Wendy shook her head. “It’s not that, Marco…”
Her mind raced, telling the truth was not an option, hiding the truth would not be an option much longer either. Sharon's words rang in her ears, “No way, hon, not with a full moon, not with your first transformation!” Who knew being a werewolf could be so inconvenient! It was getting dark fast, 29 minutes before moon rise but despite this impending crisis, Wendy regained her composure.
Wendy remembered her training. Field operatives with the FBI were called upon to improvise all the time. With renewed confidence she faced Marco and said, "No big deal, just run to the next emergency phone, and I'll head in the opposite direction. Once you get to a working phone, call help and return to the car, I'll do the same."
Marco nodded, he showed his releif with a smile. Wendy had recouperated her senses, she seemed like herself once more. Marco admired his 'in control, take charge' big sister, and had confidence in her plan. Still, her lapse into an emotional display earlier seemed odd. She was hiding something. She had to keep secrets for her job, but whatever she was hiding this time had her emotionally upset, and Marco knew it. It was all very 'UnWendy.' Still he followed her orders without hesitation, and cheerfully noticed that the rain seemed to be letting up.
Wendy was releived. She felt horrible about ditching Marco for the night, but she had little recourse. If he saw her change, she had no way of knowing what the pack would do to him or to her. “Wendy…listen to me…remember…you cannot let Marco see anything!” Sharon's voice echoed in her head, a phantom thought of their earlier conversation. She would keep her word, swore Wendy as she began her trek away from Marco, marching steadily down a roadside steaming with fog from the recent torrents of rain.
Wendy plotted as she walked, deciding to cut off into the surrounding State Forrest shortly before moon rise at 7:32 pm. She'd strip and stow her clothes, and get wolfy in a nice secluded area where she could enjoy her first turning with some privacy. The thought was arousing, and she visualized herself and her pack-sisters in various stages of wolfing out. It turned her on even more to picture Heather and Dita basking in their own first change, and mused that they had 'gotten their gift' several hours earlier in whatever timezone Ireland was in. Noticing her arousal, Wendy shook her head and said aloud, "not now girl, more problems to solve before I give in to these urges..."
She continued strolling down the highway, thinking several moves ahead like a good 'lil chess player. How would she explain an entire nights absence to Marco? Could she claim she got lost, or maybe trapped somewhere? She needed an excuse for him. Thanks to some quick thinking Marco wouldn't see her transform. A cover story to explain the missing time would be needed now. Marco would have questions, and she planned to prepare answers.
Wendy thought her 'lycanthropic condition' guaranteed she would go all hairy scary werewolf style from moon rise to sunrise. She had no idea that the lycanthropic infection blossoming within her body would keep her 'on all fours' for 3 days and nights straight. In her mind, explaining one night, 12 hours out of the day missing, would be easy. She could then proceed to her destination under the light of day in her human guise, and change with her sisters under the rising moon tomorrow.
Wendy let her mind wander, contemplating the most believable excuse, and time passed. The moon crested the horizon, and beams of brilliant lunar light broke through disappearing cloud cover. This coupled with the gravitational effects of a moon in full phase began to effect the young Indian woman's internal chemistry. Her pituitary gland switched into overdrive, unbenounced to recumbent werewolf. A chemical reaction began, and the soon to be awakened lycanthrope began to feel feverishly warm. The spike in body temperature was so intense, it caused her paused mid-step. Glancing into the night sky, she took notice of the risen moon. Suddenly taking note of her surroundings, she cursed herself for getting lost in thought and forgetting to prepare for this moment.
A warm and pleasant feeling began to spread through Wendy Patel as she clutched her lower midsection, the point from which these feelings originated. Clumsily, she passed over the guard rail, beyond which lay the privacy of the State Forrest she so desperately needed before her transformation really got moving.
**...Just 10 minutes earlier with the Coven in Evansville...**
Sharon told Lisa about her conversation with Wendy as soon as it happened. They, along with the rest of the coven remained hopeful that Wendy would arrive before moon rise, but with 10 minutes to go and Wendy's cell phone out of service range, it became clear a plan 'B' was needed to help their new pack-mate.
"So she doesn't know that she'll remain a wolf for the entire 3 days of the lunar cycle yet?" asked Solonge.
"No she doesn't. It's my fault, i didn't get a chance to explain." Sharon bowed her head in shame.
"She's a smart woman" said Ebony, "She's been in tougher situations than the one she faces now."
"Enough talk, time draws near and we need a plan." declared Lisa in an authoritative tone of voice. "Show me on a map where she was when she called last." Lisa's command was answered by Sharon.
"Here at this rest stop, she called from a diner pay phone at about 4:30pm." Sharon pointed to the spot on a Rand-McNally road atlas she had handy.
"Not knowing her exact position will hurt our efforts to find her." Lisa said examining the map, tracing the most direct route between the spot and their location with her index finger. She slowed to a stop, her finger hovering over Hoosier National Forest. "If my hunch is correct, they are in the State Forrest land. It's hard to get help if you break down, and impossible to get a phone signal in that wilderness. So that is where the search begins, first thing tomorrow morning."
"At least she'll have the forest for some cover" Solonge added. "A smart woman like Wendy should be able to conceal her condition until sunrise, but no doubt she'll be freaked out when she doesn't change back tomorrow. We can explain once we find her tomorrow."
The others nodded in agreement. No other words were spoken, each woman choosing to use their final moments of humanity before the change to prepare themselves. Some tugged at loose fit clothing in slight discomfort. Others, like Lisa and Debra abandoned their clothes altogether.
As worried as Lisa was about her newest thrall, there was nothing she could do for Wendy now except hope for the best. Making herself comfortable in the embrace of Debra, she allowed her arms wander and explore her lovers body, acknowledging the rising bestial lust which would soon overtake them all. The full moon was about to appear and command it's monthly performance from the women of Wolf Coven. Even the mighty Lisa Singer would be forced to obey....