Chương 32: The Price of Prayer

Pierre I heard Luke's truck coming down the road. I knew it was his because of the distinctive muffler knock he kept meaning to fix but never did. Something about 'character,' he claimed. I called it 'being cheap.' Apparently, veterinarians didn't make as much money as I thought. Or at least the rural ones didn't. I opened the door just as he pulled up. Luke nodded to me as he stopped the car, got out, and then reached back in to pull out a box.

"What's in the box?" I asked, confused. Luke looked at me and gave me a sly smile.

"Abe sends his regards."

"So, what did the furball send me?" I asked. I was actually looking forward to whatever was in the box. Even with everything happening, the raccoon apparently still found time to plan revenge for the Hello Kitty incident. Luke set the box on my porch. Then he took a step backwards and got out his phone. He hit some buttons and then held the phone up like he was ready to record.

"Okay, you can open it now." I felt an urge to smack Luke, and it wasn't my inner wolf talking. Sighing, I gave him a glare before finally kneeling down and opening the package. Inside was a …. travesty. It had to be the most hideous thing I had ever seen. There was a pair of bell bottom jeans, a denim shirt, a fanny pack, and a hat. All of which were covered in sequins, glitter, and rhinestones. And they were purple.

And they had Edward Cullen's face plastered across the side in sparkles with the words 'Team Edward' on it. There was also a t-shirt featuring Edward Cullen in all his glittering glory, with the caption 'I ♥ Vampires' in flowing script. Now that I could see them more clearly, I realized the jeans looked two sizes too small. Also, there were boxer briefs with little bats on them.

"Team Edward," I said quietly, staring at the box.

"He went with Team Edward, purple, and sparkles."

"Could've been worse," Luke offered, clearly just messing with me.

"It could've been Team Jacob. At least this way there's no werewolf mockery…" He stopped.

"Oh, wait. This is worse, isn't it?" Clearly, he was enjoying the joke. I was just about to light the box and its abominable contents on fire when I noticed the note taped to the top. Knowing I would regret it, I opened it. Payback's a bitch. Enjoy your new wardrobe. - Abe… P. S. You wanted a blessing. Wear these and maybe you'll get your wish. Your move, wolfboy. I growled for a second before muttering, "That magnificent bastard." He'd truly trapped me. I do want a blessing.

And fuck me, but if there's even a small chance, I'm going to take it, I thought resolutely. Muttering and cursing, I just stared at the items while I mustered up my resolve. Luke burst out laughing at seeing my expression. I didn't know who I was more annoyed with, the furball or Luke. Soon, my decision was made for me when Luke said, "Oh man. Oh, this is perfect. He even got the jeans pre-distressed. I can't wait to send this to our pack group chat."

"I'm going to make him eat these," I muttered to myself, holding up the jeans. Then, still not quite ready to try them on, I grabbed everything and headed inside. Luke probably thinks I'm talking about the trash panda, I thought, eyeing Luke as he continued to record while following me into my cabin.

"So, are you going to put them on?" Luke asked once we reached my bedroom. I wanted to ask for privacy, but I knew that wouldn't be happening. However, I also knew Luke wouldn't record my pride and joy. Sighing, I started undressing. The shirt ended up being a little too tight, but it was still wearable. The jeans were worse, but I finally managed to squeeze into them. The fanny pack was ridiculous. And the boxers... well, at least nobody would see those.

The hat was the final insult, a purple sequined baseball cap with Edward's face on the bill. I put it on. Why not? I was already dead inside. I stood in front of my bedroom mirror and wanted to die.

"I look like a teenage girl's bedroom threw up on me," I muttered.

"You look amazing," Luke said overenthusiastically, his phone still out, but at least only taking pictures now instead of video.

"I will end you," I threatened. Even I wasn't sure who I was referring to this time. Luke finally couldn't take it anymore and doubled over laughing.

"Oh my God. The jeans. Pierre, the jeans …"

"I know," I said while silently plotting a murder. I can kill the trash panda and blame it on Luke, I thought. Then I sighed, and released some of my anger. No, Shelly wouldn't like that. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"You can see everything…" Luke tried to continue, tears in his eyes.

"I know," I said with quiet force, already rethinking if I could make it look like an accident. Luke wiped tears from his eyes.

"This is the best day of my life."

"I'm burning these," I growled, realizing the little furball had played me. But then I froze.

"Wait," I said softly.

"Do you feel that?" Luke's laughter died.

"Feel what?" I touched my chest, where Edward Cullen's face glittered.

"Like... threads, pulling. It's connected to something." Luke stepped closer, some concern for my sanity kicking in.

"Connected to what?"

"To Abe," I breathed.

"I can feel him. Like he's…" I struggled for words.

"Waiting. Expecting something."

"Expecting what?" Now Luke was definitely staring at me weirdly. It looked like he was wondering if I had suddenly snapped. There was some actual concern in his eyes. Part of me appreciated it, but most of my attention was on the feeling I was getting. My eyes drifted to my fireplace where I had a fire going. Then my eyes went to the untouched dinner I'd made just before Luke arrived, a good steak with an expensive beer from that craft brewery in Fayetteville.

"An offering," I said quietly, realizing what I needed to do.

"You're not serious," Luke said, putting the phone into his pocket and moving closer to me. I could see it in his eyes. He was already planning which veterinary tranquilizers might work on a delusional werewolf But I was already moving toward the table. I brushed past Luke and grabbed the plate and bottle.

"Pierre, wait…" Luke started to say.

"I'm wearing Team Edward. If I'm going to humiliate myself, I might as well go all in," I said, half-dreading what I was about to do and half-anticipating what I was about to do. I took a deep breath and stood in front of the fireplace, feeling like an idiot. Here I am, a grown man. A werewolf. And I'm about to pray to a trash panda, I thought.

"This is ridiculous," I said to the empty room, still not able to do it yet.

"Extremely," Luke agreed. Although it was clear that he was just humoring me while trying to decide if I was messing with his mind or had truly lost my mind.

"I'm about to throw fifty dollars worth of steak and beer into a fire and pray to a three-month-old raccoon," I said, trying to force myself to do it. I was a man of my word, and if I said I was going to do it, then I damn well would. Luke just raised an eyebrow and nodded. I think he'd come to a conclusion about my mental health. But I had felt the threads, the connection. Something was there, waiting. I threw the steak and beer into the flames.

"Here you go, Furball," I said, half-mocking, half-serious.

"You want worship? Fine. But you better make this worth it. Please give me your blessings for this offering." For a moment, nothing happened. Then the flames flared brilliant green. Luke jumped back.

"Holy shit!" The urge to shift hit me like a freight train. It was unstoppable. I couldn't resist at all. Wait, I'm wearing the clothes… I thought as the change began. Sensing what was about to happen, Luke called out, "Pierre, wait, you're wearing…" Too late, I thought. The transformation took me, bones reshaping, muscles expanding, fur erupting across my skin. The clothes should have torn. They should have trapped me mid-shift like a straightjacket, leaving me tangled and helpless. Instead, they melted.

The fabric didn't rip, it merged with my body. The clothes and fanny pack flowed into my fur like it had always been part of me. The sparkles, the vampire face, the ridiculous glittering design, all of it became part of my coat, shimmering patterns that caught the light. Fuck me, I thought. I sparkle like Edward in sunlight. I stood on four legs, my lupine form now glittering silver and… purple! I threw back my head and howled. Pure joy. Pure triumph. Pure 'I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT ACTUALLY WORKED.'

For just a second, I swear I felt Abe in the back of my mind. I could almost see a flick of his whiskers as I felt a ripple of amusement wash over me, along with a smug sense of 'you earned it.' There were no words. There wasn't even a voice. It was more like a simple acknowledgment. As for Luke, he had no clue. He just stood frozen, mouth open, staring at me.

"You're glittery," Luke said faintly.

"Pierre, you're almost glowing." I looked down at myself. The blessed clothes had merged seamlessly. I wasn't sure whether to laugh, cry, or scream. That fucking furball! Not sure what to do, I shifted back to human form while I tried to decide how I should feel. The clothes reformed perfectly on my body. They weren't torn. They weren't even wrinkled.

"Holy shit," I breathed, looking down at the Team Edward shirt.

"It worked. It actually worked."

"You just… the clothes just…" Luke couldn't form complete sentences.

"That's not possible."

"I'm wearing it," I said, touching my chest in wonder.

"I can shift with it. Do you know what this means?"

"That Abe's a trickster god who grants miracles through embarrassing t-shirts?" Luke said semi-sarcastically. That didn't stop him from reaching out a hand as if to touch the clothes.

"That we can carry gear," I said, my excitement building.

"Weapons. Medical supplies. Clothes that don't get destroyed every time we shift. Luke, this changes everything." Luke stared at me. Then at the fireplace, where green flames were fading to normal orange.

"My turn," he said suddenly. He stepped closer to me. Then he looked at my clothes again. Then back to his own. After a moment, he ran to the kitchen. I followed, puzzled when I heard him open my fridge and a moment later close it. Then Luke was back in the living room, along with my leftovers from last night and another beer. Luke strode right past me and threw them into the fireplace.

"Uh, Abe? Noyasunai? It's Luke. I could really use some help with the clothes situation too. You know, for the pack. For helping people. Medical emergencies and such." Curious, I looked at the fireplace to see what would happen. Would Luke also get blessed? I was really curious to see what would happen.