Punishment Pt. 01

There isn't anything sexual in this part but there will be in chapters to come. I decided to divide it up instead of finishing it in one fell swoop. It was just taking to long. So please enjoy this.

(Anything in parenthesis is meant as the mental communication between them.)

*PROLOGUE

The resonance of their screams linger but I do not hear them, the impression of their faces weigh heavy on my mind but I do not see them and despite my best efforts....I can still taste the warm rush of their blood across my tongue. Brain numbingly sweet and addicting I know that even if stopping were an option I couldn't even if I wanted to. I am to far gone and the pain grows by the day. My soul screams after every night of the full moon, silent and profound as it slowly starts to wither away to nothing.

'I've killed again!' My mind screams in agony even as I slowly suck the remnants of their deaths from my hands. 'I am a monster!'

Standing upon the edge of eternal darkness, I stare intently into the abyss that threatens to swallow me whole. Even as it's luring siren song calls to me I resist with what is left of the shreds of my humanity.

I know I am no longer the human I once was, but if I were to fall into the darkness I would loose myself...and the beast would fully emerge.

I can't let that happen.

Darkness falls beyond the tree line, blanketing the sky with the black curtain of night and the effervescent light of stars. There is to be no moon tonight, but even without the seductive pull of the moon I feel the first stirrings of the change tingle through my body. Not enough to change me from my human visage but enough to heighten my senses in anticipation.

My mind cringes even as my body comes alive and welcomes the change. The fine bones of my human body ache as they try to lengthen and twist into my beast but can not and a sheen of invisible fire licks at the surface of my skin. I felt as if I were an over ripe peach begging to be split by the divine edge of a blade.

I hated the feeling even as I relished it.

I could hear every animal scurrying through the trees, smell their fear, and taste the scent of their blood. Not nearly as sweet as a humans but satisfying enough to tide my beast till the dawning of the new day.

There was more than enough natural game to hunt but that was not why I had chosen this place. I was more than two hundred miles from the nearest town...and far away from the temptation of human flesh.

Hopefully this was to be my final stop in my quest. I am ready to make my last stand here. I want to live in peace but if I continue with my downward spiral...

"Death is the only option."

*CHAPTER ONE IOLE'S POINT OF VIEW

Silence echoed throughout the tiny cottage as the first bright rays of morning peered around the edges of the closed curtains, adding illumination to the darkened kitchen. I winced slightly as my eyes adjusted to the change, the weariness of another sleepless night burning them as my body made it's demand for sleep finally known.

It was the night before the full moon. My body trembles as I fight the urge to crawl out of my own skin. My metabolism slows to a crawl to preserve the energy I would need and my body stretches to condition itself for the change. Its always much worse as the full moon approaches. My body goes into overdrive as it begins to make demands for the night ahead.

It craves food to support the energy that would be required. I gorged myself on, at least, twenty steaks during the night. Medium rare as my beast demanded. It would have preferred that it had been rare and bloody but there was no way my human side would have allowed such a thing.

Now it was time to rest. Sleep drags heavily upon my aching body as I stumble toward my bedroom and collapse upon the bed. I take a minute to relish the coolness of the fluffy comforter beneath my cheek. I have no doubt that when I wake up the next morning that I'll be in a different situation than this. I usually wake up on a cave floor or the cold hard ground but on the rare occasions that I actually wake up with my body pillowed with the dead carcass of my prey I try to block it out with the memory of how good it feels to be in my own bed.

I have no fear of the sleep ahead because I know that I'll be consumed in a dreamless sleep. There will be no nightmares to plague me as they usually do and I am thankful for that small blessing.

*NIGHTFALL

Anticipation and dread swirl through my veins as I shed my cloths and throw them carelessly around me on the forest floor. My bare feet move soundlessly as I pass among the trees, my presence as a predator already noted among the wildlife as they scurry to flee in fear. They know what is coming.

My heart begins to accelerate as the moon moves higher in the sky, illuminating the world around me. Its almost magical to see everything gilded with silver light; almost as if a new world had descended to swallow the Earth for a short time. When I had been human I would always escape the tight confines of my country home to bask in its glory. Wanting to revel in such beauty was what afforded my current existence as it was. If I had known what was to occur that cold October night, I would have stayed home....but I hadn't and this was the path I was fated to follow.

Suddenly a cramp seized my stomach, the severeness knocking me to the ground. Pain radiates throughout my body as the originating cramp begins to crawl through me, the muscles desperately trying to stretch and accommodate the new shape of my twisting bones. My accelerating heart thuds ever faster as my spine begins to elongate beyond my body's boundaries, growing out of my tail bone and breaking through the fine layer of skin as my beast's tail begins to emerge. I arch my back to try and alleviate the pain as the rest of my body begins to emerge into it's destined shape. My ribs lengthen and push out to broaden my chest, my breasts flattening out as hair begins to mist over me. My knees collapse backward even as my arms and legs lengthen under rippling muscles, but the most painful transformation is in my face.

The bones in my face feel as if they've shattered as my jaw and nose grow to the lengths of a wolf's snout. My forehead broadens as my eye sockets enlarge themselves and my long ebony hair recedes to a fine downy fir. Lastly my feet, hands, and ears lengthen. The bones of my hands and feet stretch and widen to resemble paws as my ears move to the top of my head.

I have a moment to relax as the pain fades, my human mind slowly sinking away as the beast takes over. I once likened it to the transformation from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde. I am still there in some respects but a new personality takes over. Every inhibition and fear dissipates as a volley of other needs assault me. I become the very thing that lurks in the darkest recesses of my mind.

I hate what I become, but what I hate matters little as I sink into darkness.

*WOLF POINT OF VIEW

The heady rush of freedom soars through the beast's veins as she runs through the dense forest, the chill of the Autumn wind barely registering under her dense onyx fur as it howls around her. Her lithe form flits through the shadows, her heightened senses reaching into the world around her, searching for prey.

The empty chalice of her stomach yawned awake as she finally caught a scent that appealed to her. It wasn't nearly as sweet as her favorite meal but it was far better than the others she smelled. It was the musky scent of a cougar. From the smell of it she could tell that it was a juvenile male, fresh from it's mother's care. New to the world, it was an easy target.

She followed the scent to an open clearing surrounded by trees. She could smell and hear the rushing water before she saw it, knowing that the cougar had come to drink from it's depths. Her paws were silent as she slowly tread though the trees surrounding the clearing, her silvery blue gaze never wavering from her prey as it lapped thirstily from the river.

Positioning herself at the cougar's back, she was careful not to make any sudden moves that would reveal her current location. She hid behind a dense bush, steadily watching her prey as she crouched in a sprinting position. Her muscles trembled as she fought to control her impatience, hunger gnawing at her belly as she waited for the perfect moment to strike.

Suddenly the cougar's head snapped up, its sharp golden gaze scanning its surroundings before dashing off into the woods on the other side of the clearing. But as she lurched forward to follow she was suddenly hit from the right side, the blow knocking her five feet to land on the outer edge of the clearing. She landed in an inelegant sprawl, the breath momentarily knocked from her lungs as her mind raced to catch up with the situation.

As she was about to regain her feet she became aware of the low growl behind her, increasing in volume as whatever attacked her approached. Her first instinct was to run, but she knew that it would only make her resemble the prey that she had been mistaken for. So she waited quietly as her attacker approached, her muscles tightening in readiness.

She sniffed quietly trying to identify the species of her attacker....but his scent was like nothing she had ever encountered before. He had the distinct smell of a male predator but the other smells left her confused.

He smelled like a human but he wasn't...

It was almost completely overshadowed by a lupine smell much like her own and an almost spicy fragrance...it was so familiar...

Her drifting mind was more than he needed to effectively capture her completely, his massive body covering hers from behind. She struggled in panic, wiggling to get out from under him as she fought for freedom but he was careful to apply more weight upon her; not enough to crush her but enough to subdue her. It was then that she became aware of the hardness pressing against her backside.

She froze, her mind a jumble of confusion as she sought to sort out his actions. He obviously didn't want to kill her or he would have done so already...and his arousal....

(Don't worry, I won't take you....yet.) Suddenly something was forced into her side. Already hurt from his earlier tackle it smarted angrily as the skin was pierced. But the pain quickly faded as her muscles quickly became numb and the world began to swim before her eyes.

As unconsciousness consumed her the last thing she heard was....(You're mine.)

*IOLE'S POINT OF VIEW

I awoke disoriented, an insistent throbbing in my head. Upon opening my eyes they were immediately assaulted by bright fluorescent lights, causing my head to pound all the more painfully. I groaned softly, turning my face away from the source as I slowly rose to my knees.

"So, you're awake." A soft masculine voice stated from my right. I turned my head toward the sound only to be instantly repelled as an even brighter light met my eyes. "The drug made you sensitive I see."

Suddenly the lights disappeared, darkness instantly befalling me. "Better."

I opened my eyes cautiously, my eyes shifting to that of the wolf's as they adjusted. I saw him then.

He was sitting upon a crate, his long muscular form leaning slightly forward as if he might jump up at any second. His cold silver eyes were narrowed as he silently watched me rise to my feet. I watched him warily back, my gaze never leaving his. "Who are you?"

"I'm the one whose been tracking you for the past year." He replied, a calculated smile curving his full lips. It made me want to smack him even as alarm flooded me at his words. Just how long has he been following me without my knowledge? "But thats not important."

It was then that I smelled it, a slightly musky scent that emanated from his body. It was a darkly spicy scent. He smelled of a mixture of fresh pine and sandalwood mixed with shadows...but underneath that was the undeniable scent of wolf.

"So you've figured it out." He laughed softly as he watched me slowly back away from him. "It's amazing how you can separate yourself from your beast. She, at least, would have recognized me right away."

My eyes quickly darted throughout the room, taking in any possible exits for escape. I was in some sort of warehouse littered with several large wooden crates. I was surrounded by the almost cloying odor of the city. It filled my nostrils as I tried to scent which exit would be best. The closest was a tall metal door that had a faint plant like smell coming from it. I wanted to make a run for it but I was at a disadvantage with him. He was no doubt stronger than me and there was no way in knowing just were that door would actually lead. It could simply lead to a green house for all I knew.

"Bad idea." He chided, already knowing my intent, as he slowly rose to his feet. Rising to his full height, his size was immense. He was easily the tallest man I had ever seen...well over six and a half feet. If he got an closer he would tower over my five foot three. There was also the fact that his body was packed with lean muscle. He was indeed stronger than me...but I still have to try. "There will be consequences if you make me chase you."

Ignoring his warning my body sprang into action, making it to the door only seconds before his hot body slammed me against it from behind. His intense body heat seemed to seep through my pores as he pressed in on me from behind. I was horrified at the groan that escaped me. Even more so from the fact that I discovered that I actually loved the feeling of his hot body pressed against me.

"I warned you not to run." He growled menacingly, his sharp canines lightly scraping the sensitive skin of my neck. "And now for the price..."

Having braced myself to take his vicious bite I was completely unprepared for when he cruelly dragged my arms behind my back and pinned me up against the door with his knee. I tried to struggle against him but instead of gaining an inch of freedom I only succeeded in making him press his knee even more harshly against my spine.

"You didn't really think I'd bite you, did you?" He laughed as the deafening click of handcuffs being closed echoed in my ears. An angry snarl was the only answer I gave as I once more began to struggle. "Persistent little thing, aren't you."

"So, this is the rogue?" A smooth, cultured voice suddenly asked from the shadows.

I immediately stopped struggling as my captor's grip tightened painfully. Whimpering under my breath, I relaxed against him. It seemed to placate him enough into easing his grip but he retained his ironclad hold upon my arms.

He obviously didn't like whomever the new man was. The air around them was practically charged with aggression. Every instinct inside me begged me to escape as I felt the first beginnings of a full fledged snarl vibrate within his chest. This could get ugly fast.

"Very beautiful, Pagan, and such fire!" He laughed charmingly before becoming deathly serious. "But nevertheless, Tristan will not let you keep her. She is to much of a liability."

"I know what she has done."

"And you know that the Alpha doesn't tolerate murderers." The Newcomer stated evenly. It was unnatural how he could sound so pleasant and yet be discussing something so serious. I distrusted him immediately...and his smell...it was...wrong.

I had no other word for it but there was something definitely off about him. He had a disgustingly sweet smell that emanated from his body. Much like the sweet smell of death.

"She is young and with no teacher." My Captor snapped from above my head. "I will teach her control."

"Such a bold puppy you are." The Newcomer laughed, his cultured voice biting. "And what, pray tell, are you going to tell Tristan to get him to agree to such a thing?"

"Whatever I need to." He whispered softly against my hair. Why was he willing to risk so much for me?

He did not know me and it was more than obvious that the predicament that they found themselves in was far more intense than they were letting on. He, himself, was in danger...so why risk so much?

"Maybe you can make a deal for her." The Newcomer replied thoughtfully. I could almost imagine him lightly fingering his chin in consideration. "So, you're finally ready to give in to Tristan."

"Never!" Pagan snarled angrily, his grip tightening on me once more.

"I can't wait to tell him." He laughed mockingly...and suddenly, his scent was gone. I breathed in to find a trace of it but it was as if it had never been. He had simply disappeared.

Silence followed where neither I or my Captor moved. I had the distinct feeling that something had just been set into action...an invisible force that guided us now. The future dawned before me full of uncertainties and fear. I had no idea what was to occur between now and then but one thing was for certain, my precarious existence was to become even more troubling.

They knew me...knew about the things I had done. The people I had killed....

And they hated me for it. I hated myself. There was no doubt that whoever this Tristan person was that he would punish me for the crimes I had committed...maybe even kill me.

I deserved his wrath. I deserved punishment for what I had done.

I was afraid of dying; hadn't even been able to bring myself to kill myself even at my most broken point. But now it was completely out of my hands. It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

There were no more uncertainties. I was going to be killed....

And I welcomed it.