Ashley didn't have to think too hard about her choice. It pounded into her brain, only causing a moment's hesitation before she realized it was the only one that made sense. Shifting into the four legged wolf form from her hybrid shape, she bolted home. There was a moment of frustration and confusion as she realized she didn't have her keys on her (and even if she did, she would have had no thumbs to use them). Glancing around, she reverted back to her human shape and found the key that was concealed in the flowerbed by the door, inside a hollow statue of a grinning gnome.
Slipping inside, she was grateful that she hadn't been spotted, and that her mother was at work in the next town and wouldn't be home until 9PM. She ran upstairs to her room, hopping online, keeping her fingers crossed the person she was looking for would be on-she hadn't been at school today.
She smiled when she saw "Heatherhowls" listed as online.
Heather had been her friend since she'd moved to town five years earlier. They'd both been the bookish and quiet sorts that were either overlooked or picked on by the rest. At first, their friendship had been that almost defensive "I don't want to fight with you..please don't fight with me" kind of friendship, and as the eighth grade year had gone on, they'd found each other to be reliable partners in both English and Science classes that they shared. (Both had learned that practically any other classmate would rely on them to do the work)
By ninth grade, they were hanging out during lunch and at the library after school, spending more and more time together. While Ashley was quite inclined toward writing, Heather was more artistic, and they'd started to collaborate casually on comic strips which were often sarcastic commentaries on their school lives.
That was also the year that they found that they shared more than a passing interest in werewolves, though neither realized how deep the other's interest went at that point.
In tenth grade, Halloween had fallen on a weekend AND a full moon. For fun, Ashley had gotten a pair of costume contacts-yellow ones. Heather had come over for a sleepover and a night of werewolf movies, and after one, Ashley had slipped into the bathroom and put the contacts in, then pretended to be starting to shift, only to be surprised by Heather kissing her hard on the lips. Ashley THEN was surprised by how much she liked it.
While they didn't full on have sex that night, there was plenty of cuddling, kissing, and a bit of fondling. The rest of the tenth grade year was spent in an awkward and experimental dating situation between the two of them, kept mostly secret due to fear of what their parents might say as well as what might get around at school. No sex actually EVER occurred between the two of them, though they did have several lengthy and extreme make out/mutual masturbation sessions brought on by talk of werewolf fantasies or transformation scenes in movies.
Eleventh grade had been awkward. Both had tried "normal" relationships as they'd grown into attractive young women and their social circles had grown. Each clearly had slight jealousy when they'd see the other with a guy, though both tried to smile and be happy for the other. Though they drifted apart a bit, each one clearly still felt strongly for the other.
Early into the second semester though, tragedy had struck Heather's family. One night, her parents were brutally murdered while Heather was out on a date. She had tried to cope, but the stares of her classmates and the inadvertently cruel questions of even the nicest of administrators or students had been too much. She withdrew from school and had gotten her GED. Thankfully, her parents had a decently sized life insurance policy along with a moderate portfolio of investments, and Heather was able to keep the house.
Ashley had been bothered by Heather's absence this year at school, and even moreso by her absence overall. The financial situation allowed Heather to avoid working too much, but Ashley knew that at some point the money would run out. Heather's personality had changed rather drastically. Her long copper hair had been chopped short, and she'd gotten several tattoos. She now sported a hoop in the side of her nose, smoked, and the handful of times that Ashley had gotten a chance to spend any time with her, she'd been far from sober. Ashley actually hadn't seen Heather in a couple of months, and according to mutual friends, Heather hadn't been leaving the house at all, choosing even to have the food delivered.
"Heather," Ashley quickly typed in the message window to 'Heatherhowls' "I'm coming over. Don't open your door for ANYONE but me. 4 Serious."
She sat staring at the screen, wondering if Heather would even respond. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally got a response.
"LOLWUT?"
"HEATHER!!! It's not safe outside! Coming over. Will explain." Ashley felt a panicked edge in her mind. She couldn't lose Heather to the rest of these corrupted creatures.
"WOW IM SO FUKD UP RITE NOW"
Ashley could hear a loud howl echoing outside. She hadn't been privy to the conversation in the auditorium after she'd escaped, but she realized now that the dark pack was making its move far earlier than she'd thought they would.
"HEATHER! Listen to ME!! Don't go outside! I'm being serious! I PROMISE I'll explain!" Ashley was on the verge of a full panic attack. Her inner wolf was begging to come out; it was a defensive reaction. She could feel her teeth lengthening and her nails clacked on the keyboard as she struggled to restrain her inner beast, though her adrenaline surge was making it hard.
"U GONA COME PARTY WITH ME?"
Ashley bit her lip, biting back tears. Her friend was in terrible danger and too fucked up to care. Hell, even if she'd been sober, she might not have cared. Heather had been an empty shell of herself since her parents had died.
"Heather...please.." she typed. "I know you're drunk or high or whatever...and I understand why you're doing this to yourself.."
"FUCK U."
"Goddamn it..just focus for one minute. If you care even a little about me.."
"NOT FAIR. U KNOW I LOVE U."
"Then please..stay inside. Don't answer the door for anyone but me. I'll be over soon."
"WTF?"
"I promise I'll explain. I PROMISE. Just please...listen to me now," Ashley wished she could type in a tone of voice.
"K."
"I'll see you soon," Ashley replied, breathing a sigh of relief, despite still being rather worried.
"K."
Ashley logged off and quickly threw on a top and jeans. She didn't even think of putting on a bra or panties; the concept of even wearing clothes struck her as an extreme nuisance now. Still, she didn't need any more attention drawn to her than necessary. Any dark pack that she would chance to encounter would smell that she was a werewolf, and wouldn't realize that she wasn't part of their pack yet. The pack was too new. They wouldn't be attuned to their senses. They wouldn't be able to smell the subtle difference that she didn't carry the combined general scent of their pack. She'd just smell like a werewolf to them, and since they weren't aware that anyone WASN'T like them, she would be safe.
Hopefully though, they also wouldn't realize that Heather was home and human.