Thrown To The Wolves: Rider's Story

"I'm not going!" I screamed.

Hunter sighed. "You have to. Or else they'll take you to some foster home, and what would either of us do then?"

I looked at my elder sister, born seven years before me. "You could homeschool me!"

"I'm barely out of secondary school myself, Ri. Besides, I have work... or don't you want to eat?"

I sulked, looking every bit the sullen American I was. I had moved to London, England a week ago. Now it was almost time for me to start school, and I wanted to head back home. Back to the country, where I could run free over the fields and swim in the lake near home. I hated being cramped into this city. You couldn't even see the moon some nights.

"Now," Hunter said crisply, "I picked up your uniform."

She threw it at me. A dark blue pencil skirt, white Oxford shirt, dark blue sweater and light blue blazer. "It's very... blue colored."

"That's Lake Garden Comprehensive for you," my sister chirped. "It's cute. Too bad I went to school in the US."

"Which I should be doing!"

Hunter glared. "You know that mum is sick."

"Will you stop that?"

"Stop what? Rubbing it in?"

"No!" I rolled my eyes. "The English-isms. You're an American, just like me, will you please talk like one?"

"I do."

"Oh really. Secondary school. Mum. Next you're going to be giving me my pocket money so I can hang out with my mates. You're turning... turning into a Londoner! Do you even remember that the sky is supposed to be blue?"

"Of course I do!" Hunter snapped. "And don't think I don't miss it. But you know the job offer for Spark Magazine was too good for me to pass up. I mean, I'm doing what I always dreamed of doing, working in fashion. And here in Britain, I know you can get a better education. You can go to university and become a vet. Or, if you really don't like school, you can quit after your GCSE testing."

"Fine. That's what I'll probably end up doing. Now. Can I go yet?"

Hunter raised her hands in surrender. "Fine. Put your uniform away. I'll see you downstairs in it bright and early tomorrow."

I stomped upstairs to my room. It wasn't much- a bed with deep blue sheets, a desk, a full-length mirror, and a lot of boxes. I hadn't moved here that long ago, hadn't gotten around to unpacking.

Reaching into a box labeled "clothes," I pulled out my old school uniform from Aberdeen Day, back home in Kansas. I had altered it over the week before I came, so it was now a totally awesome punk outfit. The standard black polo now exposed my midriff, and the plaid skirt was nearly nonexistent. Instead of knee-high socks, I pulled on denim leggings and my knee-high black stiletto boots. I looked in the mirror, and decided just to ditch the skirt.

"Perfect," I said to myself once I pulled the skirt off. Even my straight brown hair was perfect- the little bit of light showcased the two purple streaks near my bangs.

I thought about going outside- what was the point of wearing something so awesome if I couldn't show it off?- but going out so soon after my argument with Hunter would show that she was more right that I'd let on, that I was adjusting. No. I wouldn't let myself adjust. I wanted to go back home, and that was it.

I sat down at my desk and opened the laptop that was a parting gift from my mom. A website was already pulled up. Tumblr. I clicked the button for "text post" and began to type.

An American Werewolf in London

Well, actually, it's just me, Rider. I'm reporting for the first time from my new life in the UK. Funny how all of you guys are crazy jealous. I'd trade you in an instant, just to be back home. But I'm not in Kansas anymore, Toto. This she-wolf's stuck in the big city, and for someone who loves her wide open spaces- not cool.

I got my school uniform today. It's not too bad. At least there's that.

Until then...

I inserted a "why?" reaction image, tagged my little rant as "personal," and clicked "create post."

I browsed my dashboard for a few odd minutes, then decided to sleep. I was bored, I was mad, and like it or not, I had a big day tomorrow. So, I climbed into bed, and I dreamed.

"Rider, you're here," said an attractive male voice.

I looked around. "What? Who are you? Where are you?" All I saw was black.

Out of the darkness, a man stepped. He had Kool-Aid red hair that was in an army crop, and wore jeans and a long-sleeved armored shirt. "Right here, Rider." He held out his hand to me. "I am Killian."

I started to take his hand, but paused when I noticed that my own fingers were gloved. I looked down, and found myself wearing a silver pair of shorts and matching halter top. I turned, and saw that on my back were a pair of iridescent silver wings, shaped like crescent moons.

At least my boots looked the same.

I dropped my hand, too in shock to remember that I was supposed to be shaking his. "Okay, Killian. Who are you? And what am I..."

He smiled, laughed. "You, dear girl, are a fairy. Fairy of Wolves, I believe. As for me, I am a wizard. We are the natural friends of all fairy-kind."

I suddenly remembered the fairy craze that was spreading the globe. Girls from all over were becoming fairies. Being one meant having powers. It meant being beautiful. For some, it meant they disappeared. Others had committed suicide. But the scariest thing, I knew, was that you didn't know if you were or not. Anyone could be one.

I guessed I was. "So... what do I do about it?"

"You join me. You help me and my brothers. It is your destiny. We have discovered a horrible truth, one that will poison your new people. Rider... it is up to you to stop this. Please, help us."

Killian started to fade. "Where are you going? What is this 'horrible truth?' Killian?"

"I can't stay; you're waking," he said. "Don't worry. We will meet again, in person. Meet me tomorrow, outside Smith's Deli, near Lake Garden Compre..."

I woke up with a start. My alarm was blaring.

I slipped on my new uniform and began to walk to school. I could see other girls walking there, all dressed identical to me. I secretly hoped one would stop, talk to me, maybe be my friend. But nobody did.

I checked in at a thing called "registration." Hunter had already gotten my papers in order, so at least I didn't have to go to the office like a dork. The teacher in charge of checking students in looked up at me. "Rider Bradley, from the US?" I couldn't hear any accent.

"Yeah, that's me."

She squeezed my hand. "I'm Miss Pennisor. Nice to meet a fellow American!"

"Oh, you're American too! Cool! Where from?"

"New York City. And you?"

"Kansas. Nothing that exciting." I grinned.

"Well, I don't know about that. Plenty of people will think you're plenty exciting. Anyways, if you need anything, be sure to find me. I'll help you navigate."

"Cool," I grinned.

And... that was the end of the friendliness of the day.

Okay, okay, so some girls (and some guys!) tried to approach me. And some seemed to think I was okay. But I was distracted. Was Killian real? My dream? Would he really be meeting me? Was I honestly a fairy?

On top of that, I quickly learned that Lake Garden Comprehensive was rigorous. Within a day, I had six lessons, and in some subjects, such as Literacy, I did okay. But who signed me up for Ancient Greek? Or Art? I had a sinking feeling that Hunter was involved.

By the time school let out at 4:15... excuse me, at 4.15, I was tired, exhausted. I slung my blazer over my shoulder and left the building. I didn't look around for Killian too much. I was too shot. Besides... something was weird about a guy who showed up in my dreams and claimed to be a wizard.

Something clamped down on my shoulder. I jumped. "Ahhh!"

"Shush, Rider. It's only me, Killian."

I turned. Sure enough, it was him. "You're real!" I blurted.

He smiled. "Yes. And so are you." Then his face fell. "We need to make sure you stay that way."

I stared at him in horror. "What?"

"Come. I'll buy you a coffee. We'll talk over some caffeine, that way maybe you can stay awake."

I followed him into a small cafe. He purchased two drinks and handed one to me. When I tried it, it was bitter, but woke me up almost immediately. Killian smiled, pulled out one of the chairs at a two person table for me, and we both sat across from each other. "Now," he said, "I have to tell you something."

"Rider, you are a fairy. The fairy of wolves. And that is wonderful- your power is amazing. But there's one small issue. Your wings."

"My wings?"

"See, when girls started turning into fairies, they went from human to fairy. They weren't born that way. It's unnatural, but that doesn't mean it's bad. All it means is that the wings don't belong on your body. They're poisoning you. They're poisoning every fairy on Earth."

My hand quivered. I was dying? "So, I won't use them."

Killian shook his head sadly. "Oh, Ri... do you mind if I call you that? It doesn't work that way. They're part of you. It would be like saying you just won't use cancer. The only way to stop it is to get rid of it."

"Wouldn't that mean I wouldn't be a fairy, then?"

"No. In fact, getting rid of your wings will give you even more power. It will make you healthier, stronger. You could be amazing. And I can help you." He leaned forward. "Help us heal the fairies, please Rider. You must let me help you so my brother wizards and I can heal all the girls like you."

I thought. "Will it hurt?"

"Yes. But not as much as dying will. And everything after that will be worth it. You will travel with us, help us. Go back to America."

I thought more. Eventually, I nodded. "Okay. Do it."

Killian and I walked, right into an old abandoned building. Three other men waited, smiling warmly at me. Killian smiled. "Wizards, this is Rider. Rider, these are my brothers- Nyklus, Gunner, and Trudric." The three of them nodded. They all had odd, punky hair: Nyklus blue ponytail, Gunner's purple mohawk, and Trudric's a long, platinum blonde curtain.

"Now that all the pleasantries are finished... Rider, I need you to concentrate hard on your dream, how you looked. Can you do that?"

"Yeah." I closed my eyes, and I thought. Silver shorts silver shirt black boots silver wings

And suddenly... I was dancing. My head was thrown back, as though I were howling. Gloves appeared on my outstretched hands, shorts on my shaking booty. I felt a sharp, but not too sharp, pain as my crescenty, beautiful, fatal wings appeared. When my transformation finished, I took my first- and last- real look at them. "Okay, Killian. I'm ready," I whispered.

He pursed his lips. "I'll do it quick," he promised. "On zero. Three... two..."

And he ripped, before he even got to one. I screamed, louder and longer than I ever had in my life.

Then it was done. I looked at myself. Things had changed- and not just my lack of wings. My shirt and shorts had changed to black. "What happened with my clothes?" I asked.

"The wings were sapping color from them," Nyklus explained.

"Wow."

Killian handed me my ripped, mutilated wings. "Absorb them," he said. "Step into them."

I took them, and pressed them hard into my breasts. Sure enough, I felt a surge of power. The power that they had apparently sapped from me. I felt great, better than I ever had in my life. On top of that, I felt another pressure, down near the end of my back. When I looked, I saw the tail of a wolf. "Cool. That's even cooler than wings," I said, smiling. The pain really had been worth it.

"So. Do you need to say good bye to anyone? Or should we be going? It might be better if we just leave. You're how old, seventeen? Still a minor, though."

"Fifteen. I guess I'll leave my sister an email," I said doubtfully. I didn't mind leaving her... but she would tell my mom, and I hated the idea that mom would be sicker because of me. "I whipped out my phone and began to send something from there.

"When you're done, you'll have to leave that here," Killian said. "Humans can use it to track you."

I sent the email and dropped my iPhone regretfully. "Okay. I'm done."

"Great!" Killian said. "Now, take my hand. We're going to Chicago!"

"How?"

"By transport." He smiled smugly. "You don't need wings to travel in style, Rider."

I grinned. "I guess not." And I fit my gloved hand snugly into his as we disappeared.

Author's Note: Rider belongs to Silverwolforever. What does everyone think?

Next up is Mia Brice, a character created by Faded Book-Look Within.