Disclaimer: I don't own the Middleman or Twilight (a reference is made, so no, it's not a crossover).
autumngold - Yeah, Wendy is pretty good at handling freaky stuff, like turning into a werewolf. The reason she doesn't go to the Middleman is that she's independent, and she handles things her own way. Going to the Middleman without handling it herself first would make her feel weak.
WildCroconaw- Here's another shoutout! But you're about to find out what will happen in the next few chapters when the Middleman finds out Wendy's secret. (Spoiler: It isn't pleasant.)
Well, on to the story!
Freedom.
That's the only way to express the blood rushing through her veins, the adrenaline overflowing, her limbs burning with happy release. All this time she had been sore and sick with dreams, all this time, she was simply waiting to release this unknown person inside.
She's been calling in sick for her job, painting and napping occasionally at day, then becoming free at night. She doesn't know why she was so afraid when she first transformed. There could be nothing better than the speed, the strength, the senses… Even the daunting task of turning back into a human is laughable. Everything is easy once you put your mind to it.
She runs across the slick pavement of a rooftop; she can smell the rain that fell earlier today. At the last second, she jumps off, and under the eyes of the full moon, she transforms back into her human form. She doesn't skip a beat as she continues to breeze across the rooftops. She laughs as she lets her worries fly out behind her, she's going too fast for them to stay with her.
Finally, she stops and turns around, looking at the mile of rooftops that she ran right over in less than a minute.
She's definitely ready to go back to work tomorrow.
*
She strides in and changes into her workout clothes for Sensei Ping. Ida looks up in shock as she walks past her, but is barely able to get out a sleezy comment before Wendy darts into the training room.
"Young One." She feels a confident smile grow on her face as Sensei Ping turns from the wall, effectively acting the part as the mysterious tutor. Without so much as a warning, he leaps toward her. But she's prepared this time.
As Sensei flies toward her, she bends down, sending him over her head. He lands on the ground and raises an eyebrow. He knows this is going to be different from the last training session. As she's thinking, he tries to strike again.
She flips past him and lands behind him, her head snapping up at an alarming rate. Before Sensei Ping can even register the change, she runs forward and kicks him. She actually manages to get a kick in on him.
And then it's all he can do to stay out her way.
Because she's free again, high and above the clouds, letting out all that access energy and flying and…
"ENOUGH!" She stops, but this time it's Sensei Ping on the ground and her standing, triumphant.
"What'sa matter?" She's dodging back and forth, so high on this new energy kick. "Too much for you?"
"Enough." Sensei Ping stands up and bows to her, so she has to bow back. She really beat him. But just as she coming up from the bow, Sensei Ping's hand comes out of nowhere and smacks her. "You do not taunt someone when they have announced their defeat!"
"OW!" Her voice, high and surprised, shouts out naturally. But as does, the wolf in her comes out. A long, harsh, growl that mixes in naturally with her scream.
Oh [bleep].
But Sensei Ping doesn't flinch or even move a muscle. His expression doesn't change. Maybe he didn't hear her, her mind hopes desperately.
"Leave me." She runs out, trying to concentrate on not going too fast to be suspicious, and wondering how come no matter what position she's in, she always has to be the one to leave upset?
*
The towel is cool and soft, and she presses her face into it for a long time, trying to get her thoughts in order.
"Dubbie?" She hears her boss' voice behind her, but she doesn't turn. "I just came into ask, how did the practice go?"
When she doesn't respond, he automatically assumes the worst and begins to shove his foot in his mouth in record time. "Well, it doesn't matter. We'll practice a bit and then you'll be able to have another-"
"The practice went fine, Boss." She mumbles, taking her head out. "No need to assume anyt-" She stops as she raises her head up.
All week, she had been focusing on unlocking her powers, training them. She would get faster, stronger, tougher, and more doors would begin to open. She could run a mile in under a minute, she could see details of flies' wings, she could go from lifting her smart car to lifting a jeep. And now another power had become unlocked. One that she actually didn't want.
Because the most alluring smell hit her nose. It was a mixture of smells, actually, all combined together to form the most sweetest taste she had never dreamed of, because she didn't know one so tantalizing existed. It was like receiving a glass of hot chocolate on a bitter day: thick and heavy. The scent tenderly nursed her nose, wafting numerous flavors. Cider, warm, yet slightly sharp and very sweet, nipped at the corners of her scent, followed up by the scent of soothing, warm vanilla sugar. It was contrasted by sweet peppermint and rich, cool cucumber. These scents made her mouth water and her eyes widen. She didn't know it was possible to be this hungry for a scent. But now she did.
And she wanted it, so, so very badly.
Wolves needed meat. Meat that moved, breathed, thought. Living meat.
What was she?
A monster. A monster that wanted to rip the one person that she felt understood her completely, that had saved her life a thousand times, that had never hesitated to put her before himself. She wanted to extract her claws, pull out her fangs, wanted to feel the blood rushing through her while her prey fled, while she hunted, while she pounced.
No. No no no no no NO! She backed away, into a corner of the locker room. Her boss followed her, anxious. "Dubbie, what's wrong?"
"Don't feel good, have to go." Her body trembled as she tried to run.
"Dubbie, please talk to me." The Middleman grabbed her by her arm. "You don't look sick."
That was enough. Inside her closed mouth, she began to feel her fangs come out, she could feel the sharp points of her fangs beginning to poke out. She wasn't sure if the pain was helping her to contain the monster, or release it.
"Get-away-from-me." She managed to get out, holding back every element in her body from leaping at him. He was close now. So close.
"Dubbie?" He looked down at her, his eyes wide with concern and she couldn't resist anymore. She tore out of his grip, lunging. But just as her teeth were about to graze his neck, she faltered. Some hidden bit of Wendy that she had lost to the wolf called out to her, begging her not to do this.
Instead, she put a hand on his chest and pushed hard. The Middleman flew back several feet, landing in a heap by the locker room. She didn't even have time to whisper a sorry before running out, past Sensei Ping, past Ida, ignoring them both, wanting only freedom.
*
Several hours later, she simply sat on a roof, overlooking the night sky. She didn't want to think, she was too tired. She had spent hours running all over the city, exhausting herself. Even if the Middleman was looking for her, which she sorely doubted, she would be too tired to hunt him.
"So, you're a monster. It's no big deal. Monsters can be cool. Look at Edward Cullen. Look at Jacob Black. You just need some practice at this whole meat craving thing. Yeah, that's it. Just separate yourself from everyone you love and then take a few decades to practice that. Hey, if you're lucky, you can make it back by the time Lacey's 50." She bitterly jokes aloud to herself.
"It's not going to get better." She turns, sees a man standing there. If she was interested in the tall, red head type, she'd think he was almost cute. "The hunger, I mean."
"How do you know about that?" Her voice sounds horse and exhausted.
He grins, and she notices that his eyes hold an almost animal-like quality. As his lips pull up, she can see white, sharp fangs.
"Let's just say that I've been down that road before. Name's Rick, former Middleman at your service."