Betty's Arc

Chapter 1 of 3

Betty knelt over the toilet the morning after the full moon, gripping the cold rim, and swore she would not let this ruin the pack. She had spent last night in the woods, guarding Lydia's sick wolves while hunters walked the roads with rifles. Her stomach had always been weak. Stress made it worse. But she had never thrown up this hard before, and she needed to get up, get dressed, and get back out there before someone found the shed. She flushed and wiped her mouth. She turned the faucet on so the water would cover any sound. She had almost caught her breath when the bathroom door swung open. Her older sister Polly stood there in a flowered dress, hair still perfect, one eyebrow raised the way she did when she already knew the answer. Polly always knew. She had caught Betty sneaking home three times this month alone. "You're green," Polly said. She crouched and pressed a hand to Betty's forehead. "And you're burning up. How long?" "I'm fine." Betty pulled away. "It's just my stomach again." "It's not just your stomach." Polly's voice dropped. "You come home covered in mud. You disappear every full moon. Betty, I'm scared for you." Betty grabbed her sleeve. "Please don't tell Mom." But Polly was already standing. She went to the top of the stairs and called down. "Mom! Betty's really sick!" Footsteps came fast up the stairs of the old farmhouse. Alice appeared in her jacket and jeans, keys still in her hand, blue eyes going sharp the second she saw Betty on the floor. "Oh, honey." Alice dropped the keys and knelt. She smelled like coffee and worry. "You're shaking." She looked at Polly. "How long has she been like this?" "All morning," Polly said. "And she keeps sneaking out at night." Betty's face went hot. "Polly." Alice helped her sit against the tub. Her mom's hands were gentle, but her voice was iron. "You're not going anywhere today. Not school. Not your friends. Nowhere." "Mom, you don't understand." Betty's mind raced to the shed. To Erica and Malia, too weak to move. To Deacon feeding them alone. To the hunters. "There are people who need me. If I don't go—" "People who need you?" Alice's grip tightened. "You can barely stand. Whatever those friends are dragging you into, it stops now." She stood and pointed. "Bed. I mean it. I'm calling the doctor." Betty looked at Polly, hoping for help. Polly only crossed her arms and looked away. Alice walked out and shut the door. Betty heard the lock click on the outside—the old bathroom latch her dad had reversed years ago to keep toddlers safe. She was trapped in the farmhouse, and somewhere in the woods, her pack was lying helpless, waiting for a girl who could not come.