Nella was having a great time. Frankie turned up at 6:30pm, only 30 minutes after her mother had left for her first shift at the dance hall. He had a bag of Thai takeout in his arms and a big smile on his face. Nella was glad she went for a cozy and cute white turtleneck jumper, long cotton socks, and a black pleated skirt. She was comfortable as they sat on the living room floor on either side of the coffee table with their takeout.
She picked the movie and they didn’t really watch it. Father and daughter were far more interested in getting to know each other. To think, she nearly called him to cancel tonight. On and off Nella was itchy, suffering mood swings, and struggled against the urge to empty the contents of the fridge and eat the lot. She wasn’t due to have her period for another two weeks, and the random hot and cold sweats were not usually something she had when she due her monthly friend.
Last year Nella had her first period. She was delighted, thinking this was a sign she was more of a girl than she first thought. She’d always been warned the likelihood of both her male and female organs being functional was basically impossible. It triggered another visit to the doctors and they examined her to conclude she was naturally menstruating. A shock, for a 16 year old to suddenly start having a period for sure, but not uncommon. The miraculous part of it was because of her hermaphroditism. Nella’s male organs were all functioning and she produced healthy sperm. Her period was a sign that she might have a fully functional female reproductive system too. Again, the likelihood of her eggs being viable was basically moot. Still…Nella never complained about her periods. Not her cramps, not her pms, and not the inconvenience of having to use tampons, as trying to use a gaff with a sanitary towel was a nightmare. Not to mention her male genitals were in there too, so, yeah. It was neater to use a tampon. No, Nella instead smiled like her body was doing its best to align with her wishes. It had taken 16 years, but better late than never.
Nella wondered if she had come on early, with the return of her cravings, the way she randomly started crying when her mother muttered under her breath in the other room about how ‘he’ would be around later without an ounce of warmth to her voice. Ruby had been none the wiser as Nella had run up the stairs, skipping three steps per bound, and crying into her pillow. Then she fixed her makeup and stormed down the stairs to give her mother a piece of her mind. Only to be distracted by the cookies her mother had finished baking before she had to leave. She’d already eaten five of them before Frankie turned up with the Thai food, and licked her fingers when she was finished.
It was nearly 8pm and they both knew he would have to go.
“I’m just going to use the restroom before I have to head out. Upstairs right?”
“Second door to the right.” Nella smiled and started to gather their plates to take into the kitchen. Frankie kept his pace casual and put his game face on once he stood on the upstairs landing. He sniffed at the air and followed the smell of lavender and almonds to the room with the strongest concentration of the pheromones. Nella’s room. He moved as quickly as he could. His cell was open to the list Max gave him and he shoved whatever he could find in a hurry into a plastic shopping bag he’d hidden in his jacket pocket. He found a hairbrush, a pink hoodie, and a long white silk skirt. Baggy comfortable clothing, Max had said. He had no idea what to do about toiletries and gave gathering her underwear a wide birth. There was no way he was handing his daughter’s underwear. Hopefully, she’d save whatever she was wearing now for the journey home in the morning.
Next, he pulled out a spare duvet from under her bed, smiling to see it was as powder pink as everything else in her bedroom, and positioned it under the blanket on her bed. He plumped it to look like Nella was in bed asleep and nodded at his handy work. Conscious of how much time he’d spent running around her room like a headless chicken, he hurried down the stairs and back to the living room. He discretely lowered the bag near the front door when Nella wasn’t looking, before walking back in to sit down beside her.
“Better?” She chuckled. Her steely blue eyes held lighter flecks than usual in their depths. She was fanning the free takeout menu at her face to keep her cool and she shifted on her knees to get comfortable. It won’t be long now.
“Yeah.” Frankie saw she was holding her cell, probably ready to text her mother. “Oh, you go ahead and send that text. It’s time to go anyway.” He got back up and made a show of dusting off his navy trousers and stretching his arms up in the air.
“…sure.” Nella innocently trusted her father and fired off a text to her mother. *Had a fantastic time. Frankie has gone and I’m going to have an early night. Super tired and worn down. I think I’ll sleep for a week lol. Love you mum.*
Nella pressed the send button and followed Frankie towards the front door to see him out. “So tomorrow I’ll be starting school so when will we next-”
Swipe.
He moved so fast she barely registered that he’d taken her cell from her. Her eyes confirmed it when he waved it at her once, and then put it into his jacket pocket. “…Frankie? What are you doing?”
“Nella, I don’t know how else to do this but be totally honest with you. Okay?” Frankie put his hands up in surrender and Nella half turned away from him.
“Erm…okay? How about you start by telling me why you’ve taken my cell the minute after I told my mum you’ve gone?”
“Because she’s human.” Frankie paused to gauge how Nella
would take that. She raised a brow and folded her arms with a smile.
“Erm, Frankie? Is this some sort of joke?”
“Nella, we don’t have a lot of time.” Frankie turned his left wrist to check his watch. “The moon will be going up soon and we don’t want to shift here in the house.” Nella stared at him with wide eyes for a moment before snorting with laughter behind one of her hands.
“The moon? Shift? What are we, werewolves?” She giggled and put two fingers up on either side of her head to simulate ears. “Woof woof.”
Frankie blinked and his eyes lit up bright blue. He peeled his lips back over his sharp teeth to reveal his arsenal of fangs, and barked at her twice in response to her taunt. The skin around his eyes started to darken and sprout thick brown hair. He held the shift there and nodded slowly at her.
“Yes, Nella. I’m a werewolf, and you are my daughter. You are a werewolf too. You were born a werewolf, but you haven’t come into your pelt before today. You’re going to shift for the first time in about an hour into your wolf form and become a feral beast for the night. But don’t worry, I’ll be right there with-”
Nella screamed with horror and bolted up the stairs. “-ah shit. Nella!”
Frankie chased her up the stairs and she barely got into her bedroom in time to shut her door on him. Another sign that she was coming into her pelt. If she had been a mere human she would never have made it up the stairs before him. “Nella, honey? Please believe me when I say you are safe. You are already a werewolf. You are going to shift and we need to get you to the woods. We can’t afford for your mother to find out what we are Nel.” Frankie pressed his hands to the door and begged her to come back to him. “I will never hurt you Nella. Please come out and talk to me?” When all he heard was crying Frankie growled and fought his paternal instincts to kick the door in and go to her. See, this shit is why we knock them out and carry them to the woods. Damn you Emma. “Nella I need you to listen to me. I am your father. From the moment I saw and smelt you I knew you were mine. You smell like me. Almonds, though, you have a sweet lavender signature to your pheromones too. Very pretty. I bet you’re a beautiful werewolf. Your hair is soft and brown like my mother’s was, and she was a real looker. As long as you follow the pack rules you’ll enjoy being a wolf. I promise.” He tried the doorhandle and it wouldn’t budge. She’d not only locked it but barricaded it with something. “Nel?” Frankie pressed his left ear to the door when he heard movement. It was the sound of wood sliding over each other, and then the creak of bearing a heavy weight. Shit she’s going out the back window?!
Frankie bolted down the stairs and swiped her bag of clothes on the way out. The door auto locked behind him and he snapped his head left and right looking for her. His eyes lit up and saw perfectly through the darkness. There, heading in the direction of the dance hall, ran his little girl. She was crying and her black skirt flared behind her as she ran at a speed no human could run. If Frankie didn’t act quickly she’d be at the dance hall and balling her eyes out to her mother about Frankie being a monster.
There was only one way he was going to catch her now. Ah shit. This is not how I wanted to show Nella my wolf. He tugged and ripped out of his clothes and threw them into the open door of his sedan. He dropped down behind the car to all fours and howled as he allowed this shift to happen. I’m coming Nella. If I have to carry or drag you to the safety of the woods I will. You’ll thank me in the morning…I hope. It’s a risk shifting this close to moon-up. I might go feral and then I won't be able to shift back in the morning. But I’ve got no other choice. His bones broke and refused into their canine frame, held together by dense and powerful sinew. His whole body blossomed with thick raggy brown fur. He howled to the night, announcing his shift and calling out to his pup. I will protect you Nella. Even from yourself.
A mighty brown wolf ran out from behind the white sedan and thundered towards his pup. Nella looked back and saw the beast, a wolf the size of a bloody horse, galloping towards her with bright blue eyes. She screamed even louder and tried to escape. He took her cell so she couldn’t call for her mother or the cops. Her only hope was to make it to the dance hall.
She felt her laboured heart soar as she saw the large building come into view. She was nearly there. Safety was looming on the horizon. Her legs burned, her chest heaved, and her feet through her long socks ached against the pavement. Just a little bit farther!
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