Traitor

(A few years ago)

She hurried down the stairs and out of the building, she knew she couldn't act out of character or questions would be raised. Calmed by the jet blanket of night, she left the estate casually like always.

Satisfied with her distance from the compound, she held out her phone as she sat on the ruby bus bench to send a text, "I'm waiting." Not long after hitting send, a man of considerable height appeared. Illuminated by the bus lights, his blond hair looked as if it was glowing. The two studs on his right ear reflected the light, while the single stud on his left ear hid in the shadow. The lack of sleeves on his coal coloured shirt was compensated by the black and red ink which spread across his arms, overshadowing his skin.

When the beetle like taxi appeared, he ordered her inside. "There's a pack about fifteen miles from here, their alpha owns a youth club which is where they often meet." She reported. Her eyes monitored the road restlessly for which turns the driver took, then returned to the tattooed man.

He responded sternly, "and your previous task?" His focus on her was like cement poured around her body and left to settle, it restricted her movements.

"She agreed to meet with me." Shame burrowed through her voice. Quietness invited her words out, "you don't need me there." The blood of several werewolves she had led into the tattooed man's trap, and their howls as they merged with the wind in death lingered in her mind.

His silence was the answer.

Her attention returned to the road and the stirring wheel as the driver took a turn, her anxiety rising as they neared their location. "I can't do this," discouraged, she confessed, pain resided in her voice.

A thick white envelope longer than its width was tossed to the seat next to her. She opened it to find sixty pounds in cash, the sight eased her doubt and guilt.

"For the information you provided us," he added. "You will receive another two-hundred after tonight's task."

The tension in her muscles were relieved, her thoughts centered around the money. Her arm supported her face, she stared at her reflection on the window in wonder, what should I buy with two-hundred and sixty pounds?

*********

Harmony's fifth full moon at the estate was approaching in less than twenty-four hours, excitement zapped around the pack, the liveliness of those in the park was displayed through their running, climbing, chasing, hunting and play fighting.

Pushing back the urge to cry with each breath, Harmony stomped ahead of Dylan around the park, her rage dipped into sorrow. His claims against humans and insensitivity echoing in her mind as she ran from their argument.

A slightly toned woman with brown hair almost indistinguishable from black approached Harmony as she neared the park gate, "I hear you won't be joining us this month." Her voice was hoarse.

Harmony recognised the fifty something year old as Brian. Her sour mood would rather have Harmony upstairs embraced by her soft douvet where no one could see her cry. "Unfortunately not this month either, I would have loved to, but with my current health it would be impossible," She concealed her sullenness in politeness and hoped the conversation would end there.

Raymond had advised that Harmony use the excuse of being unwell to avoid the pack's suspicions until the time being.

"What are you trying to hide?" Her tone became threatening, "you've been here five months and not a single time have we seen you in your natural form." She began taking slow steps closer to Harmony.

Dylan who was lagging behind, picked up his pace, "she ain't hiding anything." He stood by Harmony who still held resentment towards him and was now irritated that he answered for her.

Brian raised her voice to address those around, "a couple months ago, our kin from other packs have been disappearing, not long before that we get a new family member." Her eyes sought Harmony's soul, "You're a lovely girl, but my friend since ten-years-old is gone. Just because we are born from different packs doesn't mean our bonds are weak, like many here; I need to know that you can be trusted."

Harmony's glare signalled to Dylan to keep out of it. She didn't want his help after what he said.

Pack members peered out from their windows, adding to the bitter silence as everyone waited for her to answer. She conjured a sentence she believed would dispel their suspicion, "I promise I'm not someone here to cause harm, otherwise Raymond would not have brought me to the estate."

"You satisfied now Brian?" Mayan threw the words out from her window in Artemis building then held a supportive smile to Harmony who returned a smile in gratitude.

Brian shifted her eyes to Mayan for a moment, "Not yet," then returned to Harmony, "forgive me for saying this, but maybe our Alpha was deceived like the rest of us. Ever since you arrived the strongest scent here is your perfume, a wolf-born would suffocate in minutes with a scent that strong." On lookers nodded in agreement.

"Get to the point." Dylan commanded with impatience and irritation. He moved his hand, wanting to hold Harmony's but was evaded and met with air.

"The only way to prove you're really wolf-born is to transform for us all to see, right now," Brian continued, moving backwards to give Harmony space.

Both Dylan and Harmony knew that would be impossible; however, faith that her mother's werewolf blood runs through her veins led Harmony to attempt a transformation.

She recollected asking Dylan what it was like and went by his description: she focused on her lungs, bones and every muscle in her body to manipulate them, Dylan explained it was like moving your fingers and forcibly crushing them to achieve a new form. In contrast to how it sounded, he clarified that it wasn't so painful, the concept most resembled shape memory alloy returning to its original form.

"She doesn't need to prove anything to you." Dylan argued.

Through the confrontation between Brian and Dylan and nervousness tightening her chest, Harmony continued her attempts, scrunching her fists and flexing her muscles.

Failure slaughtered her hope, "I can't." Harmony admitted weakly, so less people would hear her confession.

"Then you really are human." The words sprang out of Brian instantly, other pack members became alert, and like wolves cornering it's prey, they took small steps towards Harmony.

Dylan protested, "just because she can't transform doesn't mean she inst one of us." He stood in front of Harmony defensively, his arm stretched out.

"I'm not a human, I swear." She repeated her words desperately; however remained unheard. Her legs staggered backwards a few times, before she could think, she was sprinting away in tears.

She heard speeding footsteps catching up to her, rapidly, before stopping when Mayan called out, "Dylan wait!"

Their voices eventually became faint.

Harmony was now out of the compound. She pressed her palm on her face to wipe away her tears, when her vision returned with her hand out of the way, she saw a girl her age with hair like the sun and a scent from the estate, fiddling with a phone - Wila?

What aroused Harmony's curiosity was that a werewolf using a phone was as rare as a blood moon. She followed the blond unintentionally into a buzzing street.

After a while Harmony's original destination would have led her to take a right, but curiosity kept her legs moving in Wila's footsteps which eventually took her to a fast food restaurant. Harmony settled on the table by the entrance, her face hidden in her arms, she eyed Wila who was later joined by a blond tattooed man emitting a mild scent of werewolf blood.

They soon got up then headed towards the entrance, Wila's eyes caught Harmony's in an apologetic gaze that was ripped away when she walked out the door and into a black taxi.

Why is a werewolf meeting with a hunter? Harmony received her answer when she noticed an envelope being handed to Wila who flicked through the twenty-pound notes eight times. Afterwards, the traitorous werewolf climbed out of the taxi which drove away with the tattooed man.

Before Wila could step a foot into the restaurant, Harmony shot up like a javelin. With wide, quick steps and her knuckles folded, she hurled a punch heavier than a bolder, the impact on Wila's face left a reddening stamp as she toppled backward. Harmony left no room for the blond to find her balance, she got on top of her, gripping the collar of her shirt tightly and limiting her airflow, "how could you?" Her tears fell on Wila's erubescent cheeks.

Dinners got up to watch, some gasping at the savagery, but entertained none the less as they would be in the cinema. Cashiers froze amidst their actions and all workers glued their eyes to the scene.

A concerned man approached with his back arched, arms ready to lift Harmony away only for his nose to be indented by a powerful thrust from her elbow. Her fury kept her attention on Wila while the Man plummeted to the floor, sheltering his bleeding nose in his hand.

Wila became a doll without will or pain, she accepted Harmony's outrage, the only sign that she was a living creature was the red liquid flowing out of her and tears sliding down her cheeks. She gathered whatever breath she could, "I did it for us all."