The Timber Effect

by Jacklyn Reynolds

  Timber looked at Henry and pleaded, "Please stay with me tonight. I don't think I'll be able to sleep without you."

  "Timber, I don't know," said Henry looking slightly uncomfortable. "This is your aunt and uncle's house and we're not married yet."

  "We'll go to your house then," said Timber. "I don't want to be alone tonight."

  Henry looked conflicted as he gazed at his frightened fiancé. She was white-faced and misty-eyed. Timber bit her lip to keep it from trembling and Henry caved.

  "Alright," he said softly as he pushed her hair back behind her ear. "I have to go get things from my house if I'm staying here tonight. I'll be back in a few minutes. Aiyanna will be here with you. You're safe with her."

  Henry left the house once again and Timber looked at Aiyanna just as a familiar cold chill washed over her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the mystery woman standing close to her but when she looked head on, she had gone.

  "Did you see her?" asked Timber. "I've seen her for years but I can never get a good look."

  "I can see her," said Aiyanna softly. "Yes. That is your mother. She is still there. I saw her beside you during our first meeting as well. However, I do not know her intentions. Spirits usually do not leave the vicinity of their death place."

  "Can't you read her mind?" asked Timber. "Or talk to her?"

  "I cannot do so unless I cross through the veil and that would take far more time than we have at this current point in time." Aiyanna's face showed no indication of worry which was comforting. "Go upstairs and try to relax."

  Timber stepped up one step when Henry came into the house. He was carrying his black gym bag over his shoulder but he still appeared to be uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping in the same bed as Timber in her aunt and uncle's house. Without a word, he followed her upstairs and into her bedroom. He set his bag on the floor and stared at her queen size bed.

  "I didn't notice the last couple of times I was in here, but why do you have such a big bed?"

  "Oh, Aunt Grace got it after we moved into this house. In the first place, I shared a room with Emily and I slept at the foot of her bed in a basket," explained Timber. "Emily used to sleep in bed with me on my bad nights. Then when I got older, it was big enough for me and Xianna since she was over a lot when we were younger. During the summers, I was seldom in bed alone. One of the girls would end up crashing here. But sleepovers sort of stopped when we got into high school."

  "Well that's comforting," said Henry absent-mindedly. Timber rounded on him with cold fury.

  "And what's that supposed to mean exactly?" asked Timber hotly. "What, you think I snuck guys over? Is that what you think? Do you think I slept around? Do you think I let random guys come into my room? Is that what you think? If you think I'm some sort of whore trash like Diana then you can get the hell out of my room!"

  "No," said Henry defensively, putting his hands up to chest level. "No. That's not what I meant."

  "That's what it sounded like to me," growled Timber. "You're relieved because I shared my bed with friends and my cousin instead of a guy. I have never been that type of girl! I can't believe you would think that about me! You're the only guy who's ever been in my room. Uncle Chad doesn't even come in here."

  "Timber, I'm sorry," said Henry sounding frustrated. "I know you're stressed out about a lot of things right now but don't take your anger out on me. I'm not the one who volunteered to inject you, remember. You made this choice. You can't get mad at me."

  "You said that you were relieved that I haven't slept with a guy in this bed," said Timber. "Would you be with me if I wasn't a virgin?"

  "Of course, I would," said Henry taking her in his arms. "You know about my past and you're still with me. Why would I leave because I wasn't your first?"

  "Thank you, Henry," said Timber softly into his chest.

  "By the way, I would be your first, if I remember right?"

  "Yes," said Timber curling her toes beneath her. "You're my first crush, my first love, my first kiss...."

  "I keep taking down your defenses don't I," said Henry with a mild chuckle.

  "Yeah. I tried to keep them up but you were too persuasive." Timber giggled. "You stole my heart from me and it took me two months to realize it."

  "I knew right away, but I tried to fight it because you were seventeen and I'm a werewolf. I guess the soul mate thing was impossible to fight anyway. Besides, you made it very difficult for me to resist you."

  "How so?" asked Timber curiously.

  "It was the little things, like the way you would blush and curl your toes when I spoke to you directly, or when you were nervous. I like when you're concentrating, you frown a little too."

  "Do I do all that?"

  "Yes, you do," said Henry. He stepped closer and pushed her hair back behind her ear. "Your little quirks are what make you so irresistible to me. I love you, Timber Brogan. Mia Bella."

  Timber closed her bedroom door and faced Henry.

  "I love you too, Henry Santelli. Mon chéri. "

  She bit her bottom lip and she watched as Henry's desire for her ignited through his eyes. She turned around and asked him to help her unzip her dress. Henry's hand shook as his fingers grasped the zipper and pulled it down slowly, exposing Timber's bare back. She faced him and smiled before grabbing a neat stack of clothes from her dresser and disappearing into the bathroom. She heard Henry sigh heavily and collapse on her bed. She grinned as she undressed.

  She took off the sash, removed all of her clothing and then began looking for bobby pins. Emily had managed to get them all in one general location and Timber found them every one less than two minutes. She removed the tiara, shook her hair and covered herself with nothing but her teal kimono bathrobe with her silk sleep shorts and matching silk camisole which was her favorite outfit for sleeping because she loved silk. She threw her nice clothes in the hamper and opened the door to find Henry pulling a t-shirt on over his toned figure. He froze before he pulled it back over his head and slowly lowered it as he took in her appearance. Timber approached and kissed his cheek. She sat down on her bed and looked at her feet.

  "Do - do you want to come lay - next to me?" asked Timber shyly.

  She was wishing she had worn more clothes because Henry was looking at her legs and Timber was sure he would be disgusted by them. Instead, Henry knelt, lifted her foot and kissed her ankle. Timber shuddered as his lips moved up her leg. He stopped halfway up her thigh where her robe was. His eyes asked Timber to remove the hindrance and Timber took off her robe exposing her top and shorts. Henry climbed on the bed over top of Timber, forcing her to lay down and scoot up.

  "I'm scared," confessed Timber quietly.

  "We can stop," said Henry.

  "No," said Timber. "I'm want you. I'm scared because I don't know what to do."

  "Don't think. Let me guide you. Allow yourself to react. Don't worry. I've got you, Timber."

  Her body was trembling as he pressed his bare chest against her. His lips stole hers in a tender, loving kiss. This was not how Timber was used to kissing him. Normally his kisses were quick or they were aggressive but this kiss was neither of those. This was slow and gentle and the love that Henry had for Timber radiated off him and filled the entire room. He pulled back to look at her and his eyes were burning with fire, passion, and hunger but at the same time, they were soft and full of love. He wanted her badly and she could see it. Timber's body was quivering with excitement. She wanted Henry and she wanted all of him. Tonight was the night she surrendered herself to the man that she loved.

  The following afternoon brought the color gray into the small, old town as a thick, low fog blanketed Fort Bragg. Timber was preparing sandwiches with three different types of meat for lunch for herself and her guests with a mood that matched the hue of the weather. She had been soundless since she had woken up that morning which was starting to worry Henry so while she was slicing tomatoes for sandwiches, he drew near her gingerly. She was tired and Henry knew better
than to move quickly around her when she was like this. Timber didn't look up as he stepped beside her and moved her bushy hair off of her shoulder.

  "Timber? Sweetheart? Are you alright?"

  "Hmm?" mumbled Timber, looking up from the bamboo cutting board feeling surprised that Henry had called her sweetheart. Her face remained heavy and emotionless with a faraway look in her eyes. "Oh. Yeah."

  "You haven't said a word to me or anyone else all day," said Henry in an apprehensive tone. "Do you regret last night? Was it too soon?"

  Timber put the knife down and glanced at Henry's worried eyes.

  "No," she said. She paused and looked back at the tomatoes. "I'm afraid about tonight. I didn't mean to make you think it was about last night. If there wasn't a fight coming up, I'd say let's do it again right here, right now, but as it is, staying like this is taking almost all of my energy. I'm too stressed. I'm trying to be as brave as Andy was. It's not working and now I'm feeling like I'm letting him down."

  "You could ever let Andy down. He's up in Heaven watching you and telling everyone how brave you are being. Go sit down with Aiyanna and Jaci and Turn. I'll finish making lunch. I can't cook but I know how to make sandwiches."

  "Thank you, Henry," said Timber with clear relief in her voice. Timber handed him the knife and went back into the living room. Henry took over making the sandwiches, though he didn't have much to do because Timber had most everything sliced already.

  In the living room, Timber had succumbed to the stress and transformed back into her true body. She lay spread out on the floor with her blue eyes closed but she was not sleeping. Jaci and Aiyanna were talking quietly about their plans to keep Timber as safe as possible. Timber wasn't paying that much attention to what exactly they were saying, though. She didn't want to know. Instead, she emptied her mind of the events that were to transpire over the next two nights and she focused her thoughts on the magic that she had last night with Henry. There was no way the other women experienced Henry the way she did. That thought made her smile a little.

  Her phone went off from the corner of the room alerting her that she received a text message. She got up off the floor and looked over at her phone, angry at it for disturbing her thoughts. She Turned and looked at the screen. Grace had sent her a text message saying that the family was safe and currently in San Francisco. Then several others followed. Ashley, Gina, Kendra, and Xianna had also gone to San Francisco and Xianna said that they were all at the same hotel under guard. Another text from Grace said that some of the family had been made aware of what was happening and they were actively praying for Timber. Timber smiled as one worry was lifted off of her shoulders. She sent them each a reply saying how much she loved them and the reason she was fighting was to keep them safe. Then she Turned, yawned, and stretched out along the area rug.

  Before she could get comfortable, her body caught fire again. She remained still as Henry instructed the day before and she felt her muscles bulk up and harden. Her jaw felt like it was being ripped apart and scrunched up at the same time. She grabbed the leg of the coffee table and gripped firmly with her jaws. The wood splintered. She also felt herself grow and she whined and yelped in pain. Jaci and Aiyanna were watching but Timber seemed to be fine on her own. There was one final moment that pushed Timber to her limits and her jaw snapped the leg. Jaci moved and kept the wood from falling on her head. Then her body calmed down and she relaxed and took a deep breath, letting go of the wood. Aiyanna mended the wood while Timber took deep breaths to calm herself.

  A few minutes later, Henry came in with a tray of sandwiches, and leftover lemonade from the party the night before. He passed out the sandwiches to Aiyanna and Jaci and put Timber's down on the floor. Timber's took her sandwich and ate it slowly in layers while remaining down on the floor. When she was finished, she got up, took her plate in her teeth and took it to the kitchen to put it in the sink with more ease than before. Then she realized that she grew in height, too. She then strode back into the living room and carefully jumped up into Henry's lap.

  "You went through it again, didn't you?" Timber nodded. "You're heavier I'd say by fifty or sixty pounds. Well, the good news is you're done. You won't grow anymore." His face hardened. "It's going to be okay," Henry told her, though to Timber it sounded more like he was trying to reassure himself. "Everything will be fine."

  Timber let her body relax and she drifted into an uneasy sleep. She knew that as long as Aiyanna and Jaci were present, she was safe. Timber didn't trust Jaci to oversee containing Henry as much as Aiyanna because she worried that Jaci might accidentally hurt him. She had heard of the Black Widow's immense, sometimes uncontrollable power. While she knew Aiyanna could contain her, Timber still worried about Henry's safety.

  Hours of silence ticked by slowly and the sky began to clear. An hour before sundown, Timber went to prepare herself. She changed into clothes she didn't care about and put her hair in two tight french braids. Before going down, she got on her knees and prayed that it would be quick and painless.

  Eventually, the evening shadows fell on the town and stars littered the sky. There was tension in the air as everyone moved to the garage. Lord Frost had arrived at the last minute to oversee the envenomation of Timber. Aiyanna was present, as well as Jaci. They stood in Chad's two car garage behind the house. Timber and Henry had a very loud and heated argument about Henry's wish to be locked up after biting her but Timber lost so his cage was brought over. Henry had to skip his medicine in order to bring himself to bite Timber. Henry's toxic venom would have no effect on Aiyanna, or Jaci so long as she kept her shield up, but Lord Frost had to wait outside of the door. Though he was immortal, he was not out of danger from Henry.

  The five of them waited silently for the moon. Timber sat right behind Henry, rubbing his back and shoulders in an attempt to help him relax. He was terrified of what he had to do because he was afraid that he might try to rip her apart. He was pale and his skin was clammy. He was stiff and motionless as his task weighed heavily on his mind. Timber knew that while Henry was a wolf, she stood absolutely no chance against him. His size and skill were legendary throughout Haven which was why he had his cage electrified. A few minutes before the moon was due to rise, Henry got to his feet and crossed the room to turn on his cage to warm it up. While he was setting the charge, Aiyanna came up to Timber.

  "After Henry bites you," said Aiyanna as she fastened her crown to her pink hair, "Jaci and I will contain him. You need to go to Lord Frost immediately and whatever you do, do not go to sleep."

  "Why?"

  "Henry's venom is deadly. To the point where his bite will kill humans, not create more werewolves. We are unsure how your body will react, so you must remain awake."

  Timber swallowed and nodded as fear gripped her so tightly, her lungs fought desperately for oxygen as they were squeezed mercilessly. She was afraid of what Henry was going to become. He had told her what he was capable of but Timber had never actually seen his werewolf form. Henry went over to her after turning on his cage and wrapped her securely in his arms and Timber felt his warm tears on her shoulder.

  "I'm sorry Timber," said Henry softly. "I'm sorry for the pain I know you're going to go through."

  "It's okay Henry," said Timber trying her best to sound unafraid. "This was my choice. If it means protecting you, my friends and my family I'm willing to do this."

  "I love you Timber," said Henry. "If anything goes wrong tonight, never forget that. I love y-y-you. T-Timber-r-r..."

  The pale blue rays of the full moon had hit Henry full on through the side window. His face contorted in anguish. He looked at Timber once more with his hazel eyes before they turned to gold. He pushed Timber away from him and she hit the wall hard, cracking the drywall. She stayed there petrified in horror as she watched Henry transform. His body grew from six feet tall on two legs to almost thirteen feet in height when standing on four legs, and within a short moment, he developed a slight hunch near his shoulders, drawing his head
down slightly. Large amounts of defined muscle mass appeared all over his body. His head was lengthening and his teeth were becoming fangs. Long jet black fur was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paw like hands. He was growling and breathing heavily as his body took its final form. His long black fur resembled a lion's mane all the way down his chest. For the first time, Timber fully understood why Henry was afraid of hurting her on the full moon.

  Timber looked at Aiyanna and the Black Widow. They were standing completely still to not attract Henry's attention. Aiyanna ruffled her white wings and Timber Turned. The sudden movement in the corner caught Henry's attention and he rounded on her with a growl. Timber could see no sign of her Henry in the large gold eyes that were closing in on her. Henry had gone full wolf and it made Timber fearful for her life.

  Aiyanna moved to distract Henry and he started towards her and the Black Widow. Timber saw lightning flash from the Black Widow's fingertips and she sprang into action. Timber rushed Henry to keep him from attacking the Black Widow and forcing her to defend herself. She jumped in front of him and rammed her shoulder into his chest, throwing him off balance. He fell through the wall leading to the side yard, smashing his cage to the floor before he regained his footing and turned his attention towards Timber.

  In her true wolf form, Timber was strong and skilled, but unfortunately, nowhere near as strong and skilled as Henry. She was determined not to hurt him, but in his viciousness, he left her very little choice. The two fought ferociously but Henry was not biting her even though she had managed to bite him several times. Her skill and agility were of no use to her against him. Henry was too large and too powerful. The only advantage she had was her smaller size. She had room to move while Henry had almost none as he was forced to keep his legs bent.

  She ran under him and went for his forearm but Henry hit her before she could open her mouth to bite and she yelped in pain as Henry's giant claws sliced through her side. She fell to the floor and remained still for only a moment before getting back to her feet. She rushed him and wrapped her teeth around the skin on his wrist. He shook her off easily. Then he sent her up into the ceiling where her back knocked a hole into the drywall before she crashed down onto the concrete in a heap. Her body was battered and broken in several places but Timber got to her feet and rushed him one more time.