I AM A WEREWOLF!
“Let us begin,” Melissa said.
The chilly night was filled with a dark hue coupled with deafening silence, which made it feel as though only Roxanne and Melissa existed in the vast woods. The branches occasionally made creaking noises as the wind blew then, but the night was predominantly filled with a hush.
As the moon kept watch over them, Melissa moved to Roxanne’s front, though she stayed outside the circle.
“Roxanne… Close your eyes,” She said.
Roxanne did as she was told.
Melissa started to walk around the circle, with her eyes transfixed on Roxanne’s upright gait.
“You are a wolf, you are a human. You are both… From when you were born, will when you die. You will possess the qualities of both kinds, and they shall be your guide. Who are you, between these two? Are you one, or the other…?” Melissa said in a chant.
“You are both! Roxanne is both a man and a beast, civil and savage, primal and reserved. You are the best of both worlds, the worst of both parts. The good, the bad, the ugly, the wild… Do you accept them all?”
After Melissa’s question, Roxanne reflected deeply on her mother’s words. She had to give her answer from within her heart. If she didn’t, then the ritual wouldn’t work. Roxanne had resolved to do this, but she had to take the step now. Because from this moment onward, there was a point of no return.
“I do!” She said,
Her eyes were still shut, so she could only rely on her other senses. She could feel the cool embrace of the wind, though the cold was shut out by the ointment covering her skin. She could feel something surging from within her as her heartbeat even faster.
“The moon bears witness to your answer. However, it has yet to see your action. For if you truly yearn to be one with yourself, to fully comprehend and accept your nature, then cry to the moon to release the shackles that bind the other part of you so that you be made whole.”
“Who are you, Roxanne?!” Melissa asked with a solid voice.
Roxanne took a deep breath, her eyes still closed, and she mustered the strength she could, gathering her voice together to make a loud statement.
“I AM A WEREWOLF!” She declared.
Suddenly, like a massive twist of wind, Roxanne felt like she was surrounded by a force around her. Her heart beat faster as her body burned. The temperature rose slowly, causing her to feel a slight discomfort. The changes were strange, Roxanne felt a mix of fright and excitement as she remained within the circle.
Her skin began to itch and her body throbbed. She felt the need to bend to her knees, to feel the ground with all of her body, yet she restrained herself to remain upright. Her body felt like it would burst, like something was trying to free itself from within her. However, she didn’t allow it to leave, no. It was a part of her. She had to embrace it, let the feeling permeate her body. She had to accept it, and let it accept her.
It wouldn’t go out of control and dominate her, but she would also not try to dominate it. There had to be a resolution to the conflict. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be… That was the only way to fully Awaken.
She felt it… She could feel it. Roxanne couldn’t hear anything anymore, just the pounding of her heart. She couldn’t sense anything anymore, just the functions of her body. The sweat which formed on her skin, the tense and previously indistinguishable movement of her body, every subtle reaction she made was clear to her. With the flow of her hair, her breathing, her throbbing, the vivid taste of saliva, her odour, she was finally one with her entire body.
Suddenly, the senses that focused on only herself spread out. She could feel everything, she could sense them, even though her eyes were closed she somehow knew the things surrounding her. The little vibrations they made, she began to pick them up, her mother’s position, the placement of all the ingredients she could tell by their smell. As she sniffed, she could feel a different flavour, recognizing various things by their smell alone.
“Roxanne… Open your eyes…” Melissa whispered softly.
The volume was so low, yet Roxanne could hear her vividly. This was the change that had happened to her. Roxanne’s excitement was increasing with every second. Her eyes twitched and fluttered as she slowly opened them, exposing herself to the new world she would exist in from that moment on.
Her blue eyes, now shining brightly in the dark, like a low torch, its light glowed.
Everywhere was bright, the colours were clearer and she could see even the most minuscule of details from them. From the tree barks, their hard and rough surface, the little details that made up the texture, everything was visible. They were so bright, so clean… So amazing. The rush she felt was like no other.
She looked at her mother who smiled at her proudly. Her mother had never looked so beautiful to her. The details of her skin, the wrinkles, the fairness, her tint, her tone, she took it all in. Coupled with the other changes in her body, she could smell her mother. Melissa smelled like Lavender and Sage. She also smelled like the food she craved the most, chicken pie. Roxanne felt various spices emanating from her mother, but that wasn’t all. She could hear it, the low, yet constant beating of her mother’s heart, Melissa’s breath as she took it in and out. The brushing of her hair and the low sound it made as it slapped her skin.
“How is it, Roxanne?” Melissa asked, gazing upon her daughter with a look of excitement.
“I-It’s beautiful…” Roxanne cried, tears flowing from her eyes, as she took in the ambiance of the colourful surroundings.
Everything was beautiful. This was the world of the Werewolves… Every little hint of doubt or fear was gone. Roxanne could only appreciate the moment and savoured it.
“Now, Roxanne, the process is not complete. You are merely at the passageway, you currently stand at the middle, neither man nor wolf. Should you wish to continue, all you have to do is make a tribute to the moon for acceptance as one of her children.” Melissa said.
“Choose wisely Roxanne. You can return to your life as normal, or you can begin this new journey as someone more… Something more. The choice is yours.”
Was there even any room for hesitation? This rush she felt, this immense joy and sensation, she could never get it as a human. This transcended the feelings she got from boxing or wrestling. She couldn’t let go of those things because of how they made her feel, there was no way she would let go of this as well. She wanted it, she desired it, she craved it… No matter what! It was hers after all.
“Awooooooooo!!!!!!” She let out her first howl, raising her head up high as her visible breath let out white smoke.
Her eyes remained focused on the moon as she enjoyed the sound of her tribute to the moon, her answer to the question she was asked. Her unwavering resolve… The howl, while not capable of being translated into contemporary language, could only mean one thing.
“I want this!”
And so she got it. The next stage began immediately.
“Gahhhhhh!!!!” Roxanne let out.
Her moment of peace and ecstasy was interrupted by a sharp sensation from her shoulders and legs. She fell immediately in reaction to it. She had been told, but she still wasn’t expecting it to be so soon, and so severe.
In the second part of the ritual, after fully crossing over and becoming a wolf, there was one thing that remained, actually becoming a wolf… By turning!
“Uraghhhhh” Roxanne screamed.
“The first time is always painful. No matter the virginity status, though, it is even more severe if you’re not one. Hang in there, Roxanne… You can’t take it back now, you can only go forward once.” Melissa muttered.
Roxanne groaned and grunted as she felt her body morph into something different from its original shape. She could feel her skin crawl as her hands changed shape, same with her legs. Her legs bent and her back conformed to the form of a quadrupedal beast. She felt something protruding from her behind as it came forth causing her to scream even more. Hair rapidly grew on her skin as she felt then firm all over her body. Her nails grew longer and her palm changed to paws, same with her toes.
Slowly, she was losing her sense of self and regaining another. Her body mechanics felt weird, and she felt like an entirely different person. Yet, she felt a sense of familiarity, like this was also another part of her, like two sides of a coin, like taking off one garment and wearing another.
The sensations gotten from the two garments were never the same. Just as they differed, so was the nature of this feeling she got. She had shed off her human garment and wore a different one. It was primal, it was raw… It was wild.
She finally opened her eyes and looked around her. Her height seemed lower than usual and she felt a fuzzy feeling all over her body. In front of her, she could see someone who smiled at her and clasped their hands together.
It took a while for her to get adjusted to her newly gotten vision, but when she did she could vividly see her mother.
“M-Mom…?” Roxanne muttered.
“Congratulations Roxanne… You have Awakened successfully. You are now a werewolf” Melissa stated.
“I am… Finally… Whole…” As Roxanne had this thought, she suddenly felt a wave of drowsiness hit her.
Before she could realise what was going on, she closed her eyes and collapsed. The last thing she felt was the icy touch of the snow and the remnant smell of spices in her nose.
Then she fell unconscious.