Animalistic urges
The following day was departure day. The school had insisted in closing earlier that semester because of the Hyde and Crackstone incident and decided that it would be best for students to go home.
Days drifted into weeks, weeks formed a month and, finally, the break was over. It was time to return to Nevermore for the second semester.
“Wednesday!” shouted a happy Enid, while she ran towards the black haired girl at the gate.
“Enid, what-” Wednesday was cut off by a tight hug. She fluttered her eyelashes in surprise and felt a tug in her stomach. The two girls were so close, Wednesday could smell Enid’s apricot shampoo.
Then, the blonde broke the hug and noticed the intense stare of Wednesday misplacing it for a negative one.
The werewolf’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry, I know you’re not big of a hugger! It’s just…” she mumbled some words the ravenette didn’t hear.
She was entranced by her.
Enid’s blond hair shone in the morning light and her eyes became crystal blue as the clouds revealed the sun behind them. The blonde tucked some stray hairs nervously behind her ear revealing the light pink scars that adorned her face.
How did she manage to become more beautiful in a month? thought Wednesday.
“And to be honest Wednesday…” Enid raised her voice a little breaking the shorter girl’s trance. “Your…”
“My…?” repeated the shorter girl with piercing eyes.
Enid’s cheeks turned redder and she lowered her eyes to the ground. She spoke with a low voice. “Your arms around me feel like home. And I was just… homesick.”
Wednesday’s heart started racing. “Enid, I-”
“Alright, students! Gather up!” interrupted them a tall man with glasses who was standing in front of a podium. All Nevermore’ s teachers stood near him waiting for the students to join them.
The students were informed that the tall man was now their new principal named Benjamin Gray and that he was a werewolf.
“Now, don’t be afraid.” he said. “After all, I don’t bite.” he finger-gunned.
Wednesday rolled her eyes at the joke and felt a hot breath brush against her cheek.
“That was a lame joke.” whispered Enid in the shorter girl’s ear sending shivers down her spine.
Wednesday cleared her throat and eyed her. “Yes, indeed it was blunt.” Then, she forced herself to focus on what the man was saying.
“…And if you need anything else, don’t hesitate to find me at my office.” Principal Gray concluded.
The students clapped mechanically and went each to their respective rooms to settle in.
--- --- --- --- ---
A few weeks passed and the teachers had assigned them some homework Wednesday considered dull and undemanding. So, she decided to entertain herself.
Maybe with frustrating a certain werewolf? she thought and averted her eyes from her textbooks looking around the room. Unfortunately, Enid was nowhere to be found. She was probably at Yoko’s gossiping about other students, painting their nails or doing some other mundane activity.
The black haired girl frowned a little and rose from her chair deciding to go amuse herself in the library with some gruesome real-life murder mysteries.
However, what she saw there was far more interesting.
“Nice reading material.” she said flatly causing Enid to jump in her seat slamming the book on the table.
“Wednesday! I didn’t see you standing there!” gulped the blonde.
“That was the point.” stated Wednesday glancing at the black book Enid was holding a few seconds ago. She read the title out loud: “Heat Cycles and Mating of Werewolves: A Complete Guide” she smirked and looked at the blonde. “And here I was, thinking you were at Yoko’s doing some dull activity. But I was wrong: it seems you’re having a fun time learning.”
“It’s not what you’re thinking!” Enid defended herself.
“Just so I know, is it an illustrated guide or…” teased Wednesday.
“No, it’s not.” said Enid blushing a little trying to explain herself.
“Oh, so that’s what this is here for.” jested Wednesday in her monotonous voice grabbing a book with a red cover that lay nearby.
“No! Give me that!” Enid tried to take the book out of Wednesday’s hands, but the latter avoided her with ease. She opened the book leafing through the pages.
The ravenette widened her eyes and smirked. “You know, if you’re interested, I heard you can see this life-action on your phone.”
Enid buried her face in her hands. Ugh, what did I do to deserve this? Wednesday will never let this go… she thought and took a deep breath. “Listen, I can explain.” she said out loud.
“Do tell.” replied Wednesday.
Enid gulped. Should she tell her that after wolfing out she… felt more? That the passion she felt had increased? That, especially since a few days, she felt these animalistic urges and can’t explain why? Or, more accurately, she can explain why and came to the library to learn more about the topic? But heat cycles only happen once a year and last a week, right? So, after a few days, she’ll be her normal self again.
So, she chose to lie.
“I-I have this project in werewolf biology. And I came here to… research. And to find, uhm, resources for my essay.” rambled the blonde turning redder with every passing second.
She knew she was a terrible liar and she knew that Wednesday didn’t buy any of it. And then…
“Okay.” said Wednesday.
“Okay?” repeated Enid.
“As long as it doesn’t concern you, I’ll let you continue your research.” she monotoned and turned around to leave. Then, she halted and looked behind her shoulder. ”It would be a shame if these heat cycles tormented you now, since they were only going to worsen in four days.”
“Why? What will happen in four days?” asked Enid with wide open eyes.
“It’s a full moon.” Wednesday replied and left the library.
A low whine escaped Enid’s mouth: she was hopeless.
--- --- --- --- ---
The next two days were torture.
Enid’s feelings intensified every second and it sure didn’t help that she slept in the same room as Wednesday. Let alone that her more canine self seemed to slip more and more to the surface.
Like now, for example, she and Wednesday were taking a stroll in the Quad, since their classes were finished for today. And when they casually approached some kid on a ladder who was painting one of Nevermore’ s walls, Wednesday grabbed a stick from the ground and tossed it behind a bush.
Enid’s eyes followed it land with eagerness, but contained herself to not fetch it.
“That was mean, Wednesday.” said the blonde.
“I thought it was funny.” said the ravenette. “And it would be even funnier if you had caught that.”
Enid let out a small growl and her eyes glowed blue.
Wednesday’s black pupils dilated. “Do it again.” she said.
“What-?” asked Enid, but got cut off mid-sentence by the kid tripping on the ladder and upturning a bucket full with yellow paint. It dropped to the ground with a metal sound splashing yellow liquid all over Wednesday.
Enid gasped. Wednesday looked at the kid with murderous eyes.
“I’m so sorry, I -” exclaimed the panicked kid.
“Don’t.” interrupted Wednesday pressing her eyes shut with pain. Enid could see the area around the splashes on Wednesday’s skin turn an angry red. Then, the ravenette disappeared in the school building.
“Wednesday. Wednesday!” shouted Enid as she followed her back to their room.
“What?” asked Wednesday with gritted teeth as she went to the bathroom.
“Are you okay? Maybe you should see the nurse-”
“No.” she said. “I can handle this. After all, it isn’t the first time this happened.” she furrowed her eyebrows in pain and washed her face with fast movements.
Enid noticed her pale hands trembling as she cleaned her face turning the sink yellow.
“Wait here.” commanded the blonde in determination.
“I don’t need your help, Enid.” protested the shorter girl, but the werewolf ignored her and exited the bathroom. She quickly grabbed a black set of clothes and a few black towels and ran to the bathroom again.
Wednesday had cleaned her face and hands, but the paint had left irritated areas on her skin. The ravenette’s legs trembled as she felt her body weaken and fell-
But a pair of steady hands caught her before she touched the hard floor.
“I’m helping you. Either you like it or not.” said Enid with a fiery gaze. Wednesday scrunched up her face in pain and nodded.
“Now, what do we need to do?” asked the blonde helping Wednesday sit at the edge of the bathtub.
“We have to remove the paint. Fast.” she answered and began taking her yellow stained shoes off. Then, she bit the inner side of her mouth. “You didn’t hear this from me Enid… and if you tell anyone about this I will end you.” she warned and continued speaking. “But color reacts to me like… kryptonite.”
“Kryptonite?” repeated Enid with a smile and helped Wednesday took her other shoe off. “Like, in Superman?”
Wednesday gave her a long intimidating look, which made Enid gulp and then started taking her black socks off. “It does not only affects my skin, but it also…” Wednesday hissed as she accidentally touched a splash of paint on her ankle. “weakens me”.
“Hey, hey, let me do that.” cooed Enid in a low voice and carefully removed the second sock from Wednesday’s feet.
They exchanged a deep look. Then, Enid turned her eyes away and let warm water slowly fill the bathtub. After a beat, she remembered that Wednesday preferred cold water, so she turned the faucet handle to the right.
“Weakens you… how?” asked the werewolf, while she put white shower gel on the ravenette’s black sponge.
“My body loses its strength, until…” Wednesday trailed off.
“Until?” asked Enid with worried eyes.
“I don’t know.” said the the shorter girl in a low voice and tried to unzip her black hoodie with trembling hands.
Enid had never seen Wednesday so vulnerable before. Her heart broke, but her inner wolf told her that she had to be the strong one now.
She placed her hand on Wednesday’s trembling ones. The shorter girl looked up at Enid’s blue eyes and her heart started beating faster.
“Let me help you. It’s okay.” said Enid in a soft tone.
Wednesday glanced at her again, letting her hands fall from the zipper and grabbed the bathtub’s edge for balance. She nodded.
Enid smiled in an encouraging manner and carefully unzipped the yellow splashed hoodie. Then, she tossed it on the bathrooms’ floor.
The yellow paint had soaked the sleeveless shirt which Wednesday wore underneath her oversized hoodie. The wet fabric clenched on her body toning certain parts.
Enid’s heart started racing and she could hear the beat of Wednesday’s heart quicken, too. After all, the blonde’s senses had been spiked up, now that the full moon was about to show up in the next two days.
“Hands up.” said Enid and Wednesday complied weakly.
The blonde slowly pulled off the ravenette’s shirt tossing it aside, too.
Wednesday’s cheeks turned a little red as she said: “The pants first.” covering her black bra.
“Okay.” nodded Enid as she helped Wednesday unzip her black pants taking them off.
The bathtub was filled with water now and Wednesday was sitting on its cold edge wearing only her black underwear.
“I can do the next part on my own, Enid.” she said.
“Yeah, of course.” agreed Enid turning around giving her some privacy. She heard fabric brush against skin and the light sound of clothing hitting the floor.
“You can turn around now.”
The blonde turned around steadying her gaze at the tiled floor. “Do you need any help to get in the bathtub?” she asked awkwardly.
“I’m not incompetent, Enid.” commented Wednesday. After a while she added: “But I would appreciate if you gave me a helping paw.”
Enid laughed at the joke and looked up. Wednesday’s pale body was curled up hiding her private parts. The blonde noticed several angry red spots forming around the yellow splashes on the ravenette’s skin.
Enid offered her hand and Wednesday took it. She leaned on the blonde’s hand emerging herself in the water.
The ravenette’s eyebrows shot up.
“Is something wrong?” asked a worried Enid.
“The water. It's freezing.” she eyed Enid. “Thank you. I... didn't know you remembered that.” said Wednesday.
The werewolf let out a shy smile. Then, she took a breath. “Uhm, do you need any help with… cleaning?” she asked blushing a little.
“No, I can handle it myself. But I appreciate your offer.” said Wednesday with the slightest color creeping up her cheeks.
“Okay, then I’m leaving the towels here so you can dry yourself and if you need anything else, I’ll be one… howl away.” smiled Enid.
“You do obtain the knowledge that a wolf’s howl can be heard from seven miles away? Whereas our room is only two feet away from the bathroom.” said Wednesday.
“Yeah, I know Wednesday, but I was trying to make a wolf’s reference.” explained Enid.
“Mine was better.” jested Wednesday.
Enid rolled her eyes and went to exit the bathroom.
“But, I forgot.” said Wednesday stopping Enid. “You didn’t have time to search about howling. You were too busy with… what was that book’s name again?” she rubbed her chin with her index finger mimicking a thinking gesture. “The Mounting of Werewolves: An Illustrated Guide?”.
“It was not illustrated!” exclaimed Enid. “And it was called ‘Heat Cycles and Mating of Werewolves: A Complete Guide’. ”
“Aaah, yes. Thank you for refreshing my memory.” said Wednesday sarcastically slowly rubbing her hand with her sponge. “And for what class was it again?”
“W-werewolf biology.” stuttered Enid.
“Hmm, interesting.” Wednesday gave Enid a once-over.
Enid huffed. “Someone is feeling better!”
“I’m not. I’m merely in less pain than before.”
Enid rolled her eyes. “Well, if you need anything else, I’ll be in my bed.”
“Practicing?” added Wednesday with a smirk.
“No! Ugh, you’re so annoying sometimes, you know?” exclaimed Enid.
“I know.” said Wednesday amused, while Enid closed the bathroom door behind her with a light thud.