Property of a Gordon

Chapter One.

Chapter One:

The bonfire was the star of the evening, the center of our attention. It swayed and danced to visions of the watchful moon, flickering when our eyes started to divert. It was beautiful and alluring, distracting us from its dangers as we moved closer to its warmth.

We were far enough away from the forest that the fire wasn't a concern, but close enough that I could see the trees moving along with the flames. The wind was a partner to both, guiding them from side to side.

The grass that surrounded us was littered with glass bottles, most emptied of their original contents. It was a wonder none of us were lying next to them on the ground, passed out. Looking back, I pondered just how much would've changed had our minds been free from the surrounding influences.

I was one of the two standing, swaying along with the current atmosphere. There was no music playing, yet I swore I heard something. It was what allowed me to continue dancing; my partner was close enough that I could feel the fabric of his shirt brushing against my back.

I could hear laughter behind me, his breath fanning along the nape of my neck, the smell of liquor making its way to my nose. I found myself laughing too, though my mind was unsure of what the two of us found hilarious.

"I wonder what it's like."

I lazily lifted my head off of my partner's chest, looking in the general direction of the voice. For a moment, I had forgotten there were two others here with us. Both were sitting on an old log: one's eyes glazed as she stared into the fire; the other was looking away, his gaze touching the forest.

"It's just a bunch of plants. It can't be all that great," the girl murmured, turning her eyes from the fire and towards the vast, dark forest.

"Then why do our parents obsess over it, hmm?" her brother asked from beside her, his gaze never moving.

My partner's hand drifted to my waist, a finger tunneling through my belt loop and gently pulling me closer to him. I smiled, enjoying his attention while I continued dancing along to the invisible tempo.

"If you don't believe them, why don't you go in? Nothing's going to happen," her brother replied, smirking in her direction. His sister's eyes narrowed into slits, but she didn't have a response.

"That's what I thought. You know it's too dangerous," he said, and I couldn't help but laugh. My dancing partner began laughing again, his sister joining in, and eventually, his brother. We all laughed as if it were the funniest thing he could've said.

My eyes rolled before I became a part of the conversation, unable to contain my opinion. "There's no way humans are out in that forest waiting to capture a werewolf. They're mindless idiots; they don't have the determination or mindset for it," I said, slowly turning around and pressing my nose along the collarbone of my partner.

His lips brushed against my ear as he asked, "If they're so stupid, why don't you go in there?"

He may have whispered the words, but with their enhanced hearing, his siblings caught them. I could see their eyes shine, waiting for me to decline or accept the silent challenge.

"Are you afraid?"

"Come on, it's just a forest."

I found myself laughing at their naivety. "Are you guys serious? It's way too easy to walk into the forest. I could do it for hours and nothing would happen," I started before looking up at my dancing partner. "You're weak. You know that isn't much of a dare," I added, smiling.

His eyes sparked at my bold reply before he grinned back. "Alright, sweetheart. Go into the forest as a wolf."

For a second, all I could hear was silence. No one agreed or even moved around. We were all quiet, balancing precariously between the state of an unclear and clear mind. But suddenly someone laughed, and we were all back in our drunken states.

"There's no way someone's in the forest."

"Even if there is, you'd be the deadliest animal in there. You could take out any human."

I nodded, agreeing with them. It wasn't the humans themselves that I was worried about; it was their technology. Humans were nothing without their toys, which was something they failed to realize.

I pulled away from my dancing partner, who started to protest before I walked off and shifted. My paws touched the soft ground as I pranced around the group, all eyes on me. They looked excited, each of them eager to see whether all the tales our parents told us were true.

I ran into the forest, the wind twisting and wrapping around my fur. My paws glided on the grounded, free of restriction. My mom's warnings of the forests and what it held were left behind me, out of sight and mind. I could no longer hear her telling me I needed to be more submissive and act more human.

Here in the forest, I could be myself. I could run as fast as I wanted and enjoy racing with the wind. I didn't have to hide or pretend to be something I wasn't. I was free to be the legendary animal that nightmares were made of, that children and even some adults feared. I'd never felt so free in my life.

I couldn't help but let out a howl of pride, making sure I was loud enough to be heard. I was invincible out here, the most fearsome creature in the forest. The thought excited me, egging me to run faster.

My paws pounded on the ground, darting as quickly as I could. The wind was now whistling through my fur, attempting to slow me down. However, I wouldn't allow such a small thing to keep me from enjoying this moment.

I became so mesmerized by the wind and the feel of it running along my skin that I didn't notice anything was wrong. I didn't even hear the rustling noises around me when I should've. Had I been paying more attention, it would've been clear.

One moment I was running, and the next, a net was flying high in the air before ensnaring me in its trap. I tripped, falling to the ground and collapsing. I quickly stood up but found myself falling again, the net's wires cutting further into my skin. The more I moved within it, the more entangled I became.

I could hear voices around me, thrilled at the sight of my struggles. My heart pounded, and it threatened to escape from my chest. My eyes searched for a way out, desperately looking around in a panicked frenzy. I kept fighting against the net until I finally found a thin area.

I struggled further, my nose free of the net. Right when I could finally start moving, something pricked my side, then just like that, I saw nothing.