A Wolf’s Pack

There was a knock on the door. “They’re here! They’re here!” Diana’s mom called out, clapping her hands excitedly. Very formally, Diana, her mum and then her dad went to stand in a line behind the door. Diana was forced into her pinkest dress, one with lots of frills, and sparkly pumps. Trying to hide how thrilled she was, Diana’s mother opened the door, biting on her lip to keep herself from cheering. In the doorstep stood a tall man in a black suit with his hand around a teenage boy’s arm. Diana’s mum’s happy expression was wiped off her face faster than lightning could strike when she saw what was waiting for her. She was so astonished that she completely forgot to greet the gentlemen. “Where’s the baby? Where’s Christian?” she quizzed. “Baby?” the man in the suit repeated, “This is Christian. Christian Powell. Is there some sort of problem?” Diana’s mom looked at her husband and let out a nervous chuckle. “Umm, yes,” she answered honestly, “We were told we were going to adopt a baby. A seventeen-month-old.” “Uhhh, ma’am,” said Christian for the first time, “I’m seventeen years old. There must have been a misunderstanding.” The lady to turned to her husband once again. “Are you still willing to adopt this…boy?” asked the man in the suit. Diana’s mom chuckled awkwardly again. Diana gave a little nudge to her dad’s leg and eyed Christian. “How can you not want him? He wants a family, too!” Diana whispered. Her dad stuttered as he thought of a reasonable reply, but nothing more than ‘eh’ came out. “I-“ said her mom, looking at the boy. He was tall and muscular, wearing a brown leather jacket. His neck was full of scratches and bruises and so were his hands and face. He had these sunken, grey eyes that seemed serious and lonely. His hair was a dark blond colour, messily combed. “It’s okay, really,” he said, “Can I go back to the orphanage now?” When he asked that, Christian turned to the man in black. The man gave a stern ‘no’ and Christian looked down, embarrassed. Diana’s mother turned to her husband and whispered, “What do we do?” Diana looked at Christian and turned to her parents to whisper, “I think he should stay!” Her mother turned to her father, who looked at his wife. “Okay,” he whispered. “Yes!” Diana called out and jumped into the air. “You can stay,” Diana’s father announced, a smile curving on his face. Christian sighed. “Listen, I don’t think you should take me. I’m already seventeen and pretty soon I’m going to move out, and that will just be a whole other drama. I think it’s better that everyone just leave me and I go off on my own.” Everyone was a bit astonished at what the boy had just said. “No, come on, Christian,” said Diana’s mom, “Don’t feel like that. Come on in, we can get you something to eat.”

After all the forms were signed and the paperwork was done, the man in black left the little suburban home and the new family joined around the table for their first dinner together. “So you know our names now,” said Diana’s mom,” That’s little Diana, this is Javier and I’m Amelia, but you can just call me ‘mom’.” “Cool,” Christian muttered emotionlessly. “So, you’re seventeen. Diana’s eleven,” Diana’s father said, just to make a bit of conversation. But the air was awkward, there was nothing to say and Christian didn’t seem to keen on this new family thing either. “Christian, you have nothing on your plate! Eat something! What can I pass you? Mashed potatoes? Veggie pie? Salad?” Diana’s mom offered. “Mmm,” Christian murmured, peeking over the table to look at his options, “Do you have anything…meaty?” Diana looked at her parents. “Uhhh, we’re actually vegetarians, honey,” Diana’s mother said. “Oh,” Christian replied aimlessly, “Well, then I’m okay, thanks. Just a bit of water, please.” 

After the awkward supper, the family lead their new member to his room. “You’re going to have to share with Diana. See, we thought a baby wouldn’t need that much space, but…we don’t have any spare rooms. We actually also don’t have a bed for you, just a cot…you can sleep in Diana’s bed tonight. I’m sure she won’t mind a night on the couch, until we get a bed for you,” Diana’s dad told Christian. “Or I can sleep in the cot. I’m short for my age,” Diana laughed. “If you want to,” her mom smiled. “Ok, here’s the room.” Christian walked in, very surprised at what he saw. The room had lots of shelves, filled with books. There was a cot on the left side, and a bed on the right. It wasn’t at all pink, like Christian had assumed. “Wow,” he whispered. “Do you like it?” Diana asked, enthusiastic. “Yeh – yeah, I do,” he answered. Diana beamed. “Come on, then,” said the father, “Let’s show you the rest of the house.”

“Goodnight, you two. I know you’ll feel more comfortable very soon, Christian,” Diana’s mom said. “Yes, and I can already tell that you’re going to be a great one,” her dad agreed. “Thanks,”Christian nodded. “‘Right, then. Have a good night’s rest.” Diana’s mom and dad left the room, shut the door and switched off the lights. Light on her feet, Diana stood up, waited to hear her parent’s footsteps disappear, and turned the lights back on. “Oof,” Christian said, “Where’d you come from?” “You’re Welsh, right?” asked Diana, “What’s it like there?” Christian was confused, but answered nevertheless. He lifted his shoulders. “I was only born there. Grew up here.” Diana nodded. “Do you know when and why your birth parents left you?” “Woah, don’t you think that’s a bit personal?” Christian asked her. “I mean, I guess if I’m not family, but I am, so…?”she reasoned. “Let’s keep that for a bit later,” he answered. “Alright, then. Come on, you must be starving,” said Diana beckoning him to join her to wherever she was about to go. “What? Where are you going?” he called out, bewildered by this young girl’s random behaviour. “Just follow me, will you? You need some food in your system!” And then, before he could say ‘spoon’, Diana was out the window, on their back lawn. “What?! Diana, what are you doing?” called the boy. “Just follow me, Christian, if you want to eat,” Christian heard the girl whisper from outside. She was right; he was hungry. So, he also made a trip out the window onto the backyard. “Okay, where to now?” Christian wondered, still puzzled. “Here,” Diana pointed, but to nothing that Christian can see. Diana didn’t stand still though, she ran in the direction she had pointed to. Even though it was dark, Christian was able to see thanks to the little cottages where lights were still going. The two ran to where less and less houses stood; into what seemed like a forest. “Woah, woah, hold on. Why are we going in there?” he asked, very inquisitive as to what was going on in Diana’s head. “Relax, I come here to read, it’s perfectly safe, especially for someone like you,” the girl reasoned. Christian spattered, “Wha- ‘someone like me’? What is that supposed to mean?!” Diana didn’t answer. She simply continued moving toward the forest and shushed Christian whenever he tried to ask something. When Diana finally came to a halt, they were in the middle of a load of trees, protecting them from any moonlight that tried to get through. “Well, what are you waiting for? Catch something!” Diana smiled, taking a seat on a rock. Christian seemed utterly bewildered. “Wha-what? Do you think I’m some sort of animal?!” Diana frowned. “Well, not an animal, just…a humanoid, I guess,” she told him. Christian struggle for words. He didn’t know what to ask, not how to ask it. When he finally came to himself, he said, “Diana. What do you think I am?” Diana lifted her shoulders and said, “A werewolf, why?” Christian looked sort of afraid. “A ‘werewolf’? A werewolf?” he repeated, “Diana, for someone who is obviously clever, you don’t seem to know much about ‘fantasy’…” Diana lifted her shoulders again. “I won’t say ‘a lot’, but I do know some things.” “Well, you obviously don’t know that werewolves don’t exist, right?” he told her. “Are you calling yourself a fictional hallucination of my imagination?” she said, now the confused one. “Wha-? No, I’m just saying that they – werewolves - don’t exist. They’re not real,” he explained. Diana was very perplexed now. “Christian, you’re not making any sense. Are you saying that you’re not real?” she queried. “No, no, I’m not. I’m saying werewolves aren’t real,” he answered. “But that’s, in a sense, saying you’re not real. Since, you know, you’re a werewolf.” Christian clapped his hand to his forehead. “Do you think that’s why your parents left you?” she asked, more sympathetically. “Diana, please, I’m not a werewolf! Why would you think that in the first place?” he appealed. “Well, for instance, those scratches and bruises, they’re definitely not a dog’s, by the size of them. And, well, you don’t eat anything besides meat. And, your canines are more fang-like than the average human being. You’re constantly sniffing, smelling for some sort of scent. Also, your shoes are obviously to small for your feet. Your toes are threatening to burst through. Oh, and I saw you’re probably left-handed. Did you know that’s common amongst dog-like humanoids?” she pointed out, “Oh, and don’t worry, you’re not the only one here in the village. I saw about five other werewolves before. And vampires. I even once saw a fay!” “Wow, you’re good,” said Christian, “But unfortunately you’re wrong, so sorry about that.” “Oh,” murmured Diana, a bit disappointed, “Sorry then.” “Don’t be. It was an honest mistake. But I’ll be on my way now, and you should be, too.”

Even though Diana evidently got Christian wrong, they grew very close over time. However, Diana was still not convinced that Christian was not a werewolf, and therefore still had an eye on his behaviour. One night, after the two’s parents kissed them goodnight, Diana was even more suspicious than before. “Christian, you know how to ride a bike, don’t you? Well, I thought maybe you can teach me. I know it’s weird that I don’t know how to ride one yet, but when I was seven, a Jack Russell chased me around the block, and I fell. I didn’t get hurt or anything, nothing more than a scratch, but I was afraid to get back on in fear of worse accidents. It’s stupid, I know. But, will you teach me?” There was no answer. The only thing Diana could hear was the chirping of crickets outside her window. “Christian?” she repeated, sitting upright. Again, there was silence, and Diana knew why. She looked outside. It was full moon, and it was unsafe for Christian to be with her while he transformed. But Diana had to see this, her point being proven, and an actual werewolf. Even though she had seen werewolves in human form in the village before, she had never actually seen them in their canine form. Diana climbed out of her window and ran towards the forest, somewhere she knew she might find Christian. She ran and ran, and when she finally got there, she went to sit on her usual rock to get a better view of any possible action. Then she saw a wolf, a dark grey wolf baring his fangs at something to the left of her. Diana knew it was perilous for her, a defenseless eleven-year-old, but this was a sight to see. Another wolf, one of a reddish brown pelt, came from her right. She looked at the two. They seemed unhappy with the other’s presence. If she had to guess, she’d say Christian was the grayer wolf. His facial features resembled the darker wolf more. Neither one of the wolves seemed to notice Diana, which she was grateful for. But they noticed each other, very definitely. Both wolves’ fangs were bared, their eyes on one another. Then another wolf came from the red wolf’s side. Then another. Diana understood what was happening. They didn’t want Christian – the newbie, the inexperienced cub – to join their pack. Then, all of a sudden, the pack charged at Christian. Afraid of what they might do to him, Diana jumped off her rock, grabbed a handful of rocks and leaped to Christian’s side. The wolves had a new focus now. They were prowling nearer to her, exposing their fangs from under their bloody lips. Diana threw her rocks in their direction, aiming for a sweet spot in their heads. But, lacking athletic skills, Diana missed their heads, and all her rocks were gone. Panicking a bit, with the wolves circling her, she turned around, looking for any possible ways of escaping. Christian was baring his teeth at her too. According to some books she read, werewolves must learn to control themselves under special circumstances. That meant that Christian wasn’t on her side here! Realizing this, Diana was even more fearful. She had nowhere to run to, and no one on her side. She saw as the leader of the pack was profiling nearer, making yummy noises. He kept coming nearer and nearer, while the other wolves circled her. Then, he pounced. But, to Diana’s surprise, Christian leaped in in front of her and tackled the wolf that was about to attack her. The rest of the wolves joined in. There were easily eight of them. Christian seemed to struggle against them. “Christian, howl! Howl now!” Diana yelled, hoping that he could understand her. “I read in a book, that packs may accept newcomers if they are impressed by their howl! Howl now, Christian, you can do it!” Diana called out. She couldn’t see Christian, just a bunch of movement of wagging tails and moving claws. “Howl!” she screamed again at the top of her lungs. Then Diana heard it. Christian’s howl. But it was too weak. “Again, Christian, again! Do it stronger!” Then she heard him again, but it was still not mighty enough. “Aaaaoooooohhhh!” Diana called, hoping her howl would motivate Christian. “Come on, Christian, do it for me! Do it for your sister! Aaaaaooooohhh!” Then she heard a sound that mirrored her howl, but much more powerful. All of a sudden the wolves stopped their fighting. They all backed away and made cooing sounds. It was Christian, she knew, and she knew he was safe. She galloped toward him. He was bleeding slightly, his hind leg injured, but she knew he would be okay. “Come on, let’s go home,” she whispered.

“How come you didn’t attack me? Wolves can’t control themselves from the beginning, I mean, you’re still a young wolf,” Diana asked. “Well,” answered Christian, “Even though I still struggle to contain myself occasionally, a wolf can never turn against its own pack. I didn’t realise that before, that’s why I came looking for a pack. But then I realised I already had a pack. Mom and Dad, and you.” Christian beamed. So did Diana. “By the way, I never thanked you for saving my life. It was very brave of you to throw yourself in front of me when they attacked,” he added. Diana smiled. “You’re a clever one,” he said to her. “Are the wolves still unwelcoming to you now?” Diana wondered, looking up at her brother. “No, they’re fine. I’m not apart of their pack, because I have my own, but they won’t be a threat to me nor to you. I made sure of that,” he answered. “Good,” grinned Diana, “And, Christian, just so you know, your secret’s safe with me. I can cover for you when you need to go hunt.” Christian hugged Diana. “Thank you, Diana, really. And that howling thing? That’s crazy, I never knew about that. But it makes sense when you think about it. It’s good that you know so much about these things. About everything, really,” he thought aloud. “Mmmm, there’s one thing, though. May you please teach me how to ride a bicycle?” she asked. “Oh, sure,” Christian smiled at her, “Let’s take a trip to the forest, why don’t we?”