I awoke refreshed and energised, my eyes shooting open as I grinned up at the celling. I'd dreamed about what I might become last night. Imagined myself as a wolf, running through the forest, a blonde wolf as fast as anything I'd ever seen and as strong as any man. It had been a rush of power, power I still felt lingering inside of me, even as I woke. It had to be a sign. A sign that the bite had taken, that I was going to turn into a Werewolf.
Throwing off the sheets, unable to contain myself or my giddy smile, I dashed towards my cupboard. I pulled open the door and looked at my reflection.
It was the same. Same as it'd been before I went to bed. Then my eyes moved, and I saw it wasn't the same. The bite mark had healed completely. I was still alive, but I didn't look different. Didn't feel that different either. A sudden panic rushed through me, fearing it had failed and that I was going to be left with nothing, that I'd be stuck as my old self. Then the words echoed through my head, the ones Derek had said last night.
"It won't fix everything. Just give you what you need to make those changes for yourself. It's up to you to take what you want once you have it."
The bite had taken, I knew it. I'd be dead otherwise. Now it was down to me to make sure the change continued. This was my one chance to change myself for the better. The bite had fuelled me with confidence, I just had to use it. With a hopeful blaze in my eyes I strode over to the bathroom. I quickly checked on Erica, seeing she was still asleep. I must have woken up early. I smiled at her. Things were about to change for us both. Closing the door, I locked Erica's end before getting to work.
I opened up the mirror, revealing the cabinet behind it. All kinds of beauty products lined the shelves, all of which my mother had gifted me and Erica over the years with. We'd experiment on each other but never found something we felt confirmable in. But from now on, I would be comfortable in anything.
Grabbing the bathing products from the shelves, I opened them up before placing them in the shower. After that I stripped, discarding my pjs like a snake's old skin. Once I turned the shower, and made sure it was warm enough, I climbed in to wash myself. I did everything I could think to do, giving myself a thorough cleaning, wiping any undesired grease from my body. I rinsed, cleaning my dirty blonde hair until it seemed almost pure blonde and then stepped out.
As I exited, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I felt almost…sexy. A word I'd never once used to describe myself. But dressed only in a bathrobe with my damp hair dangling down, unleashing droplets of water upon my skin.
My clean skin that looked as fresh as a newly born baby's. I looked good. Even my eyes had returned to a brighter shade of blue. My cold heart finally warmed again.
Then I set to work on my make-up. It was a daunting task, but I think I did well. I applied enough to make my freckles blend with my skin, rather than stand out, using a pale lipstick to make my lips more bold and noticeable with a hint of eyeliner and blush to finish it off. Then there was my hair.
For that I had to go through to mom's bathroom, borrowing her curling iron. I vaguely remembered how to use it and while it heated up, I dried my hair until it looked like it always did, just lighter in colour. Purer as some might say. The iron was ready soon enough and I set to work, burning myself on the first attempt. I was just able to hold back the scream of pain, clenching my fist as I looked at the pussy mark on my wrist. But then it began to fade into my skin, returning to normal. And in less than a minute it was completely healed. That was it, conformation the bite had worked. I had the healing powers of a Werewolf. I looked up, staring at my reflection, watching as my eyes began to glow a soft amber colour. Growing brighter and stronger. I was a Werewolf.
Even when the glow faded from my eyes, I couldn't stop smiling. Finally, I had what I always wanted. Power. I continued on getting ready, burning myself a few more times only to have it heal again. Each time I marvelled at my new healing ability and watched the glow come and go from my eyes. It was a rush, an incredible rush that only I could experience, and no one could take it away from me now that I had it.
I finished with curling iron, then stared in awe at my gorgeous new form. Another word I'd never used to describe myself popped into my head. Hot. I was hot. For the first time in my life I felt it, and I revealed in the feeling.
Leaving my towel to dry, I unlocked Erica's door so she could now use the bathroom and returned to my own room. Now for the next part of my makeover, the cloths.
I could have gone with some sexy little dress, knowing I had the body to pull it off now and the looks to back it up. But that wasn't me. I didn't do pretty white dresses or slutty little things that showed off as much skin as possible. At least not yet anyway. No, instead I went with something I'd always wanted to wear. A leather jacket I'd gotten for my birthday last year, but I'd never had the confidence to wear it. Now I did. With it I threw on a dark grey crop top underneath and wore a tight pair of jeans that highlighted my legs. I didn't have a lot of shoe options though. I stuck to sneakers mostly. I'd need to expand my wardrobe for sure. Good thing I'd saved up plenty of money from the odd jobs I'd gotten over the summer. But for today a pair of sneakers would do.
At least until I pulled them out and saw a show box buried in the back. I fished it out and opened it up, knelt on the ground. Inside was a pair of high boots that reached up past my ankle and halfway up to my knee. I'd completely forgotten about these. They'd been a gift from my mom, saying I should wear them when I was ready to, 'assert my dominance on the world,' because she knew I could. I just had to go and get it. And now I was ready.
I pulled on the boots and laced them up, looking over myself in the mirror. God, I looked good, I though as I smiled at my reflection. A sexy smile I'd mastered just like that, biting my lower lip ever so slightly.
The school wasn't going to know what hit it.
It had taken me longer than I thought it would to get ready, I'd missed breakfast and it was almost time for school. I went to grab my bag – my old rotten bag – then stopped. I couldn't use that bag now, it was beneath me. I left without it, deciding I could go one day without my bag. If Derek was right about the bite, I now had all I needed to survive.
"Morning," I said confidently as I walked into the kitchen. All eyes shot up and landed on me before three jaws then dropped. I soaked up their looks and smiled ambitiously back at them before opening up the fridge and grabbing the apple juice. "Pass me a glass please, Erica," I said causally as if nothing had changed. I arrived at the kitchen table and she hadn't moved an inch. I put down the juice, rolling my eyes dramatically. "Fine, I'll get it myself," I teased with a grin.
"Sorry," I heard Erica's amazed murmur as I got my own glass. When I turned back around I gave her a friendly smile, letting her know it was fine and that I was just having a bit of fun. She sighed out a laugh, still in shock at my new look. They all were, but Erica was the first to smile at me. That timid little smile that I loved.
"New look, Honey?" my mother asked as I sat down opposite Erica, pouring the apple juice into my glass. I nodded, humming along as I sipped my juice, keeping my eyes on Erica's as she stared back at me. She liked what she was seeing. Good. Because soon she'd have the same power I now had running through my veins. I would make Derek offer her the same bite, beg him if I had to. Do it myself if I could find a way.
"Is that a new jacket?" my father asked. That was about as personal as his questions got. I loved him like any daughter would a father but he was always so work driven and he tended to be a little self-centred. But at least he wasn't completely ignorant.
I hummed a response again before setting aside my apple juice and smiling at Erica. I took her hand, standing up and pulling her with me. "Come on. We're going to be late," I said as I took Erica from the room. My parents called goodbyes after us, as me and Erica got into the car. I went to start the engine but found Erica was still staring at me. "Is everything all right?" I asked as I leaned back, looking back at her.
"It's just…" Erica said in amazement before getting a grip of herself. "What happened to you?"
"I don't know. I just woke up this morning and thought what the hell." I turned back to the driveway, staring out in thought for a moment before turning back to Erica with a grin. "You know what. I can't be bothered with school."
"What?" Erica gasped.
"Let's just drive around, spend some quality sister time together. Or better yet a sister day? We can do whatever you want, go anywhere, your choice," I said eagerly with a smile to Erica, who continued to stare back at me in amused shock.
"I want to go to school," Erica said with a laugh, still staring at me with that same look.
"Come on. Anywhere, just name it," I pushed.
"The school," Erica repeated, though was still smiling.
"Fine. I guess we can go there," I sighed as I started the engine.
"You haven't noticed have you?" Erica said with a knowing, rare, grin.
"Noticed what?" I asked with a frown.
"You stutter. It's gone." I smiled suddenly, realising she was right. One of my biggest obstacles in life and it was gone just like that. And it was all thanks to Derek. He truly had given me a gift. I drove off down the street, both me and Erica smiling as we went. Our new lives had just begun.