Shadow of the Wolf

by Kelley, Anastacia

  Trevor stiffened. “Where does the question part come in?”

  Serenitee smiled sheepishly. “You have a point. Will you go with me to the Greene’s Christmas party?”

  Trevor looked uneasy. He didn’t think Rue would want him there. She was civil to him but, like others in town, they were timid about the Van Holden family and its curse. Even Rue knew about it long before he was born. She knew his father and grandfather. He should be glad she didn’t shun him altogether or tell anyone who would listen.

  Serenitee was looking at him, expecting an answer.

  “You said I had a few days to think about it?”

  She nodded.

  “I’ll need those few days then.”

  Chapter Eight

  Trevor checked his calendar. He should be safe if he went to the party. The full moon wouldn’t rise until four days after Rue’s get together. But to be sure, he would inject the Monkshood a little earlier than usual. A few days ahead of it should be sufficient.

  Hopefully the party won’t last too late into the night.

  This party gave him the chance to be with Serenitee and, maybe, just maybe, let the townspeople put away their terrible superstitions and prejudices, even if it’s for one night. They had nothing to fear from him. He didn’t transform until a full moon and it wasn’t but once a month. When his wolf form did hunt, it was for animals in the woods, not human beings.

  But a voice in the back of his mind nagged him. How long will it be until the wolf actually takes a human life? How long before it loses total control?

  He didn’t want to think about it. He jarred his head with his hand, hoping that would rid his mind of that awful thought and horrible images.

  He picked up his phone and called Serenitee, agreeing to go to the party with her.

  Trevor was dressed in his best shirt and pants. He thought a tie would be overdoing it. This was a party at Rue’s, after all. She didn’t think people had to dress to the nine’s just to go out and mingle. She thought it was a bit too stuffy.

  Trevor knocked on Serenitee’s door. When it opened, he was dumbstruck at her beauty. She wore a simple red dress but it showed off her gorgeous legs. Her soft hair was pulled up and looked tousled. Like she just got out of bed. It made him want to get her back under the covers.

  In her ears, dangled snowflake earrings. That was it as far as jewelry went though she didn’t need it to enhance her beauty. She was already sexy as sin in his eyes.

  “You look too beautiful to be going out.” He rubbed her cheek with his palm.

  “Why thank you.” She lifted on her tip toes and kissed him.

  “Better be careful or we’ll not make it to the party on time.”

  “Maybe later tonight,” she suggested impishly.

  “No. Definitely later tonight.” He laced his hand with hers and escorted her to his car.

  Trevor was nervous at first, not knowing how people would react to the fact he was there with them. They were wary but as the clock ticked by, they eased up and even started a conversation with him. Maybe it had something to do with him being invited by Rue because everybody trusted her judgment. Maybe it was the cocktails and liquor-laced punch.

  Maybe it was just a combination of both.

  Whatever it was, his stomach had untwisted and he actually felt good, enjoying a drink with the guys. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt at ease with anyone. Anyone, besides Serenitee.

  He watched her as she helped Rue put out a platter of brown sugar ham and cranberry sauce before disappearing back into the kitchen.

  He took a sip of his beer and focused back on the conversation at hand.

  “Yeah, she’s a very nice lookin’ woman,” one man stated. “Seems to have a good head on her shoulders.”

  “She’s very beautiful,” Trevor admitted.

  “I noticed you came together. You two an item?”

  “Item?” He had forgotten just how fast news traveled around here.

  “It’s a small town so it doesn’t take long for information to make its rounds.” He drained the last of his beer. “It’s just that she’s new and a couple of guys were asking around to see if she was available. From what we’ve seen and heard from Rue, Serenitee is someone to get to know. I know I would.”

  “Lyle,” another warned. “It’s obvious to everyone that they are together, seeing they were holding hands when they came in. Best to leave it at that. We’re here to have a good time. Besides, Rue will bust you butt if you’re not on your best behavior.”

  Lyle mumbled something unintelligible and sat down. Obviously, Rue was the unofficial matriarch of the town.

  The man looked at Trevor and reached out a hand. “Sorry about that. Name’s Tom Smith.”

  Trevor shook the man’s hand. “Trevor Van Holden.” Either Tom had no idea of the Van Holden’s or he was being polite. “I just moved to this town a couple of months ago.”

  That explains it.

  “It’s a nice place to live. You’ll like it here. It’s a fairly quiet town but being on the small side, as Lyle pointed out, everyone knows everyone.”

  “Ah. Gotcha.”

  “Everybody!! The food’s ready and waitin’,” Rue shouted over the din of the crowd.

  A few hours later, Serenitee didn’t think she could find one crumb of food left. Even her pecan pie was devoured. All that was left was the pie tin. She was delighted about it, too.

  Rue was seeing a few guests out while Serenitee, Trevor and Charles cleaned off the dining room table.

  “Now, see here. You two shouldn’t have done that. You’re my guests.”

  “Oh, Rue. You cooked that fabulous meal. It’s the least we could do,” Trevor grinned.

  Rue gave him a motherly pat on the shoulder. “Well, then. I thank you all for the help.”

  When she winked at him, Serenitee was pleased it had turned out just fine. It wasn’t as bad as he thought it was going to be. All these people were accepting of him. True, they shied from him a little at first, but they came around pretty fast.

  Now, she hoped Trevor was more comfortable with himself.

  Trevor asked Serenitee to stay over at his place that night and she had no problem with that. She went to her house long enough to get some clothes and a few necessities.

  Trevor was sitting on his couch when Serenitee came into view, wearing a comfortable pair of cotton shorts and a button down night shirt. She couldn’t have been sexier if she were wearing lingerie.

  He stood up. “You don’t know what you do to me.”

  She cupped his thick arousal. “Oh, I’m pretty sure I do,” her voice husky and raw.

  Trevor gave her an untamed growl. “You don’t understand. I want to rip your clothes off that sexy body of yours and tear them to shreds. I want to throw you on this couch and ravage you until we can’t move a muscle.”

  Serenitee put her mouth on his ear and whispered, “Why don’t you?”

  Trevor’s Adam’s apple bobbed. Without breaking eye contact, he grabbed the collar of her buttoned shirt and pulled, sending the buttons flying everywhere. The bra didn’t stand a chance in his hands as he freed her breasts.

  Trevor bent down to his knees and removed her socks. He stood up and with his chest muscles straining, in one mighty heave, he ripped the shorts right off her legs.

  His nostrils flared. With one hand he tore her panties in two, letting them fall to her feet in ribbons. It wasn’t too difficult given they were made of lace.

  Serenitee undressed him just as quickly. She pushed him back into sitting position on the couch. She spread his legs a little and settled in between them on her knees.

  She brought her mouth down on his long shaft and pleasured him with her warm mouth. Trevor’s head fell back on the couch, his eyes closed. Her mouth worked his manhood as her hand squeezed him. She pulled at him with long, even strokes, letting her tongue tease the tip.

  Trevor didn’t want to come without being inside her. He lifted his head. “Sit
on my lap.”

  Serenitee stood up and straddled his thick thighs. She grasped the head rest of the couch behind his neck. She hovered over his stiff erection. He grabbed himself and let her ease her hips onto him slowly. The tip disappeared, then the middle. Finally, all of him disappeared into her wet, womanly lips.

  He grabbed her hips and held on as he took her for a ride. She lifted up and sank down then stilled for a few seconds before doing it over and over again. She moaned loudly as he moved her hips towards him then away. His pubic bone rubbed against her clitoris, sending her nerve ending ablaze. The sensation made her quiver, made her legs weak and her heart race.

  This time, Trevor kept her back a bit to reach his hand in between them. He used his fingers to pet her. She was riding both his cock and his fingers. Trevor’s mouth sought out her breasts. His tongue slid over each nipple. He took one into his mouth and sucked hard, repeating his ministrations on the other one.

  He moved his hand away from between her thighs and grabbed both breasts, pushing them together and licking in between them. He kissed each puckered nipple.

  “Kiss me, Serenitee.”

  Serenitee brought her head down and claimed his mouth in a heated kiss as she continued to move over him. Their tongues played a game of in and out. She moaned against his lips.

  Trevor reached under her arms and placed his hands on either side of her shoulders. He pushed her hard into him. He squeezed his thighs, letting her take as much as she wanted.

  Serenitee lifted her head, sweat gliding down her neck. “Oh, yes, Trevor.”

  “Does that feel good, sweetheart?” he barely managed to ask.

  “A-Ahh, yes.” She bucked her hips.

  Trevor pushed Serenitee harder onto him. “I love being inside you.”

  “Oh, Trevor. Yes….yes. Mmmmm.”

  He could do no more than growl now. He rocked against her as he held her close to his chest. He didn’t know how much longer he could hold on.

  “Please, Trevor.”

  “Yes, baby. Come for me.”

  He moved enough to rub her core once again. She ground her hips into him and shouted out as the climax pounded her body.

  Trevor came in waves of pleasure as he pushed inside her one last time. He stilled, letting the powerful orgasm wash over him before releasing its hold.

  Serenitee had fallen asleep on his shoulder later on that night. He quietly picked her up and carried her to bed. He slipped under the covers, snuggled next to her and slept.

  Chapter Nine

  Serenitee was still in bed so Trevor used that opportunity to go ahead with the Monkshood injection. He put on a pair of sweats and crept slowly downstairs. He went outside and cut a few flowers and put them into his pocket. He went inside the bathroom and washed and sterilized the area.

  He could’ve done this blindfolded. It had become a tedious routine but it needed to be done.

  Trevor mixed the solution and filled a syringe. He pulled the waistband of his sweat pants down from his right hip. He used an alcohol soaked cotton ball and rubbed the skin.

  Just as he plunged the needle into his skin and pressed in the medicine, the door opened. He managed to get all the Monkshood in. He saw Serenitee staring at him as if she just met him.

  He bagged all his supplies and threw them in a specialized containment unit.

  “Trevor?”

  “This isn’t what it looks like, Serenitee.” He washed his hands and walked past her to his room. She followed.

  “Are you not feeling well?” She was concerned. There had to be a reason he left her bed so quietly to give himself an injection of medication.

  “You could say that.” He sat on the edge of the bed and patted the place next to him. She sat beside him, waiting.

  He couldn’t back peddle this one. She had seen him with a needle. There was no way out but the truth.

  “I give myself an injection once a month, before a full moon. It’s a Monkshood mixture.”

  She looked puzzled. He couldn’t blame her.

  “I thought Monkshood was lethal.”

  “It is……to humans. Not to me and my kind.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “You admitted to reading my family journal. You know what’s in there and what it’s about. You know the truth about me now. You know about all the men in the Van Holden family and our curse.”

  Serenitee felt a chill move over her skin. “I thought it was an illness passed down to only the men in your family.”

  “It is. In a way.”

  Serenitee chewed her bottom lip, deep in thought before speaking. “Monkshood? It’s a plant that, in myth, keeps away werewolves.”

  “Yes. But it’s not a myth. It’s true.”

  She looked at him like he had lost his mind. “So, that was Monkshood you were injecting into your skin?”

  “Yes.”

  Serenitee fell quiet for a moment. “Wait! Do you have the journal?” He got up and got the journal from the closet. He handed it over to Serenitee.

  She flipped open the pages until she found Joseph’s entry. She pointed to the page. “Right here. Look. Joseph says he was taking some kind of tincture that was losing its potency. He just hoped that his restraints would hold him during a full moon.” She closed the book. “What’s going on, Trevor? You asked me if I believed in ‘this curse’. Are you saying you have the curse of a wolf?”

  “Werewolf,” he corrected.

  She shook her head. “No. It can’t be. That’s just folklore.”

  Trevor met her eyes. “Sometime folklores are true. This happens to be one of them.”

  Serenitee couldn’t meet his eyes. “I can’t believe it. I just can’t.” She finally searched his eyes. “All I see in front of me is a human being. Not some hairy beast. I read that lycanthropy was a form of mental illness. It could be passed down in your family.”

  She wanted a rational explanation. Anything but the actual truth. He grabbed her shoulders gently. “No. It’s not a mental illness. It is real, Serenitee. Why do you think I always give you an excuse on why I can’t meet you the day of the full moon? Do you remember that day you had that bag of dog food?” She nodded. “That wasn’t a little dog you heard howling in these woods.

  “It was me. I was hunting.”

  Serenitee went as pale as a ghost. “Hunting for what?” Her mouth had gone dry.

  “Animals.”

  She said nothing. Trevor released her. “You don’t believe me. I can understand. Look. I know you need time to wrap your head around what I’ve told you. Why don’t you take a couple of days?”

  Serenitee cleared her throat. “Yes. I think that’s a good idea.” She looked into his sad eyes. “I’m sorry, Trevor.” With that, she walked out of the room. He heard the front door open then close. He felt like he was already on the verge of losing her.

  Serenitee sat at the kitchen table nursing her now cold coffee. It had only been one day since she’s seen Trevor. He wasn’t far from her mind. And neither was their talk about his curse.

  She stared at the computer screen. She opened up her search engine and typed in “Werewolves”. She couldn’t find much except for mostly what she already knew from movies and books. It basically talked of them being a part of myths and legends. She typed in “Lycanthropy”. Just as she suspected. She read the definition.

  “Lycanthropy, in folklore means a person has the ability to take on the form and characteristics of a wolf. It is also defined as a delusion in which a person has transformed into a wolf or other such animal.”

  She could’ve left it at that but decided to search further. There were sites about people actually seeing real life werewolves, even people claiming to be a werewolf.

  By the time Serenitee read through tons of information, she only managed to get a headache and was no closer to the truth. She sat back and rubbed her temples.

  She heaved a sigh, turned off her computer and took a couple of aspirin.

  She should ju
st go and talk to Trevor tonight. Besides, he still had her clothes. She just wanted an excuse to see him again.

  Trevor heard a knock on his door around dusk. He saw Serenitee on the other side. He opened the door.

  “Can we talk?”

  Trevor looked up into the darkening sky. “For a few minutes, then you have to go.”

  Serenitee angled her head and saw that tonight was a full moon. She was skeptical but appeased him. “Okay.”

  Trevor offered her a drink. “Just water, please.”

  He handed her a glass of water and sat down beside her. “I already know you think that this curse is all in my head and that it’s bogus.”

  Serenitee took a sip of water before answering. “You have to understand it from my side, Trevor. I mean werewolves for goodness’ sakes.”

  “How can I possibly look at it from your side? I have never been on that side of human in my entire life. I was born with this curse. More than likely, I’ll die with it, too.”

  “How long can you live with it?”

  “I might have a good eight years left.” He took her hands. “Can’t you understand that I don’t want to be cursed? I want a normal life. I want many more years on this Earth. I want love, a wife, maybe a few kids. I want—“he licked his lips. “I want you, Serenitee. And it tears me up that I can never really have you. I won’t be here long enough for you. You are young. You have such a long life ahead of you. I don’t want to screw up your chance to have happiness.” The emotion he felt put a chink in his voice when he spoke again. “I love you, Serenitee and it isn’t fair to you whatsoever.”

  Serenitee’s eyes glistened with tears. “Oh, Trevor. I love you, too. Why is it not fair to love me?”

  “I can’t be there for you. I can never be the man you want or need in your life. That’s why loving you isn’t fair to you.”

  Fat tears dropped onto her cheeks. Trevor wiped them away with his thumbs. He couldn’t fight the strong urge to kiss her and so he did.

  Serenitee put all of her heart and soul into the kiss, wanting him to feel that they could be together. She wanted to make him see.