The TimberWolf Effect (Book I)

CHAPTER FOUR - Human

Chad and Grace were woken up at five-thirty that same morning by the sound of Emily's high-pitched scream. They flew out of their bed and rushed across the hall to her room, preparing for the worst. They found the bedroom light on and stopped in the doorway staring in disbelief and confusion. Instead of being fearful, Emily looked ecstatic as she was hugging a girl with long, fluffy light brown hair that was almost blonde at the tips but her roots were dark brown. They were both standing in the middle of the room with the light on and swaying side to side.

Emily saw her parents in the doorway and yelled happily, "Timber's a girl! Timber's a girl! My wish came true!"

Timber let go of her cousin and turned to face her Aunt Grace and Uncle Chad and they caught their breath. Timber was stunningly beautiful even at nine years old. Her large, deer-sized eyes were brown with a prominent red undertone giving them a mahogany appearance. Her symmetrical face was round and her ivory skin had a light pink flush in her cheeks. She looked almost like a porcelain doll. They closed in and wrapped her in their arms. Timber stiffened slightly at being held in human form but relaxed again when she felt Grace's tears on her neck.

"Oh my stars, Timber!" said Grace, as she pulled away to look at her niece's face. "You're beautiful!"

She pushed Timber's hair behind her ears and took in the look of happiness in Timber's russet-colored eyes.

"You look exactly like your mother," said Chad cheerfully. "You have your dad's eyes, though."

"I can't believe this!" said Grace, rubbing her eyes. "I was just dreamin' about what you looked like in your human form. Oh, Timber!"

"You're so pretty, Timber," said Emily with a genuine smile. "Our eyes look the same."

"Stand still here, Dear. Let me get a better look at you." Timber stood tall and motionless. Grace looked her over carefully and tugged at her clothes. "I'm goin' to have to take you shoppin'. Your clothes are far too small and they don't look like they'll last much longer. Hmm." She turned to her husband. "Chad, do you want to join us?"

"No thanks," he replied, holding up his hands and shaking his head. "I know how you get when you shop. I'm not getting myself into that."

"Suit yourself. Do you want to go, Emily?"

"YAY," she cried happily.

"Alright. Get ready you two," said Grace. "We're havin' a girl's day. I'm takin' y'all to Ukiah."

"Where's that?" asked Timber in a surprisingly silky voice.

"Heavens, it's so good to hear you talk," said Grace, doing her best to fight back more tears. She fanned her face with her fingers and took a deep breath. "It's about an hour and a half away on the other side of the mountains. We've got a bit of a drive, but if you both hurry, I'll buy us breakfast at McDonald's on the way out."

"So I shouldn't expect you back before dinner?" teased Chad.

"We'll be home by eight tonight," said Grace. "Timber needs a whole new wardrobe. What she's wearin' is all she has. She needs a haircut too. So does Emily, now that I think about it."

"I'll go out for some drinks at the Golden West Saloon with the guys tonight then."

"Alright. Timber, do you get carsick?"

"No. They gave me something for car sickness anyway when they brought me here but I didn't need it."

"Okay, good. Oh, I have a jacket for you to borrow. It's cold outside and the heater in the car takes some time to warm up. I'll be right back."

Grace hurried out of the room with Chad behind her. Emily wiggled out of her pajamas and went to her dresser. She looked around for what she wanted and got dressed as fast as a five-year-old can. Grace came in and handed an unused hairbrush and a thick jacket to Timber and then began working on Emily's usual pigtails.