The TimberWolf Effect (Book I)

PROLOGUE

"Timber! It's time to come inside," called a blue-eyed woman out the front door of her small home. "We need to get ready for dinner at the castle."

A pair of wet triangular ears perked up over the unmowed grass. A silver wolf pup sprang with great vivaciousness over to the woman with her tail and ears pointed toward the clear blue sky. She would appear over the grass for only a split second and then disappear into the field of shamrock green. After a minute of laughing, the woman looked down at the soaked wolf pup at her feet and smiled at her black-tipped tail wagging enthusiastically. She shook the filthy water out of her fur the best she could before going inside.

"Your feet, Timber," said a man with red-brown eyes. The small wolf stopped, walked backward, and wiped her muddy paws on the oval doormat until she was convinced there was nothing else to wipe off.

"Alright, Dear," said the woman. "You need to Turn so I can get you ready. Daniel, can you get the water started and warm before you go out?"

"Do you want anything else, Elizabeth?" asked Daniel with a salty tone as he regarded her with annoyance at having to get out of his leather chair earlier than planned.

"No, thank you," said Elizabeth, choosing to disregard his attitude.

Timber, the little wolf, had transformed into a four-year-old girl with ash blonde hair, dark roots, and bright red-brown eyes. Her round face was grinning up at Elizabeth with a very toothy smile. She looked exactly like her mother but she had her father's eye color. She followed her mother into the master bedroom and stood still while her mom pulled leaves and twigs out of her long, muddy hair. She tossed them into a metal bin beside the toilet that was already half full of leaves from the last three days.

"You were playing beside the garden again weren't you?" Elizabeth asked, sternly as she pulled a piece of basil from Timber's hair. "You know the gardeners don't like it. You're permitted anywhere you wish within the inner gates, but you know well the garden is off-limits to all the children. This rule is not negotiable. That food feeds everyone here. If you ruin the garden, people could go without that food."

"I'm sorry, Mommy," apologized Timber remorsefully. She hung her head and looked at her feet. "I won't play there again. I don't want people to be hungry."

"Thank you," said Elizabeth gently. She double-checked Timber's hair to make sure she got everything out before getting to her feet. "Come on. Daddy turned the hot water on. It should be warm now. Let's get you clean."

Daniel walked out of the small bathroom they all shared without a word, but he cast a gaze at his daughter that Timber took for disappointment. She forgot about it as soon as she saw the tub and the water flowing out of the shower head. She smiled and helped her mom unbutton her jacket. Timber stepped under the water and the bottom of the tub turned murky brown with all the mud in Timber's hair and on her hands and feet. Timber never got a bath because she never came home clean so it was more conservative to stick her under the showerhead. Timber covered her face with her hands as Elizabeth rinsed the shampoo out of her hair.

After a fifteen-minute shower, Timber was finally squeaky clean. Elizabeth helped her step out of the tub, covered her with a fluffy light blue towel, and walked her to her bedroom at the end of the hallway. Timber's bedroom was on the small side but she didn't need much room yet. It was big enough for Timber's twin-sized bed that was covered in multiple yellow blankets and pillows, and an oak dresser that had four drawers full of Timber's clothes. Under the window was an oak hope chest full of Timber's toys and art things. On top of the dresser were Timber's favorite possessions; her only stuffed animal and several picture books that were in a neat stacked on top of each other. Her favorite at the moment was The Velveteen Rabbit. On the walls were pictures that Timber had drawn herself. Behind the bedroom door was her closet that was big enough for Timber's Sunday dress, her winter coat, a few bulky sweaters and her two pairs of shoes.