I Know What You Are

Nina has been avoiding Léon all day at school but she couldn't keep that up forever. His was lurking behind the door of her classroom, waiting at the bottom stairs while Nina kept

running in the opposite directions. Nina just had to tell him that he was crazy and lost his mind. I mean no one would believe that a girl was also a wolf, things like that didn't exist. Even though Nina couldn't explain the reason she existed. Nina was on the second floor of the building, hiding behind the door of her France language classroom, looking if the coast was clear or not. She didn't see him anywhere at the moment, finally. Ninas made it out of the room quickly ran to the corner and took the stairs to the end of the building. When Nina turned, her body bumped into someone and not just anyone. Of course, he also thought of using those stars. "Please talk to me," Léon said.

"You have lost your mind; you're seeing things that don't exist." Nina pointed out.

"I'm pretty sure the heavy gigantic wolf on top of me says otherwise. I'm not blind, you can't miss something as gigantic as that. Your eyes turn red and you suddenly disappear, even when I follow you, you're gone. I know you fast, now I understand why. And there is a gigantic white wolf with the same color as your hair and the same red eyes you had before you ran away. Looking sad at me like you always do, like it's asking for help. And always those eyes that are constantly watching me, watching me with hunger. A wolf that size would have eaten me and then run after Eloise and Blanche, but it didn't and I think you know why. You don't need to pretend anymore, just say it."

"I don't know what to say," Nina answered and stepped back bumping into the wall. She looked around to make sure that there wasn't anyone near them that could hear what they were talking about, that would have been bad.

"You can start with what you are," Léon asked gently, trying so hard to not make Nina feel uncomfortable but it wasn't working.

"I'm a monster!" She yelled and looked down at the floor. That was it, he now knows what she was. Nina didn't want him to hate her because of what she was. He took her hand in his and looked him in the eyes again, her eyes filling with tears. What now, he knew she was a dangerous creature. Nina was a weird being, she was not even human like him and everyone else. Nina could hurt him so easily.

"You're not a monster," he whispered.

"I am, no human turns into a wolf." A tear escaped from her eyes and rolled down her cheek. Léon picked up her tear with his finger, putting his hand on her cheek. The warm flesh of his hand was on her skin. Nina felt his heartbeat in the palm of his hand, breathing against her skin.

"So, am I the same animal from in the woods?" Nina looked up at Léon, but even he didn't know the answer to that, he just found out that things like Nina existed.

"I don't know, the police haven't found it yet, they don't even know what it is."

"But I don't remember anything, ever being in the woods those times." She

answered.

"If you were, you didn't eat me back then. Maybe you don't remember being a wolf, but the wolf still remembered that it was me."

"You think so?"

Léon took her hand and held it above his heart. "I'm still alive, aren't I." The rhythm of his heart was beating against her hand. He was, but it could have ended differently. She didn't remember what happened, she didn't even know what she was doing. Maybe she did something bad after all and she didn't even know or she will in the future. Nina's eyes traveled to Léon's neck, she was getting lost in her thoughts, her desire to have him.

"So can I see it?" Léon asked.

"See what?"

"You as a wolf." Léon smiled at her. What the hell was wrong with him?! He just found out that Nina was not a human but a predator that ate meat, humans as in him and he still wanted to see it. No human wanted to see that from up close, everyone would run for their lives.

"I don't know, you're probably going to get scared."

"Why would I get scared, it's still you," Léon asked. Because I want to eat you. Nina would probably lose complete control over herself if she did that. Or this was some trap she was going to walk into, but he still hadn't said anything to anyone and he could have easily done that by now. But he didn't, so I guess it would be okay. Nina still wondered if she could trust him, he already knew anyway so what was the point? He could easily sell her out and then she had to kill him if he tried and even all the other people that knew about her. But he wouldn't do that, would he?

"Fine, tonight, but maybe a little further away from the village." Nina heard herself say it and didn't believe that she was getting along with his idea.

"Then by the river?" He smiled.

"Okay, at nine in the evening," Nina said and for some reason, Léon was way too excited for this. Nina knew he liked dogs, otherwise he wouldn't have picked her up when he found her, but she was a really big dog now. It was already nine in the evening when Nina arrived at the river. She looked at the stars that were twinkling in the sky, reflecting like a magical carpet in the river. It looked like diamonds were falling in the river from the water drops that were falling from the waterfall. Nina looked at herself, but she couldn't help but think that the person that she saw, was not her. The way Nina looked was only an illusion of what she was. Was Léon even going to be safe here with her, was showing him her wolf form going to bring out the monster that was deep inside of her? Nina hugged her knees being lost in her thoughts, but the wheels of a bike came closer, bringing her back to reality. It was Léon on his bike and his scent was only getting stronger and stronger when he was getting closer to the river. His heartbeat got louder and louder when his heart was the only thing that she could hear with all the other noises here in the woods. Léon finally arrived when Nina turned around, he was dripping with sweat from the long way he had to drive to get that deep in the woods. He made it and didn't stay at home. Nina wouldn't mind if he stayed home, she would have been just fine here all alone. Or maybe she should have been a wolf when he arrived, then he wouldn't know it was her and run away from the scary creature he saw. He was too smart for that; he could have figured it out in one second. Or Nina should have just stayed in the orphanage and let him wait there forever. But what if he was going to blackmail her the next day that she didn't show? Going to bring her to the cops the next day. He wouldn't do that; she knew him longer than today and he said that she wasn't a monster. She wondered for how long he was going to keep thinking that before he saw what Nina was. Léon got off his bike and laid it on the ground before he walked towards Nina with a big smile on his face. Was he happy to see her or is he just happy to see her as a wolf?

"So, you're going to turn into a wolf," Léon said, who still didn't believe it. He'll believe it when he sees it. He was in a completely new world where he didn't know anything for the first time.

"Yeah," Nina answered.

But for some reason Nina was nervous. This was so weird, Nina never turned into a wolf before in front of anyone. Otherwise, she would have been killed. She felt so naked just thinking about it, except for the coat with fluffy fur that covered her. Nina stood up from the rock and put her backpack on the ground. She took off her gray woolen sweater, black leather skirt, and stockings, dropping them into her bag. Léon looked at her confused and didn't know what to do. Didn't understand what Nina was doing taking off her clothes and only standing there in her underwear. Nina borrowed the skirt from Blanche and she would like to have her skirt back in one peace and for the underwear, it didn't matter if it ripped open. "What are you doing?" Léon asked and looked away.

Nina looked at the stars in the sky and closed her eyes. her nails were growing longer, her hands were becoming larger. Her ears were getting pointier and dark lines appeared underneath her eyes, changing the bone structure of her face. You could almost hear it cracking when a hole in her lower back ripped open. Léon looked horrified at the hole in her back and that small piece of her backbone that was coming out of her skin, growing longer and longer. The tail was becoming ticker, white hairs started to grow down to the tip of her tail. Nina's body lit up from the stars in the sky like diamonds were covering her body. Long hair and shorter hair covered her entire body and her underwear ripped apart when her body grew even bigger. It was happening so fast that Léon couldn't follow what was happening. Soon Nina's body was completely covered with snow-white fur as big paws landed on the ground, leaving dust that flew around her. She looked at Léon who was rubbing his eyes so he knew he wasn't dreaming. Nina stepped closer towards Léon and bowed her head in the direction of his hand. He slowly touched her head petting her soft fur.

"You are a wolf and a big one," Léon said unable to keep his mouth closed. He was still looking surprised at her, still thinking that he was dreaming. Or realizing that this was the world he was living in. All he knew before wasn't that interesting anymore, or maybe he would have paid more attention to all the stories that seemed too weird to be true. Cause Nina was right there, a very weird unbelievable creature that you only heard in stories but she was very real, standing in front of him. He didn't even believe that creatures like Nina were living among him, among all the people in the world. Nina looked at Léon, his eyes were lighting up like the little kid he once was, the kid who got his first puppy. The look in his eyes still hasn't changed since then. Nina lay down in front of his feet so he was able to climb onto her back. He carefully took some big strings of her hair and held onto her back. Welcome to my territory. Ready to be amazed, Nina didn't think he could be more amazed after seeing a girl turn into a wolf. Nina ran off with Léon on her back leaving big pawl marks on the ground. The beautiful sky is covered with stars reflected in the river. Nina jumped into the water to get to the other side. The water went up to her neck, covering Léon to his pants and even the bottom of his jacket. Nina was quite happily swimming across the shore, knowing how wet she was going to be. And he was, he was complaining a little about the cold water, but even though the woods looked amazing with the fireflies that flew around. Once Nina was across, she went out of the river and onto the shore. Léon was trembling from the cold water as the droplets fell on the ground. Nina lay down behind Léon so he was covered with warm fur all around him. He looked at her for a moment, a moment too long that Nina could see herself in his eyes.

"You have your blue eyes, maybe you're not the same wolf," Léon said. Nina looked up at the stars for a moment laying her head on his.

"I don't think that you're a monster. You have bright blue eyes and white fur like snow. Your blue eyes are beautiful and everyone knows that snow is beautiful and fun. Maybe it was another wolf that I saw. I mean the wolf had red eyes and I expected you to have those eyes but you don't have them. Then that means that there is someone else out here as well, someone just like you. But that also means that you are not the only one and that there are more people out there. What if every day we just pass by someone like that

without knowing, think about it, there could be more like you."

Nina wondered, could it be that there were more like her out there? If there was then they could help her, they may even know where she came from. Nina may not be a strange creature that was made in some lab. Even though, Nina had never seen herself with red eyes before so she doubted that that thing wasn't her. She knew what she could do and she was scared to find out what else she was capable of that she didn't know yet. That wolf from then was probably her, even if she couldn't remember what she did. But that made it even more real that it could have been her, but she also didn't hurt Léon. Maybe that made sense that the only reason that he survived was because she was that creature and if it was a different creature, he would have died. Did that also mean that Nina could control herself, she was still a terrifying creature of destruction. Léon was the first to think that she wasn't a monster while everyone saw her as a weird person, even if they didn't know about the wolf part. They were always afraid of her like they knew she was not normal or she was just really bad at trying to be like everyone else. Nina was always the freak, she never belonged with anyone. But Léon didn't see her like that. Thank you, Léon, you have no idea how much that means to me, especially coming from you. If Léon were to hate her, she didn't know what to do. Nina wouldn't be able to bear it, there was just something about him. They sat there for a moment looking at the stars, the waves from the waterfall floating around as the stream took them away to a new magical place somewhere in France. The trees were waving around in the wind while the leaves danced in the air to the water. Traveling like a little boat over the waves as the stars sparkled next to it like diamonds. Nina loved this place, she felt at ease here, she didn't have to be someone else, she could just be her down there. Léon got up from the ground, his black hair swirled around in the wind. "We should go back, it's already late." He said. Nina didn't want to go, but all good things would come to an end. Léon got back on her back and ran to the waterfall to get to the other side where his bike was. "Want to race to the end of the woods?"

He just made a big mistake; he couldn't keep up with her and he knew that so why did he even ask? Léon drove away first, like a maniac through the woods on his bike while Nina ran after him. It didn't take long before Nina caught up with him and disappeared into thin air. The only thing that he saw was the paw marks that she left behind for him to follow. Nina made it there in just a few minutes even if the waterfall was still far away. But not for Nina, she was already waiting for him at the end the of the woods. Minutes later, a very sweaty Léon arrived. "I forgot how fast you were, but now it also makes sense." He blew out breath after breath.

"Who's there?" Chief Delon shouted holding a flashlight towards the woods. Léon and Nina instantly froze when they heard his voice. Nina didn't even hear him, her ears were only following Léon's breath and heartbeat. The light was coming closer to them and it didn't help that she was big and covered with white hair that lit up from the flashlight. Chief Delon slowly stepped closer with his heavy boots through the woods, coming right towards them. He slowly stepped closer, the wind blew through his hair and in between the branches of the trees. He pointed his flashlight around from tree to tree.

"Nina hide!" Léon whispered.

Nina knew that this was a bad idea! And why did she need to be a wolf right now, it would

have been easier if she was a human. Nina ran back into the woods to hide behind a tree

but stayed close by so she knew when she was able to come out again. "What are you doing

so late at night?" Chief Delon asked and pointed the flashlight at Léon who was holding his hands before his eyes because the light was blinding him.

"Chief Delon, I was just going for a ride." He answered.

Chief Delon pointed his flashlight at the ground. "Go back home kid, it's not safe out here."

"Are you still looking for the animal?" Léon asked.

"Yes, but it's nothing serious, it's probably already gone."

"Well, I'm going home, to my room, with the backpack," Léon shouted loud at Chief Delon who was standing right in front of him. But only to make sure that Nina heard him. Nina could hear him just fine, too good actually, and even a whisper was perfectly understandable for her.

"You don't need to shout, I'm not deaf!" Chief Delon replied who was thinking that there was something seriously wrong with this teenager, shouting out of nowhere.

"Bye Chief." Léon smiled at him and walked further looking around to see if maybe he saw Nina somewhere. But if he couldn't see her that also meant that she was hiding behind something really big. Léon drove away on his bike while Nina waited a little longer for the Chief to walk away before going to Léon's house. Chief Delon walked a little further into the woods, lighting up every corner of every tree. He walked closer and closer to Nina with every step that he took. She was also too big to hide behind a tree when her tail would probably be sticking out from all sides. Why does he have to be here now of all days? His was so close, pointing his flashlight right at her, and went with his hands in the bushes to separate them in two. Nina took a step back with the hand that was coming right at her. Suddenly he stopped when he saw a firefly taking off from inside the bush. The firefly flew high in the air while Chief Delon followed the direction the firefly was going. He took his hand out of the bushes and walked back to the village. Nina blew out a big sing of relief when she was that close to getting cached. Now Nina just had to make it to Léon's house without someone seeing her. All hell would break loss if that happened. She ran her way back to Léon through the village, carefully so no one saw her. If someone did see her, that would mean that that was the end of her. Nina arrived at Léon's house, the lights of his bedroom were still on, they were also the only lights that were on in the whole house. Léon was walking around in circles in his room, waiting in fear that Chief Delon would catch Nina. Nina climbed up the balcony and touched the window with her paws so Léon heard her. He quickly ran to the glass door and opened it. "Nina, did he see you?" He immediately asked.

Nina walked towards her backpack and carried it to his bathroom while Léon watched her disappear behind the door. Once inside, Nina changed back into her human form and put her clothes on before she walked out of the bathroom.

"So, did he see you?" He asked again.

"No," Nina answered.

"Good." Léon was relieved to hear that and he sat down on his bed, nervously twisting his fingers around. Hoping that no one saw her on her way back to his house. Nina sat down beside him.

"The Chief is hunting me," she said quietly.

"He can't find you if you don't go into the woods again."

Léon grabbed her hands in his and watched Nina gazing at the floor. Staying away from the woods was going to be hard for her, it was the only place where she felt free, where it was okay to be her as a wolf. But now, she couldn't go because it wasn't safe for her. If the Chief finds her, then it would be all over. Why did this have to happen because of some stupid animal and that animal may even be her? Nina stood up from the bed and walked towards the glass door. Léon suddenly grabbed her hand and stopped her from going any further. She was surprised when he grabbed her hand and turned around to face him.

"Promise me you won't go back into the woods?" He asked. looking at Nina with those eyes of his again. Nina gazed at her reflection in his eyes when her voice barely came out. "Okay," She whispered.

"Good." Léon relieved and stared at her for a moment and finally let go of her hand but he didn't completely let go and moved his fingers to the back of her neck. Nina's eyes watched his hands move over her skin; her hair was standing on its edge when his hands went over her arms. He leaned closer for a moment when her eyes finally met his again. His was so close that she saw her reflection in his dark eyes. No words have been spoken for what felt like hours had passed, only the body that did all the talking. Nina's hand slowly traveled up his shoulders on its own, it was like this body of hers had a will of his own. And for so long she kept it locked up, but now it was out. Nina squeezed his shoulders when his lips touched hers for a short moment. He moved back to look at her. His lips only touched hers for a small moment but it was still long enough for her to lose it all. His eyes gazed upon hers and her hands moved to his back. Her pupils became longer, and sharper, making the animal run free and escape from her body. He had no idea how much she'd been holding back, how much she wanted him. Keeping control Nina, don't let the beat escape. But she didn't want to anymore, just this once, wouldn't that be fine? But before Léon could move away, Nina pulled him closer again, putting her arms around him. Going with her fingers through his hair while she nibbled on his bottom lip as her sharp teeth, tasted human flesh for the first time. It was sweet just like his scent, oh so sweet. She was like an animal, eating him from the inside out, devouring everything that she could touch. Léon probably didn't know what to do with an out-of-control animal squeezing him so tight until he was out of breath. Nina's hands moved down to his neck, her sharp nails sliding over his skin. She slowly let go and her vision sharpened. He looked into her flaming eyes, Blood rises with the color of the dead in her iris. Not blue like Haven and the ocean, peace and harmony like they used to be. She looked at him with hungry long sharp fangs. Dark lines under her eyes while the animal was slowly slipping out of her body.

"Those eyes again." Léon put his finger underneath her eyes, the dark lines that went to her ears. Nina Immediately let go of Léon and looked down at her nails, they were becoming longer and pointier. What the hell am I doing, was I about to eat him?

"Are those ears?" He looked at the fluffy white ears that had appeared when her ears seemed to vanish. Wonder and so many questions came to Léon's mind all at once.

"What?" Nina yelled and moved her hands to her ears, pulling them flat to her head when she felt her tail popping out from underneath her skirt. You got to be kidding me! Nina had to go before she lost complete control over herself and who knew what she would do to him.

"So, you can grow body parts of a wolf without becoming one completely?" Léon asked. His eyes locked on Nina's tail which was waving around in the air. Long pointy hairs that looked so sharp that they could cut through paper with diamonds sparkling in between them.

"Bye Léon."

Nina opened the balcony door so brutally that you almost thought that the glass was going to fall out. She jumped down and ran as fast as she could back to the orphanage. In just minutes she stood in front of her window and crawled inside. Nina went into her bed, lying

they're looking at the ceiling. Wondering to herself what she did and what she was becoming. It was an intense night and a lot happened. First Léon found out what she was, then he wanted to see what she looked like. And then there was this kiss. Nina didn't even know what she was doing or more important what was going to do if she kept going. her animal instinct was getting out of her body, she was half a wolf and half a human. What if she changed even more, would she end up as a complete wolf in his room, was she going to eat him in the end? Nina's eyes were even red, that only happened when she got angry but she wasn't angry with him or anything. More like angry at herself for him finding out what she was. Didn't he know that he was in danger, that she could suddenly hurt him? Nina probably would hurt him; she could already not keep herself together and it became worse when he was near her because then he always reminded her of what she wanted. Did she want to hurt him that badly? But she knew deep down that she didn't want to hurt him, but that didn't mean that the animal inside her didn't want to hurt him. She felt like the wolf just wanted to take control of her and destroy everything that came in her path. Nina had to keep the wolf in no matter what, for Léon's sake. I'm sorry Léon, but I can't do this. If I do, then you'll get hurt. A tear escaped from her eyes while she turned to the window, the wind gently blowing inside her room as the curtains flew around.