Captured beast within a human skin ch 7
Newt's POV
He sat in the room he was given cross legged. Today was going to be a pack history lesson. To help with the transition and to teach another his uncle brought his daughter with him. Sophia Donner had brown hair and green eyes just like him.
Once they were settled Sherman explained, "Years ago your father had a brother. Riley Donner was the older of the two of them. As you know we change before the age of eighteen. Riley was one of the rare few that never changed. I helped him escape the town. If I had not the hunters would have killed him. Riley met a human girl and fell in love. They had two son, Theseus and yourself. You both are of magic but only you have the wolf gene. We didn't even think it was possible for a wolf to appear after so long."
Sophia stared at him for a long moment before she said, "You have our eyes. All Donners have green eyes but I have never seen any so vibrant."
Sherman snorted. Newt glared at the man who shrugged.
Matthew rolled his eyes as he said, "Knock it off, Sherman," then he turned serious, "Soph, there is going to be a meeting at the diner tonight. The entire clan is going to be there."
At his look of confusion Sherman explained, "The pack is mainly the town members. The clan is the enterity of the Wolf Lake area. There are two other packs who belong to the clan. Willard Cates is the clan and pack head. Out of all our leaders he has lasted the longest uncontested. 25 years of being pack and clan head. That may change tonight for two reasons. One Willard isn't well. He is slowly dying of a cancer that even we cannot treat. The second reason is you. Many of the older wolves will not like bringing you in. While some of the younger wolves like Tyler and the pup pack led by Lucas Cates will accept. The older wolves will see your human side as a weakness."
Being human wasn't a weakness. It was what set them apart from being consumed by the beast.
Newt asked, "What is the difference between us and werewolves? Or animagi? Why would the old wolves see humanity as weakness?"
The two men exchanged glances before Sherman replied an odd look in his eyes, "The older wolves believe that we should return to our roots. Back to the times we spent more time in our wolf skin than our human one. In a way they are not wrong about that. At the same time doing that would make us forget what separates us from beasts. Skinwalkers were what inspired the first animagus. We travel freely between wolf and human skin. Wizards are whatever animal is their animal spirit."
The man paused for a moment then continued, "Werewolves are another matter entirely. Wizards weren't wrong when they thought that the werewolves originally descended from skinwalkers. We dont know when it happened exactly but this story is passed down from black wolf to black wolf as we are the rarest of all wolves. I will explain to you in class why."
Matthew opened his mouth to question but was stopped by an upheld hand. Sherman said his eyes becoming glazed, "When wizards first decided we were dark creatures we hid ourselves. Tried to make ourselves seem more muggle. There were more of us back then and more places in the world where the moon was always full. Because of a select few there are only a handful of communities like ours left. Wizards labeled us extinct almost a millennia ago. They hunted us down like animals. Some of us were stronger in magic than others but they outnumbered us. When we tried to go into hiding that's when the certain members came out. They were the worst of the worst. Instead of helping hide their fellow skinwalkers they chose instead to betray their brothers and sisters. So many of us were lost because of them. Children killed because they had the gene. Adults trying desperately to save their cubs."
Sherman's voice was broken by the end of his recount. Somehow despite the impossibility of it. Harrison knew the other had seen the horrors he spoke of.
They all listened at rapt attention as the man continued, "Those who betrayed us were banished by the moon and Magic herself. Cursed to never change again under their own power. That their bites would forever infect others as punishment for their crimes. Two years before we were officially declared extinct the black wolves banded together. There were more of us back then. So many more," it almost seemed as if he was going to stop again. Then suddenly he spoke, "It was sacrificial magic. A very rare very dark ritual that sacrificed all but one black wolf per clan. Magic gave us safe havens in exchange. Places where the moon would always be full. A place where the betrayers could no longer go for they would be forced to change each night. This is one such community and clan."
His uncle said after a long moment of silence, "I never knew that history Sherman. How many people know about it?"
Sherman gave a grim smile in return, "Only the black wolves."
Newt asked meeting the elder black wolf's eyes, "Why is there going to be a clan meeting?"
Sherman sighed, "Two reasons. One is you. Being a half breed in their eyes is not going to help you. Even if you are a black wolf. To them that just a sign that things are about to turn for the worse. The other reason is the war. Some of us have been enlisted to fight. The younger ones of course. We just don't know if we can afford to lose any of the younger wolves."
Newt had heard about the war. His mother was downright distraught over the fact that Theseus had enlisted.
For his part, Newt had been hurt that Theseus didn't tell him. His older brother's letter had just stopped coming. In a way he felt abandoned by the older boy.
Then there was Tyler who had been drafted almost immediately into the service. Tyler who sent weekly letters despite now being out of country. It hurt that his brother wouldn't do the same.