The Monster

Devina

It’s been thirteen years since I ran from my home.

At the age of twelve, I had finally had enough of the abuse and torment that my father so willingly subjected me to.

The night I fled had been like almost every night of my life.

I had been beaten, whipped and my father had allowed his beta into the room.

The man’s breath reeked of whiskey and his cold eyes were filled with lust.

I shudder at how vividly I remember the feeling of his weight on top of me, my entire body screaming in pain.

The men of my pack were monsters, my father being the worst of them all.

After they left my room that night I had jumped from my window on the second floor, breaking my arm when I landed.

I ran…the pain in my arm was nowhere near as strong as my need to be free.

I had been on my own for three days before I stumbled upon a cottage in the woods, that’s where I met Mark and Harriette.

The elderly couple took me in and nursed me back to health without questioning me or expecting anything from me.

Harriette was her pack’s healer and while I was not rejected by their pack, I wasn’t exactly welcomed either.

In thirteen years, I’ve made no friends, but, if I’m being honest, I don’t mind.

Mark has taught me everything I need to know about the outside world, as well as helping me become one with my wolf.

My first shift, I’ll admit, was brutal.

I had fought it every step of the way and my wolf fed off of my deeply buried anger and torment.

It took years of working with Mark before I finally was able to openly communicate with her and I can’t deny that she’s definitely a more viscous version of me.

She’s the darkness within me, but, somehow, she brings me peace.

After my first shift, Mark had told me that my wolf was special…unlike anything he had ever seen.

I won’t lie, I wish I could understand what he meant by that, but he always avoids discussing it.

Today, like most days, I’ve helped Harriette clean, tended to the garden and prepared some tonics for the people of the village.

It may not be a big thing, but I enjoy helping…feeling useful.

“Devina? Where are you, child?” Harriette calls out from the front door.

I quickly jump from the tree I’ve been sitting in and run to her, my eyes assessing her expression as I approach.

“I’m right here. Is everything ok?” Harriette offers me a warm smile while waving for me to come closer.

“You know that tonight is the full moon. We need to prepare for your shift.” It’s always so heartwarming to see the amount of care she shows me.

She’s made sure that I’m well fed before every shift and always leaves a satchel with clothing near one of the trees behind the house for when I shift back the next morning.

“Yes ma’am.” I follow her into the cottage where she has a large meal set out on the table waiting for me.

I quickly sit down and dig in, knowing the sun will be setting within the hour.

“Your clothes are by the old oak tree.” I nod as I finish swallowing the bite I was chewing.

“Thank you, Harriette.” She simply smiles and nods before walking down the short hallway to her room.

I’ve always wondered why Harriette doesn’t shift like the rest of her pack on the full moon, but the one time I had asked, she became distant and I saw a pain in her eyes that told me it’s something that she can’t bear to relive.

I quickly gather my things and make my way to the location that Mark has designated for me to use during my full moon shifts, a place away from the pack…a place where my wolf’s unpredictable behavior won’t endanger others.

It’s a small clearing less than a quarter mile from the cottage, but the trees around it are thick.

I can feel my wolf stirring to life as the veil thins with the appearance of the first star in the sky.

I used to dread the feeling of my bones shifting and I would always brace myself for the pain that was soon to come, but now…now I relax and allow Lira to make her way to the surface.

I feel the first jolt of pain tear through as my bones begin to crack, shift and set, but I continue to stand my ground.

I take a deep breath and, as I exhale, I feel the pain rip through me before quickly settling when Lira’s paws hit the soft dirt.

Lira lets out a loud howl of excitement as she rushes forward into the trees with dirt, sticks and rocks kicking up behind us.

I don’t even need to ask her where she’s taking us because deep down, I always know.

Lira has taken a shining to a small clear pond about four miles out from the cottage.

She spends almost the entire night there basking in the moonlight after she runs off her energy.

I’ve grown to love this pond as well, but for different reasons.

When she looks into the water, I get to see her beautiful reflection.

This is the only time I get to see my wolf and I may be biased, but she’s stunning.

The moonlight makes her white fur glow with an ethereal light and her Amethyst eyes shimmer in the water.