I am laid down on the couch so my parents can keep an eye on me. My mom sits on the other couch next to mine and watches me with a sad look. I have an ice-cream bucket at my side to use to throw up in with a pillow tucked under my head. I am turned on my side holding my stomach. The TV plays some weird soap opera that I'm not paying attention too.

Dad is pacing in the kitchen and on the phone with someone. The lights are low because light started to give me a headache. I feel completely miserable right now but slightly glad to get out of school. But I wish Haven could be with me too. She'd be making jokes trying to make me feel better, something about how Kyle is the hottest boy in the 12th grade and has been flirting with her.

I would joke and say he's mental. She'd say I'm just jealous and we go on from there. But she's stuck at school. The boys at school never cease to amaze me, they are always doing something new. Yesterday it was eating paper. The day before it was making seal noises. I want to date a boy soon, if my dad doesn't kill him, but all the boys are acting so stupid right now.

Maybe it's because they're teenagers. They don't mature until later on in life. And yet I still find myself wanting their attention. Must be because I'm a teenage girl who reads too many YA novels with love triangles and dramatic love confessions with very mature teenage boys.

"How are you doing? Anything new?" Mom asks leaning back crossing her legs.

I shake my head, "No, nothing new."

"Maybe it's just the flu Gabe," Mom calls to Dad looking over at him. Dad doesn't answer her and says something into the phone.

"Who is he talking to?" I ask curiously.

"Our doctor, you remember Dr. Jayal right?" Mom asks sighing.

"Sort of."

"You haven't seen him since you were seven. He's very nice and one of our oldest friends," she explains with a smile. Then Dad hangs up and walks over to us. He puts a hand on my head checking for my fever that's still there.

"He's coming over to just make sure you're doing alright," he says in a distracted voice sitting down on the floor next to me.

"Is it that bad?" I ask weakly gripping my stomach.

"We are just taking precautions. And I don't think you can really stand, nonetheless make it to the hospital without throwing up five times. Plus it only takes him two minutes to get here," he explains rubbing my forehead standing over me.

"Okay, but I think I just have some 24-hour bug," I say adjusting myself to be lying on my stomach. Nothing feels right, everything is uncomfortable. I put my fist on my stomach and feel slight relief to the cramp. Suddenly my vision blurs again.

"Shoot," Dad says sharply and stands up. I close my eyes feeling pain all over my body. I cry out in pain stretching my legs.

"Owww," I moan twisting around on the couch.

"I know it hurts, just hold on," Dad says kindly.

"Just breathe Brookie," Mom tells me. I take deep breaths still stretching, my muscles ache painfully. I groan in pain and I reach the edge of the couch. I fall off and feel Dad catch me in mid-air. I stretch out squeezing my eyes shut, "OW!" I shout feeling sharp stabbing pains on my legs.

"Stop stretching, pull in," Dad instructs setting me down on the ground. I pull my legs close and try not to stretch but it hurts so much! I need them out.

"Noo out," I plead with them. I roll on the floor writhing in pain as cramps explode all over my body. I hiss in pain and then cry out begging for it stop. Then my spine begins to stretch painfully causing me to scream. I scream out at the top of my lungs feeling tears stream down my face. I bury my face into the carpet trying not to stretch my legs.

"Brook! It's okay! It's almost over!" I hear Mom shout. Finally my spine stops stretching and the pain begins to numb. I lay limply on the floor with my eyes closed. My body is in an awkward position and I don't dare to move. The pain is gone. I hear the door open and I hear running footsteps. I slowly open my eyes only to see a sea of grey fuzz.

I hear muffled voices around me. A new voice joins my parents' voices. I start to see light and the room focuses. But it's too sharp. It leaves me dizzy with a pounding headache. The colors are too bright for my eyes, the light is almost blinding. I inhale deeply and my nose is shocked by all the smells. It's like my senses were amped up and sharper.

"-be fine," I hear the new voice say.

"It didn't seem that painful when it was my first time," Dad says sharply.

"Well you probably forgot, you're a double dominant too," says the new voice.

"Will she be alright?" Mom asks.

"Yes I just told you Hazel. She will be fine. But I think it was stupid not to tell her beforehand. Now she's going to freak out."

"Leo, we didn't know if it was going to happen or not. It could have easily been the flu from the way she described it to us. And she wasn't experiencing the normal symptoms this morning," Mom says sounding defensive.

"You should have guessed though. Both of you are dominant with the gene. And Gabriel is already a double dominant."

"I was bitten," Mom retorts.

"But he wasn't," Leo says, "and you were bitten before you got pregnant making you a single dominant."

"Well it wasn't normal. She didn't feel pain beforehand," Mom argues.

"Double dominants work differently. This happened to both Kai and Ezra. Gabriel you really should have known. You are a double dominant like she is."

"I know Leo," Dad sighs. I am staring out the glass back door looking at the deep forest. I look over to my side and see Mom, Dad and a new guy kneeling next to me. The new guy has golden blonde hair with big blue eyes framed with black glasses. He wears a white lab coat with dark jeans with a stethoscope around his neck. He wears a nametag that reads Dr. Jayal. He looks like a supermodel doctor.

"You must be Brooklyn," he says with a kind smile, "I'm Dr. Jayal, a friend of your parents. How are you feeling?" he asks.

I grunt trying to sit up but sharp pains lance up my arms and legs. I stay down and give him a pleading look, "What is going on?" I ask.

He looks back at my parents, "One of you needs to translate."

"And scare her?" Mom asks frowning.

"I need to know if she's okay and right now none of us can understand her like this," Dr. Jayal says rolling his eyes.

"I will but we have to tell her first," Dad says glancing at me.

"Tell me what? What's going on?" I ask getting scared. I look down and gasp feeling my eyes widen. I let out a piercing scream scrambling to my feet panicking. My heart jumps into my throat and I feel violently sick. Pain spreads all over my body like knives. I scream stumbling backwards feeling so strange. MY BODY IS FURRY. WITH PAWS.

My head slams on the ceiling and I continue screaming.

"BROOK! Calm down!" Mom shouts jumping to her feet. I keep at the top of my lungs whipping around knocking over one of the couches. WHY AM I SO BIG!? WHAT AM I!? WHAT IS HAPPENING!? I am on fours stumbling around trying to see my body still screaming. Then I see a tail. I scream louder ignoring my parents' protests and pleas to calm down.

I set eyes on the glass door to the backyard leading into the forest. Run. I bolt towards it slipping on the hardwood making loud scratching sounds ruining the floorboards. I scream and brace myself for impact. My head smashes into the glass shattering it. I fly through and land roughly on the deck and start rolling down the stairs.

I cry out in pain because my entire body aches and stings from glass. I stumble to my feet swaying back and forth and start trying to run. I have to get out of here! My parents will be so scared and panicked! I don't know what I am anymore! WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!? HELP!! Then I hear a loud growling from behind me followed by thumping steps. I run towards the thick forest desperate to hide my strange body from them.

Then the thumping sounds. Then a monstrous creature jumps in front of me. Hackles raised, it raises its head staring into my eyes. I gasp skidding to a stop ripping up the grass underneath me. The creature is giant, it has to be the size of a bear. It has a large furry body with a powerful build with muscles. I realize it is a wolf. A giant monstrous wolf.

I whimper backing away from it slowly. It eyes soften and it stands up straight settling into a non-threatening pose. It has raven black fur with deep blue eyes that look extremely familiar. It studies me and takes a step towards me. I stand frozen in the middle of the giant backyard. So close to the forest.

"Brooklyn," it says in my father's voice. It's so powerful and full of authority. WOLF TALKING. I let out a staggered scream stumbling back, "Get away!!" I scream at it.

"Brook listen! It's me!" the wolf pleads coming towards me. I scream louder whipping around to see my mom running towards me with the doctor. Dad isn't with them. I glance back at the giant wolf who meets my gaze. Dad. My stomach twists and I feel very lightheaded. Dad is a giant wolf.

"Brook it's okay! It's Dad! Calm down!" Mom shouts still running towards me. I look back at Dad the wolf and feel a horrible knot tie in my stomach. The realization feels worse than the pain before. I am a giant wolf. The pain was me changing into it. I look around wildly for an opening to escape and see my chance. I bolt kicking up pieces of dirt running as fast as I can towards the forest.

"No! Brook come back!" Dad the giant wolf shouts. I run faster feeling tears settle in my eyes. No! It can't be! It's not real! This isn't real! I make it to the treeline and burst through breaking trees and crushing bushes because of my size. I run as fast as I can trying my best to weave through the trees but I'm clumsy. I keep tripping and slamming into full grown trees leaving dents and marks.

Suddenly my stomach cramps stopping me in my tracks. I collapsed to the forest floor gasping in pain. It spreads all over my body and the stabbing pains return. I feel my face heat up and my muscles begin to twist. I scream out in pain and curl up in a ball. Then I feel my normal skin and I'm suddenly freezing. I look down and yelp scrambling behind a bush.

I'm naked. In the middle of the woods. Naked. OH NO. I wrap my arms around my chest to cover up and do my best not to touch the ground. I hide in a leafy bush bowing my head down burning with embarrassment.

"Brook!" I hear Mom shout. Oh no. She can't see me like this! Then I have a heart attack when I see the giant wolf. I gasp and feel my breathing be caught in my throat. I make strange noises starting to hyperventilate as I stare up at the giant wolf. The raven black wolf looks over at me with sympathetic eyes. Then he barks loudly looking over his shoulder.

I am trembling from fear and the freezing air. Where did my clothes go!? My mom runs out from the trees and stands next to my father the wolf. She only goes to his eyes making him a six foot tall wolf. Not in length but in height. Normal wolves are about two to three feet tall. My visions starts to dim and I feel like I'm going to pass out. Mom runs up to me with panicked eyes. I yelp and bury myself in the bush ignoring the poking of the branches.

"Stop!" I shout and surprisingly she stops. I lower my head ashamedly, "My clothes are all gone," I whisper embarrassed. My face is on fire but my body is freezing cold.

Her eyes soften, "Honey I know. It's okay, I gave you baths and gave birth to you. I can see you naked," she says coming closer.

"No!" I shout trying to cover myself up best I can, "N-No stay away!"

"We can help you. I know this is very difficult but we understand."

"No you don't!" I scream pointlessly.

"Yes we do. You are changing back and forth and are very unstable right now. You are like us, you inherited something we have," she explains in a kind voice. The doctor stands next to Dad the giant wolf watching.

"I'm not leaving this bush," I say stubbornly while eyeing the boys.

"Honey, Dr. Jayal is a doctor. He sees lots of naked people at the hospital and the wolf is your father. You will be fine," she says coming closer. I shake my head violently and feel my body shuddering. My stomach twists again and I cover my mouth feeling bile rise my throat. I throw up on the floor aiming out of my bush. Mom is at my side rubbing my bare back, her hand feels warm.

I cough loudly feeling so dizzy. I close my eyes and feel saliva drip out of my mouth. It tastes like puke so I continue to drool on the floor not caring if it looks stupid. My hair hangs in front of my face with some throw up sticking on it. I moan feeling so miserable and terrified.

"Are you okay?" she asks pulling my hair back.

"No," I croak looking up at her, "I feel terrible."

"I know honey, but it'll all be over soon," she says sweetly.

"What is happening to me?" I ask shakily, "Why is Dad a wolf?! Why was I a wolf?! What is going on?!" I yell becoming more frantic and panicked.

She looks over at Dad the wolf then back at me, "Brooklyn, we have been keeping a secret from you. It was for your protection and we didn't know if you would have it too. But you do... Brook, your father and I... we're what you call werewolves. And so are you."

I gape at her unable to speak. Werewolves. The fantasy based, legend werewolves. They are real. After reading so many books about them I never thought... OH MY GOSH. MY PARENTS ARE WEREWOLVES. THEY ARE REAL WEREWOLVES. AND I AM TOO. I AM TOO. OH MY GOSH WE ARE WEREWOLVES. I stare at Dad then at Mom. Then my eyes rolls back in my head and I fall into darkness.

My head is fuzzy when I start to wake up. I feel a warm cloth on my head and a blanket covers my body. My heart starts racing as I remember my previous situation. Werewolves.

"She looks so pale, are you sure this is normal?" Mom asks in a scared voice.

"Yes calm down. You're almost as bad as Brooklyn. Just let me do my job," the doctor says sounding annoyed.

"We should take this slow," Dad says.

"Right," Mom says. I see the doctor kneeling in front of me checking my heartbeat.

"Dad? Mom?" I ask weakly looking around feeling scared.

"Someone has to change to talk to her," the doctor says.

"How about you?" Mom asks pointedly.

The doctor scoffs, "I'm the doctor. I have to be checking her and making sure she's okay. I can't do that with wolf paws."

"Wolf paws?" I ask louder this time still terrified. 

"Fine," Mom says. I look around and see the two of them sitting on the couch.

"Help," I say with pleading eyes. Mom stands up and backs away from the couch. My eyes widen, "What are you doing?"

"Calm down Brook," Dad says now a human. He's shirtless wearing black sweatpants, his raven black hair sticks up messily. He's barefoot as well.

"What is she-"

Mom bends over and her entire body changes right before my eyes. Fur explodes all over her body and her bones and muscles bend and shape into something new. Her clothes rip off her body and her long brown hair grows shorter. Her face transforms and I see a snout forming on her face. Her arms bends and transform into new angles covered with light brown fur. Then she stands up straight done changing. Her clothes are in tatters on the floor.

She is a giant wolf like Dad was. Her head almost hits the ceiling and she stands on all fours with a flicking tail. A giant wolf. Her fur color matches her hair, light brown. Her eyes seemed to remain the same, the same big brown eyes I know my mother for. I gasp and feel tears coming to my eyes, "Oh my God."

"It's okay," she says in her own voice. She walks towards me and moves past the couch. She lays down like a dog and rests her giant wolf head on her paws outstretched in front of her.

"N-No," I say shakily feeling tears spill from my eyes. I bow my head shaking my head, "No, no, no."

"Everything is okay," she says kindly cocking her head slightly.

"You're a wolf!" I shout with bewildered eyes, "A werewolf!"

"I know."

"B-But how?! That's not possible! They aren't real!" I argue with her trying to convince myself this isn't happening.

"I wish it weren't either. But we have to live with it."

"How?! Were you bitten? Is this like Twilight and you guys are ancient shape shifting warriors!? OH MY GOD ARE THERE VAMPIRES!?"

"What? No no, no vampires. This is our own fault," she says quickly.

"What's going on?" Dad asks. Mom looks back at him and gives him a look.

"Is she panicking?" he asks like he's correcting himself. Mom nods and looks back at me, "Just take deep breaths."

"HOW?! This. Isn't. Possible!!"

"Yes it is," she argues and stands up. I look up at her with fearful eyes and her expression remains warm and kind like she never changed into a wolf. She circles me and lays next to my side. Her breathing is deep and she feels warm.

"It's in our blood, in our genetics. We're not sure how it got started, maybe a mutation in our genetics. But we do know that being a werewolf requires a certain chromosome passed down through the father. Your dad's parents were both werewolves making him double dominant. I was bitten by him because we were going to get married and I had to know. This makes me single dominant."

"Like hair and eye color, recessive and dominant genes?" I ask in shock. She nods, "Yes, you remember Biology don't you?"

"Yes, the two Ds mean dominant, is that double dominant?" I ask. She nods, "Yes, and you can have a single dominant which is one D and a R. You can also have the possibility to have a pure recessive gene where it doesn't let you have the wolf gene. You are only a carrier. That's what we thought for you... we hoped actually."

"Being a werewolf is genetic, great," I say defeated rolling my eyes.

"We didn't want to tell you until we knew for sure. I'm sorry Brook," she says. I lay my head down on the floor staring in shock. Werewolves are real. And it's sciencey. No magic but genetics. At least there's some logic in it.

"Are we the only ones?" I ask shakily.

"No, there's a lot more. We're just good at keeping it a secret. It's been going on for generations with other families. Your dad actually leads them, we're like a pack. He's the alpha."

"Oh Lord," I say light headedly.

"What?" she asks worriedly.

"You are a werewolf pack," I moan closing my eyes.

"Yes."

"How many?" I ask.

"Quite a bit. Some of us decide to stay here but others want to travel so they are nomads. They are all over the place but we are really good at hiding since it's generational. We teach the younger generation everything we know. It's a pretty good system."

"And those who are caught are put in legends," I mumble.

"Yes."

"Do I know any?" I ask weakly.

"Yes, our friends. Dr. Jayal is one, Samuel is one. He's your father's beta, second in command. The twins he has are ones too but the little one may be recessive but he hangs out at the house. Their mom is also human and didn't want to be bitten like I was. But she knows," she explains.

"Bitten?"

"Yes, a way to become a werewolf isn't always genetic. You can get bitten and gain the single dominant gene. Allowing the line to continue," she explains wrapping her tail around me.

"And the moon and silver bullets?" I ask wondering if all the legends are true.

"Myths. Silver bullets can kill anyone like a normal bullet. Though it does take quite a few to take down one of us. Our transformations are at our own will or if we get too upset. Teenagers are more unstable due to hormones..."

"Mood swings," I finish slowly understanding.

"Exactly."

My stomach twists and I cry out feeling my body turn against myself. I kick my legs stretching out and twisting my body. I grit my teeth and feel my face change and mold into something else. I feel myself shrink and I suddenly feel cold. I realize I was a wolf the entire time and I just turned back into a human. I stop changing and lay shaking on the fuzzy carpet.

"Why do I feel so terrible?" I whisper. I am safe under the cover of the thick black blanket that's huge. Mom is giant compared to my human body, I feel the heat emanate from her body making me warm.

"Because this is normal for teenagers with the gene. Did your mom explain everything?" Dad asks.

"Yes...?" I ask glancing back at Mom.

"She can't answer, in our human form we can't understand someone in wolf form. But while we are both wolves we can talk like normal. All I heard from your conversation was barking. But in wolf form you can understand those who are human or in human form," Dad explains. I sit up slowly wrapping the blanket all around me. My hair is a tangled mess and I smell like throw up. My head is burning and I feel like I have the flu again.

"Why am I doing this?" I ask him.

"Teenagers are unstable. You know how genes can be activated? Certain diseases or processes can just start? That happens with the transformation, when your body is maturing and reaches a certain point it will activate. It will stop soon but you will need to be extremely careful with your emotions. It will cause you to change. We have to be extremely careful not to let anyone find out," he explains getting up. He kneels down next to me and next the doctor.

"Can I examine her now?" Dr. Jayal asks giving Dad a look.

"Yes go ahead," Dad says rolling his eyes at him. I bite my lip getting nervous about... examination... I shrink back into Mom staring at the doctor with fearful eyes, "What are you doing to do?"

He sighs rolling his eyes, "I'm a doctor, not a crazy psychopath. I'm checking if your body is doing okay with the transformations. Sometimes if it's too much you can break a bone or two. Organs twisted up and internal bleeding. So I'm making sure you aren't hurt," he explains in a sadistic tone. My eyes widen, "Twisted organs?"

"Leo!" Dad scolds giving him a dark look.

"It's my job to inform, alpha. I'll telling her the truth, she needs some reality to grasp onto right now."

"But don't tell her that!"

"What? It's not like she does," Dr. Jayal says rolling his eyes.

"Then why did you tell her?" Dad growls upset.

"For future reference. You know she may be caught in between one on accident. It happens," Dr. Jayal says giving him a look. He looks back at me and reaches into his black leather briefcase that I hardly noticed. He pulls out a little metal stick.

"I'm going to check your eyes," he tells me. I nod watching him carefully. Then he shines a bright light in my eye and I cringe away.

"Open your eyes," he says sternly. I open my eyes as wide as I can feeling them tear up. He flashes the light a couple times and nods, "Eyes are good."

Then he digs in his briefcase and pulls out a popsicle stick, "Ah," he says. I open my mouth and stick out my tongue. He lays it on my tongue and shines the flashlight inside.

"No bleeding gums..." he reports and pulls the stick out, "any pain on the body that's not from transformation? Can you move everything?"

I check my body feeling only the numb pain from before, "Only pain from before."

"Good good," he says. Then I feel the familiar cramp and the pain overwhelms my body once again. My body stretches out and I arch my back making a strangled gurgling sound. I close my eyes trying to wish the excruciating pain away.

"Oh honey I'm so sorry," Mom says. I gasp loudly and my body stops changing. I am laying still and I feel the blanket cut off at my lower back. Mom adjusts her paws to be out and she pulls me closer. I feel her breathing loudly behind me and her stomach touches my back. Then she curls up locking me in a nest of some kind. I feel like a puppy.

"Why are you... making a nest?" I ask feeling awkward.

"It's a mom thing," she replies simply. I feel tears well up in my eyes and I feel so broken. Even after hearing the explanation it doesn't feel real. I burst into tears and turn around crying into Mom. I listen to her pounding heartbeat and her inhale deeply and breathe out.

"It's okay," she says softly and lays her head on top of mine.

"I don't want this," I whisper shakily. 

"None of us did," she whispers back. I break down and cry harder wanting this all to be some sick nightmare. That I'm just hallucinating or dreaming and I actually have mono or some crazy disease that causes extreme pain.

"She's a healthy one. My work here is done, are you coming back to the house tonight?" Dr. Jayal says quietly.

"Maybe, depends on if she's stable or not. Tell the pack for me and get them ready just in case," Dad answers in a low tone. I feel my ears flick and my tail moves slightly. All these new sensations and feelings and all I can think about is how my life was just destroyed. I'm a werewolf. I'm going to have to hide this from everyone. So much pressure with this secret I never wanted. Then I remember Haven. 

I look up at Mom with a tearful gaze, "What about Haven? Is she like us?"

She shakes her head, "No, her parents aren't part of our pack. She's a normal human."

"Could I tell her?" I ask hopefully. Maybe I'll have a friend to go in with me. Maybe my life won't be completely destroyed.

Her eyes soften with sympathy, "No, the secret only is told when someone is caught and if it's absolutely necessary. That's normally when you bite someone, giving them the burden so they can't tell anyone."

"Could we bite her?" I ask getting a dark feeling in my heart.

"You will take her life from her. Do you want to be responsible for that?"

Sobs overtake me and I feel completely broken all over again. Shattered on the floor and unable to be put together again. I cry out as my body explodes in pain. I curl up in a ball and feel myself changing once again with equal pain to last time. A vicious cycle that keeps repeating. I hold my head in my hands, human again. I curl up next to Mom the giant werewolf wanting to die.

Her fur is long and feels fuzzy. I grip it tightly and bury my face into her wishing the world would disappear. That all of this was a dream. But I don't wake up. I don't think I ever will.