Moonlit Fur Chronicles: Rising Moon
Chapter 4 Life As A Werewolf

Peyton grabbed her travel mug and filled it with coffee. She took a breakfast burrito for the road and headed out of the door. Traffic was the usual mess as she headed to class. She navigated the labyrinth of roads and cars that surrounded her. She finally arrived at the college with only minutes to spare. Peyton charged through the building and slid into her seat just as the professor began to start class. Jessi smiled in greeting. Jessi was Peyton’s good friend from school. They had most of their classes together and became friends quickly.

Peyton smiled back at Jessi. The professor droned on. Jessi and Peyton shared a hushed conversation. Peyton quietly whispered the story of how miraculously her arm healed itself overnight. Jessie narrowed her eyes at Peyton. Jessi smirked, “Yeah and I’m the Queen. I bet you took some fancy drugs that they are testing. They turned you into a guinea pig!” “They turned me into something,” Peyton hissed, her voice was meaner than she meant it to be, “Your guinea pig theory is better than the truth, so let’s just go with that.” Jessi’s eyes widened, “Girl, now you have to tell me!” Peyton rolled her eyes, “No, you won’t believe me.” Jessi scowled, “You can not leave me hanging like that! It’s inhumane!” Peyton chuckled quietly, “Now you’ve got something…Inhuman.” Jessi raised her eyebrow. “Fine, I’ll tell you tonight. But not here, not where people can overhear.” Jessi shrieked in delight.

“Is there something you want to share with the class Ms. Carl,” the professor called with annoyance in her voice. Peyton stifled a smile and Jessi swallowed hard, “Um, Yeah. Taco Shack just released their new taco flavor, SuperCheese. I can’t wait to try one!” The professor sighed. “Look, I know this is probably the most boring class of your lives right now, but it is necessary if you want to become a veterinarian. So compose yourself, focus, and learn.” Those were the last non-class related words for the next long hour and a half. Peyton and Jessi hung on as the whirlwind of information danced around them. Finally class had ended; Jessi and Peyton went to their next classes.

The day of classes continued uneventfully and came to a close. Jessie followed Peyton to her car, “Girl I need to know. Spill everything!” Peyton sighed. Peyton wasn’t ready for anyone to know her huge fuzzy secret. “If I tell you, do you promise to stop pestering me about it?” Jessi’s eyes widened with anticipation, “Yes! Absolutely!” Peyton looked around to make sure no one was close by, “What do you know about werewolves?” Jessi smiled, “Everything! Werewolves are my favorite mythical beast!” Peyton winced as Jessi said the word beast. “Creature, mythical creature,” she corrected. “Oh I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

Peyton took a deep breath and cleared her throat. “Ok, ummm, werewolves are real. They look like huge wolves, like two or three times the size.” Jessi gasped. “I knew it!” she exclaimed. “I saw a giant wolf the other night, it was really far away so I just assumed it was a regular wolf but I knew it was weird!” Peyton’s heart dropped, “What color was it? Did it have any identifying marks?” Jessi nodded, “It was a big wolf with a red stripe down the center of its back.” Peyton’s pulse picked up. If Jessie had seen one of the red stripe wolves, who else had? She decided to go to the mansion after work and talk to the red headed twins.

“So how are werewolves and your arm connected?” Jessi begged. “You said you knew everything about werewolves. You tell me,” Peyton scoffed. She saw the metaphorical wheels turn in Jessi’s head. “Girl no! Seriously!” Jessi exclaimed, she could barely contain her excitement. She squealed. “Ugh No! See this was the reaction I was hoping to avoid. That and the disbelieving one.” Peyton pouted. Jessi was ecstatic. “No, this is not cool, Jessi! I already turn into a cranky bitch once a month, I don’t need fangs and claws too!” Peyton replied but Jessi was too excited to pay any attention. “Girl, I want details! Tell me everything!” Peyton shook her head, “No, I’m already late for work. I have to go.” She climbed into her car and left Jessi alone in the parking lot.

Peyton deftly navigated the maze of turns and corners which lead to her part time job at the Vet Clinic. She walked in the door and clocked in. She changed into her pink scrubs and prepared herself mentally for a couple hours of walking dogs, shoveling poop, and cleaning cages. Every once in a while, Doc would call Peyton into an examination room to help her with an unruly pet. Today the lobby was empty, so Peyton passed through to the back. The two vet assistants mingled at the coffee machine and made small talk. She stepped into the kennel room and began her duties.

Everything was nice, quiet and calm for about thirty seconds before every dog and cat in the room screamed in panic. Some retreated to the back of their cage, some threw themselves violently against the cage door in an attempt to escape and attack. The two vet assistants and Doc raced into the room to see what the commotion was. Peyton stood frozen in surprise at the animal’s reactions. The wolf in her chest stirred and growled at all the delicious prey trapped in the cages. It wanted to erupt and devour the helpless animals. Peyton hugged herself tightly and fought against the wolf as it pounded against her rib cage. She ran through the backdoor and out into the yard.

She fell to her knees and struggled to breath. The wolf was hungry. Peyton was angry. Veterinarian medicine was her passion. She refused to let the wolf ruin her entire life. “I will not let you ruin my life!” she growled aloud to the wolf. The internal battle raged for a solid five minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Peyton forced the wolf back down. She picked herself up and took several deep breaths. She forced herself to walk back into the kennel room. All the dogs and cats seemed to know she was in charge, they stayed quiet but watched her warily. “I control it. It does not control me,” Peyton whispered softly to herself and the pets in the kennel room.

One of the vet assistants poked his head into the kennel room and told Peyton that Doc wanted to see her. She took a breath and bold put one foot in front of the other until she stood before Doc’s office door. She knocked and waited. Doc called her in and had Peyton take a seat in front of her desk. Doc asked if she was okay, Peyton nodded and told Doc she was just caught by surprise and needed to get some fresh air. She said it wouldn’t happen again. Peyton told Doc how much she appreciated and enjoyed this job. Doc was kind and empathetic. She told Peyton to not worry about it and that Peyton did a great job with the kennels and the pets. Peyton thanked her and Doc dismissed her.

The rest of Peyton’s shift passed. She completed her tasks on auto pilot while she contemplated why the pets in the kennel room reacted so strongly. It had to be the wolf. They had to have recognized the wolf deep in her chest and were terrified. She had never had such a reaction from any animal. She decided to be extra careful around animals for the foreseeable future.