Cursed with an Alpha Soul | Werewolf Romance

Chapter IV - When the Moon is Full

How do you pick an outfit for a party you don’t want to go to in the first place? Ella groaned, looking through her closet. If she got under dressed, Ash would only march her back upstairs and get her into an outfit that she regrets ever owning in the first place, but there was no way she was going to over dress. Of course, she’d much prefer a simple hoodie and jeans, but she has been told before by the crazy Latino lesbian downstairs that a sweatshirt and jeans are not ‘party attire’. Sighing, Ella chose an outfit she would likely wear on a first date. One that showed some effort, but also was something she could fall asleep in if she really tried. A green and black flannel with a white undershirt, black jeans, a clean pair of sneakers, and her hair pulled back into a nice ponytail. The last time that Ella saw this put together was for her second date with Ben, maybe just with a different flannel. She tried to ignore the growing headache best she could, but as time passed it was becoming more difficult.

As she walked down the stairs, her best friend met her at the bottom. Ash had been talking to Ella’s mother, telling them where they were going and what the plan was. The Parker family had known Ash for a few years now, sometimes thinking she was Ella’s only friend outside of Ben. Ash turned as she heard the soft steps against the wooden stairs. She examined Ella’s outfit, debating whether it was good enough or if she would need to intervene. Ella knew the look all too well, watching Ash closely, hoping that she would allow it this time. “I guess that works. If we had more time, I would make you change though,” she stated, pointing the figure at the brown-haired girl on the stairwell. It was not uncommon for Willis parties to last long into the night, some people even waking up on the lawn the next morning from the sprinklers. There would be booze, loud music, jumping bodies – basically everything you would imagine at a high school party with no grownups. Ash loved their parties; they were the wildest you could find without having to drive at least four hours through the next few towns.

Ella stared intently at the neon green time clock shown on Ash’s car dashboard. 10:52. The car faintly vibrated from the pre-party playlist Ash chose to put on, attempting to hype up Ella for the exciting night, but Ella was far from excited. The headache she had earlier had only faded for a few short minutes before slowly growing back throughout the drive down the long road. She had left the pill bottle at home thinking that the pounding in her head would have subsided by now. She also knew she was supposed to wait four hours before having another, which Ella was hoping she would be home by then. The Willis home was on the opposite edge of town from the Parker residence, resulting in a thirty-minute drive if you were willing to push the speed limit. The chilled night breeze blew against Ella’s face, she had rolled down the windows trying to get some fresh air in an attempt to help her migraine.

“Ash I’m really not feeling good, can’t we just turn around?” Ella pleaded, looking at her best friend who was filled with excitement. She could hardly sit still. The music went silent as Ash put it on mute, “C’mon we’re basically there already. You’re probably just car sick or something and you’ll feel better once you’re out of the car. Plus, you have taken some meds already, so just give them time to work.” She insisted. The woods slowly began to brighten as they approached the house. At this point, cars were parked along the side of the main, two-way road. Partiers laughed and shouted as they made their way to the mansion in the woods. The Willis home was hardly a home at all. The elaborate place was three stories tall and included a basement. There were more rooms than you could count, and it was easy to get lost inside if you didn’t know where you were going. Along with the home came a three-car garage and a yard that included a luxury pool, trampoline, mini golf course, and more land than you would ever need.

“I took the aspirin over thirty minutes ago and it hasn’t helped any.” Ella groaned, looking away from her friend and back out the window. “Booze and sweaty bodies are not going to help either. If I don’t feel good in an hour you’re taking me home, and you are NOT bringing your late-night fling along with!” Ella demanded. It’s true that the last party Ella attended, she pretended to feel sick so Ash would take her home, but it didn’t stop her from bringing home one of the cheerleaders that continued to flirt and feel up on Ash the whole ride back. Her best friend couldn’t help but let out a laugh as she remembered that night. Then she sighed and rolled her eyes “Fine, if you still don’t feel good after an hour, I’ll take you home.” She agreed. Ella huffed, content at the agreement. Suddenly, the loud shouts and laughs from partiers outside felt as if they were shouting directly in Ella’s ears. The loud noise made her crunch her body inward, leaning her head towards one shoulder and hissing as she did so. Her hands instinctively went for her ears, covering them in an attempt to stop the ringing. Different conversations faded in and out along with laughter and blasting music. Ash had noticed the strange behavior but assumed that the gesture was another act in an attempt to get her to turn around. It seemed to never stop, but as fast as it came it was gone. Back to no longer being able to hear any sound besides the music and distant mumbles from conversations as the car zoomed past the strangers.

The towering building finally appeared along the tree line. The three-story, old-fashioned brick house was lit through the dark, making it almost as bright as day. There were abandoned beer cans and bottles left around the front yard. A few teens stood outside the house drinking or dancing free from the tight crowd inside. One couple danced without shirts on one of a cars. Ella had a feeling the car didn’t belong to either of them. Standing at the end of the street, next to the mailbox, were two boys who couldn’t have been more than fifteen years old. They both had a bottle of beer in their hand but wore one of those neon orange and yellow road worker vests. These boys were the Runners. The Willis brothers would find some middle schoolers that wanted to make some extra money and pay them to park cars for them during the party. They would make a good amount of money for the hours they worked, plus get a little buzz and a show to go along with it. A young boy’s dream. Pulling up to the boys, Ash was quick to jump out, handing them the keys and passing them a tip so they would park it closer instead of going all the way down the street behind all the cars of those who arrived before her. “Thanks spud” she winked at the boy, walking around to open the door for Ella.

Ella eyes glanced over the large mansion in front of her. She could feel the vibrations from the music as she stepped onto the asphalt. Memories flooded back to the last time she was here. It had been over two years. Back then not many people knew about this place, not many knew who the Willis family was. They had just moved into town and were the new kids. Ella was the first visitor to the Willis household. She was one of very few who had met Mr. and Mrs. Willis before they disappeared on another one of their endless work trips that lasted for months at a time with normally less than a month back at the house before they would leave again. She also was the only other person who knew that this is where she broke up with Carlos and walked herself all the way home. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Ella shook away the memories and faded back into reality. Although, she wasn’t sure which was worth staying in. She followed behind the bouncingly excited Ash as they wandered towards the front door. Two members of the football team stood at the door dressed in their purple and white team jerseys. One of them caught a smirk as they locked eyes with Ash coming towards them. “Hello mami” He laughed, taking her up in a big hug. Ella awkwardly stood there waiting for Ash to finish the encounter, trying to ignore the stares of the other football players, who were shocked to see her. The two had a quick conversation in Spanish, the one speaking with Ash glanced over her shoulder, realizing who was with her. He let out a chuckle. Within the jumble of words he spoke, the familiar name ‘Carlos’ came out. Ash was quick to deliver a punch to the six-foot four football player’s arm. He let out a quiet chuckle before clearing his throat, “Welcome ladies, come on in.” He said as they opened the doors.

The seemingly loud music was nothing compared to when the front doors opened. They had been acting like muffles, draining the music level down outside. As the doors opened Ella jumped, the sound slightly startling her. “Maybe you took her training wheels off too early Ash,” the other door guard shouted over the music as they walked into the house. As Ella stepped onto the white tile floor, all the air left her lungs. For that moment she couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t speak. Pain shot up from her foot, traveling through her body and stopping at her chest. It felt as if someone had slammed a sledgehammer into her. All her muscles tightened, making her unable to move or curl up into the ball she so desperately wanted to become. She could feel her body shake, not enough to be noticed by anyone but herself. The blood in her body began to boil, her skin temperature rose, she felt as if she was burning from the inside out. She was frozen. Suddenly, someone bumped into Ella, knocking her over. But just as fast as her body was taken over, she regained all control. Her palms landed on the cold tile, stopping her face less than an inch from impacting the floor. She panted; time seemed to have been frozen, then just resumed. No one around her had noticed anything, other than a girl that tripped and fell. A few glanced over but quickly went back to their own activities. Ella panted, finally able to breathe again. Her heart pounded, the sound faintly thudding in her ears. “You good?” a familiar voice asked. Ella’s eyes looked up, a pair of black boots in front of her. Her eyes continued up until she saw the face of the stranger.

“Oh, uh hi Valerie” she said, slowly getting to her feet. Valerie grabbed Ella’s arm, pulling her up. Ash was no longer in sight; she had likely gone off to try and pull whatever proclaimed ‘straight’ girl that she could. That was her game, her favorite thing to do at parties. “Nice catch” Valerie laughed, “Huh?” Ella asked in confusion. “Nice save, maybe you’re not the same clumsy, shy girl I used to know” She laughed, giving a smirk to Ella as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I think I just got lucky” Ella shrugged, taking the time to look around the large living room, not much has changed. “Well, everyone changes” Valerie smiled, reaching to hold one of Ella’s hands. The sudden touch grabbed Ella’s attention; she was confused about what was happening. “But that’s the past, you’re here now. I’m not going to babysit you, but I do have a few tips for you. Don’t go to the third floor unless you want to witness a porno”. Ella’s eyes grew, and a look of confusion washed over her face. Valerie simply shrugged and said “It’s the s*x floor. Don’t take any drinks from strangers, or really anyone for that matter. And that’s about it.” Valerie gave a comforting smile, “Good?” she asked, raising her eyebrows. Before Ella could even answer, she turned and disappeared into the crowd. Now she was truly alone. The only people she felt comfortable around were both gone, mixed in thousands of bodies.

Ella couldn’t stop hearing Ash’s words in her head about maybe a drink would help with how she was feeling. Whatever she was feeling, Ella wanted it to stop even if that meant she had to get drunk. Using the distant memory she had of the layout of the house, as well as the constant shouting of ‘Shots! Shots! Shots!’ It wasn’t difficult to find the kitchen. Half-empty abandoned bottles and a rainbow selection of solo cups crowded the kitchen island and counter tops. Most people were focused on the girl who laid across the kitchen island, allowing different people to take body shots off her. The smell of mixed alcohol, body odor, and m*******a burned Ella’s nostrils, but being a high school student, it was a smell she wasn’t a stranger to. Her eyes glanced over the wide variety of different liquor, bottles of all shapes, sizes, and colors. She remembered what Valerie said and decided on one of the bottles that sat on the back counter and had been hardly touched. She would have rather had something that tasted gross if it meant a lesser chance of being drugged and waking up in someone’s bed the next morning. Ella grabbed one of the empty blue solo cups and poured the cup half full. She glanced down at the clear, orange liquid, swirling it in the cup before taking a whiff. The strong, orange-hinting fragrance took Ella by surprise, causing her to cough and her eyes to become teary.

‘Here goes nothing’ She thought before holding her breath and downing the entire cup. It took a few gulps before it had fully emptied. The pungent taste in her mouth was awful, everything in her was telling her to spit it out, but the aching feeling in her bones and consistent headache urged her on to swallow the last sip. Crushing the solo cup in her hand and gripping onto the counter with the other, finally the last drop went down. Ella opened her mouth, sticking her tongue out like a child desperately wanting a bad taste of medicine off their taste buds. She could feel the burn of liquid pass through her, sliding down her throat and into her stomach. It had to have been the worst tasting thing she had ever had in her life. More than any medicine she had ever been ordered to take by her parents. Ella leaned onto the counter, squeezing her eyes shut, begging for the alcohol to start working and relieving some of her pain. ‘C’mon, c’mon. Please work already’ she thought to herself, but instead of relief she felt another familiar feeling. The pounding in her head began to quickly spread throughout her body until she felt the ache through every muscle, her vision went blurry, constantly going in and out of focus. Her stomach turned, feeling the freshly swallowed alcohol begin to bubble and make its way back up. The room started to spin as Ella stumbled through the crowd and to the nearest bathroom she could find.

A long line of party people were leaning against the hallway wall, waiting for their turn for the bathroom. It was the closest one to the kitchen and main dance floor, possibly other bathrooms would have been empty throughout the house, but Ella didn’t have enough time. She relied on the other wall to support her as she walked past the drunks babbling about how bad they needed to go, one laughing and walking away as he said he no longer needed to because he just did. Ella shook her head, desperately trying to get her vision back and be able to see straight. As she made it to the front of the line, she could feel cold sweat beading down her forehead. “You don’t look good bro”, the man in the front of line said to Ella. Her skin was pale and covered in beads of sweat, but hot to the touch. Ella simply didn’t respond; she was worried if she did that only her stomach contents would come out. Slowly, the bathroom door opened with a blonde cheerleader walking out. The same man that had commented on Ella’s rough appearance began to walk in. “Finally!” he sighed, pushing the door open.

Ella quickly shoved through both, the man falling to the ground as she slammed the door. “You b***h! There’s a line!” He shouted, banging on the door once he got back up, expecting Ella to just walk out and apologize. The thudding of his hands pounding on the door rang in her ears. Her hands covered her ears, pressing against her head, trying to drain out all the noise. “Please, stop. Just stop! Make it stop!” She shouted. The loud outer noise continued to overwhelm Ella, the voices of hundreds felt as though they were shouting right in her ear all at once. Her body was shaking from both confusion and the constant onslaught of pain. She screamed, slamming her hands against the sink countertop. Ella opened her eyes, slowly looking up from the ground, almost scared to see how she looked in this situation. Hair stuck to her damp forehead; the collar of her shirt soaked in sweat and her flannel top hung off her left shoulder. Her own image continued to blur in the mirror. Ella squinted her eyes, trying to focus her vision. She went forward, trying to see if getting closer would help. Slowly it came into focus, slowly things began to clear. Ella slowed her breathing, trying to calm her shaking body. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath in and out. When she opened her eyes again, she wasn’t the same as before. Her vision had cleared, but the eyes she had grown to become so familiar with no longer were something she could recognize. The normally bright green eyes began to change in front of her. The green faded out until it was as dark as her pupil and by the next blink the pine-green eyes had become bright red. The white of her eyes had become blood shot, much like if you had just had an eyelash stuck in your eye. Ella stared in confusion and fear, not understanding what or how this had just happened. Slowly she stood and began to back away from the sink mirror in disbelief and fear. Zoned out and dazed in confusion, Ella hadn’t realized that she had stepped on the shower curtain of the tub until she fell back into it.

Her head slammed against the tile wall, her body landing in the porcelain tub itself. The ceramic tile wall cracked under the impact of her skull, brittle chips of cracked tile fell into the tub, some sticking into her hair. The hard hit caused Ella to black out for several minutes before she regained consciousness. It was the pounding on the bathroom door that woke her back up. It only took a short moment for Ella to realize where she was and what had just happened. She didn’t know what to believe, she didn’t know if the red eyes were only something she had imagined while she was blacking out or if it happened. Slowly, Ella rose to her feet. All the pain and sickness she had felt before was now gone, all that remained was a weak throbbing where she had hit her head against the wall. She looked over to see the circle of shattered tile where her head had hit. She shook out her hair removing any extra pieces that may have stuck then shut the shower curtain to hide the damage. She turned around, glancing into the mirror, remembering what she believed to have been a dream. She closely leaned into the mirror once again, moving her eyes around to see if anything had changed, but all appeared to be normal.

She opened the bathroom door, the same man from earlier was now doing the potty dance and was very furious. “Move!” he shouted, running around Ella and slamming the door. He had barely missed hitting her with it, but Ella didn’t care. She was just glad to feel back to semi-normal with a faint headache. She thought that maybe the aspirin she had taken was expired and that’s why it didn’t work, and it could also have been the cause of her worsening condition. The house was much darker now, all the lights had been turned off and only the light was from dancers’ phone flashlights and glow sticks people wore that had been passed out. Ella glanced over through the crowd of people, reading the large clock that hung above the DJ’s head. 12:54. It had almost been three hours since Ash and Ella had left the house and she didn’t want to spend another minute there.

She pushed her way through the dark halls, blindly bumping into people as she walked. The loud music blared through the house, somehow being impossibly louder than it was before. She continued to collide with others as she pushed through, slowly making progress towards the front door. “Ella.” A voice said weakly, sounding as if someone had whispered it right behind her. Quickly she turned around, but no one was to be found. She continued through the crowd guessing she must have misheard someone's conversation, but then the voice was there again. She once again turned, quicker this time, trying to catch who was calling her. She knew someone had said it this time, but the only people behind her were the same intoxicated teenagers she had pushed past just a moment before. Ella huffed, assuming someone was playing a prank on her and turned back towards the door. As she continued to inch towards the front door, a chill ran down her spine as her hand brushed against someone else’s. It almost felt like a cold, static shock when they touched it. The feeling rushed through her whole body and knocked the air out of her. The hair on the back of her neck stood straight up. She turned around trying to find the mysterious person. Her eyes searched the long halls, landing on each one as she surfed over the crowd. Finally, she found them. Standing at the very back of the hall stood a tall figure. Standing in the back door, the person froze in their spot and turned, making eye contact with Ella. Throughout pitch black, she focused on his eyes, trying to identify the person. If she had blinked, she would have missed it. For a short second, their eyes flashed red, the same type of red that she had seen on herself in what she thought was a dream. She didn’t have to be looking in a mirror to know her eyes did the same back to them, almost in a way of communicating. Telling that person that she had seen them. She felt her eyes change much quicker than before and then returned to normal. They stared at each other for a short moment at either end of this long hallway. The mysterious person broke eye contact, turning and heading out the back door. She knew that this person knew exactly who she was, but she didn’t know who they were.

Without hesitation, Ella turned and bolted out of the front door, no longer caring if she knocked someone over in the process. She was scared and confused. What was that she just felt when they touched? It wasn’t a dream? No, it had to be a dream. No one’s eyes turn like that. . . but they just did. She knew she wasn’t crazy, but the supernatural events that were occurring made her feel insane. She didn’t know what was really going on. Part of her even debated if she was possibly still asleep in the bathroom tub. Needing space from all the music and loud noise, Ella turned towards the tree line and began walking into the woods. She needed to just get some air and clear her head. It was the best place for her, especially after what happened. Afterwards, she planned to return home and try to find Ash so she could go home. She crossed her arms over her chest as she walked, running the events on repeat through her head. Groaning, Ella could feel the familiar headache that started slowly returning. “No, not again” she spoke under her breath. Suddenly, Ella heard a snap and the crunch of leaves below someone’s feet. She frantically looked around, no longer recognizing where she was. She felt she had only been walking for a few minutes, but the house was nowhere in sight and the party noise was gone. She had zoned out while she had been walking and didn’t know where she was, it was impossible to tell how far she actually had gotten or what direction she came from. “Who’s there?” Ella asked loudly, her eyes scanning the tree line for any movement. “Hello?” Ella asked again, louder than before.

It was silent. No more leaves crunched; no more branches snapped. Could she have been making this all up in her head as well? Her question was quickly answered when she saw a figure moving in the tree. She couldn’t tell if it was an animal or human. Either way she would have done the same thing. Run. Ella ran faster than she ever had before, jumping over rocks and fallen trees. She glanced back over her shoulder, trying to see if anything was chasing her. Her adrenaline pumping, she could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. As she turned, Ella didn’t have enough time to scream at what she saw. She had misplaced her foot and tripped over a large rock, sending her flying down a steep hill. Her body bounced off the forest floor as she spiraled down, hitting small trees and rocks on the way. She could feel her skin tearing and being dragged as she went down. She couldn’t stop herself. Ella's body finally came to a stop as she smacked the bottom of the hill, her head landing against a sharp rock and knocking her out. Leaving Ella unconscious, hurt, and bleeding at the bottom of a hill in the middle of the woods. In the middle of nowhere.