Becoming

Becoming the Wolf

My senses have been completely heightened in wolf form. I can hear the insects walking over the dead undergrowth, I can smell the most insignificant aromas that the slight breeze picks up. Someone is smoking a cigarette somewhere but it feels as if this person was blowing it directly into my nose. Gross. Everything looks as if it's in HD I can make out the lines on the leaves 20 yards away. Easton is staring at me and I'm starting to feel self conscious under his gaze. The rest of the pack has already shifted and escorted Eve away. I wonder what they will do with her.
I can't seem to focus very long in this form. Everything around me is fighting for the chance to gain my attention. Easton signals with his head to follow him. I want nothing more than to put as much distance between me and this awful place so I gladly follow. He takes off at a slow speed and I'm beyond surprised that I can not only keep up with him, but actually run for this long. I never shared this thought with him but I always thought I was going to be the wolf that really shouldn't be a wolf. I mean I started late in life and have no idea what I'm
doing. It feels so good to stretch out my tight muscles. I can't help but run faster I can feel the strength in my legs pulsing through me and I long to release it.

Easton begins to slow as we approach the lake where this whole ordeal began. He stops to drink water and as I lean down to take the first glorious sip I come up short completely mesmerized by the sight before me. I still have my eyes they haven't changed but looking back is a large wolf white as snow. As I turn to look at the rest of my body I see that I am not completely white but I have one small patch of midnight black hair in the same shape as the smaller crown of my marking. That's definitely something I'm going to have to ask Easton about, I never noticed his marking on him in wolf form.

When Easton is finished drinking he goes behind a tree and shifts back to his human form. Revealing himself, fully dressed, he slowly approaches me. He's acting as if I'm a wild animal that's caught in a trap, and I can't really understand why. "You are the most beautiful wolf I have ever seen." He whispers softly. He stops in front of me and gently places his hand on the side of my face. It is the first time in weeks that I have had human contact other than the kind that brings pain. It sends shivers down my spine and my eyes shut of their own accord. I breath a sigh of relief knowing that it is completely over. "I'm going to teach you how to shift back now Charlee. It does hurt a little, but not the way it hurts to shift to a wolf the first time. Are you ready?" Am I ready? I've never felt this alive before why would anyone want to change back after feeling like this? Almost as if he was reading my mind Easton speaks again, "It's dangerous to stay in wolf form for too long. A lot of people enjoy the high of being a wolf and eventually they lose themselves to the wolf and have to be put down. We are much more lethal than the typical wild wolf." I don't ever want to become like my wardens so I nod and wait for instruction. "I want to envision your human form in your mind, feel the goosebumps on your human skin. Move your fingers, feel yourself standing on two legs and the soft grass beneath your bare feet.
I do as he says and I can feel the tingling begin again. I feel the heat but not to the severity it was when I shifted over and over again to wolf form. I feel my bones bending back to their human shape. My senses have become muddied again like a dirty puddle, and as I'm standing in front of Easton completely naked I have one thought before I collapse to the ground. "Easton has seen my emaciated body naked.... great."
"What have they done to her?....." "....... is she going to fully recover from this?........" "............we will make Eve and Victor pay for this......." Voices were swarming around me like annoying gnats in the summer evening. I wanted them to go away and leave me here to sleep for all of eternity. I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes. I haven't had this kind of peace in so long. I never got more than a couple of hours of sleep before the torture would begin again. "Come on baby doll, you need to wake up. You need to eat something." The thought of eating anything made my stomach roll. "I brought you some chicken broth we will start you off really slow ok?" I hear Hanna's tender voice and I slowly open my eyes to the world around me. "Hey Charlee..." Easton smiles down at me and takes my hand in his. "We have the family doctor flying in tonight he will be here early in the morning." I nod, "How long have I been asleep?" My voice is so hoarse I sound like a different person. "You've been asleep for about 24 hours." Garrett informs me from across the room. "And you kind of smell so it's time to get up and take a bath." Alex jokes and it instantly brings a smile to my face. "Alex!! Leave her alone!!" Julie chides angrily. "It's ok Julie, I need normalcy in my life again." As I say this a thought slams into my brain like a wrecking ball. "Oh no! My parents!! They have probably alerted every governing body in the United States!"

"The police and FBI have been involved thankfully we have connections in both departments and they were able to keep them off the trail." Garrett cuts in, "After the doctor comes you're going to have to go home. Your parents are worried sick, but we can't have them seeing you like this. They will ask too many questions. The best thing to do is say you and Easton had a fight so you went out into the woods and lost your way. You're certainly skinny enough to pull it off." Easton winces at his last statement. "It's ok, I can pretty much guess what I look like. The good thing is, I survived, against all odds, and we can move on. I want to put this behind me and move forward." He smiles at my response and asks everyone else to leave the room so I can eat in peace.  When he shuts the door behind him I look over to the bed tray and spot an envelope addressed to me I open it and find a birthday card inside:
Charlee,
I know what I told you the last day I saw you but I was wrong. I think I was just being the typical dumbass male and trying to prolong something that is inevitable. From the moment I laid eyes on you, you invaded my senses and have held my heart captive. I don't ever want to be without you. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Happy birthday baby doll.
With all my love,
Easton