Blessings And Curses

Chapter 5

Lunch was a unsurprisingly sordid affair. Toran remained intentionally stoic throughout, in a way that made me feel distantly sad. It was an extreme change from the warm smiles and comforting touches she used to give.
For the most part, though, I was grateful for her careful behaviour. I don’t think I could have handled two homicidal daydreams within a matter of hours.

Now that food is done, Cora and I head down to their private stretch of beach. Cora has promised we won’t get wet, just lie in the sun. We lay out our towels, and stretch our cool bodies out on the beach. I recall a Bio lesson we had about the physical adaptation of mers, and how they are capable of changing to live in most environments. The same goes for body heat. As the sun warms my skin I can feel my core heat lowering, to prevent me from overheating. The feeling is strangely relaxing, and I slowly fall asleep.

By the time I wake, the sun is much lower in the sky. During our sleep, both Cora and I had gravitated towards each other, so we lie in the sandy gap between our towels. My arms wrap around her smaller form with ease, and I wonder at how much I have grown. And not just in height, I realize, flexing a bicep. With that thought in mind I slowly stand, pulling Cora into my arms bridal style. Her eyes flutter awake, but it takes nothing more than a soft sound of reassurance for her to slip back into unconsciousness.

I walk home as quickly and gently as I can. Thankfully I find the front door ajar. I’m heading towards her bedroom when I become aware of Toran staring at me from a kitchen stool.

“You love her, don’t you?” she asks. It’s more of an observation than question, so I take my time with the response.

“Yes,” I agree, “ I love her so much that it scares me.”

Toran nods, “You are lucky to have her. She gives the Alpha in you purpose, direction. I shudder to think what you would have done with all that power, and no reason not to use it.”

I swallow thickly. “That’s not the reason I…  I mean even before I was an alpha I still… its just always been her. Right from the start there was no one else. And for the first time, it looks like I stand the chance of being with her, having her return even a fraction of my love”

All through my talk, Torans icey expression had slowly melted. She sighs, saying, “You poor silly girls, you both were completely in love but utterly convinced the would never be able to reciprocate. My daughter is a fine reason to hold onto humanity, but in times of need, she will also be your motivation to loose it.”

“I know.” I say simply, feeling faintly sick, and ready for the conversation to end, “I will see you in the morning.”

I walk the rest of the distance to the bedroom with shaky breaths. I inhale her smell deeply, letting it run soothingly through my lungs.
I put Cora to bed, and in a moment of weakness slide in with her. I pull her in close, quietly thank my new body for only needing one meal a day, before dropping into the darkness of contented oblivion.