Thank you to my reviewers! Keep it up! Here we go:
Chapter 3: Pack on the Run
Sherman still sat in Matt's office, as he had the last few hours, listening to the prayers coming from the church across town. He closed his eyes and added his own silent prayers to the ancestors to help guide Sophia. Suddenly the loud ringing of the phone woke him from his meditation.
Mathew Donner did not know if he wanted to answer it or not. His fear was palpable in the room. Vivian came back into the now open door of his office. Everyone else had left the station over an hour ago at Vivian's request. Now she nodded at Matt when he turned his frightened eyes on her. He slowly reached for the phone. "Hello?"
"Mathew?" came the thick Italian accent.
Matt swallowed, "Yes?"
"Um... a... Sophia..."
"Yes?"
"She a... is a wolf." Pete sounded frightened.
Matt almost spat the words out, "She's alive?"
"Ah... yes, I think so. She is lying on the bed. Her eye is open and she looks around, but she does not get up."
Tears of joy started falling from Matt's eyes. "Oh my god, she made it. She made it." Vivian and Sherman breathed sighs of relief and smiled at Matt's happiness. Vivian could not help but cry with him.
"Matt?" continued Pete, "What do we do now?"
Matt tried to think of what to tell Pete but his joy at the news overwhelmed his senses.
"You don't have to do anything anymore Pete." laughed the Sheriff. He felt like he could fly. "She's just exhausted Pete. She'll change back soon, when she's rested."
"Oh! O.K. Matt." Pete sounded relieved.
"Don't worry Pete. She won't bite you or anything. She is fully aware of who she is and who you are. She can understand everything you say to her." Matt explained.
"That is good."
"Pete, tell Sophia that I love her and to call me later after she's rested."
"O.K. I will. Goodbye."
"Goodbye Pete," said Matt. "Oh, and Pete, thank you for everything." Matt hung up the phone, stood and gave Vivian a long hug. "I'm so happy and relieved right now, I can't contain it."
Vivian pulled out of his arms and looked him in the face. "Well, what are you going to do about it?" She smiled a challenge at him.
Sherman laughed from the corner of the office. Matt looked from Vivian to Sherman and back to Vivian as he said, "I'm going to lead a run."
Vivian's eyes widened in surprise. Matt had not flipped for almost eighteen years! But of course, why should he hold back now? He had no more excuses not to.
Matt started unbuttoning his shirt and soon all three of them were discarding their clothing, excitement filling their bodies. Out the back door of the station they hurried, transforming when they reached the nearby tree line. Matt led Vivian and Sherman towards the church filled with skinwalkers. They raced in their wolven forms, howling their happiness and good news to the others.
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Inside the church, all chanting stopped. They listened to the approaching howls. Smiles and laughs of joy spread among the congregation. The teens in the group cheered and clapped. Someone who had run outside now ran back in, "There is a run tonight and Donner is leading it!" Amazement spread across their faces. Matt Donner is leading a run! Everyone piled outside discarding their clothes near the darkness of the trees and taking off in their wolven forms. More and more howls joined the chorus as the pack joyfully ran together through the woods around Wolf Lake. Over a hundred and fifty wolves ran together, leaping over fallen trees, springing off rocks, splashing through puddles left by spring rains. The howls rang louder and louder, so many that they sounded like one. This was a celebration of life.
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The humans of Wolf Lake shut their windows and locked their doors. Televisions and radios were turned up higher to drown out the howls. This was one of those nights were the wolves get too close to town, they thought. They supposed this place wasn't called Wolf Lake for nothing.
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Lucas Cates lay asleep on Sophia's bed. It was dark in the room except for the slash of moonlight that fell over his legs from the window. Suddenly his eyes opened as his instincts came alive. His head lifted and he listened to the howls coming from the open window. He sprang off the bed and stuck his head out the window, listening carefully. Those weren't howls of mourning... they were howls of joy, of celebration! He knew what this meant! Sophia made it! She made it! He whooped for joy and jumped, forgetting that his head was still in the window frame. Bang! But he couldn't care less about the pain. Sophia had made it! He jumped down from the window onto the ground outside and quickly becoming his wolf he raced off through the forest to join the others. His strong legs jumped swiftly over every obstacle, the wind racing through his fur. He felt stronger than ever and he let out a long howl of joy. Sophia would be coming home now, he thought. She would have to. He yipped and howled as he caught up with the others.
Pack runs were very exhilarating. The power and connection they felt when they ran together intoxicated their senses. Mated wolves usually ended up mating on these nights and the teens would end up at the rave sight until dawn, engaging in fun of their own. Yes, Lucas thought, this is a night to celebrate! He caught up with his friends and they nudged him and gave him howls of welcome.
Florence, Italy
Sophia Donner lay on her bed in her uncle's home, having just transformed back into her human form. She propped herself up on her elbows and gazed down at her body. "I did it. I really did it." she thought to herself. Then she gave a little laugh and lay back down on the pillow. She started to think of all the things she would be able to do now. All the things she saw the other skinwalkers do and a big grin filled her face.
A light knock on the door made her quickly pull the sheet over her nude form.
The door opened a crack. "Hello? Sophia?"
"Come in Paulo. It's o.k." she smiled.
Paulo came slowly into the room. He saw she was smiling and he started to smile back. Paulo, her nineteen-year-old cousin, had been her best friend and confidante during her time in Italy.
He was a little nervous after witnessing the events of the day.
"You're o.k.?"
"Yeah. Actually I feel pretty good. Would you mind handing me a robe?"
Paulo blushed, "Oh yes." He turned to get a robe from the closet. "I... uh... had to remove your clothing. When you changed... you know... into the wolf. The clothes covered up all of you. I was afraid you could not breathe." He handed her the robe.
"Thank you Paulo. That was the right thing to do." She made a gesture with her finger that meant "turn around". Paulo did so as she put the robe on and stood up on her feet. He noticed her glasses on the table and picked them up.
"O.k. I'm decent." Paulo turned and handed her the glasses. "Thanks. Whoa... I don't think I need these anymore." she exclaimed as she tried them on. Everything was blurry.
Paulo was amazed. She looked so different. Her hair seemed to shine with golden highlights and her skin tone was that of a well-tanned swimsuit model. Her body seemed better formed, like an athlete. "Are you like a super human now or something?" he asked in awe.
"I don't think human is the right word." Sophia laughed at his expression.
Just then Uncle Pete and Aunt Rosanna walked in. Her aunt put her hand on her heart and let out a big sigh of relief. Uncle Pete still looked concerned.
"Sophia? You all right? No more pain?" he asked cautiously.
Sophia felt very good. She laughed and said, "I'm really fine now. Really. It's something you only have to go through once, like dying, being born, the first time you have sex and ..." The family widened their eyes in shock. "Not that I would know anything about that." she quickly added.
"Are you hungry?" Aunt Rosanna ventured.
"Starving! I could eat a deer!" she joked. Again they looked at her. "I'm kidding! I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't joke." She looked at them seriously. "Thank you, all of you, for helping me. I love you all. And I want you to know that I'll remain human as long as I am in Italy. I promise. So please don't treat me any differently than before. Let's just pretend this day didn't happen."
The family looked at her and tried to smile. They were relieved to think she wouldn't become a wolf again. It was disconcerting to have a wolf in the house, skinwalker or not.
Uncle Pete came over to Sophia and wrapped her in his arms. "We love you too Sophia. We are so happy you are all right." He breathed a huge sigh of relief.
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Well, hope you enjoyed Chapter Three, it had to be written twice as my computer froze right before I was going to save it. I think it's better this time anyway. See - all things happen for a reason!
Let me know if you like Paulo, the hunky Italian cousin. I was thinking of bringing him to Wolf Lake for a visit. Whatcha think?