After school, I started walking home alone. I walked slowly on purpose because I didn't want to go back to that house. The road I usually ran in nine or ten minutes in the morning took me almost an hour and a half this time. When I entered the house, no one was there. Özde must have been at work, and Nilis was still at school. I had three hours to myself. I decided to spend those hours researching werewolves. I can't say I found much.
What I was really looking for was how to keep control when I transformed, and how to shift whenever I wanted. By the time I finished, Nilis and Özde had come home. After dinner, I retreated to my room. A few hours later, an idea popped into my head, and without telling anyone, I slipped out of the house.
It was only 6:30 p.m., not too late. I tried to find the place where I'd encountered that huge black wolf last night, but I couldn't. Still, I kept walking deeper into the forest. After about an hour, I decided to rest on a rock. Suddenly, I heard rustling from the bushes ahead. I jumped up, ready to defend myself.
"Who's there?!" I shouted.
Berke stepped out from the bushes. What was he doing here? I didn't know, but I smiled with relief anyway. He came closer.
"What are you doing out here?" I asked.
"My pack lives in this forest," Berke replied.
"Pack?"
"Yes, a werewolf pack. A community where people like you and me live together."
"How do you know I've been turned?" I asked curiously.
"I didn't know for sure. I just sensed from your scent that you might be a wolf girl. But what are you doing here?"
"I… I'm confused. I was searching for answers," I said.
"My father could help you. He's an alpha."
"Alpha? Like that huge black wolf that bit me?!" I asked in shock.
Berke smiled. "When my father transforms, his fur is brown. And besides him, there's no other alpha in this forest."
"Then who turned me? There's an alpha mark where I was bitten," I said. Berke looked startled, maybe even tense, but he tried to hide it. I pretended not to notice.
"If you want, I can take you to my pack right now. But first, you have to swear an oath."
"What kind of oath?"
"That you'll never reveal the location of the pack, nor speak about us to anyone. My father told me that in the past, some wolves betrayed us after being accepted into the pack."
"Alright. I swear I won't reveal your location or tell anyone anything."
"Then let's go."
An hour later, we reached an area surrounded by wooden houses. It was like a small village. Some wolves were walking around in human form, others in wolf form. A few shot me hostile looks, but I didn't care. I wanted to be accepted into the pack, and all I needed was the alpha's approval. I followed Berke. He led me to a large house at the center of the village. It was more grand and imposing than the others. Inside, everything was the same brown shade as the outside.
"Let's go to the living room. My father is there."
I followed Berke, and in the living room, sitting on a couch, was a tall, tanned man with broad shoulders, deep brown eyes, and black hair streaked with gray at the temples. He looked about forty-five, maybe fifty. On his cheek, he bore the same alpha mark that was on my shoulder. He gestured for us to sit, then turned to Berke with calm authority.
"You've brought an outsider into our pack?"
"Father, she was bitten by a werewolf in the forest. She was turned against her will."
"Tell me yourself, girl. How did it happen? What did the wolf look like?"
"My name is Karmen, sir. At the place I was staying, I got into an argument with some people, and during the full moon, I went outside. After walking for a while, I heard noises and started running. Then I came face-to-face with a huge wolf, black fur, eyes like burning coals. I tried to escape, but I couldn't. It bit my shoulder. What's strange is that the mark left behind was the so-called alpha symbol," I explained.
Berke's father's eyes widened. "How can this be? On full moon nights, everyone locks themselves indoors. In this pack, I am the only alpha. And I am one of the rare werewolves who can control themselves during the full moon."
"Do you know who turned me?" I asked.
"You can call me Uncle Demir. And no, I don't know who turned you. But we'll find out."