The picture above is of Ari's mom! (Elizabeth Banks 😍)

Okay, so it's been a while and honestly, I still have a few chapters to write but I am so close to the ending! I've been incredibly busy and haven't had time to write at all. So, as a thank you for being patient and understanding, I think I will update a few chapters then, update the rest when I am finished.

Comment and Enjoy! 😘

🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹

ARIANA

FOUR YEARS LATER...

"Ari! Get your butt down here! Lunch has been ready for over 20 minutes!" My mother's voice borderline shrilled.

"IN A MINUTE!" I yelled back frustrated. The calculus book I was holding tumbled to the ground when I punched it. "YOU SUCK BUTT, MATH!" I almost stomped on it but thought against it.

"ARI!" My mother screamed again from downstairs.

Being the hothead I was, I marched over to the stairs and yelled back. "Well I would have come earlier, IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME SIMPLE MATH PROBLEMS!"

I strode back to my room and sighed. Having your mother as your teacher definitely complicated things.

I bent down to pick up my book when I felt my muscles tighten.

"Oh God." I whispered in fear. No, no, no, no! Not again!

Just then my arm twisted and I yelped in pain.

"MOM!" I yelled in a panic, grabbing my broken arm. "It's happening again!" Slowly, every bone in my body started to break. I fought against it, trying to force my body to not turn into a horrible monster but no matter how much I tried to control it, I always ended up being transformed into a giant wolf-like creature.

This time though, it was the longest I had gone without changing. I think I forced myself too hard to fight against it, that I couldn't anymore.

For almost six months now, I was a normal human until the beast inside started to forcefully takeover. I flashed back to the first time I shifted and how much it messed up my mother. She is obsessed with what I am. Every night, she brought out her laptop and searched and searched for any proof of humans turning into wolves and how to reverse it.

I felt as if I was cursed.

My mother burst through my room door and dragged me downstairs. She was wearing a padded suit, to protect herself from the last time I had shifted.

I landed on the grass of my backyard with a heavy thud. I was glad we lived in a secluded area with trees all around us. It's as if my dad knew I would need it one day when he bought the house.

I groaned and clutched the grass trying to fight against this curse but I knew I had lost when I felt my spine break. The pain wasn't as strong as it was when I first shifted but it still was unbearable.

Soon, I was running around my backyard in a black, white and grayish wolf. My mother was inside watching me through the sliding glass doors. Although I knew she wanted this curse gone, I saw a hint of a smile when she watched me prance and jump around, trying to catch a dragonfly.

With my advanced hearing I heard a car pull into the driveway and I immediately tried to change back but with no luck. I still haven't figured out how to change back into a human, it just sort of happened when I fell asleep as a wolf.

The door bell rang and my mother snapped her head towards the front door and then back to me.

"Hide!" She said through the glass door, taking off her suit and hiding it in the kitchen pantry. I immediately took off into the woods but stayed close to the house so I could hear who was here in case I needed to help my mom.

"Hello sheriff, how can I help you?" My mom said in a shaky voice once she opened the door.

"Hello ma'm. I was wondering, could I come in please?" A man with a deep voice said.

"Um, actually, I was sort of busy-"  My mom tried to say.

"This will only be a minute."

I heard the creek of a door, she must have opened it wider to let him in.

"Would you like a glass of water?"

"No ma'm."

"Okay, what is this about?" Asked my mom, her voice seemed a little nervous.

"Well, I have tried to contact you for days now using a phone number you gave the university but I have gotten no answer."

After I first changed, my mother pulled me out of school and basically cut off ties with anyone. The only family we had, were my grandparents but they died more than a year ago. We didn't own anything anymore, no phones, no TV. We only had a computer which was my moms. She used to be a college professor but now she had a job she could do from home.

I did feel guilty because of everything she had to sacrifice for what I am. I hated being a wolf, it was ruining my moms life and not to mention, mine.

My mother seemed to have changed dramatically through these years. She used to be so fun, and bubbly and down right awesome. I mean, she still is but now it was as if she was too serious all the time. She was buried in her laptop for hours either doing her job or searching about werewolves.

I've noticed that for a month now, she hasn't been logging in to her computer to do her job. She usually logs in after teaching me but now she just looks for ways to cure me.

After thinking for a while, my mother finally replied. "Yes, its because I decided to not use phones anymore. I decided they were a hazard to the environment." She said lying.

"Okay..." Said the sheriff clearly thinking my mother was weird.

"Well, I just wanted you to know that the reason I am here today is because there has been a wolf sighting near these woods and we want you to remain indoors until the animal is caught or maybe killed."

"Killed?" Whispered my mother. "No! You can't kill her!" She panicked.

"Her? And I assure you ma'm that we will just sedate the wolf, not kill it unless it's rabid."

"I mean uh, her or him but it doesn't matter! The wolf isn't bothering anyone?" She said with a stern voice. The sheriff must have seemed suspicious because then she added, "You can't do that to one of God's creatures! They help flourish the earth with his presence!"

"We've had some complaints from your neighbors and we will do anything to protect our citizens."

My mother was quiet for a second before sighing. "I guess but if the wolf hasn't attacked then it's not a danger to anyone?"

"The thing is, wolves are unpredictable. They can snap at any second. Well, anyways, I just wanted you to know and to be careful." The Sheriff cleared his throat awkwardly.

Is it true? Can I snap at any moment? I've already hurt my mom once? What if I do it to one of my neighbors? What I hurt Mrs. Sanchez's two year old daughter?

"Thank you sir. I'll be sure to keep an eye out." They got up and I heard the creak of the door again.

"Oh, before I forget, I'll have some of my deputies out in the woods searching behind your backyard. They will be monitoring the forrest with some hunters."

I heard the door shut and my mothers feet running towards the glass door.

I stepped out of the forrest and ran inside the door, my mother locking it behind me.

Her terrified face made me whimper.

I knew exactly what she was thinking.

It wasn't safe for us anymore. I wasn't safe.

She took a deep breath. "Okay honey, go into your room and try to take a nap so you can change back okay?"

I padded up the stairs. I stopped midway and looked at my mother. She was sitting down on the couch her head in her hands. I could hear her heart thumping at a speed that made me nervous.

I didn't say anything to her. I continued up the stairs feeling immense guilt hit me.

I laid down on my bed, trying to sleep but it never came. I was thinking about the danger I put us through.

I laid awake for another hour until finally, sleep overtook me.

***

I woke up to my mother shaking me. "Ari! Wake up!"

I groaned, wiping my face. I glanced down at my body to see I was in my pajamas. My mom must have put them on while I was sleeping.

"What." I asked my words slurred.

"Get up now, we're leaving." She ran out of the room carrying a suitcase of my clothes. "I guess we'll be leaving sooner than I thought." She muttered under her breath.

I sat up, my heart pounding. "What? Why?!" I ran after her, confused.

She went into the garage and put the suitcase in the car. I watched as she loaded another suitcase, some pictures and other boxes.

How long was I asleep?

She turned around and jumped when she saw me.

"Go get ready! We don't have that much time. Anything you leave behind, the movers can get."

When I didn't move, she sighed.

She grabbed my shoulders, squeezing them. "It's not safe here anymore sweetie, we need to move."

"But we can't move! This is the house dad bought! He would want us to live in it!" I cried, sort of angry.

I can't leave the place my dad intended us to live in forever.

"I know, I know! But we need to! You're in danger and I won't live with myself if anything happens to  you." She hugged me, squeezing me.

"Fine!" I said trying to pry her off of me.

"Okay." She said smiling. "Go back upstairs and get ready. We're leaving right now."

I shuffled up the stairs in dread. I should have known that one day this would happen but I can't believe it's here already.

I truly didn't want to leave. This town was my home. And now I'm moving to...I don't even know where!

I quickly changed out of the pajamas and put on the clothes my mom had laid out for me, my blue jeans, a gray simple v-neck shirt, a black jacket and my black nikes.

I looked at my other stuff around my room. It wasn't anything important, just some books and posters that I knew I would get in a few days but I still felt as if I would never see them again.  I suddenly remembered something I kept hidden in the back of my closet.

I took out a small velvet box that contained a locket my mother had given me on my 13th birthday. I never opened it because it seemed to sizzle my skin off every time I touched it. Even though it was deadly to me, it was still my most prized possession so I shoved the box into my jacket pocket.

I ran down the stairs to find my mother already in the car. She tossed me the house keys and I locked the front door, my heart heavy with emotion. I stood back and looked at the gray house, the memories flooding into my mind.

Turning around, I opened the passenger side door, climbing in.

My mother squeezed my hand and stepped on the gas. I watched as my house became only a small gray dot in the distance.

My heart became heavy with sadness. I felt as if I was leaving my dad behind.

My mother squeezed my hand, probably knowing what I was thinking.

"Don't worry sweetie, I'll always be with you."

I smiled knowing she was speaking the truth.