Chapter Text
Enid Sinclair
June 22
When she opened her eyes that morning, the first thing she noticed was that she was covered by sheets that hugged her gently. The room was almost dark, indicating that it was still early. The house was silent, and the song of birds came through the slightly open window that faced the forest.
When she tried to move a little, she immediately felt pain in her limbs, causing a small grimace on her face. Her body was tense, and her neck felt like concrete.
She looked to her right, where her siblings’ beds were, and saw that they were empty, with no trace of them.
“How strange,” thought the blonde, but she pushed the thought away as quickly as it came.
Her mouth felt extremely dry, accompanied by a thirst that could drain an entire lake. Her memories of the previous night were hazy, images so blurry that she could barely make sense of what had happened.
She remembered being carried there by someone, probably her father, placing her on the bed just before she lost consciousness. But right before that, she remembered being in the forest, in wolf form.
It had been nothing like the first time she wolfed out in Nevermore. That night had been chaotic, but even so, she had been able to maintain some level of awareness throughout. She remembered running through the forest until she crossed paths with the Hyde, knocking him down abruptly before he could hurt Wednesday.
All she remembered now felt like a feverish dream, distant and confusing. One moment she was atop a rock, after playing for a few minutes with her siblings, and the next she was running through the trees, diving into the darkness of the forest, until she collided with something. And after that… nothing.
She remembered the sensations, the feel of the grass under her paws, the wind hitting her snout, but no images appeared; everything was black.
Her head ached just from trying to think about it. Her whole body seemed unwilling to do anything other than lie in that bed. Her eyes were about to close when the door opened and a male figure peeked through the doorway. When she turned, she made eye contact with him.
“Good morning, kiddo,” her father murmured, and despite the dim light, the wolf was able to discern a smile on his face. “How do you feel?”
“Like I got hit by a truck,” she replied in a hoarse voice, trying to sit up in bed and feeling the pain in her muscles again.
“We’ll leave in an hour to avoid traffic. Do you want me to prepare some breakfast? I brought your cereals and your favorite yogurt,” he said softly, leaning against the doorframe.
Enid thought for a moment, still a bit drowsy. She wasn’t hungry, but the idea of something sweet was tempting, even though it was too early for that.
“Sounds good,” she whispered with a smile. “What time is it?”
“Almost six,” he replied, walking across the room to the window, pulling the curtain aside so the fresh morning breeze could enter.
The wolf frowned, slightly confused.
“You were already awake?” she asked.
“I don’t sleep much after the full moon. Also, I had to prepare some things before we left, I don’t want any rush later.” He looked out the window for a moment, and the blonde thought she saw him about to say something, before subtly shaking his head and turning toward her with his usual smile. “I’ll wait for you in the kitchen. Don’t take too long, or the cereal will get soggy.”
And with that, he left.
Enid found it strange, but again, she preferred to ignore it. She sat up fully in bed, removing the sheet before standing. She moved her arms in circles for a few minutes, trying to ease the discomfort she felt, and did the same with her legs and neck until she felt some flexibility return, enough to move without seeming robotic.
She bent down by the bed, where her backpack was, and took out her toothbrush and toothpaste, walking to the bathroom to do her morning routine before breakfast. Once finished, she took a quick shower and changed into similar clothes: shorts and a short-sleeve t-shirt, walking to the kitchen without bothering to brush her hair.
Upon arrival, her father was seated at the table with a coffee and a plate of waffles, and in front of an empty chair, a bowl of cereal with strawberry yogurt.
“Where are Mom and the boys?” she asked softly, noticing their absence.
“Your mother went to get gas, and your brothers wanted to join her, probably hoping she’d buy them something from the station, you know them,” he replied, gesturing to the chair for her to sit.
Enid simply nodded, sitting down. She ate her cereal slowly, letting the silence settle between them as they finished their respective breakfasts.
Curiosity grew within her, even with gaps in her memory from the previous night. She had a strange sensation in her chest, not exactly identifiable, but she felt it. It was like her body vibrated whenever she thought about it, as if reacting to something.
“Dad?” she murmured quietly, unsure.
“Hm?” her father replied, having gotten up from the table to wash the dishes.
Enid hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.
“What happened last night?” she finally asked, eyes fixed on her hands, then lifting them to make eye contact with him, now standing in the doorway separating the kitchen from the small dining area. “I remember the first part of the night, but after that, nothing. I know you were the one who brought me back to my bed, but that’s all.”
Her father smiled in a reassuring gesture.
“It’s normal for the first times to be confusing. Don’t worry about it, you’ll get used to it over time. Are your muscles feeling okay? I see it’s hard for you to hold the spoon,” he joked, drying his hands on a towel slung over his shoulder, his voice calm.
“I didn’t know it would hurt this much. That didn’t happen during my first transformation,” she replied with a grimace, massaging her arms.
“All full moons are different. Besides, you hunted a bear, that’s no small feat,” he said naturally, as if that fact were trivial.
The blonde froze in place, her eyes wide. The only sound in the cabin was the abrupt clatter of the metal spoon falling.
“What?”
“A black bear,” he repeated. “You beat your brothers, well done.” He winked, looking proud.
Enid couldn’t believe it.
Her? Hunting a bear? Well, it hadn’t been exactly her, it had been her wolf, but even so, it seemed crazy. The first thing she thought of was the joke she had made in her letter to Wednesday about having to hunt one to have her own horse.
Wow, I’m the queen of manifestation!, she joked to herself, before realizing she had frozen in her seat, a terrified expression on her face, hands immobile at the sides of the bowl.
“Finish your breakfast. Your mother and brothers will be back soon,” he said, disregarding her comically horrified expression, disappearing back into the kitchen.
Enid nodded awkwardly, not noticing the man’s clear evasiveness on the subject. She turned to her bowl and finished the few remaining cereals at the bottom.
When she was done, she got up without much enthusiasm, walking toward the sink as her father passed by and headed to his room. Cold water ran over her hands as she rinsed the bowl, while her mind still wandered through the sparse memories of the previous night. She didn’t recall encountering a bear, the dark silhouette she had seen wasn’t even remotely similar.
Where could that bear be now? She had no idea how the presentation process for a new wolf in the pack worked; she had never attended an event like that.
Had her parents left the animal’s body in the forest? She hoped so; otherwise, she would vomit more than once on the way home knowing a corpse was in the car. And whatever the procedure was with the pack, she hoped it would be quick, she had already endured enough disapproving and disappointed faces in the past to now suddenly be greeted with smiles and hugs as if nothing had happened.
She finished drying everything when she heard the roar of an engine shutting off in front of the cabin, followed by the car door slamming and her siblings’ voices. The girl looked up toward the window, though all she could see was the silhouette of nearby tree branches swaying with the soft breeze.
She dried her hands with a towel and left the kitchen, walking to the small dining area. At that moment, the front door opened and her siblings entered, carrying bottles of juice and snack packs for the trip back.
She stood there, expectant, with her hands clasped behind her back, holding them in a grip that gave her slight comfort. Her siblings froze abruptly upon seeing her, paralyzed for a couple of seconds, as if surprised by her presence. It lasted barely a second, but it was enough for the wolf to notice.
“We brought you this,” one of them finally said, breaking the stillness with a clumsy gesture, handing her a bag of chips.
Enid raised her eyebrows. Usually, when her siblings bought things, instead of offering her any, they would flaunt the snacks they had earned by accompanying one of their parents on errands.
“Thanks?” she replied with a slight smile, taking the bag in her hands.
She then heard footsteps to her left. When she turned, her mother was in the doorway, eyes fixed on her. She watched silently, evaluating her as she always did. Enid felt the gaze pierce her, chilling her spine, while the woman broke the silence with a question that completely unarmed her.
“How do you feel?” she asked. Her voice, as sharp and cold as always, did not match the tenor of the question, and the wolf blinked a couple of times, as if suddenly being spoken to in a language she didn’t understand.
Enid couldn’t remember the last time her mother had shown anything resembling concern. The simple question hit her like a bucket of cold water.
Suddenly, a switch flipped inside her body. Her heart, which had been beating at a normal rhythm until then, sped up violently, hammering against her ribs. Blood rushed to her head, coloring her face with a furious blush that extended to the tips of her ears. Everything inside her became chaos: her mind, struggling to process the moment, seemed to short-circuit, while her hands clenched into fists at her sides, gripping the fabric of her shorts tightly, ready to flee from an enemy her brain hadn’t yet identified.
She managed to control the expression on her face, which remained a mask of indifference, but inside, it was a storm. Her mouth was dry, and her tongue felt heavy, refusing to form words. It took her a few seconds to find her voice.
“F-fine, I think… just a little sore,” she replied, feeling completely exposed.
Her mother stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. Then, she nodded ever so slightly and looked away, completely ignoring the torrent of emotions she had unleashed.
“The car’s ready,” she announced, looking at Murray, who had quietly entered the dining area. “We need to load the things.”
“Got it," he replied without hesitation, moving quickly. “Jaden, take the boxes from the room, and you two,” he said, pointing to the other two siblings, “make room in the car.”
The three kids followed orders quickly, leaving the snacks on the table. Enid squeezed the bag of chips in her hands, looking at everyone present, waiting for some sort of instruction for herself, suddenly feeling a bit lost.
“Grab your things and get in the car.” This time it was her mother speaking, still standing by the front door. The order was direct, and her voice, as harsh as always, gave no options.
The blonde nodded and quickly walked to her room.
As she packed her clothes in her backpack along with her toiletries, she couldn’t help but frown, lost in thought.
She had felt a strange vibe in the air ever since she had opened her eyes less than an hour ago. Everyone seemed to act relatively normal, yet something unsettled her, and she couldn’t quite identify what it was.
She tried to reason with herself, telling herself it had been a complicated night due to her abrupt transformation in front of her family, which clearly marked a before and after in the dynamics they had had for years. But that didn’t calm her racing heart, which seemed to pump blood as fast as if she had run a marathon.
She only hoped the trip back would pass quickly. All she wanted was to lock herself in her room and sleep before having to take care of the animals again. She was exhausted, and her mind was so clouded that everything around her seemed like an illusion; her body moved on autopilot.
She arranged and folded the bed sheets, leaving it just as she had found it. When she finished, she turned off the lights and closed the window, finally leaving the room to go outside, where the car was already running and the sound of the engine was the only thing audible besides her siblings’ voices as they moved back and forth, arranging the things in the trunk.
She simply leaned back in the seat once she got in, took her headphones out of her pocket, and put on one of her many playlists. The music quickly chased away her thoughts, and she allowed herself to close her eyes as her family settled in. A few minutes later, everyone was in their places, and the car slowly began to leave the cabin.
The blonde slept through the whole trip, waking abruptly when she felt a slight shake on her left shoulder from her father upon arrival. Lazily, she climbed the stairs to her room, completely ignoring her family’s glances. She kicked off her shoes, tossing them aside carelessly, and flopped onto the bed, letting sleep take over her again.
She would have time to take care of her responsibilities later; all she could think about in that moment was sleeping.
[…]
June 23
Today their training sessions with their siblings were starting. Their father had taken them not far from the property, walking a couple of minutes along a trail until they reached the designated spot.
The wolf had dressed in a pair of shorts and a sleeveless shirt, a few sizes larger than she usually wore. Since the day before, she had felt somewhat restless, as if she needed to be in constant motion, and the friction of the clothes against her skin only heightened that feeling, so this time she preferred loose clothing.
“Since it’s Enid’s first day, we’re going to take it easy today,” her father said, setting down his backpack, containing water bottles, next to a tree. “Let’s see how fast you are.”
The place was an open clearing, with short grass and the uneven marks of an improvised soccer goal in the back. Enid had seen her brothers play there many times before, along with other kids from the pack.
“First, you’ll run around,” he explained, pointing with his arm to the improvised perimeter. “We’ll see how many seconds it takes each of you to complete the full lap. Jaden first, then Marcus, Caleb, and finally Enid.”
Her father held a watch in his left hand, ready to time each one. Jaden drew a line on the ground with his shoe to mark the starting line, and once ready, he got into position.
“All right, then… Go!” he announced abruptly, giving little time for preparation.
Her brother started running, taking a confident, firm stride, and completed the lap quickly, almost effortlessly. Their father nodded in satisfaction as he stopped the stopwatch.
Marcus ran the course a few seconds later, followed by Caleb, who was much slower compared to the two older boys, earning a small tease from Jaden, who was stretching in the shade.
When it was Enid’s turn, she could already feel her palms sweating.
She had never been a slow girl; during the time she participated in the track club at Nevermore, she had positioned herself among the fastest more than once. But that had been some time ago, which was a significant gap regarding her current physical performance.
She shook her hands nervously and walked to the line, positioning herself. Her heart was hammering in her chest, not only from nervousness but also from that restless energy that had been chasing her since yesterday.
“Ready… go!”
Her legs responded immediately, with a force that even surprised her. The fresh air hit her face, and the ground passed under her sneakers with unexpected lightness. When she rounded the final curve and stopped at the line, she looked at her father expectantly, catching her breath.
“Wow, you beat Caleb by almost five seconds,” her father announced, raising his eyebrows in evident surprise.
Caleb opened his mouth, incredulous.
“What?! Impossible!” he exclaimed, and his brothers began laughing.
“We told you, you’re a damn turtle,” Jaden said, sitting on the ground.
“Don’t insult the turtle,” Marcus joked, teasing the youngest. Enid couldn’t help but laugh too, and while the boys continued to tease each other, she walked toward her father, who was watching her with a smile.
“How do you feel?” the man asked, placing a hand on her head in a caring gesture.
The wolf gave him a small grimace.
“I hate running, and I hate sweating even more,” she complained.
The sun was shining high in the sky, and they had the bad luck of it being much hotter than usual that day, putting the girl in a bad mood. She loved summer, it was her favorite season alongside spring, but that didn’t prevent her from getting irritated whenever the sun seemed determined to burn her skin mercilessly.
“Well, you’ll have to get used to it from now on. Part of being a wolf is staying in good shape; transforming during a full moon isn’t enough,” the man clarified. “You run fast, that’s good. If you train more, you’ll probably beat Jaden.”
“Never!” the boy responded, visibly offended and amused at the same time. “I’m the fastest in the pack; no one takes my spot.”
“You’re not the fastest, that’s Luci,” Marcus said.
“She’s a professional athlete, that doesn’t count,” the eldest argued again.
“Of course it counts, you just don’t admit it because she’s faster than you,” he countered.
“Okay, stop arguing. Let’s continue,” their father interrupted, nodding toward a shaded area under a large tree.
He had them do a few basic exercises: push-ups, sit-ups, short jumps, and some stretching. It wasn’t an intense routine, more of an introduction to get Enid used to the pace. The brothers took it as a joke, competing with each other over who did more reps, while Murray reminded them to maintain proper form. As for the blonde, she felt like her muscles were about to explode. She definitely preferred hockey exercises.
They took breaks periodically, which the wolf deeply appreciated. The heat was suffocating; it felt like the air didn’t reach her lungs, and no matter how much water she drank, her thirst kept growing. After approximately two hours, the training finally ended, giving a break to the four young ones lying on the ground.
“Before we go, how about a game?” her father announced.
The kids immediately looked up, expectant.
“What kind of game?” Marcus asked, wiping sweat with his shirt.
Murray opened his backpack, took out a handkerchief, and held it up.
“Someone holds the handkerchief and runs, the others have to catch them. If the runner keeps the handkerchief until I call ‘stop,’ they win. Decide among yourselves who starts.”
Reluctantly, Enid got up from the ground, sore from all the exercises, and drank some water from her bottle before approaching. They arranged themselves in a semicircle and quickly played rock-paper-scissors to see who would be the loser. After several rounds, Caleb lost, becoming the one who had to run. His brother growled resignedly as Murray tied the handkerchief to his arm.
“You have ten seconds to run before they chase you,” his father explained.
Caleb didn’t waste any time and shot off toward the area most covered by trees, disappearing quickly. Enid adjusted her laces and prepared to run as soon as her father gave the signal.
She liked having a little fun and not having everything be a responsibility. After all, she would have to gather the livestock once they got home, so playing a game beforehand seemed like a good idea.
As soon as her father shouted for them to start, the three siblings ran in the direction Caleb had fled, scattering among the bushes.
The place was quiet, making it easy to hear if someone was nearby or running. The dry branches on the ground made hiding difficult, which only made the game more entertaining.
The game quickly became fast and chaotic. Between laughter, shouts, and footsteps that sometimes ended in stumbles, the siblings dashed at full speed, trying to corner Caleb, who dodged as best he could and vanished among the trees again and again. No matter how slow he was, he was slippery.
The blonde moved a little away from the group, venturing into an area with taller bushes. She moved slowly, careful not to make too much noise with the dry branches under her sneakers. Her breathing was heavy but controlled, ears alert.
After a few minutes of walking, a crunch behind her made her stop abruptly. She slowly turned her head, her heart suddenly racing, leaving her confused.
A bush seemed to move, and in that instant, she felt a tingling run up her arms, making the hairs on her neck stand on end. A familiar pressure, like a tingling, ran through her fingernails, and her palate ached as if something were pushing from inside. When she tried to bite her lips, she felt a pinch, they had grown fangs without her noticing.
It all happened in mere seconds, almost instantaneously. The wolf was confused. A slight dizziness took over her head, leaving her dazed. Sounds began to fade, and she felt as if her feet were floating in the air.
Suddenly, a figure jumped out of the bush with a sudden motion.
“Boo!”
That’s what she heard before her body reacted on its own, long before her brain could register anything.
With a swift movement, her claws grabbed what seemed to be a piece of cloth and shoved it forcefully, making it hit the ground with a thud. Her hands then sought something else, and upon finding it, clenched tightly, leaving no chance to escape.
“Hey, it’s a joke!” she heard once more, though she couldn’t quite tell where it was coming from. Her breathing was ragged, her gaze lost, her fingers tightening even more.
“Enid! Let go of me!” the voice screamed, panic evident in the tone, but that only fueled her rage.
Then she heard footsteps behind her, along with arms wrapping tightly around her waist, pulling her backward. The wolf struggled, unwilling to be separated from her target, but gradually she lost her grip, releasing the body beneath her.
“Enid, enough!” This time it was another voice, accompanied by hands shaking her shoulders.
She resisted for a few seconds, breathing erratically, oxygen surging into her lungs, yet still feeling suffocated. Her chest rose and fell wildly, eyes wide open. And after what felt like an eternity, as if a blindfold had been removed, Enid was finally able to see.
Everything around her spun, and a figure began to take shape in front of her. The tingling in her hands subsided, and she felt her fangs returning to their normal size, retracting.
She blinked a few times, and her father’s worried face quickly caught her attention. She looked around, confused, and saw Jaden lying on the ground to her left, coughing hard and staring at her with wide eyes, he looked scared.
What the hell?
“Breathe, Enid,” her father said, still holding her shoulders and keeping her steady.
“I… what?” she managed to say, confusion beginning to give way to fear.
Murray held her, bringing one of her hands to her arm, gently massaging the area with his thumbs.
“Calm down, it’s okay. Just breathe,” he said softly, never taking his eyes off her.
At that moment, another voice appeared: Marcus approached, smiling, holding a red handkerchief in his right hand.
“I got it! I won!”
He ran toward them but stopped abruptly, seeing the tension in the air. His eyes flicked from Jaden on the ground to Enid and her father.
“What happened?”
Murray looked at him seriously and shook his head, but didn’t answer.
“I didn’t mean… I-I don’t know what happened,” she spoke again, her eyes stinging with tears threatening to fall.
“Shh, it’s okay, it’s over. It was just a scare,” her father comforted her, then glanced at Jaden. “Are you okay?”
Her brother nodded, massaging his neck gently.
“It was my fault, I attacked her from behind,” he said in a hoarse voice, and Marcus helped him to get up.
“I think that’s enough. Let’s go home,” her father said with authority, a tone he rarely used.
Her siblings nodded and began walking quickly, leaving the two of them alone. The wolf could hear Caleb’s curious voice in the distance, along with the murmur of the others, but she tried to ignore them. Instead, she turned her head and faced her father.
“Sorry.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. These things happen. The full moon was two days ago; I should have given you more rest,” he said, helping her to stand.
Her body still seemed to vibrate, but the sensation gradually faded. She didn’t understand what had happened, her body and mind had acted on their own, and the fear that ran through her bones terrified her. It was as if she had been on the verge of a panic attack, but instead of freezing, every cell in her body had activated.
A mild migraine began to throb in her temples, and the afternoon light only made it worse. She tried to step firmly as she walked, trying to regain sensitivity in her limbs.
She felt guilty. Shit, she had attacked her own brother.
Yes, he scared her, but that had happened countless times before, it was how they joked with each other, and there was no reason to have reacted that way.
Her mother would be furious when she found out. Oh Lord, she would be, and she needed to mentally prepare for the scolding. She deserved it, after all.
She walked silently beside her father toward the house, unable even to look him in the eyes. The anguish in her chest was so oppressive, it felt like it could crack her ribs at any moment.
[…]
She closed the last gate just as the sun was about to sink below the horizon. The temperature had dropped considerably, but traces of the scorching afternoon still lingered.
She was wearing a different outfit than earlier that day. She had refused to stay inside the house for more than fifteen minutes, the time it took for a quick shower to wash off all the sweat and dirt, and had run to the farm, where the animals were waiting.
It took her almost twice as long to gather the livestock and get them into the pens, obviously with the goal of missing dinner. She didn’t know how to face the situation, no matter how much her father insisted that everything was fine.
Jaden had told her he wasn’t angry and that he completely understood that his prank hadn’t been in good taste. Still, the guilt refused to leave her chest.
For a moment, she mustered enough courage to enter the house and grab something to eat, but when she heard the family car park and saw the silhouette of her mother stepping out, all her bravery vanished in an instant, leaving her standing there, watching from a distance.
Now she was walking back, and before entering, she noticed the kitchen lights were the only ones on. Her fingers trembling, she turned the doorknob, wincing at the creak of the door as it opened.
She slipped inside quietly, trying to make as little noise as possible, and then caught murmurs coming from the kitchen that drew her attention. She recognized the voices, it was her parents.
Shit.
Had her father told her mother what had happened?
Obviously, she told herself. Besides being parents, they were a couple, and an important rule in a couple was to share everything, especially if it involved one child trying to hurt another.
“The doctor will tell us exactly what to do,” she heard her mother’s voice.
Doctor?
Then she remembered the form she needed to fill out and submit to the hockey club. They would have to wait until Monday for a doctor to check her.
She took a few more steps, trying to listen better to the conversation, but the sound of a chair moving and footsteps in her direction made her startle. Then a male figure emerged from the doorway.
“There you are,” the man said softly, with a small smile and an unusual calmness.
Enid stood straight, hands at her sides, fidgeting with the fabric of her shirt. Due to the extreme heat, she had stopped wearing her overalls, the last thing she wanted was heatstroke while taking the animals out to graze or cleaning the pens.
“Uh, hi,” she replied, disguising her nervousness as best she could.
“Are you hungry? I saved some dinner for you.”
She was about to refuse, since accepting meant stepping into the kitchen and facing her mother, but her stomach demanded food, and the rumble only confirmed it. Her father smiled, understanding, and tilted his head for her to come in.
Enid hesitated for a moment but finally agreed. As soon as she touched the kitchen door, she saw her mother.
She was leaning against the sink, arms crossed at chest level, her gaze fixed on the window, looking outside. The blonde watched her expectantly, waiting for the woman to turn and give her one of her usual looks.
But it didn’t happen. She heard a sigh, then the woman walked past her. The wolf froze, taking a step back, unsure how to react. Surely she would yell, or maybe deliver one of her reproachful lines. But instead, the woman simply passed by as if nothing happened, as if she weren’t even standing there, as if she hadn’t seen the tangled nerves before her.
That silence weighed more than any scolding. Her chest tightened with painful anguish.
She stood frozen for a few seconds, unable to understand. Her fingers tensed against the doorframe, and just as she began to relax from the absence of the woman, her female voice sounded behind her.
“Enid.”
She straightened quickly but couldn’t bring herself to turn.
“Yes?” she managed to say.
Alright, here comes the scolding. Get ready, she told herself.
“There’s a pack meeting tomorrow. You need to be ready by nine.” And with that, without waiting for a response, she heard her mother’s footsteps fade away. The echo dwindled, leaving only the hum of the refrigerator.
And her father, of course. He appeared at that moment, approaching with a steaming plate of macaroni and cheese with half-cooked meat.
He handed it to her with a tired smile.
“Thanks…” Enid said, taking the plate with both hands. “Can I eat in my room? I’m exhausted.”
“Of course, no problem,” he replied gently, stepping closer to place a small kiss on her head. “Good night, kiddo. Rest well.”
The wolf smiled and gave him a side hug, holding the plate with her other hand.
“Good night for you too”
She turned on her heels and walked toward the stairs, climbing slowly to avoid spilling the full plate. When she reached her room, she finally exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
She set the plate on her desk and went to the bathroom for one last quick shower before her food cooled.
But as the water relaxed her muscles, all she could think about were the events of the past few days.
Her mother was acting strange.
It felt odd that she hadn’t scolded her for what had happened hours earlier. The woman had never let such a situation pass, not even with her brothers. Whatever the mistake, she always made it known.
Always, except today.
Shit, she hadn’t even looked at her. She simply walked past so quickly that the young wolf couldn’t read her expression.
Was she angry? Disappointed?
It had always been easy for her to read most of her mother’s expressions, especially when she was angry. She could tell from the slight purse of her lips or the tightening of her eyelids when seeing something displeasing.
There were times when it was impossible to know what emotion ran through her mind, and this was one of those times. That unsettled her even more, as she didn’t know if she was treading dangerous ground.
Though, when it came to her mother, it was always dangerous ground.
But it wasn’t just that.
Since the full moon, she hadn’t stopped watching her.
Subtly, enough to scan her from head to toe without anyone noticing. But with her experience, Enid always noticed.
Yet she never said anything.
Her authoritarian personality, which Enid had been accustomed to for so many years, seemed to have vanished.
She no longer commented on her clothing, her way of eating, or her gait. Since stepping foot in the house, silence had reigned between them.
Not even when she had broken a major wolf rule about not harming each other had the woman said a word.
She should be happy. She should. But all she could think about was how irritating it was. So many words, so many speeches, so many critiques about her inability to transform like a normal wolf, only to receive nothing when she finally wolfed out.
Where was that promised reward? Where was what she had been longing for all those years?
She had never believed she’d miss painful words from her own mother. But in that moment, she realized it was all she knew from her.
Her silence hurt, and there was nothing she could do about it.
She slowly turned off the tap and wrapped herself in a towel, stepping out of the shower. She dried her hair roughly and put on her favorite pajamas before heading to her desk, where a plate of food awaited her, still steaming.
Despite the bad taste the day had left her with, she tried to focus on the food. Her mind kept sending uncomfortable thoughts, but she made an effort to ignore them. In less than five minutes, the plate was empty.
With her teeth brushed and the plate washed in the kitchen, she finally crawled under her colorful sheets. Her eyelids felt heavy, like lead, pulling her quickly into a deep, thankfully peaceful sleep.