Chapter 2

Percy POV

I woke up feeling extremely groggy. What just happened to me? Zoe Nightshade bit my arm…

Suddenly I stood up from my bed and instantly regretted it. I felt pain flood through my chest and I lowered myself back down. Wait a second, I'm in a bed?

I looked around and saw that I was alone in a crude cabin made from bark and canvas. I touched my chest and felt bandages wrapped around it. Upon further inspection of my body, I found that my nose had been healed and the gashes on my arm had turned into small, faded scars.

"You're up."

I turned and instantly felt blood soak the bandages on my chest. Zoe was coming into the cabin with a worried look on her face. "You've sustained some bad injuries. You should rest a little more."

"Zoe, how are you here? Why aren't you with Artemis? And how are you a werewolf?"

Zoe rolled his eyes. "Stupid boy, I died, remember? I no longer have ties with the Hunt."

I cocked my head. "But why didn't you go back and rejoin? Artemis surely would've let you back in."

A dark look crossed Zoe's face. "Things are not that simple, Percy." She said as she sat down at the edge of my bed. "Things have been...difficult for me. The real question is, how did you end up here in Nevada?"

I tried to process that. "I'm in a forest...in Nevada?"

Zoe laughed. I never heard Zoe laugh before...never realized that.

"We're in the Humboldt National Forest. Not all of Nevada is desert, you know."

I blushed a little. "Oh. I, uh, never heard of this place."

Zoe's smile disappeared. "Then the question is, how are you here?"

Suddenly I felt a lump in my throat as I remembered what happened. Annabeth. Why? Why would all of Olympus turn their backs on me? My own family? I felt tears welling up in my eyes and wiped them away quickly.

"Percy, what happened?" Zoe asked softly.

"I was betrayed. Annabeth asked me to help her explore a new pathway to Daedalus' lab to help replenish and upgrade our supplies...She incapacitated me and sold me to a pack of telekhines...with the approval of Olympus. They drained me of my godly powers and let me leave, and I followed the exit tunnel and ended up here."

Zoe winced. "That...explains a lot. It really does."

Suddenly, I recalled the events of the previous day and I began to fire questions. "What happened out there with Lycaon's pack? How are you a werewolf? And why did you bite me?"

"I was hunting for some food when I heard the sound of Lycaon's pack. I followed the howls until I reached the river and I saw that Lycaon was about to kill you. Once I realized who you were I killed him myself. You were bleeding everywhere, and for some reason, you weren't healing despite the fact that your body was right next to a river-" Zoe took a deep breath. "So I healed you the only way I could. I bit you."

I gave her a puzzled look. "How would biting me help me at all? Digging your teeth into my arm seems very counterintuitive…"

That's when it hit me.

"Wait. Zoe, did you...did you turn me into a werewolf?"

She sighed and nodded. "Turning you into a werewolf would turn you into an immortal. The only reason you're alive at all is because of your new body."

I felt my jaw drop, but managed to keep my voice calm as I looked at her. "Why would you do that? Now the both of us are monsters and there's no way to change that!"

Zoe gritted her teeth. "I did it to save you, idiot. The only reason why you even have the ability to talk to me in such a condescending way is because your immortal body healed itself."

"Do you not recall that ambrosia exists?"

She instantly flushed red with anger. "How in the Hades would I have ambrosia?! Look at my house, you idiot! I'm not exactly stacked with supplies!"

Embarrassment replaced the anger that was pulsing through my body. "You're right, I'm sorry. You saved my life, and I'm in your debt."

"I'm sorry for being a monster by making you into a monster, I was only trying to save, I don't know, you're very existence?" She huffed.

"Zoe, you're not a monster."

"You seemed pretty adamant that I was a few seconds ago."

I gave her a pleading look. "Please forgive me Zoe, I misspoke. It's just a lot to take in."

"Well, you got that right. Stupid boy."

Suddenly, I noticed that her accent and her way of speaking had changed drastically. "Wait, Zoe, you're speaking like a modern American person?"

"Great use of words there, Percy. Yes, I speak like, in your words, 'a modern American person'."

"How is that possible? Also, how are you a werewolf in the first place? You were a demi-Titan when we first met!" I questioned, thoroughly confused at the change.

Zoe closed her eyes before standing up. "It's a long story, Percy." She walked over to a dining table and placed her hands on it. "When I died, I was put into Elysium. I was reunited with my fallen sisters and I enjoyed myself tremendously. They taught me modern English and helped me in so many other ways."

Suddenly, her nails shifted into claws and she slammed them into the table. I instinctively jumped back a little bit at the ferocity behind her movements.

"One day, I was approached by Lord Hades. He informed me that Zeus made a decree that Titans did not belong in Elysium, but in Tartarus. I was put in chains and thrown into the darkest place imaginable," Zoe let out a shaky breath before turning towards me. Her eyes looked dark enough to absorb all the light Apollo had to offer.

"I was trapped in a place where I couldn't die. Every time a monster found me and decided to have a little snack; I was torn to pieces only to reform. My very existence had transformed into one of a monster. One day, one of Lycaon's minions attacked me. It latched onto my arm, shook me around like a rag doll, and threw me into an abyss. The following days would prove to be the best of my time in Tartarus."

I couldn't get over how feral she looked as she seemed to be reliving her memories.

"The wolf didn't exactly bite me gently the way I did for you, and I was in a lot of pain. I curled up into a ball and just prayed for death to come and take me away once and for all. Suddenly, I was filled with bloodlust. Monsters in Tartarus are much more aggressive and vicious than they are here. I morphed into my wolf form for the first time and took over my own little corner of Tartarus. After a few months of killing and eating whatever I could find, I suddenly felt a tug in my stomach and just like that I reformed," Zoe said, her eyes beginning to soften.

"Monsters have a natural sense of location to help them hunt down demigods, and I knew right away I was in California. I followed the scent of the Hunt and appeared before Artemis," Zoe began to cry, not bothering to wipe away any of her tears. "She was shocked. I thought it was because she was so happy to see me, but no. Her godly senses told her what I was and without a thought, she shot me in the chest. After another few months in Tartarus, I reformed again in Nevada. So here I am. I made a little hut for myself and I've done nothing but sustain my survival in order to stay out of that hell hole."

I patted her back as gently as I could. "Zoe, you're not alone anymore. We're in this together."

She gave me a watery smile. "Percy, don't you understand? We're monsters now. We live only to survive. We serve no purpose but to eat other demigods. If you're not with the Titans, you're simply another animal, scrounging the forest floor."

I felt my hands grow cold at the truth behind her words.

"I shouldn't have bitten you. Death would've been better for you. At least you would be in Elysium rather than stuck in the forest with me," Zoe said, turning away.

I walked over and grabbed her hands. "Zoe, I owe you my life. Whether it has purpose or not, I'm living and breathing because you decided to go out of your way for me."

She looked back at me, tears shining in her volcanic black eyes. I never noticed how beautiful her eyes were.

I mentally slapped myself. She had been living for hundreds of years hating men and I was already feeling attracted to her? Get a hold of yourself, Perce. You just lost Annabeth and now you're about to hop on to another girl?

I felt a sharp pain in my chest, and it wasn't the wound. The love of my life, the one I trusted the most had given me up. The very gods I had worked to save so many times had used me as toilet paper and tossed me away. Camp had probably come to terms with going to war without me.

I took a deep breath. "Listen, can you teach me how this whole werewolf thing works? I don't even know where to start in terms of my new powers."

Zoe wiped her tears away. "Yes, of course. But the wound on your chest is too severe so we'll discuss the logistics of your new powers." She grabbed my shoulders and steered me to my bed.

"Being a werewolf increases your endurance so drastically that it makes you much harder to kill, but that doesn't mean that you won't experience pain. If I were to stab you with a Celestial bronze sword right now, you would feel all the pain you'd feel as a demigod, but it wouldn't come close to killing you."

I chewed on that for a second. "So the only thing that can kill werewolves is silver, right?"

"Close. Any kind of silver can kill you but other werewolves can also kill you. That's how I was able to send Lycaon back to Tartarus. So be careful around other werewolves because being in Tartarus is not fun. I had a little luck on my side as I was transported to a more barren part but if you are forced to regenerate in a more monster-infested area, you're toast."

"I thought the only thing that can kill us is silver and other werewolves?"

Zoe didn't seem to notice. "Your body can only be killed by silver and others of our kind, but in Tartarus, you do not have your physical body. Down there, you are just as vulnerable as any other monster."

"Oh, that's-that's nice," I managed.

She cocked her head in confusion. "Is something wrong?"

I shook my head. "Nothing, please continue."

Zoe gave me a look of concern. "Alright. Well, that's all there is to it in terms of your immortality. I'm sure you know the whole principle for monsters of living until you are killed before reforming and all of that, judging from how many monsters you have killed. However, werewolves get the added bonus of healing quicker than other monsters. Depending on how severe the injury is, you could be at full health in an hour to a few days. In case you didn't know, the location where you reform is completely random. I don't know why, but it seems that we are blocked from reforming in other parts of the world. From what I can gather, werewolves always reform in forests. Both times I regenerated I woke up in the forest and it would make sense as to why you don't see werewolves in New York City."

She took a deep breath. "I know it's a lot to chew on but you're no longer a human. Clear-sighted mortals will see you as you are, whether in human or wolf form. More sophisticated beings like gods and other monsters will know what you are regardless of what form you're in. That's why Artemis, uh, was so quick to kill me."

The uncertainty in her voice told me that there was more to the story than what she told me but I let it go. "How do you even turn into a werewolf? Do I just go, 'Wolf on!' or howl or something like that?"

Zoe laughed. "It would be quite interesting to hear you say, 'Wolf on!' every time you transform, but it is a lot harder than that."

I felt a bit confused. "Why is it hard to transform? Shouldn't it be, like, second nature?"

"It would be if you were a natural born monster. You were artificially transformed into a werewolf and thus it is harder for you to control your shapeshifting abilities. It will happen naturally during your first few weeks as a werewolf. When a full moon comes out, you're going to black out only to wake up and find you slaughtered all the deer in the forest."

I let out a forced laugh. "Sounds a little specific. Have you done that before?"

"No comment. You will also find it harder to control your emotions, in particular, your tendency to anger. You probably didn't notice when you were shouting at me but your nails sharpened a little bit and I could see your fangs grow out. Completely natural."

"Wait, I did that?"

"No, your body did. It's a werewolf's natural response to anger or danger. However, after a few months of practice, you should be able to get it down."

"A few months? It'll take months to be able to control my body?"

Zoe scratched her head. "Well, it took me a few months but I had to learn all this on my own. You'll have me to help you along the way so it could take less time. At least, I hope that's the case. I don't want to have to stop you from ripping the entire forest apart after a bird pecks you on the head."

I sat up in my bed. "So, how do you do it? I want to get this down as soon as possible."

"Well, I guess a few meditation practices wouldn't hurt." Zoe sat on the floor. "First, close your eyes. Now, you have to really focus and channel your inner instincts. You are Percy Jackson, but locked away deep inside you is your inner wolf. Really focus and find that wolf. Breathe in deeply and meet your wolf."

I took a deep breath before focusing. "C'mon, where are you? You're somewhere inside me, so come out and face me."

I felt my heart quicken as swirls of black sifted in the darkness, forming itself into a shape that was even darker than its surroundings. Suddenly I gasped and felt myself lose the connection. I opened my eyes and found myself in a pool of sweat. Zoe stared at me intently.

"Interesting. It only took you about twenty minutes to channel your inner wolf."

"Twenty minutes? It felt like a few seconds!"

Zoe nodded. "Time is very flexible, Percy. It can move differently in any person based on their perception of what time is. An adult fly can see the day it lives as forty years. A god will see a century as a blink of an eye. The first time I tried to channel my wolf, I started in the morning and woke up in the dead of night."

I tried to process that. "How did you know I was even channeling it properly?"

She laughed. "I didn't. But the waterfall of sweat you were pouring and the fact that you managed to activate your claws and fangs told me all I needed to know."

I stood up when all of a sudden I realized my chest didn't hurt anymore. I unwrapped my bandages and saw that the wound had completely healed.

"That's also a good sign. Your body was regenerating in typical werewolf fashion."

"So, I'm guessing that once I can properly channel this wolf, I can shift forms whenever I choose?" I asked curiously.

Zoe nodded. "Yes, but it's also a matter of merging with your wolf. Right now, you and your wolf are two separate identities, alter egos if you will. In order to have full control over your wolf, you must be one entity. The difference between werewolves like us and Lycaon's minions is that they were born into their wolf forms. Any humanity that they have is suppressed, which is why they have no problem killing people. Rather than having the problem of controlling their inner wolf, they choose not to merge with their humanity."

A scary thought came to me. "Um, is it possible that my wolf can suppress my humanity?"

"Yes. If you do not merge with your werewolf, over time the animal inside of you can take over, and it would be very hard to retrieve your human identity. You would just be another monster hunting demigods and mortals alike. Lycaon could even take you into his pack to serve as another one of his minions."

I shuddered at the thought of tearing out the throat of Lee Fletcher or Beckendorf. I quickly suppressed any thought of Annabeth in fear of what emotions it would incur.

"So how do I merge with it?"

Zoe drew small circles on the floor with her finger. "It's all about practice. The more you try to channel your wolf and even interact with it, the more likely it is to merge with you. You have to be very careful, however. One wrong step and your wolf would drag you under and take over your body."

I gulped. "So I'm guessing this shouldn't be something I do often?"

She thought about it for a second. "Well, repetition is important when trying to achieve anything, but yes, if you were to do this every one of your waking hours, your mind would weaken and your wolf would easily take over. Only go to your wolf when your mind is strong."

Zoe stood up. "I'm going to go hunt us some food. Stay here and try channeling your wolf form again. Doing it two or three times in a row shouldn't leave your mind open to attack."

She stepped out the door and shut it tight. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

The same swirls of darkness appeared. I concentrated as hard as I could, desperate to make contact with my wolf. "C'mon, talk to me. Let me see what you're made of."

Suddenly, the swirls solidified into a ghostly apparition of a pitch-black wolf that glowed an ethereal white. Hello, Percy. I am Fenron, the wolf of nightmares, the devourer of dreams.

(From now on, the italics is Fenron talking)

"Well, you're just a ray of sunshine, aren't you?"

The wolf snarled. I am nothing of the sort. I am the darkness that lurks in every shadow, the thoughts that drive men to madness. I shall destroy your soul and take over that weak consciousness you call a mind.

"Not going to happen, Fido. This is my world, and you're living in it. Now listen, why don't you save the both of us time and merge with me so we don't have to worry about control freak issues?"

Merge with you? Never! You are in no position to make demands and I will see to it that your body belongs to me!

The wolf lunged at me before I jerked upright, fully awake. I looked at my hands and saw long claws slide back into my fingers. I looked outside and realized it was already night. I stepped out the door and saw Zoe sitting near a campfire roasting deer on a spit.

"How did it go? I walked in and you were muttering something about Fido or whatever, so I decided to start cooking dinner."

I sat down next to Zoe on a fallen log. "Did your wolf have a name?"

Zoe looked at me in surprise. "You've already made contact with your wolf? Percy, that's amazing! It took me almost a month to even get mine to fully appear!"

I grinned. "Well, I am amazing. After all, boys do everything better than girls, am I right?"

She shoved me off the log. "Not funny."

I had to laugh. "Sorry. Anyway, did it have a name?"

Zoe nodded. "Her name was Sabrina, and it never talked about anything but putting my head on a kebab."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Mine was named Fenron and after talking about eating dreams and being darkness itself, he tried going Blade Runner and taking over from the jump."

"Yeah, they always talk about eating your soul and taking over your mind. To be honest, after a while it gets a little funny."

I watched Zoe turn the spit for a while before turning to her again. "What's it like being merged with your wolf?"

Zoe thought about it. "It's like finally finding the pedals on your bike. You and your wolf both realize that being in harmony will benefit both of you and thus your spirit becomes synchronized with theirs. It shows through your personality, mainly through an increased sense of aggressiveness or a sudden urge to eat raw meat."

"Do you know when the next full moon is?"

She looked up at the sky. "I would say you have a good week before "Fenron" takes over your mind. The energy from the moon increases your wolf's power and allows them to gain temporary control over your mind. That's why it's better to live in the forest until you gain full control. A wolf can only go so many places in one night."

I shuddered at the thought. "After the full moon is over, how do I know where I am and how to come back here?"

Zoe facepalmed. "Natural sense of location, remember?"

I blushed. "Oh, right. I think the deer is done."

Zoe nodded before removing the body from the spit.

Tear into it. Feast on the entrails as you lap up its blood.

"Chill dude, the thing is cooked. It doesn't have much blood in it."

Zoe gasped. "Fenron's talking to you already?"

I let out a sigh. "Yeah. I can already tell I'm going to get tired of his voice."

"Percy, you have no idea how quickly you're progressing! If you can hear your wolf's voice that means that you already have channeled enough energy to it that it can form an external consciousness!

The girl isn't cooked. Eat her.

"Dude, relax. I'm not gonna eat the girl that saved me."

She looks delicious.

"That does not sound right at all."

"Percy, do you want a thigh or neck?

All of it.

"Uh, I'll take the thigh."

Zoe shrugged. "Suit yourself. The neck is the tastiest part."

Your neck looks tasty, too.

"Fenron, stop. You don't have any idea how inappropriate you're being."

In a week, I shall show you what being inappropriate is.

"Um, ok."

A/N: In regards to everyone patiently, or not, waiting n me to update the story, here's the next chapter. I've decided to more or less keep everything "here2stxy" had originally came out with storyline wise. There are some things I will be adding to it, or taking out, but for the most part, everything he had typed up will remain the same, since this is his original story.

Thanks for reading!