Chapter 12 #2
Jake's body didn't ease into it. It fought.
His whole frame convulsed, every muscle firing at once.
His shoulders widened past any human proportion, spine lengthening and curving, hands slamming to the ground as his fingers restructured themselves with a series of sounds.
His shirt tore straight down the center.
His jaw rebuilt itself — longer, wider — the scream still coming from somewhere inside him even as his throat changed shape around it.
The fur came last. Pale and thick, moving across him like a tide.
Then stillness.
A wolf stood where Jake had been. Light-furred, enormous, chest heaving. His breath came in visible plumes in the cold air. He was unlike anything I had a clinical term for.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Donovan and Stella run. I watched as their own bodies shifted, far faster. In a blink, they surrounded him.
Jake, in wolf form, howled loudly. He stared around frantically, panicked, and then began to growl.
Caleb pushed me aside and quickly shifted, too. It was the second time I saw Caleb’s wolf form, but it still shook me to my core.
Caleb’s dark-furred body lowered itself to the ground. He used the length of his body to cover me as Jake began to run in random directions.
Donovan and Stella growled as they tried to herd him, preventing him from heading into the town road and into the manor.
Jake howled, shaking his head. And then… his eyes landed on me.
Jake charged forward. He zipped past Donovan and Stella with no issue. Caleb ran in front of him, trying to collide with Jake. He howled back, trying to communicate with Jake. But Jake wasn’t listening.
Caleb tried to swat Jake back, but Jake dodged. Perhaps it had to do with his smaller form or the fact he was more panicked, but he managed to slip past.
Caleb howled as Jake ran past him and headed straight toward me.
He’s not himself, my body screamed at me. Let them handle this.
Another image ran through my head. I could see the wolves in Northern California. I saw flashes of my parents being scratched and bitten to death.
Jake’s wolf eyes gleamed.
I tried to remind myself of who the wolf was. This was Jake.
“Jake!” I called out. I raised my hands.
Jake picked up speed. Caleb was gaining. He bared his fangs. I knew what Caleb would do.
“No, don’t!” I screamed.
Caleb closed in. For a second I thought he had him — then Jake twisted and slipped past him.
This time, I wasn’t standing out of fear. I opened my arms even wider.
“Jake, I know you’re in there!” I screamed. “Please!”
Jake shook his head. Just before he could run into me, he dug his paws into the ground, stopping just two feet away from me. He looked even larger up close.
Jake’s breath hit my face, warm and damp, smelling like pine and something wilder. His eyes were red — bright, disoriented, searching.
Despite my pounding heart, I raised my hands slowly.
"Hey," I said. "Hey, it's me."
He didn't move.
"It's Olivia. You know me."
The red in his eyes went from darting around to steadying. His pupils dilated. His breath steadied. I flinched as he moved closer, but I stood my ground.
Jake pressed his nose against my collarbone and let out one long exhale.
Relief washed over me. Tears ran down my cheeks as I smiled and tousled his fur.
"There you are," I said.
Behind me, I could see Caleb, Donovan, and Stella slow down. They watched as Jake finally calmed down.
Donovan let out a loud howl. Stella followed. Jake and Caleb joined, and their howls rang in perfect harmony.
Jake’s shift was over.
The estate was quiet by ten.
Jake’s reversal was fortunately a calm one. He didn’t need much in terms of medical care.
“But I do need sleep,” Jake said with a yawn.
There was a round of congratulations. I think I saw Donovan tap Jake on the head before embracing him. Caleb hugged him next, but far more warmly.
Jake was sleeping at ease now. Caleb said the symptoms would fade as Jake became more accustomed to his body.
Donovan did the final sweep of the perimeter. Stella shared rounds of alcohol in plastic red cups before handing me one. The whiskey she poured me burned. I gagged when she attempted to give me a second one.
At some point, everyone drifted into the kitchen.
I stayed outside. I sat on the back porch as I stared out into the estate.
The full moon looked like a headlight in the dark. The sky stretched wide above it.
I heard the door open behind me.
Caleb stood there with his own plastic cup. From the light, I could tell his was full. I guessed he didn’t like the whiskey either.
I scooted over, inviting him to take up the empty space.
Caleb put the cup down on a windowsill and sat next to me. I realized this — and earlier — was the closest we’d been since that time in the kitchen.
I rubbed my arm.
"You should’ve moved when I started to shift," he said.
"Probably."
"He could have —"
"He didn't."
Caleb went quiet. The look he gave me, though, was one of awe. He shook his head. “You were amazing out there.”
“Jake was,” I said. “That’s a lot of control.”
We could hear the laughter inside. It was pleasant, but not something I particularly wanted to join.
The quiet was nice.
Caleb leaned against the railing.
“You don’t have to immediately go, you know,” he murmured.
“Oh?”
“Jake’s still adjusting,” he said. “And I’m sure he’d appreciate you being here a little longer. It’ll take time to find another contract anyway.”
I nodded.
"Do you want me to stay?" I said. I found myself leaning a little closer.
Caleb stared at me. He didn’t move away.
“Of course I do,” he murmured.
I smiled.
I shifted closer and kissed him softly.
Caleb gently took my lips into his. He embraced me, but without gripping me too tightly.
Our kiss was slow, gentle, patient. The calm relief of the night settling between us, and the warmth of one another's company.
When we pulled apart, he kept his forehead against mine, and neither of us said anything.
We stayed there, watching the night.