Bayou Queen

Fun Police

Later this evening as the countdown to my wolf transformation begins, I’m met with a series of questions by Cole. “So Quiana, what will you do once you transform under the full moon?” “How do you know where to go once you hit the Bayou?” “Do you still have the .45 I gave you for Christmas?” “Megan, what on earth will you be doing? You’re human?!” I looked up at Cole’s face immediately as he asked Megan about her asinine plan of joining me in the Bayou. This should be good! There is no way he will let her go! I thought to myself with a widespread grin.

“If you think I’m letting the daughter of my best friend, who I promised to protect and care after for the rest of my life go into some woods and run into God knows what! You are sadly mistaken. As a matter of fact, Im surprised you didn’t volunteer to go your damn self, Cole!” Megan stood up waving her hand in Cole’s face. “What do you mean surprised? This is a personal journey for her and I don’t know a damn thing about the bayou. Im from the city, baby!” Cole said in his best New Orleans accent. With Cole being from the Upper 9th Ward and Megan from the Lower 9th ward, the two always had cultural differences. Megan came from a Prominent Black family of musicians while Cole raised in Desire, spent most of his life in the projects until college where he met Megan. Seeing them argue over me was amusing until I heard Cole give in. “Fine Megan, go play tomb raider. Just know when you make it out this alive, you owe me a baby, especially since Quiana is going back to her people.” Cole has such sorrow in his voice. I know he didn’t want me to leave. He raised me like I was his own daughter, and even though he longed for children of his own, He always told me raising me was the best thing that ever happened to him besides marrying Aunt Megan. “Why are yall doing this to me!” I yelled as I stormed from the dinner table. I couldn’t believe my feelings about this were disregarded. I was already scared to do this. But having Megan come along would create so much pressure for me.

“You know you don’t have to worry about her.” Cole was leaning against my bedroom doorway watching me pack. “I taught that woman everything she needs to know when it comes to defending herself. From pulling a trigger to using her hands if need be.”

“But these are wolves we are dealing with Uncle. She wont stand a chance.”

“Well that’s the risk she is willing to take to make sure you are safe. You have to give her the benefit of the doubt. We have been protecting you since your mom placed us into our arms.”

“Pack wolves hate human interference.”

“And how do you know? You never lived in a pack!” Cole raised his eyebrow to match his curiosity about how I knew so much about my pack.

“Because,” I let out a heavy sigh. Uh-oh here goes my big moment of truth

“Because I have been speaking to someone on the inside.”