Her stomach was a howling, bottomless pit of hunger.
Noah's gift of food was an unexpected blessing. The fried chicken and french fries made her moan with delight- the steaming food was homemade just for her.
The teenage boy was leading her through the cemetery and into the streets.
They wandered the well-maintained concrete sidewalks quietly. Mowed grass swarmed her nostrils- surrounding the concrete paths on either side. Gigantic pine trees surrounded them like city buildings.
Stars shimmered down at them- the moon guiding them on their journey.
"These fries need more salt." Calamity pointed out with a full mouth in her coarse voice, "But your mom makes bomb ass food."
Noah fidgeted and chuckled nervously. The boy was slightly in front of the feasting older woman, "Y-Yeah." He'd nod.
Poor kid was still fearful of her. Calamity knew she looked intimidating- but any other reasons were misunderstood.
"Uhm-" He ran his nails against his scalp anxiously, "M-My family, uh, brings flowers and food to you... every week." Noah hugged his thin, cold arms, "This is the, well, first time I've come alone..."
Calamity licked her fingers and swallowed the food she was chewing, "Why?"
"W-Well... my mom said we do it for your brother."
The pair continued to walk as she furrowed her brows in seldom thought. A sudden realization hit her like a tornado- whizzing her thoughts into glee-filled recognition.
Calamity has an older brother named Traven Steele. He's 37 years old and owns the Exotic Veterinary & Research Center.
Memories of the older brother uplifted her lips with delight.
Traven is an overprotective, loving, doting man. Childhood stories of the pair retold their companionship- the older boy holding her as a baby and carefully guiding her to her first day of preschool.
He was eight years older than her. The man spent years intimidating boyfriends, helping her in her worst times, and giving her a copy of a key to his home so she could visit any time. To say she loved her brother was an understatement.
"Why won't he do it himself?" The croaky woman blurted once reality came roaring back to her.
The container of food was empty. Grease and grains of salt were all she left in the wake of her hungerous destruction.
"Something about him being too emotional to come," Noah muttered as he turned down a thinner sidewalk toward a home.
She pursed her lips in silent thought.
As the duo passed a trash can for the residence, she'd carefully open the lid and toss her container inside.
Pain suddenly cascaded through her body as she was thrown to the concrete. A heavyweight held her down. Calamity flailed and tossed the woman above her aside. They quickly switched positions, with her on top.
"Mom! Wait!" Noah attempted to get in between them.
Calamity viewed the woman below her. She had long black hair- half of it tied in three yellow hot rollers. Brilliant emerald eyes seared holes into her- dangerously eyeing Calamity with unbridled hatred. It held the stare of a protective mother bear.
The lean woman was slightly muscular. She latched her hands around Calamity's shoulders and threw her on the ground beside her- initiating a wrestling match in front of the teenage boy. The boy was clearly panicking.
"Mom!" He looked around before spluttering, "That's Calamity! It's Calamity!"
The mother's eyes widened, her brows curving with concern. "Wh-What?" The woman's lack of flailing caused the brunette to stop.
"You're Calamity?!" The woman exclaimed.
"I think!" The mohawked woman responded, "If Calamity is a chained lady in a cemetery- yeah!"
She watched the emerald-eyed woman drop her jaw in shock, "Holy shit..."
The female duo untangled themselves from each other and stood. Calamity brushed her torn pants of debris- her body aching from the short wrestle.
Her wounds screamed in protest. Their sensitive sea of bruises and scars groaned- worsening the pain.
Her ocean eyes witnessed the mother shift uncomfortably- brushing her arms off and adjusting her hair rolls. Her expression was dropped in bewilderment- identical to the teenage boy's when he first saw her attached to the grave.
Calamity rested the chain around her shoulder to alleviate its uncomfortable weight.
"I... I smelled a rogue, but..." The mother eyed her up and down, "... How? The Rogue virus isn't... curable..."
"That's what I thought!" Noah exclaimed.
She raised her hands and let them fall to her thighs, "Explanation! Please?" Calamity pleaded.
The mother's eyes flickered between her and behind her. She suddenly grabbed Calamity's arm and dragged her into the home- throwing the door open and hurrying Noah inside. The teenage boy fidgeted and looked around in a panic.
The double doors were tall and maroon red. Dark brown panels lined the walls, and massive clear windows gave beautiful views of the pine trees towering outside.
Two curved tan couches were in the middle of the living room. It was a lovely, tidy room she wanted to lay in.
The short hallway to the living room had a cobble floor and a step up to the wooden floors.
"Okay, okay-" The mother locked the front door, "My name is Blaine Lycoris, if you don't remember."
"Oh-" Calamity furrowed her brows in thought.
Blaine was... yes, she was the sister of the Alpha of Atourania. She was an important and respected figure in the hierarchy of werewolves.
But she thought she was a 21-year-old woman... not a mother of a teenage boy?
Blaine ushered Calamity further into the home, "There's a DC patrol outside." She whispered lowly, "I don't want them to kill you just because of your scent."
Calamity had been hearing a lot about her scent. Was it truly that horrendous?
All the she-wolf could do was allow the alpha female to guide her into the kitchen.