4
My eyes squint shut as Noah crashes toward me, but the impact I brace for never arrives. When I open my eyes, shock zaps my system.
Noah pins the hulking wolf to the ground by the neck with one bare hand. His clothes burst, the fabric streaking over his expanding body in rippling ribbons until they shred under pressure with a loud snap. But beneath his clothes isn’t the skin I expect. His body morphs into a new, inhuman form. Fur. Claws. A dark snout as long as my entire body.
An enormous black wolf emerges from Noah, snarling at the cowering wolf beneath him.
Reality bends, and I’m reeling with it. But I don’t have time to. The brown wolf snaps their jaws, ready to tear into Noah the second his black, towering form meets it face to face.
And I have an opening to run.
But no matter how terrified and confused I am, everything in me screams to protect Noah.
As the wolves tumble, I scramble across the forest floor, searching for a large enough rock. When Noah pins the strange wolf to the ground again, I throw with all my might.
The rock hits the brown wolf square in the head, and Noah’s ears shoot upright in surprise.
Then he looks at me. Golden, piercing eyes spike my heart down to my knees.
But Noah can’t stare for long. His attacker squirms to run away, whimpering louder by the second. Noah isn’t letting up. Hot, furious drool drips from his fangs as he lifts his lips. The black wolf’s low, rumbling snarl morphs the brown wolf’s cries from whimpers to yipes.
I can feel Noah’s anger - his thirst for revenge shakes in my own chest. And I get why; maybe the brown wolf would’ve hurt us, given a chance. But from what I know about wolves, they don’t attack without reason. I probably encroached on their territory, maybe even their den with newborn spring pups, and now they’re pissed and trying to shoo us away.
Regardless, Noah’s dominance has triumphed by miles - no blood necessary. And after the losses I’ve experienced, I don’t want to witness anyone else die.
My voice comes out shaking and squeaky. “Noah, it’s over! Let them go!”
Noah pauses, glancing between me and the animal beneath his massive paws, each paw three times larger than my head. With one final warning snarl, Noah releases the wolf.
Well, relatively. He chases it until it scrambles into the forest with its tail tucked.
Noah gives one final, irritated huff through his massive black snout before turning around and padding toward me. He makes the trees feel like twigs in not just size but presence, every insect and animal softening into silence within a wide radius of his shimmering coat.
Fresh adrenaline stings my nerves. Even if Noah saved my life, a truck-sized wolf approaching sends red alerts to my system. I withdraw a step, and Noah freezes.
“Oh, God. You’re...”
He slinks back, his ears tucking in embarrassment.
“I’m sorry! It’s just– You’re so big, and I’m small to begin with, and–” I have to crane my neck to look at him, leaning so far that my shaky legs drop me onto my butt with a grunt.
Noah’s ears pop up in concern.
Before I can stand, the massive black wolf circles me, huffing hot air all over my body with his huge nose.
“Noah! What–?!” I giggle at his ticklish nose without meaning to, only cutting my laugh short with gasping, anxious breaths.
He stops at my hands, bloody from falling earlier. My nerves buzz throughout my palms as he gives them the softest lick he can manage. This has to be a dream, right? Noah’s big, golden eyes peek at me before his tongue moves to my bloody knees. As I stare into them, I can’t help but feel he’s putting care into every lick.
When he’s done, his massive head moves in. But I flinch. Seeing him this close, he could swallow me whole.
Noah pauses a few inches from my nose, analyzing my tense shoulders. My heart burns from how hard it pounds.
This day makes no sense whatsoever, but that doesn’t stop Noah from being gorgeous. Layer upon layer of thick black fur frames golden eyes, his pitch-black nose blending with his snout. I want to memorize every strand of fur. Become one with them.
But Noah awaits my next move. His sweet, puppy-like stare kneads my heart muscles into action, protective instincts welling in me as he flashes the white beneath his irises.
I can’t help myself; I sink my hands into the fluffy fur on top of his head.
He’s softer than I expected. Goosebumps erupt across my entire body, begging to immerse more and more of my skin into Noah’s downy fluff.
But that’s not the best part; Noah’s eyelids droop in bliss as I stroke him. My heart twirls.
As if he notices, his eyes laze open. They gaze deep into mine as I shift to scratching his cheeks. He looks so serious that my hands freeze.
Nudging his cheek against my palm, Noah easily brushes my hand from him.
My stomach drops. Was it rude to pet him without his permission?
“Sorry, did I–?”
I’m stunned as Noah nuzzles my palm back open until I hold it out for him. Noah’s eyes glint with a reflective glow in the moonlight as he tilts his head, pressing the bridge of his snout into my palm. As he shuts his eyes, trusting me to touch him, my heart swells with emotion I didn’t expect. I think this is as vulnerable for him as it is for me.
But this isn’t close enough for Noah. My skin erupts in tingles as his warm, silky fur smushes against my forehead - his bowed head meeting mine. For a moment, all I can hear is his deep, gentle breath, coursing through his snout against the bridge of my nose.
I’ve been lonely for so long, but within minutes of meeting Noah, I feel valued. Just like Jenny said.
Whether I like it or not, tears stream. Noah’s bright eyes pop open, breaking our intimate bubble. He nuzzles my cheeks until his wet nose douses me much worse than my eyes.
I break into shy laughter. “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me. I’m okay.”
But Noah doesn’t buy it. After staring deep into my eyes, he whines. Wrapping his chin over my shoulder, Noah tucks me against his furry chest with a powerful scoot, and I give a small, surprised yelp. But once I’m enveloped in his scent, my shoulders drop.
He’s so warm and fluffy. I’m wrapped in the biggest hug I’ve ever felt - comfort seeping through my ribcage until it spreads to every bone. I can’t admit how badly I needed this.
Hiding my face in his dense fur, I shed silent tears. This is the first time I’ve let myself cry around a stranger in years. I thought I’d be more scared to be vulnerable, but he’s so gentle that I relax in his warmth.
As my muscles soften against him, Noah lets out a soft, purring growl, tucking me closer. I close my eyes, soaking in his comfort as a wave of fresh emotion floods my soul. He’s so sweet that I want to thank him, but I’m not sure how.
“You’re so soft. And so warm. And you smell so good. It’s nice.” My cheeks burn the second I blurt out every compliment I can think of, forgetting to thank him in the first place. “And thank you! For protecting me. I feel much calmer, thanks to you.”
Deep, thumping vibrations erupt from the ground, pulsing through my feet. A sharp spike of worry pierces through me, and I whip my head around - until I spot the source behind Noah.
“Oh, my God, are you wagging your enormous tail?” I giggle, and his tail thumps harder, kicking leaves in every direction.
When Noah snuffles my side with huffing, ticklish breaths, I let out a surprised squeal of laughter. But he nudges me toward his back, dipping a rippling, dense shoulder to my eye level.
“Do you... want me to get on your back?”
Noah looks me in the eyes with shy, tucked-back ears, and my heart flutters with adoration. Then he glances all around, the concern for our safety in his flickering focus.
He’s right; safety is temporary out here. But I don’t know how safe Noah is for me, either. I barely know him. Stranded in the forest like this, who knows where he could take me?
But my gut wants to trust him. Is that irrational?
The thought of rejecting those sweet eyes makes my chest ache, and I still want to know what Noah meant earlier. Why he looked upset to discover me, yet never left my side.
Oh, and why he’s a wolf.
Yes, I’ve lost it. With how comforting Noah feels, I’d rather believe that shapeshifting humans exist than say this day is a new version of my recurring dream.
I scramble onto his broad back with an embarrassing grunt, not wanting to pull his silky black fur. Noah nudges me the rest of the way with his wet nose bumping my butt.
But once I’m 10 feet off the ground, I grip fistfuls of his coat. “Oh, my God! This is higher than I thought!”
Noah spins, attempting to look at me on his back, and I burst into laughter. He seems to like this, breaking into a smiling pant.
Oh, my heart. I want to squeeze him.
So I do, stretching my tiny arms across only half his back. I can feel his butt wiggling behind me from his happy tail, and I laugh. “For a big, tough wolf, you’re actually super adora–”
I fall silent as Noah’s fur stands on edge. His paws rigidify against the forest floor. Listening in, I can hear it too–distant, soft crunching in the leaves. Footsteps.
Noah’s ribcage expands beneath my legs with a heightened breath. His tension ripples through me, leaving me quivering.
Without waiting another moment, Noah takes off. I cling on for dear life.
With his nose huffing against the forest floor, Noah finds a scent and breaks into an even deeper sprint.
“Noah, where are...?” I trail off, recognizing the mossy landmark tree I always pass when taking the long way home. “Wait, are you taking me home?”
Wind rushes my ears as we fly, forcing me to bury my nose into Noah’s dense fur to keep my eyes from watering. His thick paws beat the earth, spraying dirt in every direction as we bound through the forest. It feels like I could fall off if I don’t squeeze him with my entire body, jostling in this direction and that as leaves blur past my peripheral vision.
We’ve traveled at least a mile within minutes with how fast Noah claws across the forest floor. Noah’s slinking figure slows, and I dare to look up.
My parents’ old cottage rests in our land’s small clearing, freshly trimmed roses lining the pathway to the chipped wooden stairs. Like always, my eyes catch on the half-painted number “1” on the weathered, baby blue siding, the only house Westfield developers had to number for miles.
“No way! You did bring me home!” My laughter makes Noah taller. “You’re amazing!”
Noah’s pant widens as he approaches my house, wagging his tail again. Circling my front porch with expert weaves through the roses, Noah kneels to the ground, helping me safely step off.
At least, I try to. I stumble on shaking legs from all the adrenaline, catching myself on poor Noah with his massive snout against my belly.
Hugging his snout, I’m face to face with him again. The urge gluing me to him bursts inside my chest once more, forcing me to suck in a shaky breath. When I look into his golden eyes, I can’t convince myself to stop hoping he might be different from the rest.
This has to be a dream. All I’ve felt for years in my real life is hurt or fear.
Wait, what am I saying? He’s a wolf!
As if I’ve tempted fate, I’m crushed to see Noah scurry into the woods the second I’m upright. His black fur blends into the night’s blanketing darkness, and my heart snaps.
No matter how scared, confused, and exhausted I am, my words come out as a desperate scream. “Wait! Come back!”