I said. He looked at me and then his father, “Yes but at what cost.” He looked sad towards his father, and then turned his face towards me. “I told you they were my parents why did you kill him.” He looked tortured. I didn’t know what else to do.

“Bobby, he was going to kill me and your mother and probably even you! I had to, I'm so sorry. It was the only way to save us” He looked furious, “He raised me and taught me, he wouldn't have killed me! You didn't know him, you didn't have that right.” I was shocked by how piercing his words were. Like he was trying to stab me with each one.

I looked at his eyes and they were full of pain. I was back to my human form. Reaching for my torn clothes to help cover me, I tried to stand up, but when I moved I had felt searing pain in my side and a dull ache ribs. I looked down and remembered the knife stabbing into me. Werewolves are supposed to heal fast as well which is why my ribs felt better each second, but I was losing a lot of blood, why?

“He probably stabbed you with a silver blade. It takes a lot longer for those wounds to heal on a wolf.” His anger was vanishing from his voice as he handed me his plaid jacket.

He started tearing his shirt into a thick long piece of cloth. I couldn't help but stare. He was very handsome, and had slightly defined muscles all along his arms and stomach. He tied the piece of fabric around me to cover my wound, and then helped me up. “Thank you” was all I could mumble feeling exposed and embarrassed on top of all the other emotions running through me.

We walked over to Marleene, who was still sprawled across the forest ground. I didn't need to check her pulse I could hear the slow and steady beat of her heart. I reached down to check her wounds, most of them were the green bruises almost already healed.

She must not be human either? The worst wound was on her head. We sat her up resting her back to the tree. I heard the creek just around the corner. I jogged over to it, every step was filled with a slight stabbing in my side. I used a large leaf to collect some water. I brought it back to Marleene, and sprinkled some in her mouth and on her face. She stirred and mumbled, “Bobby, Bobby?”

“I'm right here mom.” Her eyes fluttered open and she focused her gaze on him. She was going to be fine. She was healing fast.

I decided to give them a minute, so I went back to the creek. I splashed some water on my face, and started rinsing my wounds. How did my day end up like this? What abilities does Marleene have that Chaz wanted his son to have? What is she? There was so many questions to ask, but it wasn't my place to ask them.

I knew my parents would probably be wondering where I was. It was already early afternoon. I headed back to where Bobby and Marleene where. She was sitting up, and looked like most of her wounds were completely healed.

She saw me watching them before I had a chance to speak. “Thank you Lydia, you saved our lives. I know it must have been a hard choice for you to make, to kill him but thank you. You did the right thing.” I nodded my head at her avoiding Bobby’s eyes.

I couldn't talk, hearing her thank me, it made me feel wrong. I had a lump in my throat, today was not supposed to be like this. I wasn't supposed to change completely until tonight. I wasn't supposed to murder anyone. I'm only 13, it shouldn't be like this.

Bobby started walking towards me. That’s when I noticed my hands were shaking and I had a few tears running down my cheek as I was trying to stop myself from having a full blown melt down.

Bobby touched my arm. I looked in his eyes, there was more of the softer green in them then there was before, and filled with pain. “I know that this is a painful thing to go through, he took me away from my mom when I was 10. He tried to brainwash me into believing she was bad, and that she had left me. I thought I wanted to kill my own mother. When I looked into her eyes, and saw the fear and pain. I knew it wasn't right, I felt her love.” He mumbled as his eyes were tearing up.

I wanted to take his pain away. “I loved my Dad, but I know you did the right thing.” He grabbed me into a hug and whispered, Thank you in my ear. We stood there for a moment and then Marleene said, “Bobby we have to go, they will be here soon. We have to get away from this place. Lydia, you should Go home too, we will meet again soon I know it, Be safe.”