15 years
Lyon hated that his uncle had insisted he joined Dylan at the Thompson lake house for the summer. Somehow it had become a thing. They spent the summers at the Thompson lake house. The Thompsons joined their ski trips or golf trips. The hunting trips were the only trips still sacred for their family.
He had been miserable for most of the summer. Dylan and Tara were officially smitten with each other. Mr. Thompson had invited his new girlfriend, Sibyl for the summer. No one cared about him. Not that he cared. His goal for the summer was to fly under the radar. He had successfully done that for the most part.
If Dylan and Tara weren't down by the lake, they were making out in Dylan's room. He hated that his room was next to his. Mr. Thompson was too busy having sex with his girlfriend. Lyon was disgusted the first time he'd seen them. They were in a hurry to take each other's clothes off to mind about the door.
The image of Tara's father and his girlfriend was burned in his memory for a while. It haunted him every meal they gathered at the dining. Lyon couldn't unsee him pounding into his girlfriend from behind. The image was disconcerting.
The reason he had gone for another run that evening was because he felt pretty energetic. He usually went for a long run every morning while everyone was still asleep. That evening, he felt a steam he needed to cool off. Plus he was tired of hearing the chuckles from the room next door.
It was twilight when he decided to run back from the woods. Out of the blue, he felt weak in his knees. He groaned at the heavy fall. He hadn't anticipated what happened to his body. Slowly he pushed from the ground moaning loudly as he felt the burn in every joint of his body.
He was nauseous, body suddenly heated and fatigued. Shit!
It was happening to him. He looked up at the sky and noticed the full moon. He let out a loud curse forcing his limbs to move. It couldn't happen to him out in the woods. He was vulnerable. He needed the safety of his room.
Lyon was late. The phone fell from his hands as he tried to dial the notepad. He groaned out loud as the change took over his body.
"Lyon."
He recognized the voice through his pain. What was she doing out in the woods alone?
"Don't come any closer." he warned.
"You're in pain."
"Call your father. He will know what to do." He cried out as his clothes tore in pieces.
Of course she didn't listen. When he emerged into his full werewolf form, she was there. She didn't look scared. She stared at her with a look of mesmerization. Like she was fascinated with what she saw.
"It's okay. You don't have to be afraid." Tara murmured when he stepped back at her attempt to come closer.
He barked. Anything to scare her to run away. There was a look of determination in her eyes like nothing he would do would scare her.
He howled and ran further into the woods ignoring her pleas. Lyon ran as fast as his werewolf legs would take him. He came to a stop when he felt the adrenaline wearing off. He knelt down and there it was again. He changed back into a human.
The breeze nipped at his bare skin that he felt himself shiver. The woods were dark. He had no clue where he was. Perhaps it had been a mistake to wander into the woods.
Suddenly there were voices and lights.
"Found him."
He recognized the voice too well. It was Richard, Tara's father. The light from his flash made him wince.
"It's alright boy. You're safe." He knelt down to soothe him. In that moment, it felt strange. Strange but safe. Sibyl approached them breathlessly. He was grateful Richard had covered him with his jacket then.
He didn't argue when he carried him from the ground despite every urge in his bones to protest. He was weak. The change weighed a toll on his body. There was no way he could make it back to the house on his feet.
Once in the house, Lyon was thankful Tara was not there to witness the embarrassing moment of him being carried like a little baby. Dylan was there to watch him face filled with fear.
"You had your first change boy. It's okay to feel weaker." Mr. Thompson spoke when he put him down on his bed.
"Get in the shower and get some rest. We'll talk about this tomorrow."
He did as he was told scrubbing the dirt from his finger nails furiously. Nothing had prepared him for the change. It was expected at a certain age. It just happened too soon at the wrong time.
That night he laid down on his bed thoughtfully wishing his parents were still alive. He ignored the little voices outside of his room. Out of the people he wanted him to see him at his weakest, her cousin's girlfriend wasn't one of them.
"Good morning." The small chirpy voice woke him up. Brown hair, beautiful porcelain skin were in his line of vision.
"What are you doing here?" Lyon questioned when he opened his eyes fully.
"I brought you breakfast." She motioned to the tray in her hands.
He watched her for a second before he pushed his hands out to take the tray from her.
"Thanks."
She was still standing there a curious look in her eyes. He lifted a brow.
"I also wanted to ask you if you are okay after yesterday." she muttered.
"I am fine." he replied curtly.
"I can see that now. You still have a stick up your ass." she hissed.
He groaned when her nauseating perfume wafted into his nostrils again. She smelled good. In the contrary, he felt like shift.
"You brought me breakfast. I think we are done here."
His chest ached when he noticed the look of hurt on her face. She knew she genuinely cared about him. He hated her pity.
"Your uncle is here."
Her announcement made his spine stiffen. Marcus Cornelius was the last person he wanted to see.