Valzella winced and growled in pain as her bones moved within her, her eyes were shut and there was a gag in her mouth to prevent her from biting off her tongue.
Valzella decided to stay in the school for the full moon, she's been feeling really down after the incident with luna. Her mother tried so much to have her change her mind but she didn't budge. Mrs Adolpha gave up and let her do her thing, earlier during the day she prepared her room for the night, she placed straps on her bed and ensured the room was safe for valzella.
Being in the school lessen the work load on Mrs Adolpha, she wouldn't have to shuffle between home and school. She'd left earlier to check on the school party when lupus entered the room. He stood glued to the floor and watched valzella wince in pain.
"Who are you?" Mrs Adolpha's voice thundered from behind him.
He turned slowly, when she saw it was him, she sighed in relief.
"Lupus. You shouldn't be here. Why aren't you at the party?" She hurried over to check valzella's temperature.
"What is happening to her?" He asked in a worried tone.
"Oh lupus! It's um...it's nothing to worry yourself about. It's just a normal occurrence every full moon." She replied while squeezing a towel to mop valzella's forehead with.
"Normal occurrence?" His brows raised.
"Yeah, she undergoes a lot of pain coupled with bone movements every full moon night. We don't know what exactly it is, but from my observation, it makes her stronger and i think it brings her closer to becoming a fully transformed werewolf" she shrugged.
"How long has it been going on?" He walked in short strides towards the bed.
"Since she was a pup." Mrs adolpha responded without looking at him. Her attention fixated on valzella.
"Why is it happening?" He asked again, he couldn't help but worry and it made him confused.
"Like i said lupus... We don't know exactly why, but it has a positive impact, that's what's important. She'll be fine in the morning. It helps heal her wounds." She explained patiently.
Lupus was speechless, he has never seen someone in such excruciating pain before, it made him wonder if it had anything to do with the fact that she was a weakling, and if it was, it sure is terrible.
He has gone around mocking and despising her without having the faintest idea of what she had to deal with, being a weak link comes with a lot of burden, name calling was just an iota of it.
"Is there anything i can do to help?" He asked in a concerned tone.
"Aww son, there's none. I have tried, consulted the best. No results, even the gods went silent on the answers. It's a burden she is forced to bear alone, being the weakest comes with a lot of perks, falling ill frequently, snapping bones from normal activity a frail human would carry out without having a sprain, experiencing uncalled pains, a lot more you know?" She sighed after speaking.
Lupus heaved a heavy sigh and sat on the bed, he touched her hand and it was very hot. Mrs Adolpha went ahead to cool down her temperature by damping her enitre body with a cold towel.
Classes resumed late the following day alongside the usual chatter of students in the school about the events of the full moon. Luna walked with her limp from the fight with lupus, she couldn't heal properly because she was still recovering her full strength.
She still moved with her pack nonetheless, a leader remains a leader.
Lupus walked past them in the hall, she scoffed when she sighted him, he walked by without glancing at her direction.
Everyone watched in surprise,
"how come?"
"The power couple are beefing?" "Unbelievable! Oh no, not the 'lulus!".
Valzella walked into the hallway with her best friend arm in arm, her face looked brand new, she had healed completely thanks to the full moon.
"Aww! If it's not the miserable duo!" Luna mocked them when they walked past, they paid her no mind and proceeded to collect their stuff from their lockers.
"I'm sure i didn't blast your hearing ability off when i punched the lights out of you" luna said as she approached them. "Aww, what do we have here? Look at your face looking all new. Perks of being a werewolf, you're lucky your healing ability under a full moon isn't as weak like the rest of you"
"Yeah, better than yours that doesn't heal if your strength is not back in place" lupita shot, she's fed up of luna always picking on valzells and decided to speak up. The whole crowd gasped in surprise.
"Look who speaks after many decades" luna said and faced lupita.
"Leave her alone luna" valzella said and stood in front of lupita shielding her.
"Surprise! Cat's didn't get your tongue afterwards. MOVE!" She ordered valzella in a furious tone.
"No" valzella refused, she was determined to protect her bestfriend even if it kills her.
"What?" Luna squinted, she found the whole situation unbelievable.
"I said NO luna, leave her alone!" Valzella fired looking straight into luna's eyes, this infuriated luna so much.
She threw a punch which was stopped by lupus. Valzella opened her eyes gradually, she'd shut them when she saw luna hand raised up.
"Know when to stop luna!" Lupus threw off her hand and warned her sternly.
"What are you doing?" Luna asked him, confused he was protecting them, he has never done that before, though he never cheered when she bullied them but he's stood up for them either.
"Like i owe you an explanation for my actions." He scoffed.
Luna pulled away her hand from his grip and tried to hit valzella again but lupus stopped her again.
"Stop! Luna" he shouted, his eyes burning with rage.
"Else what?" She spat.
"Else, your mom is just one call from hearing about your bullying behaviour. Remember what she promised you the last time? Leave her alone, for good this time!" He spoke in hushed whispers in her ears. Immediately, she dropped her hand.
"Let me know when you're done playing hero" she hissed, signalled to her pack and they left.
"Are you okay?" He asked valzella.
"Why do you care?!" She said in a stern tone, grabbed lupita's hand and they walked off.
"You...you forgot to close your lockers!" He yelled after them but they kept walking.
*** at lunch ***
"What's his deal? Called me a sting grey and now he's acting nice all of a sudden?" Valzella expressed her disgust at what lupus did in the hallway, during lunch.
"Mm Hmm" lupita responded with a mouthful.
"He's so double faced ugh!" She continued ranting.
"But he seemed nice" lupita spoke after swallowing the food in her mouth.
"Nice enough to fool others not me" she boiled with disgust.
"Maybe he feels sorry for what he did to you. You know, the name calling, the support bullying, dating luna, about that, did you hear about their break up..." She gasped "what if he broke up with her to make it up to you?" Lupita teased. They were both oblivious of the fact that valzella is lupus' destined mate.
"Cute lupita. People don't turn nice over night, especially people like lupus, his likes never feels sorry for previous wrongs and more so, they never apologise to anyone." She stated in a matter of fact tone.
Lupita shrugged.
"BAM! I have figured it out. He's acting nice to me cause he had a fight with luna and wants to make her jealous by being nice to the one person she has always despised. Me! Argh! Haven't i been through so much to be used as a reconciling tool?" She sighed.
"Don't say that..."
"It's true, they've been the power couple of the school all semester and if anyone would know, i would. He's always enjoyed watching her bully me without lifting a finger to defend me for once, she humiliated me and all he did was grin ear to ear cause he enjoyed the amusement. He's disgusting to think i would fall for whatever stunt he thinks he can pull that'll be enough to fool me, yuck!" She shivered in disgust.
"People can still change you know? It's a constant." Lupita said in an innocent tone.
"Seriously?" Her brows furrowed.