verb ~ to appease the anxiety or anger of someone

POLLUX

I don't know what was worse; waiting for a phone call from Phoenix or waiting for sleep to take me away. I received his frightful message at seven, and it was now nearing eleven. I was hunkered down in a tree tonight, the floor cold and damp from rainfall. It smelled wonderful, but I did not want to be down there when all the critters came out looking for fresh bugs.

My legs swung anxiously toward the earth as I watched the rain drip from the leaves onto the tarp I hung earlier. It was easing up now, and the very thought of being dry excited me. I mindlessly strolled through my phone, looking at the various pictures people posted on their grids. When the phone suddenly darkened, my breath hitched as I awaited to see the caller ID.

It was Phoenix, and without a wasted breath, I answered.

"Where the heck have you been? I've been waiting for four fucking hours!" I snapped.

The person on the other line hesitated, clearing their throat. I paused when I recognised it as someone more feminine than Phoenix, and when my sister's voice travelled through the speaker, I felt myself relax.

"Sorry, Polly." Nova whined. "It's been a lot."

"Are you okay?" I breathed.

"Yeah, I'm okay." She murmured.

My head fell against the bark of the tree as relief flooded through my veins. If it wasn't for the sudden torrential rain, I would've started making my way back to Blood Moon pack instantly.

"What happened?" I wondered. "Why did Phoenix text me something bad when you are fine?"

"Because I wasn't fine." She sighed. "Calida was attacked."

My eyebrows rose. "Is she okay?"

"She was dying, Polly. And I had no choice..." Her words wavered with emotion.

Tensing up, I assumed the worst. "What did you do?"

"I turned her." She squeaked. "And it worked."

Flabbergasted, I fell silent as I tried to process her words. She actually turned someone. Then why was she in trouble? Did the message Phoenix sent mean just Calida?

"Tell me everything from the beginning." I stated.

Nova agreed, her voice soft and emotional as she told me what happened. I remained silent, completely taken aback by everything.

Calida and Charlie had a fight. Calida ran away and crossed the wrong border. Three wolves attacked her. Charlie killed one, but the others got Calida first. Nova and Sean came, and Nova killed two. That was surprising on its own, but then her biting Calida to turn her may as well have turned me to ice.

Shock was lightning down my spine, and I couldn't move through the entire twenty-minute storyline. It was Phoenix who coaxed her to hang up. Otherwise, I feared we would talk about possibilities and the future until tomorrow.

Hanging up the phone half an hour later, I felt exhaustion creep up on me. Pocketing my phone, I sagged into the sturdy tree and closed my eyes.

In a matter of days, Calida would turn into a wolf. Little was known, but Nova claimed she was going to try to conjure a vision for help. Apparently, she spoke to our grandmother whilst healing, visiting her in the past. Nova was strong, and trauma gave her things from the past she needed to use in the present. A little fine tuning, and she would be one of the strongest people on this planet.

Sighing, I let my mind shut down. I have been walking all day and the stress of waiting for Nova or Phoenix to call was tolling on my energy levels.

I didn't wake until the sun rose; the birds singing as they shook off the nightly rainfall. I slept so dead that I woke in the exact same position. My body, barely tied to a tree, was either exhausted or instinctively aware of the precarious situation.

Untying myself, I climb to the ground, my feet sinking into the moist earth. Grunting at the fresh mud on my boots, I placed my bag somewhere relatively dry before finding a bush to relieve myself in. Brushing your teeth in the woods was less than ideal, but it gave me something prettier to look at other than my reflection in the mirror. Swirling some water through my cheeks, I packed up my belongings and readied myself for the day.

I wasn't hungry yet, and even so, the minty toothpaste would not go well with the granola bar.

Or would it...

I hesitated before deciding that I wasn't truly hungry. I hoped that by nightfall I would make it to Arleybay. Stopping by Antoine's had been rather sporadic and altered my plans, but I knew it was only a matter of a few hours by fur. I walked by foot before deicing I would shift at lunch time. I wanted to admire the greenery around here; it was always beautiful in summer.

Hours slugged by and I let my head fall empty. Zero thoughts other than appreciation crossed my mind, and time passed by without a problem. I skipped breakfast, uncaring as my boots led me across human land. I don't know why more people didn't travel; it was so calming. The rain from last night had left a wonderfully fresh smell and all the bushes and flowers thrived from it. I have never seen so many bees in a berry bush before.

It was a welcome change from the heat of June, but the humidity grew as the hours passed by. I stopped for lunch in a small meadow, cracking open another sandwich that Layla made me. It was the same as last nights, except the chicken was a little chewier now. I would have to eat it today, anyway; it was too warm in my bag to stay healthy.

Some mice scurried past as I was rolling the foil away into my bag and I shook out the crumbs in sympathy. They were too wary to come closer, hurrying to take the crumbs into the hedges. Rolling my eyes, I stripped off my clothes and placed them in my bag. My shoes hung from their laces on the zipper as I placed the bag on my back. The moment I shifted into my wolf; the mice vanished with loud squeaks.

My claws dug into the earth, testing out my limbs before I ran. I gave into the bliss of being free, charging headfirst through the wilderness. My wolf stayed by my side, both of us contently following our senses. It has been years since I was in Arleybay, and I just hoped my nose guided me the right way.

I wasn't sure how long passed before something in the distance caught my eye. I stumbled to a stop, a loud huff escaping my snout as my claws dug up the damp dirt. Shaking it off the pads of my feet, I slowed my pace as I glanced up past the forest.

For years, I had wondered if my Converse shoe remained in the tree, and somehow, it was still there. Yet, seeing Arleybay in the distance did not give me the same sense of amusement.

It sent an odd sense of insecurity within me, but my wolf huffed at me, forcing me to stand. For years, the shoe had weathered to the point it was almost unrecognisable. I just hoped Arleybay didn't follow the same rule.

Every step felt heavy, every paw in the dirt felt like it was leading me to my doom. My anxiety grew the closer I got, and once I stood atop the hill overlooking the lake, I turned back to my human skin. I was shaking as I dressed myself, forcing myself to look decent despite my inner turmoil.

It was late afternoon, but the sun was still bright and warm as ever. My eyes closed for a brief moment of bliss, basking in the warm rays as the smell of the water washed over me. It smelt of a fond memory, of a childhood home that I hardly came back to.

My eyes wandered, clocking all the homes of the past that remained the same. From up here you could see most of Arleybay, even the marketplace. It was fairly busy, and I assumed that was because people were going home after work. For a town in the middle of a forest, it was well-developed. But I suppose, being built upon the past it had, it wasn't hard to realise why.

Arleybay was barely half a century old. Its ancestors built homes to be closer to the forest for their job, but from there came their families and the stores that built it into what it was today.

I wasn't sure if I could go back there.

What if someone recognised me?

I know I will leave my stuff here, so I have no choice but to come back later. That will work.

Inhaling deeply, I left my bag in the hedge and slowly began my walk back down to sea level. My stomach cramped uncomfortably, and my heart ached in my chest. I placed my sunglasses on my face and secured my hair into a baseball cap. Despite being an entire four years since I left, I suspected the people here to remember me still.

Letting out a shaky breath, I came to a stop at the edge of town. The dirt path, which used to be walked on by few, has been worn down over the years. People grew bolder, adventuring into the forest, as it became safer for them to do so.

My hands were clammy at my sides, clenched tightly to avoid bolting. Forcing myself to not stand out, I relaxed my posture and walked down the main road. My eyes wandered from home to home, forcing a smile whenever someone would clock me. It wasn't unusual for strangers to appear in Arleybay; the lake was a common place for humans to vacate to during the summer. I just hoped I was clean and inconspicuous enough.

I let my feet lead the way, trailing around the various homes and quaint old buildings. One of my favourite things about Arleybay was how untouched by modernism it was. The homes were still old, some still with hay and straw roofs. They were all close together, wall to wall, down the main cobblestone path. Only the newer population had the larger, new homes that stuck out more along the edge of the town.

The sudden soft chime of a bell caught my attention, snapping me out of my haze. Without even realising, I was walking toward the lake. But it was the bell that forced me to stop, staring at the soft glow of lights inside.

It appeared the same, the same amber lights, the same fogged panels across the bottom of the front window. But stepping closer, I realised it wasn't the same. Where there had once been comfortable chairs near the window were now solid wooden dining tables. The comfy sofa booths were also gone, replaced with more tables. The once soft surrounding colours of the café had turned white and stale. Glancing toward the till, I felt a slight sense of relief flood me when I did not recognise the two people behind it.

I was hungry, after all. But... was it right for me to enter Clover's café? Was it even their café anymore? I doubt they would change it so much. They must've sold it, perhaps even moved away.

Without a second thought, I was walking inside. The bell chimed softly, and I glanced around through the shade of my sunglasses. There was only one person before me in the queue, an odd sense of familiarity as they ordered their coffee to go. Only this time, the man ordered a muffin, too.

The muffins looked good, actually.

"I can't wait." A feminine voice gushed. "You get those appointments over with and it will work out so much better."

The two women behind the till were giggling and gossiping about something, their faces hidden behind the coffee machine. Steam erupted as they worked, a sharp hissing that sent the aromatic scent of coffee up my nose. One of them was cleaning the sides as the other placed a lid on the coffee cup and handed it to the man who ordered it.

An uncertain feeling started in my stomach as I stared wide-eyed at the person now before me. They turned, soft brown eyes surrounded by long dark lashes. I could even see the outline of contacts in their eyes, despite how often they told me they were annoying. Their skin, her skin, was covered with make-up, blurring the dimples and freckles from their cheeks. What was once short, choppy hair cut over a bathroom sink was now long and wavy, tied back in a ponytail.

It was the same, but it wasn't.

What was this?

Where was I?

A sound of a throat clearing distracted me, and I blinked, apologising softly.

"Hello, sir, welcome to the Bay Café."

"Hi." I murmured, lowering my tone of voice. "I... Uh..."

I couldn't help it. The similarities were too great. My nerves got the best at me, and I unknowingly gaped at the woman across from me.

"Can I get you anything? A drink?" They cocked their head. "Are you feeling okay?"

Fuck. Pollux. Speak, man, this wasn't Clover. It couldn't be.

This is fine.

Everything is fine.