FELICITY

I was seated in class beside Jay and Ezikle, and while my brother focused on the lesson, my thoughts wandered elsewhere. When Ezikle placed his hand on my thigh, I boldly grasped his hand. The moment our hands touched, I felt an electric sensation, as if lightning had struck me and the world shifted. My vision blurred, and sweat trickled down my back. I held his hand tightly, as if my body had taken control and I couldn't release my grip. I detected the scent of campfire in the air, despite knowing there was no actual fire. My eyes began to burn, and I struggled to breathe properly. When I heard my name, I turned to Ezikle, truly looking at him, breathing heavily and staring, as he immediately withdrew his hand. However, the instant he did, the storm within me ceased, leaving me blinking in confusion about what had just transpired. I attempted to concentrate on the class, but I was sweating profusely; eventually, Ezikle reached over and wiped my sweat, which left me utterly embarrassed. When the bell rang, I practically fled the classroom, blinking in surprise as I found myself in the woods. How did I end up here? I had just been leaving the classroom. I had no time to ponder this as my heart began to slow, and I collapsed to my knees. Black flames encircled me, with a cloud of ash swirling around them. My hair floated upwards, flickering like fire, and my veins turned black, crawling down my body. What is happening to me? I was panicking when a hand touched my shoulder, and everything began to revert to normal as I turned to see his alarmed expression. I felt distant, unable to comprehend what had just occurred, why this was happening to me, and why he was present. My eyes widened, and I panicked, standing up and rushing towards him. If he revealed what had just happened, my life would be ruined! I could end up as a test subject for some scientist, or worse, be killed! I shouted at him not to tell anyone, explaining that this had never happened before and that I had no idea how I ended up in the woods.

 We embraced for a moment, and I didn't want to let go; I felt safe in his arms. When I consented to return to his house, Ezekiel went to retrieve my bag, and suddenly, a large black wolf appeared from the forest. I was utterly stunned to see a wolf, especially one of such enormous size; it seemed almost surreal. Its teeth were sharp and glistening with saliva as it growled at us, causing me to clutch Ezekiel in fear. He instructed me to stay behind him and remain silent, and I found myself unable to disobey his command. Minutes felt like they dragged on as the wolf and Ezekiel engaged in a tense staring contest until the wolf growled again and bolted back into the woods.

 I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, and we exited the forest to climb into his silver G-Wagon. Once he settled into his vehicle, he started the engine and began to drive. We remained silent, which suited me just fine. My thoughts kept circling back to the strange events that had unfolded in the woods. What was that? I truly couldn't comprehend it. My veins had turned black, coursing down my arms, and I was overwhelmed by a sensation that was difficult to articulate. Blinking out of thought I glanced at him, and at that moment, our eyes locked. He smiled at me before turning away, steering into the driveway of an exquisite two-story mansion adorned with black bricks, a black-tiled roof, and tall, grand windows. At the center stood a magnificent black iron door featuring a dragon-shaped knocker, flanked by black stone steps and a black iron railing leading to a circular driveway of black pebbles. I was mesmerized; my own home was quite grand, but this place exuded a different aura. Surrounded by thick woods and scattered with the vibrant leaves of autumn, it resembled a breathtaking painting.

 I must have been gazing for too long, as Ezekiel cleared his throat, saying,

 "Felicity, let’s head inside; it’s getting chilly, and you’re without a coat." 

As I looked up and met his gaze, I was captivated by his emerald green eyes. I noticed that the reddish hue in the center had become more pronounced. As I continued to stare into his eyes, I unconsciously inched closer and whispered, unable to hold back, 

"Your eyes seem different today, perhaps more red." 

He encircled my waist with one arm while gently cradling my face with the other, saying, "My dear, your eyes are practically glowing like a red neon sign," and he smiled at me. 

My eyes widened as I touched my face, as if that would help me see them better. I quickly broke free from his embrace, turned around, and bent down to catch a glimpse of myself in the side mirror of the G-Wagon, and I was stunned by what I saw. My once blue eyes were now radiating a bright red glow. I blinked, hoping that would restore them to their normal color, but nothing changed. 

I spun around to face Ezekiel, exclaiming,

 "What’s wrong with me!? Am I sick or a monster? How did this happen? What if it doesn’t revert back? How will I explain this to my new family? Will they send me back to the orphanage? No, I can’t let that happen; I just started my new life after working so hard to survive again." 

I began to pace, sweating and hyperventilating, bombarding him with questions he couldn’t possibly answer. But then, as I glanced at him, I noticed his eyes were glowing a faint red too.

I halted, fixing my gaze on him, and my voice transformed into a growl as I accused, "YOU! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME! YOUR EYES ARE LIKE MINE, SO IT MUST BE YOU!"

 I lunged forward, instinctively reaching to grasp his neck, but when I caught sight of my hands, I froze, my eyes wide in shock. My nails had morphed into sharp, elongated claws! He seized me by the waist, and before I knew it, we were inside his house. The interior was entirely black, adorned with dark furniture and dim cream lighting. He set me down on his black sofa and walked over to a black marble fireplace, igniting a fire that illuminated the room. I glanced down at my hands, relieved to see they had returned to normal. Looking back at Ezekiel, who was now seated in a rocking chair across from me, he leaned forward and said,

 "Felicity, you are not human, and neither am I."

He observes me for a moment, and I find myself just gazing back at him. He exhales deeply and says,

 "I can see that you're not grasping this. The reason your eyes are reddening and you're experiencing strange occurrences is that you're awakening. I assure you, I haven't done anything to you, but I do think my presence has accelerated your transition." 

I meet his gaze, then abruptly stand up, turning to dash out of his house. Suddenly, I find myself standing in front of my home's gate, bewildered. What the!? How did I arrive here? I just left Ezekiel's place, and now I'm here already. Perhaps what he said is indeed true, but it sounded so far-fetched that I could hardly accept it. Shaking my head, I approach the gate, which opens for me. The security guard gives me a nod, and I return his smile as I stroll down the lengthy driveway. As I finally step inside, I glance around and notice that it seems no one is home. I ascend the stairs and head to my room. The first thing I do is enter the bathroom to check my eyes, and as I anticipated, they have returned to normal. I can only imagine how the security guard would have reacted otherwise. I stroll back into my room and collapse onto the bed, gazing up at the ceiling. What a day! I let out a long sigh just as my phone buzzed. I pick it up; it’s my brother Kevin. I answer the call and hold it to my ear. 

"Where are you? I've been searching everywhere for you! I heard you bolted from school and never returned! Jay mentioned he last saw you with that kid Ezekiel who texted you this morning!" 

He’s shouting at me, filled with frustration and concern, barely pausing for breath between his questions. 

I interject, "Kevin, hold on, I’m fine. I just went home because I wasn’t feeling well, and Ezekiel helped me get back. I’m sorry for not informing anyone about my whereabouts." 

He exhales deeply and finally asks, "You’re home, right?" 

"Yes, I’m home," I reply.

 "Alright, I’ll call Mom and let her know so she can inform the school." He hangs up, and just as I’m about to set my phone down, Kayla texts me, 

"Hey girl, I tried to find you at lunch but couldn’t locate you. Want to hang out after school?" I smile and respond,

 "Hey, sorry, I wasn’t feeling well, so I went home. How about we hang out tomorrow?" She replies,

 "Oh no, I hope you feel better! Sounds good, see you tomorrow!" I place my phone down and curl up into a ball, drifting off to sleep almost instantly.

 "Elizabeth, we need to leave now! The Alpha will hunt us down and take our daughter if he discovers her true nature,"

 a man says, opening my eyes to find my parents before me. I can never forget my father's dark hair and piercing blue eyes, nor my mother's auburn locks. But what surprises me is the sight of her eyes, usually a soft grey-blue, now glowing red with fear. Tears stream down her face as she holds a baby—me—in her arms.

 "Oliver, where can we possibly go?" 

My father releases my mother's hand, pacing anxiously for a moment before locking his gaze onto hers.

 "We will escape to the Human realm; they won't pursue us there, even if they learn of our crossing." 

Her eyes widen in realization as she looks down at me. 

"Alright, I’ll need to use my cloaking potion. We won’t be able to shift or use our powers until each full moon if I do this." 

She glances at him, awaiting his response.

 "Wait until we reach the entrance, then use it," he instructs. 

She nods, gently placing me in a crib before they rush around the cottage, packing bags in a frenzy. My mother scoops me up, securing me in a makeshift cloth sling across her chest. They slip out into the woods, moving silently. I follow behind, aware that they cannot see me, witnessing a moment from the past. After walking for some time, my father transforms into a magnificent white wolf with striking blue eyes. My mother quickly ties the bags to the wolf's body with ropes and climbs onto his back, holding on tightly. I float alongside them, matching their speed. The wolf suddenly halts at the edge of a tree line, revealing a vast field of tall grass and towering mountains ahead. My father shifts back into his human form, standing naked. I quickly look away, not wanting to see him like that. After a moment, I glance back, and he is fully dressed, gathering the bags. They step into the tall grass, and it takes us another half hour to reach the mountains. We approach a vast opening in the mountain and step into the cave. My mother extends her hand, and a small ball of fire hovers above it, illuminating the darkness ahead. Suddenly, I am jolted awake, my eyes fluttering open to find myself back in my room. My parents weren't human; my dad was a wolf. So, what about that wolf I encountered today? It was as large as my dad, so does that imply that the wolf was a person? Did Ezekiel know that wolf, perhaps? Why didn't I just stay and ask questions? Ugh! Now I have so many questions, but here is my new mother, looking extremely worried. 

"Felicity, are you alright, sweetheart? You're completely soaked in sweat and feel incredibly hot. I think we should take you to the hospital." 

She assists me as I begin to sit up. 

"Tracy, I'm fine. I'll just take a cold shower; I was having a bad dream, that's all."

 She exhales deeply,

 "Okay, but if you still don't feel better, please let me know. What was your dream about? Sometimes talking about it can help." 

I glance at her, knowing I can't reveal everything because she might insist I see a therapist or something to ensure I'm not losing my mind. 

"It was about my parents," I say, looking away. 

She clasps my hand, "I'm sorry, sweetie. I know losing them must have been incredibly painful." 

She pulls me into a hug, disregarding the fact that I'm damp from sweat. When we finally separate, she gazes at me and kisses my forehead. 

"I'll leave you to your shower," she says,

 standing up and gently closing the door behind her. I reach up to touch the spot where she kissed me, a tear trickling down my cheek as I recall how my mother used to do that. Everyone has been doing that lately, and it keeps bringing back memories of her. I walk into the bathroom, shedding my clothes before stepping into the shower. As I wash my body, a memory resurfaces of my parents speaking in hushed, frantic tones one day in the kitchen when I was about twelve. They noticed me and immediately fell silent, reverting to their usual cheerful selves. Now, I can't help but wonder if the Alpha they were so anxious about had discovered their location. Was my parents' accident really just an accident? All these strange dreams and occurrences lately are making me rethink everything. I step out of the shower, drying off with a towel, then slip into a robe and walk into my room, nearly screaming. Ezekiel stands there, quickly moving in front of me to cover my mouth. He releases me once he's sure I won't scream. 

"I'm sorry, I wanted to check on you after you teleported from my home," he says, concern etched on his face. 

"What do you mean I teleported? Is that how I blinked and ended up at my house?"

 "Yes, you must have thought about home when you dashed out the door."

 "I can do that? That's fascinating,"

 I reply, my mind racing with the possibilities of this newfound ability. After a moment, he adds, 

"You need to be careful when using it; you could end up anywhere or get caught. It can't be obvious, and you shouldn't do it in public. You have to clearly visualize where you want to go."

 I listen intently, absorbing this crucial information, and ponder whether I should confide in him about my parents. I step closer, pressing against him as he wraps his arm around my waist.

 I whisper, "Can I trust you?" 

He cups my face, leaning in so our lips are almost touching.

 "Yes, I would never betray you," he whispers, his breath mingling with mine.