Chapter Nine- Decided

Lita awoke Thursday morning and reflected on yesterday's talk with Nephlite as she got ready for school. He had given her a lot to think about; indeed she had dreamed that she was a wolf and was racing Nephlite. His joyful laugh had filled her heart with joy and she had laughed too. It was such a happy dream, one Lita knew could come true.

I will be bitten, she thought as she went through school. I'm not going to wait for the full moon to end. Tonight, I will be a wolf. I will go to Nephlite before dark and tell him that I'll be a wolf.

Sapphire blinked as Nephlite slid open his skylight window. "Hunting?" he repeated. "We're going hunting?"

"The perfect time to do so. Vampires prefer to stay indoors, remember? Those that are out like using alleys to ambush their prey. We will go to the park."

"Uh, we don't eat humans, right?"

"We don't. We eat what normal wolves eat. The night we met, I ate a squirrel."

"A squirrel? They're fast, little things, aren't they?"

"Yeah, but we're faster. Anyway, the full mon is usually the best to hunt as we won't run into vampires."

A knock sounded as both men were about to leave. Nephlite looked in the peephole again and saw Lita. Curious, he opened the door and let her in. "It's almost moonrise," he said as he closed the door.

"I know. I made my decision. I'll be a wolf too. A wifewolf, right?"

"Right. Lita, would you do me the honor of being my mate as well?" Nephlite asked, going to one knee.

Lita's eyes widened and then sparkled. "Yes. I had felt that you were the one for me and I would love to be your mate."

Nephlite beamed as he stood and took her hand as they joined Sapphire at the window who congratulated the couple as they climbed out onto the roof.

The sky flared as the sun vanished but Nephlite's side of the roof showed the night sky and the white full moon. Nephlite and Sapphire instantly changed into wolves and Lita got to her knees, eager to be bitten and have her dream from last night become reality.

Nephlite padded over to her and Lita saw love in his gold eyes. She admired his strong body and legs before seeing him wrap his jaws around her arm and she gasped as she felt her flesh being pierced. She then felt a quick burn spread through her before she found herself on four legs with brown fur. She craned her neck to see a lean, strong body also covered in brown fur. She looked forward as Nephlite rubbed his cheek against her own. She returned the gesture.

"Come on, let's go hunt," said Nephlite before leading the way down the fire escape.

Lita followed Nephlite, marveling at how she was able to walk on four legs so easily. Sapphire was behind her and wondered if that was some kind of pack order. Nephlite is a leader as he is the oldest and most experienced out of all of us. I'm his mate, so maybe I have a higher status than Sapphire who was bitten two nights ago.

Sapphire followed Lita and admired her lean yet slender figure. I was wrong thinking she'd make a good vampire. She's better suited to be a wifewolf. Nephlite is lucky to have her as his mate and speaking of Nephlite, I consider him a leader due to age and experience. Lita has a status equal to that because she's his mate. I'm fine with following both of them. The three of us could be a pack; four if Jedite decides to hang out with us.

The trio entered the park and crept through empty paths that led to the woods. Lita flared her nose and her instincts told her what she was picking up. Grass, trees, flowers, dirt, and animals that appealed to her wolf side. But, I've never hunted before. How do I do it?

Nephlite inhaled deeply before saying, "Do either of you smell animals that wolves like?"

"I do," Lita said. "But I don't know exactly what I'm smelling."

"Same here," Sapphire said.

"Okay. I'm scenting rabbits over there." He aimed a paw ahead and to the right. Lita and Sapphire sniffed in that direction and the image of a gray rabbit popped into Lita's mind. "Ah, so that's a rabbit's scent," she said softly.

"Yes," Nephlite said. "Follow me and I will demonstrate how to chase and kill it." Nephlite immediately slunk low as he stalked toward the smell of rabbit with Lita and Sapphire copying him.

Nephlite tapped his hunting skills as he tracked his chosen prey. He often hunted squirrels and rabbits as they were common in a city park. If a deer found its way into a city park, he wouldn't hesitate to hunt and kill it as deer was a rare treat. The scent of the rabbit grew stronger and then he scented two rabbits. Perfect, he thought, licking his chops. He paused behind a bush and kneaded the dirt to make his next move silent. He crouched lower as he took two more steps. His back legs' muscles bunched up before he leaped out from his hiding place. Lita and Sapphire rushed to see Nephlite springing after a rabbit. He planted his paws on its back and Lita was about to see him bite down when movement in front of her made her look down.

A second rabbit was there and trying to get away from the two wolves who had suddenly appeared. It was fatter than its companion but still fast. Lita's new hunting skills kicked in and she lunged forward, her jaws latching onto the neck before she bit down. She felt it go limp in her mouth before she released it and howled at a successful kill.

Nephlite turned at the howl, his kill still in his mouth, and saw a dead rabbit at Lita's paws. His tail swished as he went over and released his catch. "Very nice, Lita," he commented.

"I didn't think, I just acted," she said. "I suddenly knew what to do."

"That was your hunting instinct," Nephlite said. "We're wolves right now and that includes the instincts."

"He's right," came a new voice before a blond wolf came into view. He flashed a wolf's grin.

"Jedite," Nephlite said. "Out hunting yourself?"

"Already did and it was good. So, I see a pretty wifewolf. I take it this is the one you were courting?"

"Yes. This is Lita. Lita, this is Jedite a vampire hunter and Sapphire's boss."

"And I should get some sleep for work tomorrow. But first, I was wondering if you three were a pack and if I could join."

"I hadn't thought of us being a pack," Nephlite said. "But I suppose we are and of course you can join."

"Great. Well, I'll see you at work, Sapphire. Eleven o' clock."

Sapphire nodded as Jedite left. He looked forward to his first job in years since he became a drifter. But I'm not a drifter anymore. I have a home and a job. Plus, I'm a werewolf and have a pack.

"Who wants to race?" Lita asked suddenly.

"I do," Nephlite said. "But first, let's eat."

All three laid down and tore into their prey. Nephlite felt content as he ate. He had a pack again and a mate. The courting didn't take long as Lita was a werewolf fan and she liked me almost instantly. He got up and stretched in preparation for a race with his new mate.

The End