Chapter Four- End of First Cycle

Marie Chavez approached the door of Maza's apartment highly skeptical and a little annoyed. Maza had claimed she was ill yesterday and then today admitted that it wasn't true; that she had actually turned into a werewolf. The claim sounded ridiculous and when she told Maza as much, the detective suggested she come over and see for herself. So, here she was, a few minutes before sunset. She knocked on the door and waited a couple of minutes.

The door opened with Maza looking around the edge at Chavez. She entered to see Maza wearing a simple white shift. Once the door was closed, Chavez stepped up to Maza to look at her more closely. Her brown eyes now had an amber tint to them, her nails looked like claws, and her ears had developed slight points. She stepped away and led the way to the living room.

"Well, you certainly have the signs of a werewolf," she commented.

"I had other signs earlier in the week but didn't recognize them for what they were," Maza replied. She shifted on her feet slightly before saying, "Captain, given the circumstances-,"

"You need the full moon nights off," Chavez cut in. "I can accommodate this, but no other nights off aside from the ones that had been put aside already."

Maza sighed in relief. "Thanks, Captain." Both women gazed out the skylight for a moment before Elisa spoke again. "Captain, it won't be necessary to stay for the full change; just enough to convince you."

"Why is that?"

"Well, I was alone last night so I didn't experience how an actual werewolf acts around people and I rather not find out."

"Makes sense." She watched Maza lean forward to look out the skylight as the sky went black. She swiftly left her seat and went to the door as the detective howled and started sprouting black fur. Chavez felt spellbound by the change but shook it off and left once Maza had four legs and was growing a tail. She locked the door behind her and left the building so that she could give her werewolf detective her three nights off.

Elisa shook herself out before padding into the kitchen and pawing open a bottom cabinet to reveal a bowl full of bloody raw meat. She grabbed it in her teeth, put the bowl on the floor, and began to eat. She found that changing burned a lot of calories and she needed to replace it. She hadn't done that last night because she had been distracted by her new form and her thoughts. One of those thoughts concerned food. It pointed out that wolves ate bloody raw meat in the wild and she decided to try that out.

Hmm, this isn't half-bad. I could definitely get used to eating like this every full moon. She licked the edges of her muzzle as her eyes roamed the apartment and picked out her cat's location. He hadn't come near her all week. He clearly smelled the wolf on her before her change. He was probably confused at seeing his owner become a wolf and then human before going back to wolf. She knew he was eating, most likely while she slept as was evident by the empty food dish when she woke up.

Her dinner finished, Elisa proceeded to prowl around her apartment, exploring her senses more. However, she grew bored with this activity. She managed to use her claws to turn on the TV and flick through the channels but this too lost its appeal. It wasn't hard for her to figure out why: Her eyes kept looking out her skylight and an urge to go out rose within her with each glance. I want to go out and run around, but the window's locked and I can't unlock it with paws and claws. I can't go out tonight, but I can tomorrow. I just have to make sure to unlock and open the window before nightfall.

Elisa lifted her nose and breathed in the night air that wafted through the window before leaping out and onto the roof. She walked around to the fire escape, her extended claws clicking on the stone and asphalt. She quickly leaped from floor to floor of the fire escape landing lightly on each one, her claws the only sound on the metal. She alighted on the ground and her tail swished happily at being free; wolves don't deal well with being cooped up. She needed this.

She stuck to alleyways to avoid human contact despite thoughts of killing humans. She was out to enjoy the night, nothing more. But, I'm a werewolf and we either kill, eat, or turn humans, though the latter is by accident. My sire didn't plan to turn me, but I'm glad he did. I love being a werewolf and I can't wait to tell everyone about it.

She moved through a back alley and the scent of a nearby human floated over to her. Her head snapped to her right to see a human in the alley. The human froze upon seeing her and Elisa felt her eyes turn red and start glowing. A desire to kill the human awoke within her and she did nothing to resist it. She slowly stalked toward her prey, a low growl in her throat, designed to keep her target frozen with fear.

It worked as the man remained rooted to the spot. Elisa kept her gaze on the man as she moved past, looking as if she was going to move on. She paused for a split second before turning and pouncing on him, knocking him on his back. Her front claws ripped deep into his chest while her jaws locked onto his throat and ripped it away, blood gushing from the wound. The sight of the blood excited her and sent her into a frenzy. She continued to savage the body even though he was dead. Once she was thoroughly satisfied, she howled loudly before sprinting away and returning home.

Elisa awoke to find herself on the floor, but didn't think anything of it. Her night out had let loose all her wolf instincts and tendencies. She felt so free. She got up, showered, and dressed before getting her meal together that wasn't as meat heavy as it had been the last three days. Her human side was now more dominant than her wolf side; she looked forward to the next three weeks of full-time humanity.

Not that the last three nights were bad. Yes, I couldn't talk, but the grace and strength I had was awesome. I still have enhanced senses and longer nails, but my eyes are completely brown. No one would know I'm a werewolf just by looking at me; it's only if I told them would they know. She sat on her couch and flipped on the TV before turning on the news.

"Our top news is the brutal murder of a man identified as a former Quarryman. Officers on the scene estimated he was killed last night. Police guess that a wild animal is loose in the city as his throat was torn open and his body was clawed-,"

Click. The set was turned off and the remote fell from Elisa's limp hand as she stared at the blank screen in horror. She had a hazy recollection of the attack, remembering it as a vivid dream. Only it wasn't a dream: She had killed a man!

I can't believe I did that! It seems when faced with a human while in wolf form, I can't resist attacking. The lucky thing is I didn't eat him, but still how could I have killed him?

Then again, he was a rogue Quarryman. He was probably going to end up setting a trap for the clan. I likely saved my friends and mate by killing him. Furthermore, I'm a werewolf; killing humans is what we do. The kill excited me, but part of me hopes I don't do it again.