One Wolf Under The Moon

One wolf under the moon. Vienas vilkas po mėnuliu . That’s what I am. My mother was appalled when she found out. On the night of the full moon, she had caught me eating a chicken in the barn. To her utter shock and disbelief, I was a lycanthrope.

“Vilkolakis! ”

It was the one word known throughout the entire town of Esteras. The cry of werewolf, no matter the language spoken, was one that would bring the entire town running to anybody’s aid. Pretty soon, the yard was as bright as noonday, filled with pitchforks and torches. By the time they got there, I had fled the scene, but the bloody, half-eaten chicken was still there

“You can’t hide from me.” My beautiful, Christian mother, Ilona, had been trying to get me to come out of my room. I had been locked up in my room for the past seven weeks, only going out at night to hunt.

Two nights ago, I’d finally met somebody else on my midnight hunt that was just like me, from the neighboring town of Karolina. Her name was Helena. Helena was seventeen, and also like me, a werewolf, lycanthrope, vilkolakis, hombre-lobo, whatever you want to call us. Right away, I felt an overwhelming desire to just stay there with her and never leave. My wolf senses warred with my humanness to stay and protect this girl with my life. She’d begged me to stay, asked me to go back with her where I’d be safe. As tempting as it was, I couldn’t. It was bad enough that I was a werewolf, but now I was a lesbian as well? I would be dead twice over if my precious motina found that out. Pulled out of my reverie, I heard a sharp rap at my door again.

“Look, Ieva. Maybe we can talk this over. You can leave and never return. You can marry somebody and this whole thing will be forgotten. At least tell me who bit you. If we know that, you can save yourself by killing him or her.” Her voice had gone from harsh to soft and pleading. I knew she didn’t want to kill me. She’d said as much when the townsfolk weren’t around, but I still wasn’t chancing it.

“Nobody bit me or made me this way, Motina. I can’t get married. I never will be able to, because I’m in love.” I could hear her gasp through the door.

“This is great news! With whom, Ieva. Let me in. We need to speak face to face. We can set the dates!”

“Motina Ilona! I cannot marry! I am in love with a female of my kind!” What had possessed me to tell her, I have never been able to figure out. Maybe it was because I knew she’d find out eventually, that there was no point in hiding it from her.

“Ieva! Ne! You cannot be! Tell me ‘tis not true!’

“Aye, Motina, ‘tis true. She’s not from here. You may never meet her. She’s the most amazing…” I was cut off by a sharp, piercing cry like I’d never heard before. I cringed and shrank back as she attacked my door. Eventually, she managed to break through the door with a metal chair. I completely freaked when I realized the chair was one of silver.

“Tu ne mano druka! You aren’t my daughter! You are a monstras with my drukos pretty face! YOU MUST DIE!”

To see her like that terrified me. She looked like an angel coming for revenge, which she may as well have been. Her black hair streamed out behind her as she ran towards me and her brown eyes were changed to a honey color from rage. The muscles in her strong arms showed through her long-sleeve shirt as she held the silver chair high above her head, ready to ram it against my head. To say I don’t remember the next few minutes would be a lie, as much as I wish I could forget. Everything seemed to slow down around me.

I could feel my bones shifting shape to those of a wolf. I could see my jet black fur sprouting and my canines growing sharper. I ran towards my mother, praying she didn’t hit me with the chair before I reached her, if at all. I let out a howl of sorrow but kept going. I knocked her backward, pinned her down, and slashed at her chest, neck, and head with my claws. I was running on adrenaline and fury at this point and couldn’t control myself. I’d only discovered I was a werewolf two months ago, so I still had trouble controlling everything. My adrenaline was fading. I realized that there was no sound coming from my mother. I panicked when I realized that I’d murdered her and jumped out the window. I ran for miles, some as a wolf and some as a girl, until I reached the Karolina border.

“Helena, I need help. Please.” I could hear my townsfolk behind me. I knew they drew closer, and if I didn’t gain permission to cross this border in minutes, I’d be dead meat. I waited, anxiously, for her to show up. I knew she was my mate. I don’t know how, but I knew. I could hear her in the distance, as she ran my way. I prayed to whatever being was out there that she’d make it to me first. Somehow, they made it to me at the same time. She reached across and yanked me across. Much to my shock, she pulled me into an embrace as her lips landed on mine. Around us, the world seemed to fade, until she went rigid, then slack. She’d been pierced in the chest with a silver arrow from my townspeople.

I howled in rage, carefully drew the arrow out of her, and threw it back into the angry crowd. I heard an angry shout and assumed it had hit somebody on the other side of the small creek that separated Esteras from Karolina. I leaped over the river, morphing into wolf form, as I charged into the now frantic crowd. From right and left attacks came, and as each came, they were batted away or ripped apart. I felt alive, for the first time in forever, despite having just killed about fifty people I grew up with. When the last ten fearful townspeople fled, I went back to Helena

She couldn’t die. Not now. If she died, then everything I’d been through would be for nothing, in vain. Her breathing was shallow. I’d always thought werewolves healed fast, but as I laid there beside my mate, I wondered how true that was as seconds turned into an eternity. I wondered if this was what it was like to truly be in love. I felt that if she died, part of myself would die, I would cease to exist without her. Hours passed. The full moon rose high into the sky. I released a long, anguished howl of sorrow when I realized that Helena wasn’t healing as she ought to. I could hear the soft padded feet of other wolves coming near. I circled Helena protectively, before shielding her from the newcomers.

The big, brown wolf in front approached me. My ears flattened as I let out a low growl, warning him to stay away. His eyes seemed to hold a glint of amusement before he morphed into a human. His golden eyes took in the surroundings, before settling back on me. His words startled me.

“Ieva, welcome home. You must let me through, my child, to Helena. I can heal her. Afterward, we can talk about Ilona and your future.”

I growled. I didn’t trust him as far as I could throw him. How did he know my name? How dare he call me his child? How could he, just another werewolf, heal my mate. I heard Helena’s labored breathing behind me. I could faintly pick up five feeble, weak words from her.

“Let Alpha Petras help me.”

With a warning growl towards him, I let him pass to her. Within minutes, she was standing on her feet. Her turquoise eyes lit up when she saw me as I morphed back to human. Her blonde hair flew out behind her as the wind began to pick up. She could have never looked more beautiful to me than at that moment when her eyes radiated joy and love. Somehow, I think she knew, like I did, that we were meant to be together. She slowly made her way over to me, before falling into an embrace. “Thank you, Ieva. I don’t know how you did it, but thank you.”

I could feel the tears of overwhelming relief, grief, love, and so many other emotions, welling up in my eyes. This time, there was nobody to harm us as her lips landed on mine in a passionate kiss. Her arms went around my waist as my hands cupped her face. I knew at that moment that while my life wasn’t going to be easy, that any kids we’d adopt would wonder why they had two mothers, that someday I may have to answer for my actions, but it didn’t matter right then. I was finally complete. Whatever I would face in the future, I could handle, as long as I had Helena by my side.

Petras laughed softly. “I know you have lots of questions, Ieva. Let me start by saying that your heightened werewolf senses come from me. I am your father. Ilona was once my wife. I left her before she could find out.” His voice softened considerably. “She’s dead, isn’t she?” I nodded.

“I killed her. I’m sorry. I had to. She was going to kill me.” I began to cry, not caring that these people were complete strangers. I felt Helena’s arms wrap around me.

“It’s okay, Love. We’ll get through this together. I’ll always be here. If this world went to hell in a handbasket faster than a rat on an acid trip, I’d still be here with you. Aš tave myliu, Ieva. Do you hear me? I love you.”

I nodded. I looked around me at my new family of werewolves and knew that I was finally home. I knew there’d be time for questions and answers later. At that moment, I just needed to cope with the events of that day.

******************************

Five years later, I’ve come to terms with what I am on all accounts. I am happily married to Helena and will become the pack’s alpha when my father passes on or steps down. We have adopted three orphaned children who are currently perfectly content to have two moms. I can honestly say that through thick and thin, we’ve been together and there for each other. I chose to tell the story of my life, instead of writing your typical paper, because I don’t know anything else.

As I conclude this paper, let me say this. If you truly love somebody, don’t let anybody stop you from loving that person. If you truly want something, pursue it. Don’t let anybody stop you. Be true to yourself, no matter your background, upbringing. As my father always says, “You don’t have to stop being you just because the world wants you to change. Stand out and be that one wolf under the moon”