Christmas morning came and went without an issue our small family spent the weekend together happy, almost as if nothing had changed. The next day I slept as long as I could before cleaning my car, because it did stink, pretty badly.

When that was done I rearranged my room. I had gotten a mannequin to hang my clothes. The bear cape over the top, I kept it in the art room slash office though, I didn't really want to wake up in the middle of the night to find a faceless doll staring at me.

My bison pelt was on the floor like a rug, my lynx blanket was draped over my bed frame. All my tools were placed in a shadow box and hung up.

"did you make this?" my mom asked as she looked at the fur blanket as she placed a plate on my nightstand.

"yeah. I had to hunt and skin a lot while I was gone. Lynx was one of them. Bison the other" I gestured to the rug she was standing on.

"you're going to give me a heart attack" she mumbled. I gave a small smile.

"It wasn't hard, just kinda gross."

"Gross?" Eve asked stepping into my room. I think they were afraid I would be gone for a long time which is why they were hovering. Eve was less so, she really wanted to talk about the dangerous stuff I got into. "is that why you stunk?"

"hardy har-har" I laughed sarcastically "contrary to belief I did bath, just the soap I made wasn't the best smelling. I'm glad to have my own soap. But it was good. I mean look-" I picked up my mannequin and showed them.

"is that a bear?" my mom exhaled with a shrill tone. I pursed my lips while Eve laughed.

"yes... it was a little one, but it was another part of the tradition."

"why don't you tell us everything, so your mom doesn't have to find out later" Eve suggested. I nodded agreeing, it would be better just to tell her everything now. Well, not everything but close.

"so when I got there I was initiated, and got my first tattoo. The one on my back. It was supposed to make me sick and force my body to fight it off, but that kinda backfired when I woke up the next morning without any problems."

I watched as my mom rubbed her temples. It was like her little girl was growing up and I don't think she really liked it.

"then I had to gather the items for my spirit quest. And that meant I had to find the plants required, have my first hunt, the Caribou." I gestured to the clothes and shoes "then skin and prepare the hides. My next task was a wolverine, Bison and Lynx. Everything was skinned and prepared. We used the Antler of my first Caribou to make my pendant, the handle of the knife. The bone was used to make the blade of the knife and sewing needles, and the needles for my tattoos."

I showed them the box with everything. "we also made utensils, soap. The horn of the bison was used for cups. Then I had to drink the tea for my spirit quest and find the stone that my pendant was made of; then kill a bear-or two..."

I glossed over the fact that I both drank shroom tea and smoked some herbs on the final night. I didn't really want to do it again, but it was an experience.

"I'm sorry did you say drink tea for a spirit quest?" expect Eve to catch that.

"yes"

"did that tea have mushrooms in it?" she asked with a smirk. My expression gave it away.

"please tell me that was a one-time thing" my mom whispered.

I nodded quickly "yes, I don't want to do that again"

"good" my mom replied.

"I do have another thing." I went to my office and grabbed the bear rug off the table. When I entered the room to show them, my moms eyes widened even more, it possible. "I don't know where to put this, but I thought it would look nice in front of the fire downstairs."

My mom looked at the rug, her hand trailing across the fur. "it is a very pretty bear, Val." Eve added looking at the rug.

My mom looked at me and smiled "okay, okay. But nowhere we will walk because it's too pretty to get dirty. And I don't know how to clean it"

I chuckled with Eve before taking the rug to the living room. We didn't have many 'taxidermy' artifacts in the home but there were quite a few of my projects hanging around.

I smiled proudly as I placed the rug in the living room.

I rejoined the pack before the New Year. The others were ecstatic to welcome me back.

"there you are, you've been gone for weeks" Paul groaned with exaggeration.

"hahaha"

"Welcome home Alex, I trust it was an enlightening trip." Sam replied looking at me. I nodded.

"yeah, I learned a lot about my people, and I brought a little trophy" I held up the antler.

"you killed a deer?" Paul asked with a smirk.

"okay, one it was a caribou and two I also had to skin it and gut it. It was kinda gross because I couldn't really shower afterwards but I did it"

"congrats kid, Paul's never done anything like that" Sam added a jab towards the man. "so, tell us what else did you get up to"

Sam led us into the house where Billy was sitting with Emily, we joined them at the table, I took my jacket off, leaving me in a tank top. I could see their eyes narrow in on my shoulder and arms just as my mom's did, but they had better eyesight. Sam paled at the sight of the jagged marks.

"a lot, I learned about my ancestors, the tribe. Really I just learned about our people then did the typical things they would have done to provide for the tribe. Like hunting, making clothes. I had a spirit Quest, which involved some magic mushrooms. Don't recommend it was not fun"

Some of the others laughed, but Sam kept his eyes focused on my scars.

"how'd you get those scars?" Emily asked. I pursed my lips...

"there are more to worry about than the Cold ones."

"our kind?" Sam asked, I understood the marks were so similar to Emily's.

I shook my head "not really, I mean they are, but they aren't... Werewolves, like full moon transformation"

"like old scary movies?" Jared asked. I nodded.

"yeah, I don't think we have to worry about them much, they are rare, rarer than us. And the Cold ones have hunted them to near extinction. But maybe that is because they are so much alike... they both have the same desire for humans, only a werewolf has no control over it."

"that's what caused those scars?" Sam asked. I nodded.

"yeah, I fought one. They aren't smart or really big, but they have faster reflexes. They can move their arms like humans, and I got unlucky. Their claws also have a venom in them that leave permanent scars. But I healed fast enough"

I showed them my pendant with the wolf claw hanging next to my totem. I continued explaining all I learned to the group and after a few hours I was done. The others were shocked to say the least, but they were happy I was safe, and I felt better after going on my soul quest. At least I had something to put me up on the rank, I wasn't just a girl they had to protect instead I was a member of the pack. I proved my strength.

When the new year came things changed a little. Mostly because I ran into some people at the store. First was Jess and the Stanley's it didn't provide much in the ways of conversation, but I could see the gossip that would come from it.

Of course, my mom covered it all up with correct medication and a growth spurt. Mrs. Stanley had told me I was looking better, healthy she said. It didn't offend me because she was right I was healthier.

But I knew Jess would make my transformation the talk of the school, that was furthered when I also ran into Mike. He unlike Jess did come up to me and talk. It wasn't much, but I gave him the same answers and sold it by telling him how much better I felt. Of course, there was still a chance I would get sick or have a reaction and I had all my credits necessary so I did inform him I wouldn't be returning for the final semester. He was a little upset about that but happy that I was feeling better and sent best wishes that my medicine kept working.

Charlie was the most awkward, I literally ran into him while picking up some sparkling grape juice.

"hey, Alex. Good to see you back and on your feet" he said gruffly. Charlie was the only one who was 'in the know' and by that I mean he knew I was gone for nearly three weeks. My mom was able to convince him that it was for a research study she didn't go because she wasn't allowed to be there.

"hey Charlie. Yeah, I'm feeling much better. The new medicine is working really well. I'm finally healthy. My mom thinks that's why I'm finally growing. Or well fully grown now"

Charlie nodded "yeah, you've gotten taller... same thing happened to your dad. One minute he was the same height as me then he hit a spurt and towered over me."

I nodded "I'm just glad I'm not sick anymore"

That night I stayed out with the pack, my mom visited Charlie and the two had a quiet dinner, Eve went to a party with some coworkers and friends.

I ushered in the New Year with a pack and family. For the first time I was going into the new year healthy.