Clarkson
I haven't had a good night's sleep. George will either groan in pain or shake violently before I can close my eyes. She'll start crying and mentioning names. I even heard my name minutes ago.
My phone begins to vibrate in my pocket.
"Hello?" When I see Cayden's name on the screen, I immediately answer the call.
"I'm on my way, brother," Cayden says. "How is George?"
"She just finished crying," I say. My gaze shifts to her and brush my fingers through her hair. "Miss Dahlia says she's a bit weak."
"Weak? I think she's not, though."
"What do you mean?" I furrow my eyebrows.
"Her mother delayed her transformation, which is very dangerous," he explains. "We naturally undergo Metamorphe when we are kids or before hitting mid-adolescence."
"Oh, right," I nod. "I was ten when I transformed. Isn't it more frightening when you Morphe at such a young age?" I ask and tilt my head to the side.
"Well, they say that you won't remember all of those nightmares during the phase. Since we are younger, our fears are mostly not that deep," he explains. "One of my nightmares is about accidentally destroying things. Then Father will enter. He'll nag me. It's an endless loop." He chuckles.
"But mine is being alone in a war," I whisper.
"In a war!?" he exclaims. "I didn't know that. Your nightmare is being alone in a war?"
"That's the only memory I have. I cannot quite remember every detail, but it's in the middle of a war where I'm the only werewolf left alive. There are also gunshots."
I hear him sigh. "You are a Morphe the time when humans found our first village. Now I understand."
"C-Clarkson?" I hear George whimper.
"It's George, right?" Cayden asks. "I'll end the call. Take care of her. Of course, take care of yourself too."
"Alright, Cade. See you."
"George? It's me," I say and wipe the sweat on her forehead.
"Clarkson," she cries again. "I-I'm not the alpha."
I sigh. "You are, George. Even in your transformation, you're still thinking about that."
She's studying hard. She didn't even contact her friends and even Aunt Liz. I'm the one who's telling them what she's doing and how she is. She's too focused on the lessons in the camp. One night, she even sneaked out of her house just to learn the basic stances in swordsmanship. That was the same day she met her mother.
"George is like that. She's a bit competitive, actually," I remember Shane says as she chuckles. "She might not admit it. But she doesn't like losing," I remember Shane saying during our last phone conversation.
The cold wind brushes through the fabric of our clothes. The wind blows the light of the candle. George balls her fists. She opens her eyes and snarls. The light from the window highlights her green irises.
"George," I stand up. "Dahlia! Camira!" I instantly yell their names to ask for help.
George starts breathing heavily. She tries to break free from the chains. Aggressively, she pulls her arms. I watch how her pupils dilate. She opens her mouth and snarls at me. I only stood there, watching her. I don't know what to do. George aggressively kicks her legs. The clinging sound of the chains mixed with her angry growls rings in my head.
"Dahlia!" I yell.
George breaks one of the chains. I run to her and stop her free arm. Quickly, I pull the chain.
"You're getting stronger, George," I gasp. My gaze lands on Mr. Tuna at the corner of the house. The cat leisurely walks to her.
"No, no, no!" I yell. "Don't walk near her," I whisper.
He won't understand me.
This cat isn't helping me at all.
"Meow," the cat answers as he walks.
George monstrously yells. She balls her fists and pulls the other chain around her other arm.
"Liev!" I hear the werewolves yell outside the house.
From her silhouette, I watch how the shape of her face slowly changes. Her body becomes more muscular. Her coat grows through her skin. Her ears slowly change their shape, similar to a werewolf. She stretches her neck and looks up. A painful yell escapes her mouth. All I can do is grip the chain around her free arm tightly and watch her in awe, at the same time in fear. She slowly pulls her arm from my grip.
"No, you're really strong now," I say as I breathe out. I shift in my form.
My brown coat grows from my skin. As I quickly transform, Georgina's hands grow into claws. The villagers outside try to open the locked door.
In the middle of the chaos, Mr. Tuna casually jumps on the table.
"Nevigera!" I angrily curse. "George won't be happy if you'll end up dead, Cat!" I growl.
I pull the chain and tie it around the feet of the bed. George quickly pulls both of the chains around her arms. The door swings open. As soon as she breaks the chain, she opens her mouth.
She howls.
She howls, and everyone stops. My ears twitch as I listen to her. I kneel, and everyone follows. I howl as an answer to her. The werewolves around us bow their head. Her chest rises as she gasps for air. She grunts while looking at her claws. I only watch her silhouette.
"Put on her leash!"
"She broke the chain!"
The villagers rush to her. She begins to turn aggressive once again.
"Liev!" Dahlia yells. She runs to her with her potions.
"We have to prepare for the ritual."
"She's in her first transformation."
"Call Dranula."
I watch her silhouette. She's a bit smaller than a regular werewolf.
"It's true. The vision is true," I whisper.
"Oooh, looking good, Liev." I feel a tap on my back.
Camira.
"It's her. She's the Alpha we're looking for," Camira says and crosses her arms over her chest.
"Meow," I hear Mr. Tuna say. He sits at the table while looking at George.
"Someone get this feline creature out of here!"
"Tuna," I whisper and walk to the table.
"Meow," Mr. Tuna repeats.
George slowly stops and looks at the cat. While she calms down, the villagers take this opportunity to gently pull her arms. They add more chains. While I carefully lift Mr. Tuna off the table.
"No!" George yells. She is still looking at the cat. "Don't leave me again."
Tears.
I see tears in the corner of her eyes. She takes a deep breath. I let go of the cat. He jumps on her lap. Mr. Tuna purrs and smells her nose.
"Is she in her dream again?" I whisper.
"Okay, all set."
"Prepare for the ritual, okay?"
"We have to move quickly. Everything should be done before her second transformation occurs."
"Anytime she might transform again."
Everyone is busy planning for the ritual. Here I am, watching George calm down. She wants to touch the cat, but the chains are stopping her.
"George," I whisper and stand near her. But, she didn't answer.
"Don't leave me again, okay?" she says to the cat.
The cat rubs its chin on her arm.
"Georgeâ"
She faints.
"Don't leave me again," she says before she falls.
I catch her and let her sleep comfortably again.
"Jared," she adds.
* * *
:>
Double update for you guys! I was so busy in the past two weeks preparing for the new semester. Apologies for ghosting you all again. Thank you to all of you for patiently waiting for my update.