by Alexis Davie
The change happened quickly, within seconds. One moment, Aaron was standing there, looking every bit the out-of-control jerk he’d become, and the next moment, a creature that resembled Aaron, but clearly wasn’t, stood in front of her. This beast was half human and half… wolf?
Aaron’s ears were now large and pointed, and his eyes glowed a bright fiery orange. His mouth opened in a snarl, revealing rows of pointed teeth with huge razor-like canines in his mouth. His large hands were now curled into claws with long fingernails jutting from his fingertips. His body was hunched over slightly, and his whole physique seemed to be thicker and more defined. A layer of fur covered his face and hands. He was almost unrecognizable.
Aaron was a monster. This was real. Mia was not dreaming.
“I told you when we first met, I’m just full of surprises,” Aaron said. His voice was deeper and booming loudly, emitting a guttural growl.
“Aaron…?” Mia knew there was a reason he was doing this, and as futile as it might be to try to reason with him, she had to try. “Please… please…”
“Too late,” Aaron replied.
He was on her instantly. Mia tried to scream, but no sound came from her mouth. He was going to kill her, she was sure of it. She was a goner.
But he didn’t attack her. He was looking over her face, sliding his hand across her skin, just caressing her softly. He seemed to be having second thoughts. Or maybe he just wanted to scare her. But he couldn’t let her live now, could he? Mia knew his secret. If anyone knew about this, he’d be locked up, right? They’d use him like a guinea pig and run experiments on him. He’d never let her live and risk having her tell anyone. No… this was it.
Aaron picked up her hand and kissed it gently. He smiled at her. It was even creepier in his wolf-like form than it would’ve been otherwise. Mia couldn’t breathe.
Aaron opened his mouth and laid one of his long fangs on her soft skin. Oh, it was so sharp. What was he doing? Was he teasing her? Tasting her? Mia didn’t know, but she felt sick. Her mind frantically searched for a way out of this, but nothing came to her. He had her exactly where she couldn’t escape, and he was going to do whatever he wanted to her.
Aaron’s fang broke her skin. Mia cried out in pain, but he clamped a claw over her mouth to muffle the sound. She expected him to rip her hand off with his vicious jaws, but he only bit into her with the tip of his fang, just enough to barely puncture her flesh. He closed his mouth around the wound for a second and then moved his mouth away from her.
“Now, you will be mine forever,” Aaron growled, as he leaned down as if he was going to bite her again.
“We will see about that.”
Another voice was there–a man’s voice.
5
Aaron leapt off Mia and threw himself at the source of the voice. Mia burst into action and jumped off the bed, retreating to the corner of her room. She would have run for the door, but Aaron was now blocking it. He was wrestling with… was that another wolf?
The two animals fought, clawing and ramming into each other. It immediately became very clear that Aaron was no match for the other wolf. It was bigger, stronger, and faster.
Mia could not believe her eyes. Watching Aaron turn into a mythological creature right before her was the shock of a lifetime, but seeing another creature just like him was mind blowing on another level. To top it off, they were both in her room.
The other wolf picked Aaron up and threw him down on the floor, following up with a vicious kick to his head that sent him careening into the wall. Aaron was dazed for a moment, and Mia didn’t know if he could get up or not. Was he finally finished?
The other wolf looked at her then. Her eyes locked with his and she… She knew the identity of the other wolf. She recognized his handsome features instantly, even though they were covered with fur, fangs, and unnaturally green eyes.
It was Jack.
Aaron lunged at him, leaping off the ground. Jack quickly reacted, punching Aaron across the face with a tremendous swipe of his powerful claw that sent the wolf through the open window of Mia’s room.
Mia heard him hit the ground with a sickening thud, followed by several quick footsteps that soon went quiet. She didn’t even need to check to know that Aaron was running away like he always did when faced with something bigger than him. He was a coward, even as a wolf.
Jack walked to the window and peered out before he closed it and locked it. When he turned back to Mia, he was not a wolf any longer—he was back to being the handsome man Mia had met that morning.
“I believe I owe you an explanation,” Jack said.
* * *
“That is the most incredible thing I’ve ever heard,” Mia said. She took a huge gulp of her tea. It was normally so soothing, but not even those wonderful herbs could calm her nerves in that moment. Not after what Jack had just told her. They both sat at the kitchen table, Jack on the chair opposite hers.
“I know it sounds crazy,” he said. “But I assure you every word of it is true.”
“You’re right,” Mia agreed. “It does sound crazy. Even after what I just saw, I still can’t wrap my head around it.” She took a deep breath to steady herself. “So, how old are you?”
Jack laughed. “A bit older than you, but still young enough to know that I don’t have life all figured out yet.”
“Good answer,” Mia said with a nod of her head. “So what happens now? You say you have to deal with Aaron. Are you going to kill him?”
“I have to, especially now,” Jack said quietly.
Mia glanced down at her tea. Aaron was definitely dangerous, but the thought of him having to be killed was still overwhelming to her.
“Why? I mean, I know he just tried to kill me, but—”
“He wasn’t trying to kill you,” Jack interrupted her. “If he wanted you dead, you would be. He did something that is, in some ways, far worse.”
Mia gulped and leaned in closer to him. She rested her head on her hands and took a deep breath. “What do you mean?”
Jack avoided her eyes. “Aaron has chosen you to be his mate. He believes that you are meant for each other. When a wolf does that, he performs a small ritual wherein he transfers a part of the curse over to the object of his desire.”
“In English, please,” Mia said.
“He tried to turn you into a werewolf, a shifter like us.”
Mia straightened. She struggled to take a breath, suddenly feeling like she might faint.
“What?” she asked. “I’m… I’m going to become a… werewolf?”
“Not necessarily,” Jack answered, which didn’t make her feel much better. “He had barely begun the ritual when I arrived. It usually takes a pretty deep bite to transmit the curse. I guess he was having fun with it. We won’t know for sure until the next full moon.”
Mia wanted to cry, but no tears came. She didn’t even feel that upset. A kind of numbness spread over her. Nothing mattered. She couldn’t escape this. If this was her fate, then all she could do was accept it.
“It doesn’t mean you will go insane or become evil like he has,” Jack continued. “As I told you, most of us are just regular people most of the time. We work, we love, and we live. We have families and friends. Our lives are not that different.”
Mia knew she should have been more upset, but she felt a strange calmness, like it was all going to work out in the end. Maybe she was in shock, or maybe Jack had managed to put her at ease. The way he spoke, his cadence, his gestures, and his overall presence kept her calm and relaxed.
She felt like something special was happening.
“So, what can I expect? Am I going to start having weird cravings or impulses? Weird dreams?” Mia asked. Then she scrunched up her nose. “Will I grow a lot of hair?”
Jack pressed his lips together, like he was trying to hold back a smile. “No. It’s not like you see in the movies. You won’t experience a gradual change. The transformation is triggered by the next full moon. After the firs
t change, you will be able to change at will. But that is only if you are a wolf.”
He reached over and gently took her hand in his. “I’ll be here for you every step of the way.”
Mia looked up at him and smiled. His touch felt so good, nothing like the sickness she had felt with Aaron’s. Although she was terrified, she loved knowing she wouldn’t have to go through this alone—if anything was going to change at all.
Jack made her feel safe, and she knew in that moment that she trusted him. In fact, she thought she might even be falling for him.
6
“Wow,” Jack said, “you look amazing.”
Mia tried not to blush as she stepped out into the kitchen, but after looking at herself in the mirror, she had to agree that she did look great. Still, it was so much better to hear those words from Jack’s lips.
Jack pulled her close and gave her a quick kiss to emphasize his point, even adding a bit of a purr to his embrace. She couldn’t help smiling. It was going to be an exciting evening. Even though Mia was exhausted after such a busy day, she was ready to see what amazing surprise Jack had in store for her.
She had started the day out early, going for a swift hike through the trail located on the edge of town. It was a popular spot that Mia frequently traversed. The hills were brutal on her leg muscles, but Mia loved the pleasurable burn and the feeling of her blood pumping vigorously through her veins. After the workout, she’d stopped and grabbed a breakfast smoothie at The Juiciest, her favorite juice bar. She was addicted to that energy boost first thing in the morning, especially after a good workout.
After returning home to take a quick shower, she’d studied for most of the afternoon, and then she had gotten ready to meet Jack for their date.
It was hard to believe it had only been three weeks since Jack had first come into her life. It felt like so much longer. In that time, they had spent every spare moment they had together. However, with her busy schedule, it was not nearly as much time as she wanted.
Jack wasn’t playing around with her. He didn’t wait days to text or call her back, and he never made her question his interest in her. He was stronger and so much more mature than that.
After school and work, Mia typically went over to hang out at his place, unless she had a crazy amount of studying to do, and even then, she would usually find a way to study faster or cram more in on her days off. It was a juggling act, but Jack was so worth it.
Mia knew she was falling in love with him. She had known since the first time he had saved her from Aaron. Neither of them had heard from him since he had broken into her room, but Mia tried not to worry too much—she felt safe with Jack’s protection.
Jack was everything she had ever wanted. They had a lot in common, such as their love for old horror movies and nineteenth century art. But they still had enough differences that they were constantly surprising each other and building the bond they shared.
Occasionally, Mia would find herself wondering if she was going to change into a wolf during the next full moon, but she tried to push it out of her thoughts. Jack helped alleviate her worries, and he somehow made her feel like she would overcome any challenges that might come her way.
Now, Mia wasn’t even all that afraid of the change anymore.
Jack arrived early, and Mia wasn’t quite ready when he’d arrived. He was taking her to a nice restaurant, and she wanted to look the part. He waited in the living room, while she finished getting dressed and putting on her makeup.
When she went out to meet him, Jack smiled widely.
“Are you ready, my lady?” Jack asked with a little bow.
Mia played along. “Yes, kind sir. I am ready.”
With that, they left her house and got into Jack’s SUV.
Mia looked up at the moon, just starting to peak over the mountains in the distance. Immediately, thoughts of Aaron and becoming a werewolf were brought to the forefront of her mind. This time, she didn’t want to suppress them.
“Have you heard from Aaron?” Mia asked.
Jack looked at her, concern spreading across his perfectly symmetrical facial features. “I’ve asked everyone in our pack, and no one knows where he’s gone. I expected him to leave town,” Jack told Mia. “I don’t know if I believe he isn’t coming back at some point, though.”
Jack was troubled that he didn’t know Aaron’s whereabouts. He didn’t have to say it for Mia to realize it, she could tell when his smile to console her didn’t reach his eyes. She tried to push negative thoughts of Aaron out of her head and prayed she never had to lay eyes on him again.
No. I won’t keep thinking about him anymore. He doesn’t deserve it. I will focus on my time with Jack.
The restaurant Jack took her to was fantastic. After Mia had told him she loved Thai food, he’d found an upscale restaurant known for having the best Phanaeng curry. As a student, Mia didn’t typically eat out often, especially at such nice restaurants.
Jack insisted on treating her, as he did every night they spent together.
Mia had never considered herself materialistic or passionate about making a lot of money, but she had to admit she was starting to get used to Jack’s lifestyle. It was hard not to. She was flattered that he had no qualms about spending both his time and his money to make her feel special.
Jack was an entrepreneur, and he had opened an international chain of fitness centers that catered to the ultra-wealthy. He had always enjoyed fitness, and he knew a lot about how to run a business. His chosen career path seemed like a natural fit.
Mia loved Jack’s passions, and she was impressed that he had built a lucrative career out of his hobby. She hoped to do the same one day.
When they left the restaurant, Mia didn’t want the night to end, and she was relieved to find that neither did Jack. He suggested going for a walk in a park that was close to her house.
It was a beautiful evening, having cooled down from the heat of the day. A gentle breeze billowed through Mia’s hair, and the scent of freshly-cut grass filled the air.
Jack held her hand in his as they walked along, neither one of them speaking a word. It was just nice to be comfortable in silence and enjoy each other’s company without forcing a conversation.
Emotionally, Mia needed the tranquility that surrounded them. The stress from the past few weeks had affected her more than she had realized. The quietness was wonderful for her.
After several minutes of walking in silence, Jack turned to her. “Mia, I want to tell you something.”.
Mia looked at him and smiled. “Okay. You have my full attention.”
“I realize we’ve only known each other a short while, but I feel I should tell you that you mean a lot to me. I mean, what we have…” Jack made a small pause. “I think it is really becoming something special.”
Mia bit down on her lower lip. “I agree.”
Jack continued. “I’ve never actually been in love before. It’s hard when you shift into a wolf every full moon. It seemed like my only options were other pack members, but those women never appealed to me. I always thought no human would be able to accept my true form. I’ve always dreamt of the day I could truly connect with someone, but to be honest, I never thought it would happen—until I met you.”
“Honestly,” Mia said, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, “if you had told me that I would just accept that my boyfriend is a wolf, I would have thought you were crazy. But everything about this seems right.”
“Exactly,” said Jack, his lips curling into a smile. “And maybe that is a part of the reason why I feel so close to you after such a short time. I feel that you know my biggest, darkest secret, and yet I can just be myself. I love that I don’t have to hold anything back.”
“I like that,” Mia said. “I’m glad I’m getting to know the real you.”
Jack Stopped walking and reached out to grab her other hand so he was holding both of hers in his. “I can honestly say that I can see myself having a future with you.”
Mia felt a sudden knot in her throat, and she had to take a deep breath before speaking. “So do I,” she replied.
Jack pulled her close to him, and his strong presence loomed over Mia. She felt so safe with him, so protected, as if nothing in the world could harm her when she was by his side. That was the way it was supposed to feel, right? When you were with the man you loved?
Love… Did she really feel that way? Was this love? Was it possible this soon? She’d heard of love at first sight, but she’d never known it or truly believed in its existence. Well, maybe this was really it. It was confusing to think about, but Mia wouldn’t let her mind dwell on it right now. It wasn’t important to throw a label on what this was or how she felt. She just wanted to surrender to her feelings and allow herself to enjoy them.
Jack kissed her softly on the mouth, which then turned into a deep kiss filled with passion as Mia kissed him back. He pulled her even closer to him, rubbing his hands on her back in small, comforting circular motions. It felt so good.
“Want to go to my place?” he asked, his voice low and raspy.
“Yes,” she answered breathlessly.
The drive to his house was a blur, and Mia could hardly wait to feel Jack’s eager touch, to feel him all around her, to feel him inside of her. At least, she hoped that would happen.
When Jack’s hand—which had been resting on her knee—began to move up her thigh, Mia was pleasantly surprised, glad to know that Jack wanted the same thing she did.
His hand slid under her dress and found her panties, and he lightly massaged her most sensitive area through the fabric. Mia’s body responded to Jack’s touch; the heat intensified in her core, and she felt the cotton lining of her thong get saturated with her own wetness.