No, he's dead, she wanted to scream, but the words couldn't come out.
"Don't worry," said Vanessa. "You can stay here as long as you need. I'll make some space. You can bunk with Charlotte and Beth, or maybe Thea, Andrea and-"
She was interrupted by a young man across the table who let out a scream, his body violently shook as he transformed into his wolf form, shedding his clothes and frantically dashing out of the room.
"Fuck," Vanessa swore, jumping to her feet and running after him. "Not again."
Andrea rolled her eyes, continuing to stir the pot of food.
Deepa dropped her fork, her chest heaving. They were all as good as dead. If Infection Control didn't get them, then thedisease would. They'd all be reduced to rabid monsters without a shred of humanity.
Deepa clenched her fist, digging her nails into her skin. She had to leave.
She got to her feet, slipping out of the room.
"Where are you going?" Andrea called out, but Deepa ignored her, heading towards the front entrance.
Deepa pushed open the heavy door, stepping out into the cool morning air.
There was nothing but rolling hills as far as she could see, long grass swaying in the wind. There were no signs of civilization other than a single dirt road.
"Deepa!" Vanessa called out, jogging to catch up. "Wait!"
Deepa spun around, glaring at her.
"Don't try and stop me," she snarled, her hands curling into claws.
"I won't." Vanessa held up her hands. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"No," Deepa growled. "I'm not. I was turned into a fucking monster! My boyfriend is dead, Infection Control is going to kill me, and the only thing standing between me and an early grave is some hippy trying to save everyone!"
"I know it's hard," Vanessa's voice was calm and even. "But this isn't the end. I can teach you how to control the wolf and help you survive. Once the first month is over, you can-"
"Thanks but no thanks!" Deepa snapped. "I'm leaving."
"Just wait a sec." Vanessa’s hand dove into her pocket, pulling out several notes. "It isn't much, but it should be enough for a bus to wherever you're going."
Deepa eyed the money, her anger fading.
"Fine," she grunted, snatching the notes and tucking them into her pocket.
"Be careful," Vanessa said. "One slip and people won't hesitate to report you to Infection Control. It's best to lay low until you have more control over the change."
"Yeah, thanks," Deepa muttered, turning away and jogging down the dirt road, not daring to look back.
Chapter Three
It felt like someone had turned the dial on her senses up to one thousand. All the sounds and smells surrounding her felt overwhelming.
There were also voices in her mind, telling her to do things that felt strangely natural.
Shift, run, hunt.
The need to transform burned like an itch. Deepa tried her best to hold it back, keeping her head down as she made her way through the city streets.
For the first time in her life, she was glad that werewolves were almost impossible to tell apart from humans. Scientists were still working on an accurate test, but unless she transformed, no one could tell.
Deepa kept her hoodie up, her heart hammering in her chest. Infection Control must have known what had happened. If any of her old co-workers spotted her, they wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in her chest.
