Work Text:
Werewolf
“To the right!” Rumi shouted, keenly aware that the vampire would hear the information as well. They had chased it into the woods away from the city. Away from the innocent.
The vampire had made a mistake. It had counted on losing them between the trees. While monster hunters were both faster and stronger than ordinary humans, they couldn’t see in the dark and they didn’t have better hearing.
“Left!” Rumi commanded, Mira and Zoey followed her with practiced ease.
Rumi glanced towards the moon. Tomorrow it would be full. It was close, too close, for her to be out and hunting monsters. It was a risk.
Suddenly the vampire was gone. Rumi stopped in her tracks, ears perked. Where?
Monster hunters didn’t have better hearing... but Rumi.
She listened... silence... then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath...
“Rumi? Why are we stopping?” Mira stopped beside her, confused. It seemed neither Mira nor Zoey had realized the vampire had changed its strategy.
“It’s close” Rumi said, eyes searching the dark trees for any sign of the creature.
Zoey stood at her other side, glancing around them, weapons raised “I didn’t see it, where?”
Rumi raised her hand, signalling for the other two of them to be quiet. If she could just catch a whiff of its scent...
She wasn’t fast enough.
It came from above, landing on Mira with a bone crushing crash. Mira collapsed beneath it, her scream of pain breaking the silence.
“Mira!” Zoey cried, sprinting towards the vampire with her weapons aimed. But the vampire was ready for her, hitting Zoey with enough force to send her flying and landing hard against a tree.
Rumi’s eyes were fixed on Miras body, laying still beneath the monster. Too still.
Rumi saw red, running straight ahead just as Zoey had. The vampire grinned, white teeth shining in the moonlight. Ready for her, unafraid.
Rumi slammed into the vampire with a force it had not anticipated. The blood was rushing in her ears. Behind her, she heard Zoey call out, but she could not make out what she said. Mira. Mira was still. Mira might be-
She let out a roar above the vampire as her bones began to crack. The anger blocking out the pain as her body broke and reshaped before the moon. Bigger, stronger, long teeth, sharper... fur, ears and tail... she howled. She would kill.
“Werewolf” the vampire breathed then Rumi closed her teeth around its neck and bit down. Dust. Dust in her mouth. She snarled, anger not sated. Mira, Mira, Mira...
“... Rumi?”
It was Mira! Rumi turned around and there, Mira was back on her feet, Zoey right beside her. Both breathing, both alive. Their weapons were raised, eyes big and fearful.
But Rumi had killed it, the danger that had threatened her pack. She took a step towards them...
... they took a step back. Tightened their holds on their weapons. Fear. She could smell it. They were afraid. Afraid of... of Rumi.
Rumi had turned in front of them. They had seen. Seen the monster that was living within. After years of successfully hiding it – balancing monster and hunter, they had seen. They were ready to kill.
Rumi let out a howl of pain and sorrow and then turned around and disappeared into the forest. She had lost them.
She was alone.
She ran and ran until she could no longer pick up their scent. Monster, monster, monster. She searched... hiding... a cave...
She crawled into the dark space and curled up around herself... monster... alone... lost them...
-
She had been asleep. Their scent woke her up. Alarmed she raised her ears, ready to run, but it was too late. They were there. In the cave opening. Blocking the only exit. Weapons ready and the fear... she no longer smelled the fear. They were ready to kill. They were hunters.
The looked at her with silent determination. They had made a choice, without her, and now it was kill or be killed. She would have to kill them.
She growled, deep and threatening. Get out. Last warning.
They took a step towards her. The warning ignored. The end nearing.
She growled again, louder, more desperate. Kill or be killed, kill or be killed...
She backed away further into the cave... they were following her, she had no choice.
They were pack. Family. She could not kill... so she would be killed.
She closed her eyes and lowered her head. Surrendering. This was it. The end. A monster killed by a hunter. How it was supposed to be.
Then the sound of weapons landing on the ground cut through the darkness and suddenly there were two pairs of arms wrapped around her.
Rumi let out a startled, scared sound and their hold on her tightened.
“Rumi” it was Zoey’s voice that spoke out to her first, her fist clenched in her thick fur.
Rumi let out a confused whimper unsure of why they didn’t finish the job.
“Damn, Rumi...” Mira softly caressed Rumi between the ears and Rumi finally felt herself relax.
They laid down in the cave, huddled together. Warm, safe, pack. Rumi closed her eyes and let exhaustion take her. A deep sleep with calm dreams.
-
The sunlight made its way into the cave and landed on Rumi’s face. She made a tired protest and hid her face into a warm pillow that smelled like home. Rumi frowned and slowly opened her eyes. Her face was nuzzled into Mira’s neck... she let out a startled yelp, which in turn made Zoey stir behind her “Rumi..?”
Rumi had fallen asleep between the two of them, and they were now wrapped around her tightly. Memories of last night flashing back and Rumi felt the need to run. She tried to break free!
“Rumi?” Mira had woken up and seemed very alert. She quickly tightened her hold around her and her eyes narrowed “no” she demanded “no more running. No more hiding.”
“Rumi, it’s okay” Zoey didn’t release her either, but her hold felt more like a hug and less like a cage.
It felt hard to breathe. They had seen her... she had felt their fear... yet... yet here they were, holding her in their arms “I’m sorry” she said, her voice hoarse from not being used.
“You are a werewolf?” Zoey placed her chin against Rumi’s shoulder and glanced up at her.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Rumi could hear the hurt in Mira’s question. How could she keep such a secret from them? Why hadn’t she trusted them?
Rumi’s swallowed nervously, trying to find the right words. “I... didn’t want you to know what I am... that... that I’m a monster” it felt both horrible yet freeing to finally say it out loud.
“You’re not a monster” Mira began
“I am! You saw me, I can’t pretend that I’m not anymore” Rumi interrupted her.
“.. but you didn’t attack us. Actually, you saved Mira’s life! Maybe you are like, a good monster?” Zoey said, soothingly caressing Rumi’s upper arm.
“Monsters are never good” Rumi sombrely said.
Mira looked at Rumi, searchingly... it was clear she wanted to ask questions and was worried about the answer. The hesitation didn’t last long “have you ever killed anyone?”
Rumi could feel Zoey tense up against her. She closed her eyes “I’ve been close” she whispered.
She felt Mira pull her closer, hugging her with force. She swallowed thickly, not the reaction she expected at all.
“Tell us about it” Mira whispered.
Zoey leaned closer, joining the hug and listening.
Rumi’s heart hammered in her chest not at all feeling safe going back to the memories of that night. But she had to tell them, they deserved to understand what she was.
“It was when I first truly started to change- whole transformations. It was the first full moon since I had transformed fully. I broke out of a window and ran down into the streets and attacked a man. Luckily Celine was there and she managed to stop me before I killed him. After that, I took no chances” Rumi took a deep breath “every full moon I made sure to be locked up unable to hurt people. But the monster it... it grew, became stronger. It got harder and harder not to transform, even when the moon was not there. If I get angry, when we hunt... I’m a liability, I tried to control it but it’s too strong, I-” Rumi sobbed into Mira’s shoulder as she tasted defeat. She had fought so hard to keep it at bay but in the end she had lost.
“Oh Rumi...” Zoey sounded like she was at the verge of crying too.
“... how long ago did it happen?” Mira asked quietly “I never even knew you were bitten...”
Rumi shook her head and answered through the tears “I’ve always been like this. I was- my father was... I’m a mistake. My father was a werewolf.”
It got quiet. Eerily quiet. Rumi could feel it in the air, that the energy had changed. Were they shocked at how long she had been lying to them? They must have thought it had been no more than months. Realizing that she had lied to them through their entire friendship...
“Rumi” Mira’s voice sounded controlled. Too controlled. But Rumi could hear it, the anger that lured right beneath the surface “how old were you when you first transformed?”
Rumi blinked her eyes, not the question she had expected “Uhm” she frowned slightly “.. I must have been 6”
Zoey gasped and sat up. Rumi looked behind her, seeing the horror on her friend’s face.
“You were 6 years old?! In the story you just told us, when you attacked the man?” she asked.
“I- yes” Rumi said.
“You were a child and Celine did what?” Mira’s voice was still dangerous.
“She” Rumi sat up, looking between them with confusion” she saved him.”
“How? How did she save him?” Mira demanded.
“And what did she do afterwards?” Zoey pressed.
“She- she is a hunter. She fought me and managed to neutralize me.” Rumi said in defence “what any of us would have done”
“You were 6 years old” Mira continued “why were you even in a position where you could hurt anyone to begin with?!”
“It hadn’t happened before! And she didn’t let it happen again!” Rumi said, voice rising.
“What happened after?” Zoey asked again cautiously.
“Well she- she made a room where she could chain me up so I wouldn’t go attack anyone!” Rumi said.
“Chains? On a 6-year-old?” Mira sounded scandalized.
“She had to! You don’t understand I was going to kill him! I was becoming a monster! If it weren’t for the silver chains who know what I would have-”
“Silver?” Mira interrupted Rumi “... silver chains? Silver kills werewolves. Is that... is that what this is?” she grabbed Rumi’s arm and held it up. The scars on her wrist that she usually kept hidden were fully on display. Her clothes had not survived the transformation last night.
“It’s okay, Mira. It’s the only way to keep everyone safe” Rumi said.
“Everyone but you” Zoey said, reaching out and slowly touching the scar that ran along Rumi’s neck. “Is that... were you are every full moon? Chained up in silver somewhere with Celine...?”
Rumi’s breath hitched when Zoey touched her neck. She looked away from them “it... no, I spend the full moons alone. It... Celine used to be there with me, but as I grew older the need to kill her grew with me. It became so bad that I had to ask her not to stay.”
“... alone. You been chained alone for years? And you have never hurt anyone since you were a child?” Mira asked.
Rumi hesitated. Then slowly shook her head “no... the system has been affective... until last night”
“But you didn’t hurt us last night” Zoey insisted.
“That’s different...” Rumi began.
“How is that any different?” Mira interrupted “we are hunters too, just like Celine. Why would it not attack us?”
“Because you are pack!” Rumi growled, feeling her eyes change for just a second. She took a deep breath, tried to calm the beast “you are my pack, my family, I didn’t... couldn’t hurt you.”
There was a silence.
“And Celine, she isn’t pack?” Zoey asked carefully.
“Of course she isn’t! Did you hear what she just told us? She hurt her! Locked her up! Left her all alone! No, that isn’t what family does!” Mira clenched her fists,
Rumi felt her eyes sting at the weight of Mira’s words. Celine wasn’t pack. She had never thought of it like that, but she felt it now. The truth of that statement. Celine had never treated Rumi like she was family, but like a responsibility. Rumi had tried to be pack with Celine, but one cannot be a pack alone.
“But we are your family!” Mira continued, putting an arm around Rumi and pulling her close “you and Zoey, you are my family... no one else ever-” she closed her eyes and her hold on Rumi tightened “this is the only place I have ever belonged.”
“Me too” Zoey scooted closer to them, placing an arm around them both “this is the only place I have belonged too.”
Rumi tried to put an arm around the both of them and pulled them against her “you don’t... mind? What I am?”
Mira slowly shook her head “I only mind that you kept it from us... a family shouldn’t have secrets for one another, a... pack shouldn’t.”
Rumi could feel her inner wolf wag its tail at the word.
“It was super cool how you just demolished that vampire last night!” Zoey chipped in, all smiles now “you were so strong and fast! And you were all whimpering and soft when we found you, I really don’t think it’s a monster!”
Rumi felt her ears grow hot “w-whimpering and soft?”
“And your fur is all purple. That’s kinda sick” said Mira, petting Rumi on the back.
“And your eyes were yellow! And sooo beautiful! I never seen a werewolf up close like that, I think you are prettier than normal werewolves Rumi-”
“Guys!” Rumi hid her face in her hands and took a deep breath. She slowly looked up at them, trying to see if they were being serious “... is it really okay? You’re not afraid?”
Zoey’s smile softened and she gave Rumi a soft kiss on the cheek that left her skin tingling and buzzing “what is there to be afraid of, if we are on the same team?”
Rumi felt the tears again, threatening to escape.
“And we are on the same team. On your team, Rumi” Mira looked her in the eyes, deadly serious “no more being alone and no more keeping secrets. From now on you will tell us what’s going on with you, and Zoey and I will be by your side.”
Rumi didn’t trust her voice and only nodded at that. Her heart felt full, warm and overwhelmed. The wolf had been alone for so long and now she had a pack. Someone to share it all with. Could it really be? Would Zoey and Mira be safe with her?
“If... I attack someone” Rumi slowly began.
“You won’t. We’ll find somewhere for the three of us to stay, where you don’t have to be locked up” Mira said decidedly.
“And Mira and I are not all weak. We can handle if you get grumpy” Zoey promised.
“Grumpy” Rumi echoed, still a little dazed from everything. It felt like a nightmare turned to dream and now she was terrified of waking up.
Zoey pulled Rumi in for a hug and Mira quickly joined them.
“We love you Rumi” Zoey said.
“We do.” Mira agreed.
Rumi felt so thankful that she didn’t know what to do with herself. How had she gotten so very lucky? That Mira and Zoey would stay by her side, fully knowing what she was. Her family. Her pack. Her girls.
She pulled them tight and closed her eyes. Breathed in their familiar scent. Mine.
“I love you too” she promised as she finally felt peace.