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"Bad cramps!" Rumi shouted through the closed bathroom door, doubling over in pain. "Really bad cramps!"
"Rumi .. are you alright?" Zoey's voice was just on the other side of the flimsy door. Rumi quickly staggered away from it. Too quickly. She collided with the shower stall, lost her balance, grabbed the curtain, and fell, taking the curtain with her.
It should never have been like this. Rumi should have been at home, alone. Securely locked away in the basement, with Zoey and Mira safely somewhere else. Not in this too small hotel room, with it's too small bathroom and it's too weak door. But she had to have one last show, before the tour ended.
"What was that? Did you fall?" Zoey's voice was getting frantic. "Did she fall?" Mira's voice joined Zoey. Her tone could have been uncaring, but Rumi knew her well enough to hear the concern behind it.
Rumi tried to answer, tried to tell them she was fine, that they should go away, but her body began convulsing, and it was impossible to get words out. Human words. Instead a pained growl came from her. She didn't have much time left. Mira and Zoey didn't have much time left.
"Rumi, if you don't answer, I'm coming in." Mira threatened. Rumi had to prevent that. She struggled against the pain, against her changing body, against the shower curtain. "... no, get out". It was weak, too weak.
"I know how to pick locks" Zoey said confidentially as something jingled at the keyhole. "Yeah, and if that doesn't work, I'm kicking the door in." Mira added. Rumi was powerless to stop them. She had run out of time and out of humanity.
It was all her fault. Not the snowstorm that had canceled their return flight, nor the resulting rush at all nearby hotels, forcing them to share one cramped room. But the last show, the one that was only days away from the full moon. That had been her idea. It had been their biggest show yet, and Rumi hadn't been able to say no. She craved that time on stage, singing and performing with her bandmates, her friend. Looking out at the thousands of fans, all taking part in their joy. Standing there, she felt part of something. The biggest pack in the world. Now Zoey and Mira would pay the price.
A click from the lock. The door opened. Zoey and Mira standing behind it, anxious for their friend. But it was not their friend they found behind the bathroom door. Slowly the monster got up, a giant wolf. Tall enough to stare directly into Miras eyes. Fur a deep, unnatural purple and eyes gleaming yellow. It's great claws clicked against the bathroom tiles as it took a step towards them. Or tried to. Still tangled in the shower curtain, it didn't make it very far. One paw was stuck, one paw couldn't get purchase on the slippery curtain. With a surprised yelp, the beast fell.
"Rumi!" Zoey exclaimed, rushing past Mira. "Is that .. is it Rumi? Is it rude to call Rumi an it?" Mira was right behind her, striding towards the fallen beast. "Rumi? That's you. It has to be."
Before Rumi could try to get up again, or even growl at them to get away from her, Zoey was by her side, hans running through the thick fur. "It has her hair color .. or she has her fur color?" Zoey leaned in, looking into her eyes. "But a different eye color."
Mira squatted down in front of her, her eyes never leaving Rumi's. "Hey Rumi". Rumi blinked and cocked an ear at her. This was not turning out the way she had expected.
"It is her! Did you see that, she answered .. I knew it! I so knew, and you didn't believe me!" Zoey exclaimed, making Mira roll her eyes and Rumi tilt her head in confusion. "Yeah, wonder why I didn't believe she was a freaking werewolf."
"I don't know either" Zoey said, "I had great arguments". She ran her hands through the fur again. "And such a beautiful wolf too ..."
Mira hesitated, then she very slowly reached out to touch Rumi, petting her behind the ears. And Rumi ... Rumi didn't feel the slightest urge to bite her hand of .. actually she felt very calm, surrounded by pack. She knew there had been danger, but right now she couldn't remember what it was. Right now everyone seemed safe. She closed her eyes and relaxed into the petting.
"I think she's asleep" Zoey whispered loudly. Since she was still running her hands through her fur, Rumi didn't see any reason to correct her. Rumi felt Mira sit down for real and lean against her, "Can't say I blame her, I could use some sleep too." There was a moment of silence, Rumi could almost feel Zoey vibrating with an idea.
"Zoey .." It was Mira's voice.
"It would be warm" Zoey answered and Rumi wondered what she was trying to make Mira do.
"Zoey .."
"And soft!" Zoey quickly added, "and we can't really leave her alone out here, and she's too heavy to move ..." Rumi waited for Mira to give in, she usually did.
"Urgh, fine." Then suddenly two warn bodies pressed into her side and her tail started wagging. Soon she was asleep, on the bathroom floor, surrounded by pack.
---
Cold tiles beneath bare skin. Bright light on closed lids. Warm bodies feeling like home. The sound of people walking and talking making it through the walls. Wait, warm bodies? The wasn't usually part of her mornings, especially not those that started on the floor. Rumi bolted up, pushing Mira off her in the process.
"We're trying to sleep here." Mira mumbled tiredly while Rumi stared at her. It was Mira, who had been sleeping on top of her. And next to her was "... Zoey?"
"I'm up, I'm up!" Zoey slurred, clearly neither up nor truly awake. "Just give me a moment!"
Rumi couldn't help but smile, as she looked at her. At both of them. Lying there on the floor. She frowned, why were her two band mates on the floor? And ... why was she naked?
"Oh no... no no no no ..." Rumi hid her head in her hands as last night slowly came back to her.
"What's wrong?" Mira slowly sat up next to her, still sounding groggy, but getting more awake. On Rumi's other side Zoey too was beginning to wake up for real. "What's happening?"
Rumi slowly looked up at them, how could they be confused? "You saw me last night" she swallowed and closed her eyes. "You know what I am".
"Yeah, a werewolf!" It was Zoey, Rumi heard the excitement, but she didn't understand it. She hesitated and looked between them, searching for answers in their expressions, but finding none.
"It's pretty sick" Mira added and nodded at Rumi, "even though I thought it was crazy, when Zoey first suggested it."
"Zoey suggested it? When? And .. you don't mind?" Rumi asked, not sure she could believe this, any of this.
"Yeah, I guessed, because of the always being away on the full moon thing" Zoey explained happily. "I had a few other theories as well, buuuut I was pretty confident in this one. And of course we don't mind! We love you, Rumi!"
"And it helps that you look totally sick, and beautiful" Mira added with a small smile.
"Oh .. oh" Rumi had a hard time finding words, her heart was overflowing with emotion, relief, love .. it was all too much. "I was afraid you wouldn't want to sing with me anymore, that I couldn't be in the band .." her breathing got a bit shaky, and she had to take a break.
"No, never!" Zoey exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug. "Never" Mira echoed, joining the hug. "You're ours".
Rumi closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the peace and love in their embrace. Together on the bathroom floor, she had finally found her pack.