Forgotten Wolf

13 Figure it Out

Suddenly, a question pops into my mind. "Am I going to turn?" I feel stupid asking, but raise my forearm to show the bite.

It's Xavier's turn to chuckle. "That's not how any of this works. Try not to believe everything you see in the movies. We don't lose control on the full moon and turn into senseless killing machines. We don't hunt humans or feed on them."

Claire makes a face at that.

"Stop, you're going to make things worse, you ox," she scolds. "You're either a werewolf or not, there's no turning, and it's not like the movies, it's not monstrosities like that. We all have a wolf spirit with us. As a child, it's your first friend and your biggest confidant."

I nod for her to continue. This all sounds like something out of a movie, but it's hard to dispute what you've seen with your own eyes.

"Every child is raised among wolves. They see their parents' wolves early on, all to prepare them for meeting their own." Claire watches me closely, making sure she doesn't lose me.

I frown, not understanding that last part. "Wait, the wolves are separate and you meet them later on?"

"No, no, they are always there, but some make themselves known sooner than others. One day when they are ready, they just start talking to us," she says as she taps her temple.

"So it's like, split personality? Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?" I ask, furrowing my brow in disbelief.

"No." Xavier groans, palming his forehead and looking annoyed. "It's more like your brother. It's not known if the goddess pairs like-minded wolves and people together, or if because we grow up together and we just blend as one." He shrugs.

Claire rolls her eyes and takes over once more. "The Moon Goddess is our ruling spiritual mother. We pray to her and she takes care of us. She pairs people with their wolves and takes care of mates. Sometimes she visits us in dreams to help us through the darkest times in our lives, or to offer guidance." She speaks with such love and reverence that it's clear how important this goddess is to her.

"Have you seen her?" I can't help but ask. The thought of a higher power you can actually get a response from is interesting.

She nods, smiling to herself. "Only once when I was a child. I truly felt blessed." She looks deep in thought but doesn't elaborate, and I don't push further.

"Generally speaking, we are very similar to humans. The same rules and principles apply. I think there were a couple of things that stood out to you, but you were too polite to comment," she teases. "But our wild side, our wolves crave a certain social structure. That's one of the main reasons we live in the communities like we do."

"Packs have a structure that satisfies our wild side. The strongest, the Alpha and Luna, lead us. Their job is the health and well-being of the pack. A good Alpha can mean prosperity, and a bad one can bring ruin to even the strongest of packs. If he fails in his duty, the pack can revolt and overthrow him or he can be challenged and his position taken." She pauses to take a sip of her drink and lets her words sink in.

"The second in command is the Beta. If something happens to the Alpha, he will fill in, and in dire situations, he will assume the Alphas mantle." She watches me to gauge my reaction, not wanting to overwhelm me. I nod for her to continue.

"The Gamma is the third in command so to speak, but in addition to his pack position, he is the Luna's champion. Goddess forbid something happens between the Alpha couple, but the Gamma will go against his Alpha to save his Luna if need be."

What kind of world do they live in where she would need her own champion!?

"The rest of the pack is broken into various classes. Warrior class is all of our defenders, regular class are your everyday wolves, the old and young, hospital staff, etc. or ones unable to fight. The lowest class is the omegas. Each pack deals with them differently, but they are usually the grunt labour and domestics. Some are just born that way and serve to help their pack in exchange for protection and inclusion, since they are the weakest wolves. Others are made omegas as a punishment for a crime, sometimes temporarily, other times permanently."