The Beast In Me

By; Juana Delgadillo-Rivera

It was a cold night, I was alone in the woods when I heard that noise, it sounded like I was being followed, not by a human but something else. Rumors have spread that there is a beast roaming the woods destroying everyone that crosses him. I have heard him but not seen, or gotten hurt by him no matter how many times I go into the woods he will not hurt me, I'm planning to spend the night in the woods. Tonight!

I was there in the woods no protection just me and my sleeping bag. I knew he was coming because you can hear that heavy breathing and those footsteps. "Where are you? I know you're here! Show yourself!" I told the beast. I think I said it a little too mean because he came out and showed himself just like I asked. I thought he was going to be a large beast with long claws and sharp teeth, but the beast everyone was talking about was a gray wolf 3 times the size of a normal gray wolf, a werewolf, he just looked at me so firmly "I came out of the dark, now what do you want from me?" he asked me. Some how I knew what he was saying, "I just wanted to know who are you and why are you scaring my people?" I answered. Without saying anything he growled then left.

Weeks have passed without knowing anything about the wolf until one day a nice 16 year old boy and his family came into the neighborhood, he looked innocent, but I knew he was hiding something. In school, although it was his first day of school, he already made close friends with the sophomore soccer team and they were always together but he was also a sophomore, I could tell because he was in my History class. His name was Jacob and he had short black hair, dark brown eyes and he was about two inches taller than me. The strange thing was that he was very quiet and suspicious around me like if he knew me or something. I tried to say hello but he kept walking away from me.

Every night like around 9:00 pm he will leave his house and not come back till 3:00 am I tried to follow him but it was no use, he was too fast to catch up to. So tonight I'm going to follow him and I'm getting a head start. I saw where he was going, he was going to Eno River State Park. He was meeting with the sophomore soccer team! Then I saw who they really were, they were the beasts that everyone were talking about! I think they heard me because I was behind a tree, I stepped on a twig then crouched down to hide. "Who's there?" said Sam, the leader, "Answer me!" I did not say a word then Sam told the boys to search for me, I ran as fast as I could to stay far away as possible.

Then out of no where, Jacob was right in font of me, "What are you doing here? Why were you following me!" he whispered angrily "I was not following you I came to walk here then I saw you, Sam, Paul, Embry, and Jared in here then I moved on!" I whispered angrily back. Then I heard the rest of the boys coming, Jacob pushed me in a cabin that was right next to us "Stay here! This time I mean it!" he told me.

"What did you find Jacob?" Embry asked "Nothing just a deer." Jacob lied "Jacob are you hiding something?" Paul said seriously "Me! Hiding something? Why would I be hiding something?" I was really scared that he was going to say that I'm here and that I know who they are! "Well okay Jacob, lets go home now. It's late." Jared told the boys. Then they were gone, so was I.

They next day Paul kept looking at me with this look that was starting to scare me, a lot! In chemistry class I had to be partners with Paul for a lab, he didn't look so happy. So there we were, just doing what we were suppose to do when Paul just looked at me and said "Where were you last night?" "At my house of course." I lied "Oh, well I called your house because the teacher told me we were going to be partners for the lab and your mom told me you were at the park." Paul said "Well yeah I was at the park I might go today just to go for a walk." I finally said "Oh OK then..." He told me...

So I went to the woods again today before Jacob left his house, on my way there I was thinking about what Paul told me in chemistry class. When I got there, I was too scared to go in but someone had to go in there and that had to be me because I did not want anyone to get killed again. As I was going deeper and deeper into the wood I heard someone call my name then I saw who it was...it was Paul! "What are you doing here so lonely Sophia?" he told me "Oh...I just came for a walk." I told him frighten "Well you shouldn't be here Sophia it's dangerous." Sam said behind me "You don't know whats in these woods." Embry said to my right "Or do you?" Jared said to my left. "I actually do, you guys are here, and you guys are no ordinary people. You guys are those beasts that have killed so many people!" I told then very mad. "So you do know. Who told you Sophia?" Sam was starting to yell at me now. "Sophia!" Jacob saw me really surprised "Jacob! You need to help me please!" I yelled "Jacob, please I'm begging you!" I started to cry. "Sam, let her go, please she has done nothing wrong!" Jacob was begging to let me go "Trust me! She has done many things wrong, like staking us from the tree two nights ago!" Sam told him, he kept looking at me with the evil eye. "So what if she has done something wrong! She is just a teenager, she is like 14!" Jacob responded "I'm 16 just like you knucklehead!" I told Jacob, very angry.

We were there just the six of us in the woods, the only light we had was the moon light, I looked on all my directions and the boys, except for Jacob, were in every direction I turned. "She won't go anywhere until she pays!" Paul said "NO!" Jacob yelled "You can't do this to her!" "And why can't we show her what she deserves Jacob?" Embry asked very rudely "You can't hurt me I'm just a 16 year old girl who..." I said before I got interrupted "Be quiet!" Sam yelled, and as he said those words he scratched me on the arm and made me loose my balance. "Look what you have done Sam!" Jacob yelled as he ran towards me. The pain was just too much I fell to the ground bleeding. "If she would of never put herself in contact with us, she would of never gotten hurt!" Sam was really mad now I could tell it in his eyes. His eyes were really big and wide. And he looked like he was going to explode. "Sam I think you went a little to far don't you think?" Embry asked "Embry, shut up!" Sam said and at the same time left Embry unconscious on the floor.

So now we were there, me on the floor bleeding with Jacob, Embry on the floor unconscious with Jared by his side, and Paul trying to calm Sam down. I knew if I didn't get out of here soon I was sure I was going to be dead. "Sam, calm down, just breath and calm down." Paul said in his most calmest tone. I was really scared that Sam was just going to charge at me and try to kill me. "Sam I'm sorry, I really am, I knew I should of never done what I did, please calm down and just forgive me please." I started to apologize "Sophia, what are you dong?" Jacob asked me really nervously "Jacob I know what I'm doing." I answered his question. So I got up and walked to Sam, he was just standing there very, very angry. I put my hand on his shoulder and said "Come on Sam lets forget about what happened and just be friends again," I said very calmly "But look what I did to you, you are very injured. What is your father going to say?" he asked, he was starting to calm down "I'll just say I scratched it against on a large thorn bush, I'll lie and come up with something." Sam took a deep breath and told me "Alright, I'm really sorry. Can we at least take you to the hospital to get that healed?" "Of course Sam." I told him with a big smile and gave him a big hug and Jacob, Sam, Embry and I went to the hospital after that terrible moment.

The next day in school everyone kept saying "What happened to Sophia and Embry they look like they got into a fight or something." I just told them "We were playing hide-and-go-seek in the woods with the sophomore soccer team and I scratched myself on a thorny bush and Embry fell and hit his head on a log." Of course it was a lie, it's like I'm not going to tell the whole school that the sophomore soccer team is a pack of werewolves, or was I? I was before I almost got killed by Sam, I changed my mind completely. Now Sam, the boys and I were always together like a big and very strange family. I very glad I'm with them. I...feel...comfortable around them.

Everyday I feel stronger, like my body is changing rapidly. I wanted to get answers so I looked for answers online. I can't believe it! It says that if a human is bit, or scratched by a werewolf, there is a high change of the human to turn into one! I'm going to have a long chat with the boys tonight! "Can you explain to me this?" I asked Jacob in an angry mood. "Ummmm...It's a sheet of paper?" Jacob said trying to play cool. "I know that knucklehead!" I yelled "Read what it says!" "Well, it's not that bad, you get to be one of us now. That's good right?" he asked. I sighed and just tried to calm down as I said "You're right it might not that be that bad being like you. But we have to tell the others as well." "I agree, we should tell the rest of the boys what happening to you." Jacob agreed "So see you and the boys at the park at 9?" I asked "Yeah, see you there." Jacob told me...

It was 9:05 and I was in the park alone when Sam and the boys came running in "Jacob told us you had a problem. Whats wrong?" Paul asked with urgency "Well...I went online and saw that if a human gets bit or scratched by a werewolf it is very likely that you can turn into one as well..." I said very nervously "You don't think..." Embry said "Lets not think of that now guys we have more important things now," Sam yells "her transformation is complete on the fourth full moon." "Which is in four weeks!" Embry yelled "Four weeks!" then I yelled "Can I finish?" Sam made all of us shut our mouths "We only have four weeks left till she is one of us, in that time we can show her and teach her all they taught us before we were the people we are now." "But Sam, she is new to this, can she learn that quickly?" Jared asked him "Well we just have to try," I said "or then I will be a crazy and unstoppable beast!" "We will start with her training tomorrow." Jacob said "Be prepared." Paul told me "Don't worry, I will be ready." I said.

The next day was very awkward, everywhere I go, everyone just looked at me, maybe because I was always around the sophomore soccer team all the time. I felt bad because I barley don't hang out with my friends anymore. When I try to talk to them, they just walk away. "Why are the doing that?" I asked myself.

It was lunch time, and there were no teachers watching us, I was walking towards the boys when a girl yelled "Sophia! Nice outfit! Where did you get it? The graveyard?" everyone started to laugh. They boys saw that I was getting furious. I slammed my lunch on the table, and I don't know how, but at first I was about to sit down next to Jacob, then next thing you know I was right in front of her face "Do not mess with me! I'm not in the mood!" As I was walking back to my seat, everyone stared at me, everything was silent. Some where saying "Did you see that?" or "She moved so fast!" As I sat down the boys looked at me with such surprise "Sophia you need to be more careful when you get angry. Who knows what will be the next thing you will do if this happens again." Jared told me "I'm sorry, I lost it for a second." I said rubbing my forehead

That same night I was the first one there, and I didn't even use my car! "Wow you got here before us?" Sam was surprised "I think the transformation is happening too quickly. Don't you think boys?" "You are right Sam, my speed, sense of smell, and hearing has increased in the past two days." I told him "We need to start training at once before it's too late." Jacob said

So we first started off with my running skills, they mad me run and doge many obstacles, after that they tested my sense of smell, they wanted to see if I can smell the boys from a distance "Sam you are to my right, Paul is to my left, Embry is south of me, Jared is north of me, and Jacob is hiding right behind me." Somehow I was correct!

It was Friday and I was very exited because I'm going to spend all weekend at boy's house, but I had to go to school first. It was study hour and the boys and I decided to go outside and get some fresh air, "It feels nice out here." I said "Yeah, it does feel really nice." Embry sighed "Sophia, can I talk to you for a second please?" Jacob asked "Sure Jacob." I smiled.

We went to a corner of one of the school walls, away from the boys "I have to tell you something." Jacob paused "Well, don't just stand there tell me." I told him "Tell me." "Well, you are a very nice person, and you have been so kind to me since I have gotten here, and well I just want to ask you..." He paused again "Ask me what?" I was starting to get confused "I wanted to ask you if you wanted to be my girlfriend?" I was speechless! How was I supposed to know that he was going to ask me out! "Jacob, of course I would love to go out with you." I told him with a big smile on my face.

Sam looked at us when we hugged "See, I told him it was going to work out." he said "What worked out?" Embry looked confused "That if he just says that she is a wonderful person and just asked her out everything would be alright" Paul told him.

We came back, Jacob had his arm around me, we both had big smiles on our faces. "So, is it official?" Jared asked "Yes Jared, it is official Sophia and I are a couple now." Jacob responded with a smile on his face. The boys were very happy for us because they have noticed that Jacob will always care for me, never left my side, and always defended me at all times. Everyday he would walk with me to school or take me in his motorcycle, which it would always be tons of fun.

Yes! The bell has just rung! Now I'm off to the boy's house. We me each other in the park with my things in my car, I saw the boys and yelled "Hey guys! What's up?" "You ready to go Sophia?" Embry asked "Yeah, I was waiting every since school began." I responded "Alright, lets get going." Sam said

On the way to the house Sam slammed on the brakes, I stopped and got off my car "Sam, what happened?" "Shh, Listen" Jacob told me, so I did. I heard steps, but not just any steps, fast moving steps. We got off, the boys transformed but I didn't, I didn't know how to, so ran right behind them, when all of the sudden BAM! I got slammed into a tree, I yelled and all the boys turned around, only to find out there was a large black werewolf in front of me "Sophia do not move!" Jared yelled "What do you think I'm doing Jared!" I yelled back. The only thing I did was just lay there, and just stare at the beast in front of me. "So, you are the new one?" it asked me "Yes, I am" I said in pain "Hey! You! Leave her Alone!" Paul yelled, the beast just turned and charged towards the boys the boys charged as well. As they fought I was getting worried, I didn't want Jacob getting hurt, so I charged and got on the beast's back, I held on as tight as I could so I could not fall and hurt myself like it hurt me. It was no use I was slammed into the same tree as last time, this time I was mad! So I ran, and as I ran, I lost for completely all my knowledge and my anger caused me to transform into a beast not like any other. I attacked and I made the beast surrender "Don't ever touch my friends ever again!" I yelled, then it ran away. As I looked at my fur I was a snow white color, white like snow that had just fallen down from the sky. I looked at the boys, and they were speechless "Sophia! Look at you! You transformed!" Sam said "I know I can't believe it my self!" I told them. "Has it already past four weeks?" Jared looked worried, I looked at Paul, worried as well "I'm afraid so, it has already past six weeks Sophia." he said "Six weeks! It can't be true!" I said surprised "Sophia we tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen." Sam tried to explain "I can't believe it has past six weeks!" I kept saying "Sophia just listen, you have past every test and challenge we gave you, you are stronger than all of us," Jacob said "I'm surprised!" I was surprised myself, I never thought that in six weeks I could be the beast than I am now! "Guys lets leave the cars here and come back tomorrow." Jared said "Good idea Jared." Paul said. So with that we ran home.

The next day I woke up in a room with Jacob on the floor asleep, I saw myself in the mirror and saw that I was back to normal, no fur, no claws, just me. I got out of bed without making sound so no one could hear me. I was almost out the door when Jacob woke up "Where do you think your going Booboo?" He said "Just going out for some fresh air." I told him, this time it was the truth "OK, I'll make breakfast, and wake up the rest of the boys. OK?" He said "Sure" I responded.

As I went out side I was amazed at how wonderful it was outside, trees surrounding the house, birds chirping, wind in your face, it was just wonderful. Suddenly I heard a noise I have heard before, running, fast running, the same sound I heard on the way here, I didn't know what to do, run inside and tell the others, or face what ever creature it is. I thought it for a while, and I made my choice, I'm going to face it!

I waited, and waited, then I heard it again. Leaves were rustling, smell of wetness, and a light breeze. Then there it was that same black werewolf from yesterday, standing there, looking at me, "Well, well, well. We meet again." It said "Yes, yes we do." I responded as brave as I could. "Look at you, you are worthless without your bodyguards..." It said "They are not my bodyguards! They are my friends!" I was furious.

As that thing was talking to me I was paying attencion in its voice, I noticed that it had a male voice, but I couldn't figure out who did it belong to. "So now you are one of us right?" He told me "Huh? I only heard the last part." I dozed off.

He growled at me and charged. I was able to move quick and move out of the way. That's where the action happened, I transformed and charged towards him. I jumped on him back and bit his neck, it was an easy target. Jacob and the others came outside and saw what was going on, they transformed and came at me, pulling me away from him, "Let me go! He won't get away with this! Let me go!" I yelled "Sophia calm down, you are getting out of control!" Jacob was yelling at me now.

"You know what Sophia? We can settle this later! When your bodyguards are not around!" He said. I pretended to be calm so they can let me go. As he started to turn around, I charged "No, we settle this now!" I ran after him and was able to get him on the floor, strange thing was that he didn't fight back. "Sophia get off of him NOW!" Sam ordered, I had to follow his orders, for he was the alpha, I had no choice but to get off of him "Now get out of here I don't want to see you ever again!" I told him, then he ran away.

As I turned around, the boys were looking at me all strange. I looked each and every one of them in the eye and ran into the woods, "Sophia come back!" Jacob called after me, but I was already long gone. "Ugh, I knew something was going to go wrong, ever since she became a werewolf, she was never the same." Jacob said after I was gone.

I ran and ran until I couldn't run no more. I stopped to catch my breath when I realized I was being followed, by Seth "Why are you following me?" I asked rudely "I came to talk to you..." He responded "About what? You know I'm not In the mood." I told him "I know you are not, but at least listen to me please?" He was begging, I sighed "Fine I will listen. What do you want?" "I just wanted to calm you down. I know both of us know it was not the right thing to do..." He said "How do you know all of this you were not even there!" I was yelling now "Yes I was, I was just watching from the window because the boys say I can come out, that the only thing I would cause is trouble." he said "Well I think you should be heading back, before they find us, then we both will be in trouble then." I said in the calmest tone that I could "Yeah, good idea, I will see you tomorrow then." Seth said "OK, see you tomorrow." After that I headed back myself.

One I got back it was dark and the boys were waiting for me, all of them were around a fire. "Sophia, come join us." Jacob told me. I smile dimly and went to sit next to him. Seth was there as well. "Have you met Seth, Sophia?" Jacob asked "No, I haven't. Nice to meet you Seth." I lied and acted normal "Nice to meet you too Sophia." Seth was lying but he still gave me a warm smile. "Well, since we are around a fire, why don't we make some marshmallows?" asked Jared "Why not. I haven't ate at all." I said. "OK, I will be right back with the marshmallows." Seth said "Thanks Seth." Embry told him, as he was leaving Sam looked at me all strange "Sophia you OK?" He asked worried "Yeah, I'm fine, nothing's wrong." I replied. They all looked at me all so strange, I wondered why. But then I realized they were not looking at me, the were looking at that wolf that always bothered me. I got up, ready to attack, when Jacob grabbed a hold of me and told me "Sophia, just calm down and breath." I did as he said and I sat back down, looking at him. "That's right, do as your bodyguard tell you." He said laughing "That's it!" I yelled and charged, he charged towards me as well. "Sophia stop!" Sam ordered, but I didn't listen "I had enough with people telling me to calm down," I said running "ever time I try to stand up for my self you never agree, and always tell me to stop. Now I'm going to finish you so I don't have to live with you bothering me everyday! I told you that I never wanted to see you again and you never followed what I said, now you will pay!" As I was saying this I was fighting with the werewolf. He gave up after 2 hours of fighting, "OK, I got it now you don't want to see me anymore!" He said, he had a scratch that I made with three of my nails. "I don't ever EVER want to see you here! You here me?" He didn't answer my question and he ran away.

The boys were just staring at me, then at each other "So, what do we do now?" asked Seth "I can tell you this," I said "I'm leaving." "Where are going to go?" Jacob asked me "Somewhere." I responded and started to head for the woods.

As I was walking, the rain was hitting my face and thunder could be heard from a long distance. It took me a long time to realize that every single time that I get mad my eyes always turn a honey brown color, the boys say I look cute in honey brown colored eyes, I disagree. As I walked I saw James, my ex boyfriend from the 8th grade, "James what are you doing here?" I asked him.

He looked very weak, like if gotten into a fight, but then I saw the scratch just like the one that I gave that werewolf. Then it hit me, he was the werewolf that always bothered me. I tried to be as calm as I could and pretended that I never saw the scratch "I wanted to run from these boys that were beating me up." he said with a lying look in his face, "Oh, are you alright?" I asked getting closer to him, "Yeah, I'll be alright." He told me.

Then out of nowhere, three other werewolves I have never seen before came from the woods, it was a trap! "I knew it!" I yelled "Knew what?" James asked "You put me in a trap! You wanted me to leave the boys so you can get revenge on me!" I was so mad, I could feel that my eyes were changing color, "No, none of that. I wanted to explain why I was here!" James was starting to yell at me as well. "Then tell me! Why are you here?" I asked very impatiently. "I came here to warn you, warn you of something that everyone is talking about."

When I saw how serious he was when he was telling me this, I decided to take a deep breath and tried to calm myself down so I can hear with more clarity "Go on." I told him, a lot calmer than usual, "There has been rumors that you... you're pregnant.." he said "What!? No! I...I never slept with Jacob like that!" "That's not all," James kept going "The alpha of the werewolves in the mountains, Zayn, is looking for you!" "Zayn?" I was puzzled "I never herd of him." "Well, you better think fast because he coming for you in a week so get ready." He said then... he was gone...

For the next couple of days I was becoming very worried, what if he does find me? What if comes earlier? I just need to relax and get out of the house for a little while, maybe if I go to the park tonight I might feel better...

It's 12:30 AM and I am here in the park, all by myself, I told the boys that I was going to the store, but instead I went to the park. I stood in the middle of the woods for about and hour and went back home, but now I couldn't returned, so I went to Jacob's place instead. "I thought you were going to your house. What happened?" Seth asked "Nothing, I just... never mind." I just sighed and started to walk away "Tell me Sophia, I know something is wrong with you." Seth was insisting to know now "OK," I sighed "I will tell you, but can we talk somewhere else?" Seth nodded yes and he decided it will be a good idea to take a road trip while we were at it.

As we were on the road I explained everything "So Zayn is after you because he thinks that you are pregnant?" Seth was very confused "Either that or something else." I said "And what exactly is that something else?" He asked "I don't know, but what ever it is, its gotta be huge." I replied

When we came back, Jacob was very pleased to see me, but in his eyes I could tell something's wrong. "Jacob, babe, what's the matter?" I asked, very worried, "It's just..." He began "It just that I have been searching for you for the past week," a very strange and unfamiliar voice came from behind me "Zayn!" The boys shouted. "so you're this is where you were all along? And I thought you were with your family." Zayn said with a smile "What did you do to my father?!" I was about to go mad! "If you laid one finger on him, I will shred you to pieces!" "Don't worry your father is fine. I'm not here for him I'm here for you." He told me.

All of the boys were ready to charge, "Wait," I told them then looked at Zayn "What do you want?" "Well, the whole rumor of you being pregnant is a lie, I can see that, but that's not the only thing I'm here for." He began "Then what are you here for?!" I asked, very, very inpatient. He just laughed "I don't see what's funny in what I just said!" I yelled "You don't understand, Sophia..." He sighed "Look on your left wrist," I followed his instructions, I was shocked how did that get there, I never realized that drawing.

I ran towards the creek to wash of this drawing "It's no use, it won't come off no matter how much you try." He told me. "How did I get this? Tell me!" I screamed right on Zayn's face "Remember when you and the boys had a fight?" He asked "Yes." I replied and remember when he attacked you?" he said "Yes." I said with a shiver "Well, he never touched you. It was me." he said starting to back away, due to the fact that I was getting even madder than I was before "How could you do this to me Zayn?! Why me?! Why couldn't have been someone else?!" Those were the last word I said before I took off running, once again in a thunder storm...

As I was running I found a cave where I walking in and laid there, cold, wet, and sobbing. Three hours have passed and the storm has still not passed, I heard someone coming in the cave, Zayn. I quickly rubbed the tears out of my face and went to hide behind a large rock. "Sophia? I know you're in here, please come out. I didn't mean to make you made, or hurt you. Sophia?" As much as it hurt, I had to come out. "What do you want?" I said still rubbing the tears out of my eyes "Sophia, I just came to apologize. I know I acted very rude and..." "Very rude?! More like absolutely rude! You never had the right to come out of no where and attack me , almost killing me! Zayn I never thought I would say this to anyone. But, you are the most horrible person I've ever met!" I yelled as I pushed my way past him, but it was no use, he held me tight. I tried to get loose, but instead he pulled me to the ground, cupped his hand on my cheeks and said "Sophia I know how mad you are but listen, you can't be with Jacob and the rest of the lads, they will only cause you trouble." "Why?" I asked trying to hide my tears "Because, they are from a different wolf pack, you're not part of them. You're part of us."

I pulled away and went to the mouth of the cave "But I don't want to leave the boys, especially Jacob." I said through my tears