14 Truth, Part 2

"Years ago, we were having problems with murders within the surrounding communities. Not only within the tribe, but in the white settlements, as well," Dad said, continuing his story. "These murders were so brutal and heinous that everyone thought it was a wild animal, maybe rabid, who was committing the murders. The being would eat its victims, literally tearing their bodies limb from limb, ripping the flesh from their bones, and drinking their blood.

"People began looking for the animal that might be doing this. The pack feared that we would be discovered and blamed for these atrocious crimes, even though we were innocent. Of course, the pack looked for the animal, too, hoping to put an end to the horrid crimes and return our village and the surrounding communities to peace once again.

"Then one night, we ran across a horrible site. A local Caucasian girl was missing from the local white settlement, so the pack looked for her. That was when we happened upon the gruesome site: an animal was eating the girl alive. I will never forget her screams." Dad paused a moment as a shiver ran over his body. "The pack cornered it, surrounding it, not allowing it an escape. It looked much like a wolf but moved like a cat and had human hands. It was covered in reddish fur from head to foot.

"We attacked it, but it immediately stood on two legs, fighting us like a man. It bit one of the pack, who immediately died. So, we fought it, careful of its teeth. During the fight, we wounded it, and, before our eyes, it changed back into a man... a well-known man within the white community, Geoffrey Smith.

"Immediately, we took him into custody and led him to our village for questioning. We tortured him and he confessed to the murders of many men, women, and children—eighteen in all. We asked him how he came to become this creature, and he told us his story. He had been ridiculed as a child and he wanted revenge against his enemies. So, he asked the Devil for help. He went before Satan in a bonfire ceremony, and the Devil appeared before him, telling him that he would give him power over his enemies, but only if he worshiped him and him alone. Then, the Satan cursed him with the perverted wolf form. Repulsive though it was, it gave him great power, strength, and courage. Soon after, Smith retaliated against the boys who had treated him so badly, killing them all one by one, taking them apart, piece by piece.

"But afterward, he could not stop killing and craved blood and flesh. We also discovered that he could make others turn like himself with a single bite, as his bite was venomous. Once bitten, the venom spread throughout the body, infecting the victim, changing the person into the wolf-man. But if we, wolf shifters, are bitten, we die immediately."

"How is this so?" Mark asked, his voice low. "Why do we die and are not transformed?"

"Because our wolves are pure and come from The Great Spirit—God," Dad replied. "The wolf-man is an abomination, a perversion of what is holy and good. It is evil and from the Devil. When The Great Spirit gave us our wolves, he did so with the understanding that we not abuse the gift and that we not take innocent lives. But the werewolf is of the Devil and takes innocent lives. In fact, that's all it does; it wreaks havoc and kills anything, or anyone, that stands in its way."

"How can we stop it?" Mark asked, his voice serious, speaking for the whole pack. "Can it be killed?"

"What about with silver bullets? Like according to the fables?" Austin interjected, breaking the spell of the moment, and everyone laughed. "I was just saying...."

The corner of Dad's mouth curled slightly. "No, silver bullets do not work on the creature," Dad continued. "In fact, like us, it has the power to heal itself quickly. The only way to kill it is to behead it. Beheading it will kill it, but we also burned the pieces to ensure that it's dead and won't infect anyone else. Its venom is lethal, even after death."

"What about stabbing it in the heart?" Mark asked, leaning forward, clearly intrigued with the new information.

"That would only slow it down," Dad answered, his eyes looking far away, as if remembering another time and place. "We asked ourselves the same thing years ago. When we stabbed it in the heart, it slowed down, but then when we removed the stake, the wound quickly healed. As I said, the only way to ensure the creature's death was to behead it."

"Can it be killed in its human form?" Lexie asked, clearly intrigued.

"Yes, it can," Dad replied. "But how are you to know who is one? The Children of the Moon walk among us... until the moon is full. Under a full moon, they change into the wolf-man involuntarily. They have no control over the transformation. In fact, he or she might awaken to find themselves in a field somewhere with torn clothes, or none at all, covered in blood with no recollection of how they got there or what happened."

"So, they might not even be aware that they change into this thing?" Austin asked in disbelief.

"Yes, this is true," Dad answered. "The ones that are bitten and not eaten might not even be aware that they change."

"But, of course, they know they were bitten," Micah interjected.

"Sometimes," Dad continued, "and sometimes they wake up to find a bite mark on themselves, but with no recollection of how it got there."

A grumble of concern resounded throughout the room.

"I'm surprised that the wolf-man has returned," Dad said, speculating. "I thought that we killed them all years ago once we discovered them. The murders from the werewolf have stopped for many years now. Yet, here it is, happening again."

"You probably killed all of them in this area," Mark interjected. "But they could also move in from other areas, as well."

"Perhaps," Dad replied. "I once heard of a similar incident happening in Germany years ago. If they were not all killed, then they may have journeyed to other areas, infecting others as they moved." Dad paused, speculating. "But regardless of how it came to be, it is here now."

"Are you certain?" Mark asked, his eyebrows pulling together in concern.

"Absolutely."

"How do we catch it?" Raina asked, actually showing a bit of concern.

"The only way to be certain is to wait until the moon is full," Dad answered. "It will change under a full moon. Then, you can kill it."

"So, we'll have to pull it apart," Austin said, the corners of his mouth curling into a sinister grin.

"Not just pull it apart," Dad corrected. "Complete decapitation is the only way to kill it, then burn the corpse to make sure."

We all nodded, listening, as a grumble of anticipation filled the room.

"But you must be extremely careful," Dad continued. "If it bites you, you are dead. There is no known cure." Another rumble resounded throughout the room. "Once decapitated, it will change immediately back into a man, but don't be fooled. They are extremely dangerous creatures."

After a long pause, Dylan asked, "So what's our next move?"

Dad thought for a moment. "The moon is full tonight. You know it's in its werewolf form tonight. You've seen it. You can try and catch it tonight before the sun comes up, but tomorrow night is the last night of this full moon cycle. If you can't catch it then, you will have to wait a month for the next full moon cycle."

"And the sooner we catch this thing," Mark finished, looking around the pack. "The better."

"Exactly," Dad agreed.

"Just out of curiosity," Austin said, letting out a deep breath. "What would silver do to it?"

A few people laughed. Austin pushed Micah, who was one of those who laughed.

"That's a very good question," Dad said, trying not to smile. "The rumor about silver being effective against the Children of the Moon was invented by the local priests long ago. The people were panicked, thinking that any one of their neighbors could be one of the werewolves. So, in an effort to calm the people and to give them hope of winning a fight against one, the priests told them that silver would kill the wolf-man. As a result, people melted down their silver tea sets and good silverware to create silver bullets and weapons."

"But in reality," Austin interjected, crestfallen. "They're useless, right?"

"Absolutely," Dad agreed. "It was a rumor created in an effort to restore sanity to the local people and to give them hope."

"Well...." Austin rose to his feet. "What are we waiting for?"

Everyone in the room stood, grumbling their agreement.

"Thank you, Chief Chavez, for all of your help." Mark shook my father's hand as many of the pack headed for the door.

"I wish I could be of more help," Dad replied, then looked around. "But the responsibility falls to you, the next generation. It is up to you now."

Mark nodded. I watched as everyone thanked my father as they filed out the door, but Dakota placed his hand on the small of my back, waiting with me.

"Thanks, Dad," I said, pulling him in for a hug. "I'll see you later."

"Oh, no you don't," Dad said, grabbing my arm as Dakota waited, his eyebrows pulling together in concern. "You're staying here tonight."

"Dad," I replied gently, trying to pull free of his hold on my arm. "I have to go. It's my turn to defend the tribe now."

"But I can't let you go!" Dad said, holding my arm tightly. "You don't know what you're up against! Let the pack take care of it!"

"It's my pack!" I shouted, pulling my arm free.

"I can't let you go," Dad said, trying to calm down.

"So, I'm supposed to sit here and let someone else get killed defending me while I sit here doing nothing?" My body started shaking and Dakota tensed beside me. I took a deep breath to control the tremors. Slowly, the red haze in my vision dissipated. "Dad, you said it yourself. The responsibility falls to the next generation now. That is me. I am literally the next generation and I'm going to protect my people." Suddenly, a sense of pack pride welled up within me like never before. It was my tribe, my pack and I was going to defend it at all costs. "I will defend this pack and my tribe with my life." I looked deeply into his eyes, trying to stay calm. "Would you do anything less?"

Dad took a deep breath as understanding dawned within his eyes. He knew that he had to let me go. It was time. "Okay, Jess," he conceded, slowly releasing my arm, looking deeply into my eyes. "But be careful out there. You hear?" Then he pulled me in for one of his big bear hugs. At that moment, I respected him even more than ever before. And after hearing his story, I understood him better, too.

"Okay, old man," I joked in an effort to lighten the moment as I pulled back.

Dakota smiled, then whispered, "I'll wait for you outside." He darted out the door where I knew he would wait for me.

Dad smiled, placing his hands on my shoulders, looking deeply into my eyes. "I'm older than you thought, huh?"

I smiled. "Dad, you'll never be old to me." Then I hugged him again.

"I always knew this day would come," Dad said, releasing me. "But I never thought it would be so soon." Then, he pulled me back into his arms. "I love you, Jess. You take care of yourself now."

"Dad, I'll be back when I can." I gave him a reassuring smile, fighting back tears of my own. "I love you very much."

With one last hug, I darted out the front door, so he couldn't see the tears falling softly down my cheeks.