The crisp autumn morning makes Ellie's cheeks tingle as she opens her eyes. She blinks a few times to bring the world into focus. Ellie looks around to see the tops of pine trees swaying in the wind, and judging by the warm tones in the sky; it's early morning. Then she turned her attention to the fact that she was wet from the morning dew, which caused her body to shiver. Ellie pulled herself up into a seated position on the forest floor, she started to rub her eyes, trying to get the sleep out and that when she felt something sticky on her hands. She looked down and a red substance stain on her hands. She knew right away; it was blood thanks to her years of going hunting with her father. But where did the blood came from? The smell was intense; it made her queasy or hungry; she thought as her stomach growled. Startled, she started to look around and saw something a few yards away. She couldn't make out the shape thanks to the overgrowth in the woods. Ellie slowly started to crawl over on all fours, hastened by what she might find. The closer she got, the more the shape took more of a noticed form.

Is that… a body?

Ellie has always seen news stories about bodies being discovered in the woods around here, and now she believes she was about to be part of a new story. The headline will read "Lost Local Girl covered in blood found with a dead body. Could she be the murder?" Ellie shook her head, trying to get the thought away as she inched closer. A familiar smell hit her nose, and fear started to overcome her.

Farren!

Ellie quickly made her way over to the body and paused. What if this is him? What happened to them last night? The last thing that she could remember was them walking home from the diner? The body was on his sides with the back facing her, Ellie knew from the clothes and the smell that it was indeed Farren. She gently pulled him over to his back and froze from the sight she saw. Farren was covered in blood with an open wound on his shoulder; it looked as if something took a chunk of his neck and shoulder. Panic started to take over Ellie as she looked down at her boyfriend. She looked around where they were; nothing gave her a clue on how they got there. Ellie felt around in her sweatshirt pocket for her cell phone. She went to dial 911 then stop. What would she tell them? Would they think she was the one who did this? Scared, she pulled up her recent calls list and tapped on Averett's name.

"Hey, El Wha-"

"I Need help! Something happened! AND - AND I don't know what to do."

Ellie's vision started to blur from the tears, gathering in her eyes. A sob escaped from her as she looked down at Farren.

"Ok. Ok, calm down. Where are you"? Averett said, trying to calm Ellie down.

Ellie looks around the wooded area that surrounds her to see if anything will give her a clue to where she is. Through the pine needles and oak leaves, she sees a familiar shape, the old water tower that sat outside of town. She could make up the graffiti and the fade red "fuck this town" writing on the side.

"I'm in the woods somewhere on the edge of town, and I can see the water tower."

"Ok, I'm coming. Stay where you are". Ellie could hear movement in the background of the call, reassuring her that he was coming to help her.

"Should I call the sheriff"? There was a pause before Averett replied with a short no then hung up.

That was just like Averett to come and help her when she got herself into a mess or even when Farren got into a mess. Now, it was both of them in a bloody mess. How was he going to get them out of this one?

***

Averett got out of his Aunt's car and looked around the area under the water tower. He looked around at the edge of the woods before he made his way in. He knew where he was at, and these woods were considered part of the old park in town. People in town use the old trails to cut through part of town. Averett stopped and sniffed the air. The cool breeze brought him a familiar metallic smell. That smell brought out a desire in him that he suppressed as he followed the scent. The further he went into the woods, the stronger the smell got, with it, new fragrances as well that were familiar to him as well. The new knowledge quickened his pace as he came upon two figures, one hunch over another. He knew from the long blonde hair that it was Ellie and the size of the other figure on the ground that it was Farren.

Averett covered his mouth and nose as he scoped out the area, he could tell from the smell that there was a lot of blood and he had a bad feeling he knew who it belonged to. He stepped closer to the two, so he could be noticed, but Ellie never moved. He looked her up and down, mentally checking to see if she was physically ok. When he saw her hands covered in blood, he walked up beside her and gently tapped her shoulder.

"Ellie." He gave her a nudge at her, still no answer.

He grabbed her chin and turned her to face him. Blood and tear-stained her face as she looked up at him.

"Ellie, what happened?". Averett gently moves the matted hair from Ellie's face and wipes away some of the blood. Ellie's eyes shift back and forth behind the two guys as she tries to catch her breath.

"I don't-I do- I think I did this."

Her body sags against Averett, Averett looks between his two friends, realizing his worst fear is coming true before him. Not knowing what to do, he gets up and reaches for his phone.

"I'm calling my Aunts, and they will know what to do."

"Why"?

Averett didn't answer her, just listen to the rings, praying that one of them would pick up.

"Averett'!

Averett looks over at her with an anxious look on his face. Unsure how to tell her. Then he hears the phone click.

"Hello, sweetie."

"Aunt Ava, its Averett. Can you put Auntie on"?

"Hello? Averett?"

"Auntie, I-- We need help. How soon can you get to the water tower"?

"Averett, what's going on"? Aunt G said with confusion and fear in her voice.

"I will tell you more when you get here."

Averett hangs up and looks over at Ellie, now scared and confused. Averett slowly kneels by her and motions her to move. He looks over his friend's body for wounds.

"Ellie, are you ok to walk?" Averett places his arms under Farren's body, like getting ready, getting ready to cradle him. Ellie nods and stands up.

"What are you doing? Farren is as big a--" Ellie stopped mid-sentence when Aeverrtt quickly picks up Farren like he weighs nothing. Averett turns and walks towards the direction of the water tower. Ellie flows behind in awed and shocked by what is happening. Shocked at how strong Averett is, like unnaturally strong, he is and shocked that he is carrying Farren's unconscious body out of the woods to where his aunts will be waiting for them. Why didn't Averett want her to call the sheriff? Yeah, the sheriff was an asshole, but that's not a reason to not call him. Just what was his family part of? Did it have to do with her and Farren now?

The group made their way out of the woods to the water tower, where they found Aunt G waiting for them. When she saw them, her eyes grew wide, and the military general took over. She ran up to the group.

"Averett, what happens?!" She starts to palpate Farren's body for wounds. When she pulled her hand away from his arm and found it covered in blood

"Averett"! Aunt Ava cried as she came up next to Aunt G, she gasped when she looked at Farren" s body in Averett's arms.

"Did you--"

"No, He was attacked by something," Averett said as he readjusts the body in his arms.

" What? A mountain lion,"? Aunt G said, confused.

Mountain lions were part of the wildlife in East Texas, but it was very rare to be attacked by one this close to the city.

Ellie clears her throat, getting all of their attention.

"I believe I did it."

The two Aunts and Aeverrtt exchanges look over the new claim.

" HOW?! It wasn't a full moon last night, and you can only change during a full moon"!

" How? Full moon? Changing? What are you talking about? Ellie took a step back away from the group.

Aunt G looks over to her nephew.

"I thought you told her"

"I haven't had the time to."

A hint of annoyance made the corner of Aunt G lips twitch. Rage started to run through her body as she thought of a plan.

" Averett, get him in my car. We can't explain things here," She pointed to her nephew. She turns to Ava.

"Ava, take Averett's car to the house and call Elliana's parents and let them know she is ok. They must be worried sick. "Ava nods, kisses her partner, and pulls out her phone while she makes her way to the other car.

She finally turns to Ellie.

"In my car, front seat, now."

Ellie nodded and made her way to the car. Averett was in the back seat with Farren's head in his lap. Farren looked so pale from the massive blood loss.

Aunt G let out a long breath and made her way to the driver's side of the car. She put the car in drive and pressed hard on the gas. Dirt flies up as they make their way out. Once on the main road, she turns and looks at Ellie.

"Elliana"

"Yes, Maam,"?

" Tell me everything." Aunt G said as she shifted gears and speed down the highway.

Ellie watches the trees go by as she tries to playback the night in her head. The last thing she could remember was the two of them leaving the diner, then nothing. She looks over to Aunt G.

"I really can't recall last night. It's like I was blacked out or something". Ellie then remembered she felt something last night; the memory sent her system into overload; the familiar feeling came showing itself. Ellie shifted in the leather seat as she tried to focus on a detail from last night, anything that could get her mind and body to calm down. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the guys in the back seat with Farren's head in Avevert lap, and he was breathing, but barely. Now, Ellie could feel Averett gaze on her. Like he was getting anxious, waiting on her answer.

"I felt weird before everything went black. I felt like a whole different person. I had this- this urge?

" An urge? Did you notice anything else?"

Ellie frowned as she thought more of the night then shook her head, but just when she was about to say. She remembers the sound, the sound that hunted her for days. The thumping sounds of Farren's heartbeat.

"Yes, I could hear--hear his heartbeat, I could hear everything around me."

Ellie looks over at Averett, who is now looking over to his Aunt G. There was silence as the sports car shifted down a gear. Aunt G looked in her rearview mirror at her nephew until he made eye contact with her. He nodded at her like they had a secret conversation that only the two of them were part of.

"Averett, it's time." The sudden break in the silence made Ellie shift in her seat. She turned in her seat to look at Averett in the small back seat. Both of the guys looked like sardines in a can, but something told Ellie that it wasn't the cramp shapes that made Averett look uncomfortable. She couldn't get him to look her in the eyes for more than a few seconds. It was like he was trying not to make eye contact with her. When she finally got ahold of his hazel-green eyes, she felt heat pinch her cheeks. Embarrassed, Ellie, she shifted her eyes off of him.

"Elliana, you have nothing to worry about, Farren will be ok, but there is something you need to tell you that might example everything that is happening."

Ellie's attention locked on to Averett; he never used her full name; he was the one who came up with shortened her name to Ellie.

"Elli," Averett shifted his body to adjust himself and Farren's head, which was still cradled in his lap.

"Ellie, the night you got hurt. You didn't fall; you were attacked by something" He took in a breath."

"It was me who did it, you see-- I'm a werewolf."

The air in the car was sucked out; nothing was said until the vehicle came to a stop in front of the house. Ellie knew something was off about that night, and she wanted to know what happened, but this was unreal. What happened that night that bad that Averett would make stuff up? She got out of the car but didn't know where to go. Averett came up behind her, with Farren draped to his side. Still unconscious.

"Are you joking"?! Ellie took a step away from Averett

"No, I'm not, and It's true. "Averett tried to close the gap between them.

"No. There is no such thing as werewolves! What happened that night, Averett"!

Ellie turns to leave, but Aunt G blocks her way out.

"It's true. Elliana".

Ellie's head starts to hurt, and the world begins to spin. Is this whole family in on the joke? She rubs her temples, trying to make sense of what they are saying

"That's not true" memories from that night swarm her head.

Averett reaches out to her but remembers he has been holding his unconscious friend this whole time.

"She is one of us."

The comment made Aevertt look over to his Aunt G, whose gaze was still fixed on Ellie. He couldn't handle it anymore. Right when he was about to place Farren down, His Aunt grabbed his arm and pointed at Ellie. Her eyes were open now, glowing like hot embers.

She is trying to shift…

Averett gently takes his Aunt G's hand off of him and hands over his friend to his Aunt. Averett makes his way over to Ellie. She stands there with her hands clenching the sides of her head, her hands now changed into claws. Averett grabs Ellie's shoulders and closes her in his arms close to his chest

"It's going to be fine. I'm here with you."

Ellie struggles against him, but Averett only squeezed tighter until she finally passed out in his arms.