AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brian nodded. "When the shepherds went back to their flocks, the wolf went with them, still in human form, and they welcomed him. He married one of their daughters, and was a man in every respect. Except that he was stronger and his senses were those of a wolf. "
"Like us," Ruby put in. She was too young to change, but she had the other werewolf gifts.
"That's right," Brian said. "Since the werewolf had those superior senses, he was able to recognize the danger when Herod's men came to Bethlehem to kill Jesus. It was the night of the first full moon after He was born. "
"Like tonight!" Ruby said. As if Jake needed to be reminded about the full moon.
"The wolf warned Mary and Joseph to take Jesus to Egypt, and he went along to keep Herod's men from catching them. Once they were safe, an angel appeared to the wolf and offered him a reward. The wolf told him that while he was happy to be human, he still missed his old life. So the angel told him that every month, when the moon was full, he'd be able to return to his wolf form, and all his children would have the same gift. "
Brian took the figure from Jake and placed it into the Nativity scene. "This was the first werewolf. "
Jake stared at the statue, then at Brian, waiting for the punch line. Nada. But before he could say anything, the phone rang in the kitchen.
"I bet it's Aunt Ronnie!" Ruby said, and skedaddled away, with Felicia following, laughing.
Brian looked at the Nativity scene again, and said, "You're kidding, right? No offense, but Spider-Man has a way cooler origin story. "
"Offense taken," Brian said, and just like that, the nice guy was gone and the alpha wolf was in charge. "I know you're new to the pack, Jake, but this is our tradition, and I expect you to show respect. "
"Do the other packs believe this stuff about angels making us werewolves?"
"Each pack has its own myths," Brian admitted, "but they've all got some story. How do you think we became werewolves?"
Jake shrugged. "I don't know. Some kind of evolution thing, maybe. "
"You think this is purely survival of the fittest?"
"Yeah, man. I mean, look at us. Stronger, better senses, like you said. We're wolves!"
"Wolves are endangered, and have been for years. That doesn't sound like a good evolutionary strategy to me. "
Before Jake could argue the point further, Felicia called from the kitchen. "Brian!"
The pack leader patted him on the shoulder before heading into the kitchen.
Jake picked up the mangy sheepdog figurine again. He couldn't believe it. His first Christmas with the pack, and they were telling Bible stories. It was more like Christmas with Hannah Montana or some other lame Disney show than with a freaking wolf pack!
He realized the voices in the kitchen were sounding a lot more serious than they should have for a phone call from Brian's sister, so he drifted that way. Brian was listening and scribbling notes onto a pad while Felicia gathered junk from the cabinets.
"What's up?" he asked Ruby, who was watching it all with wide eyes.
"Mom's going tracking," she said.
Brian hung up the phone. "Dave will be here to pick you up in fifteen minutes," he said. "Have you got everything?"
She looked at the pile on the kitchen table. "Leash, harness, flashlight, cell phone, emergency kit. Yeah. I'll go change. " She trotted up the stairs.
"What's going on?" Jake asked Brian.
"A little girl in town is missing. Felicia and David are going to join the searchers. "
"Why not you?"
"Felicia is a better tracker, and the people in town are used to Dave handling her. I'll stay here with you and Ruby. "
It only took a second for the implication of that to sink in. "What about the full moon?" The plan had been for Felicia to stay with Ruby, while he and Brian went for a good long run in the woods.
"I'm afraid we're not going to be able to go out tonight. We can't leave Ruby alone. The moon will still be full tomorrow night. "
