Shaping Destiny

by Hmonroe

  “He would be very proud,” I told him, resting my hand on his arm.

  The porch light then came on, and Max and I both looked toward the house. Seconds later the door swung open with a stern-shouldered man behind it. With slow footsteps, he walked out onto the porch and folded his arms across his chest, leaning to one side and putting more weight on his left foot. I knew that look far too well and felt like I was coming home from a date.

  “That's your father?” Max asked with a slight waver.

  “Yes, but he's nice. He just looks mean right now.”

  “Uh huh.”

  “Did you ever tell him about us?” I asked.

  “Nope.”

  “Well that's good,” I replied sarcastically. We both started to reach for the door handles. Here we go, I thought.

  ***

  “Hello sir, I'm Max Slate. It's good to meet you finally.” My father met Max’s hand with a firm, grateful shake.

  “Max, welcome to my home, and thank you for taking care of my daughter. What happened to your truck?” Not waiting for a response, Dad looked my way with a sigh and an apologetic look. “Leah . . . my princess. I'm sorry.”

  “Hi Dad.” I leaned forward and gave my father a bear hug. While keeping his arm around me he started walking into our home.

  “Come on, guys. Let’s talk inside.” I never thought I would be home so soon, but the familiar smell of wildflowers welcomed us.

  “Dad, where is Luke and Leon?” I asked almost worried. I expected them to be home.” I guess they have lives too.

  “Leon needed help with some hotel work, so Luke went with him. But they’ll be back tomorrow night for dinner.”

  I nodded.

  The soft, fluffy couch in the distance looked so appealing, yet I had just sat for hours in the truck. I headed straight there with tired steps as my mom turned the corner.

  “Leah!” Mom had her head turned slightly to the side. Empathy radiated from her. She reached out with her arms as she greeted me.

  “Leah, my baby, are you OK?”

  “Yes, Mom, I'm fine. I just never thought this is what my college experience would be like.”

  While she pulled away she kept her hands on my shoulders and looked right into my eyes. “Honey, your college experience isn't over yet. We just need to take care of this problem and then you'll be on your way again.” Mom smiled at me, but then her eyes drifted behind me. “Is this Max? The man that your father hired?” she said quietly. “He's cute. I wouldn't mind him hanging around me if I were you.” Mom meant it for only me to hear, but his hearing was much better than she thought.

  “Mom!” I said, full of embarrassment. While her attention stayed on Max, I took the opportunity to plop down on the couch. After only a couple deep breaths I no longer remained alone. My mom sat next to me while my dad pulled up a chair for Max and himself. My dad had his hands intertwined in front of him with his head down. I could feel the nervousness coming off of him.

  “So, Leah, I don't know where to start. I guess first I need to know if the shifting has for sure taken place.” He looked up with eyes like a child, unsure how to place his words.

  I only said one word. “Yes.” I had butterflies in my stomach as that simple word escaped my throat.

  “OK . . . Then we need to talk about how it was triggered.” I said nothing, hoping to get more information faster. I waited until his pauses became sentences.

  “Sorry, I guess I’m not very good with words, so I'm just going to come right out and ask you . . . Is there a new man in your life that can also shift like you?”

  Now the silence became even deeper and more uncomfortable. Before I could answer, my dad continued. “We knew this day would come and to know that my daughter has met the man she is destined to be with forever, well, that's a beautiful thing.”

  Forever, I thought to myself. I looked up toward Max, and he looked just as shocked as I did. He had a look of kindness and encouragement that kept me strong.

  “You hired him to protect me, and Max has the same gift as I do,” I told my dad.

  All eyes turned to Max, including mine, and I seemed to be the only one with a smile. Dad and Mom seemed confused, or maybe just taken off guard. Max then held out his hand.

  “Let me explain . . .”

  “I told you to stay away and only intervene when necessary.” I couldn’t tell if Dad was angry or relieved.

  “I know, sir, and I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to get close, and I tried my hardest to stay away.”

  “Well, because of you we are in this mess.”

  I stood. “Dad, because of him I am alive. Why are you so angry with him?”

  “I’m not.”

  “It sure feels like you are.”

  “Your shift would have never happened if he didn’t show up.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  My mother then put in her two cents toward my dad. “You knew this was going to happen, and it’s supposed to happen. You can’t stop destiny, and who better to be with your daughter than this strong-willed young man. You never had a chance trying to prevent this, so it’s time to move forward. You said yourself it’s a beautiful thing that your daughter met her other half.” She then looked over to Max. “Tell us a bit about yourself.”

  Max went ahead and told my parents his story and how he came to do what he does today. After he finished, they seemed to be more relaxed about him.

  “Well, Max, I guess there is a reason for everything, and for me to hire a bodyguard who lives clear across the country, who turns out to be the key to my daughter’s heart is definitely destiny,” Dad said, still a bit tense.

  “With Max on your side you’ll be safe and taken care of,” Mom said quietly in my ear.

  “Max has been keeping me updated on your attacks and conflicts. Now we must talk about why you have to deal with this at all. About a hundred years ago, our family had its own superwoman, so to speak. It was nothing to be afraid of and certainly never a secret. A wolf-woman was like a god to her family and friends. She never made the laws or became a boss of anything, but she protected all who needed it. People thanked her and loved her for all the willingness and kindness she had shown. This gift was put upon this woman because of her pure soul, and this gift would continue to be placed upon women in this family with the purest of hearts, but only one woman every century.”

  “A good person? That means I'm not evil?” Although the responsibility of being the world’s greatest protector weighed on me, hearing I wasn’t evil comforted me.

  “Evil? Where did you get that idea?” Mom asked.

  “Oh, sir,” Max cut in. “I never reported our last encounter with the enemy, because it was on the way here and we knew we’d be here shortly. Also, sir, you would have been very proud of your daughter the way she handled herself in the face of danger . . . I was knocked unconscious and . . .”

  “You weren’t awake?!”

  “Dad, stop. It wasn't like that.” I stepped in, hoping to calm his nerves.

  “She's right, sir, it couldn't have been helped. I was thrown from the vehicle. You must listen to what happened.” Max looked over to me to take over the story so as not to miss any important parts.

  “Yes, Max was doing his job by keeping me safe making sure I was belted in, but he on the other hand was not.” I repositioned in my seat as I kept talking. “We both had feelings of panic even after we were driving for miles, but I think that the emotion of fear got in the way and slowed our reflexes a little. We got in an accident with a semi, but the boss meant for it to happen.” I went ahead and told them that this was my second full transformation into a wolf. I hoped they wouldn't ask about the first time, when Max and I kissed.

  During my story I could see my dad shaking his head back and forth with anger and my mom covering her mouth almost like she was waiting for me to tell her I was safe. “I'm OK, as you can see, but what surprised me was the way the boss thought about me and our family. He categorized me as
a demon, and evil. He knew I would be the girl with the shifting power and said he's been keeping tabs on us because I destroyed his family by murdering and stealing.”

  My dad stood up, walked over to our hutch, and pawed through the drawers. I rubbed my face, hoping to push the tired away from my eyes.

  “Ha! I got it,” Dad announced. He held a square, four-by-six, off-white piece of paper. When he brought it over it was a black-and-white family picture. “I have a lot to tell you.” He held the picture on his lap where nobody could see it, and then he started his tale.

  “Every one hundred years, a pure woman from the Hawk family receives the gift of shift. When fate sees fit to give this young woman the power of strength, hearing, and smell, she then meets a man that possesses the same gifts.” He looked toward Max while still gripping the picture. “This man is not picked out of a family name. It could be any man in the whole world, but when this man receives his gift, it means he is also good and pure of heart. This man will be the other half of this woman, as if they were one. He’ll be there for support, love, and encouragement. He’ll be the one who brings out the wolf in the Hawk woman, in you, Leah. As the story goes, it tells of a great love and power that draws the two people together. It’s a great force that connects these people together in a way that no human can. I can see now that it has happened. Max, you came all the way across the US for this job. I have a feeling it was something that you couldn't pinpoint at the time, but it was something you couldn't turn down.”

  Max nodded, as Dad paused to gather his thoughts. Dad then looked back at me.

  “He is your soul mate.”

  An uncontrollable smile spread across my face, and I looked down to my lap.

  “It’s OK to smile, Leah. It wouldn't be right if you didn't,” Mom said.

  I smiled at my mom and looked up at my dad, who was staring down at the pictures he held.

  Mom and I could feel the stress in the home. “Max, can I get you anything? A drink or some food?”

  “Yes, please. If I could have an ice-cold drink of water that would be great,” Max replied with a grateful half smile.

  A break sounded good. I rose off the couch and went to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and splashed some cold water on my face. After taking a few more minutes to myself, I exited the bathroom to see Dad still sitting where I had left him. Max stood outside with a glass in hand. He looked out from the porch. I walked toward Max to accompany him. As I got there, I pulled the door closed and put my hands on the railing. Max had one hand in his pocket and the other holding his ice water. I looked over at him and instantly smiled again.

  “I needed something to cool me down,” he said while raising his glass and smiling back at me.

  I couldn't stand him being away from me. I leaped over and wrapped my arms around his chest. I buried my head into his upper chest as a few droplets of cold water from his glass fell on my hair. His cheek rested on my head as we held each other.

  “Let’s sit on the swing,” he whispered.

  The stars were bright and many, and the cool breeze was pleasant.

  ***

  “Max? . . . Leah? . . . It’s Mom. It’s time to wake up now. You two lovebirds can come in the house to sleep. Max, I made you a bed on the couch, and Leah, you have clean sheets on your bed. Just come inside and we'll catch up in the morning.”

  I sleepily pulled myself up to a sitting position, using Max as a steadying bar to hold me up from exhaustion. As I rose to my feet and started walking to my bedroom, Max stayed close to me until he reached the couch.

  “Goodnight, sweetheart,” Max whispered.

  “Goodnight.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Waking up to sweet birds chirping made me feel stress-free, until the cobwebs started to clear and memories rushed back to me. I swung my legs off my bed and sat there staring, waiting to feel more awake.

  The smell of bacon and eggs filled my nose. It took me to the kitchen, where I saw Dad reading the newspaper, Mom doing the dishes, and Max sitting across from Dad. Max noticed me first. He got up immediately to be by my side.

  “How did you sleep last night?”

  “Surprisingly, I had the best sleep I've had in a long time.” I placed my hand on his arm. “Was your breakfast good?”

  He nodded. “Your mom is a very good cook. You should get some food too. Your father said it's going to be a long day.”

  Great, I thought sarcastically.

  “Yes, Max is right. Get some food because I have some things to tell you. Your training starts today also. I want you to be ready, so there’s no time to waste.” Dad looked back down at his newspaper and turned the page.

  “Train me? Who is going to do that?”

  “Max, of course. Didn’t I teach you anything last night? He’s your strength.” Dad spoke with another turn of his paper. I looked up at Max with my eyebrows raised and my hands on my hips. Max responded with a small lift of his shoulders.

  I really did need the nourishment; my stomach growled at me a time or two.

  Mom had my plate filled. “Here, eat up.”

  I took my plate gratefully and took my seat at the table across from Dad. He folded up his paper and set it aside. He got up and went for the picture that he had held so carefully last night.

  “While you’re eating, I’d like you to listen. Max, you need to listen too, now that you are part of Leah's destiny.” Dad made it back to his chair. Max took the seat next to me and rested his hand on my leg under the table. I rested my left hand on his as we listened to my father.

  “Our family is from Almont, as you might have heard from time to time. It's still in Colorado, but about five hours south from us. It’s a beautiful place to live. It used to have great rivers and prosperous lands. Our ancestors had been there for a long time, until a hundred years ago. Then we all scattered. Everyone knew everyone there. Grandma used to talk about a family that was very close to her. The Sparks family.”

  While eating at a steady pace, I listened intently. Sparks, Sparks, where have I heard that name before? It sounded so familiar, but I just couldn't place it. My dad's voice started to drown out as my thoughts took over, so I held my hand up.

  “Dad, do I know that name from somewhere?” I asked. “Sparks seems like a name that I've heard before.”

  “Oh no, no, no . . . Our family hasn't been involved with that name for years,” Dad answered. His assurance made me blow off the thought and continue listening to him.

  “A man from the Sparks family had the gift of shift, and your great-great-grandmother was the woman who had the gift. Those two people fell madly in love, and for years it was peaceful and wonderful. Together, the man and woman took care of the crime in that little town. Although our grandmother was revered, there were people in the Spark family that thought a human turning into a wolf was unnatural. They thought shifting must be the work of the devil. Everyone knew that the wolf held much more powerful than a human, and it frightened them. They thought if they got enough people to agree that shape shifters put them in danger, it would be easy to kill just two.” Dad paused for a minute and turned toward Mom. “Can you get me a drink, honey?” He turned back again to see if we were listening. Then he told more of his story.

  “One late, cold night in November, a war broke out. The Sparks family members who were against the gift thought they could go in unnoticed, kill the two wolves, and exit. Well, they underestimated the gift of shift, and many were killed that night. The fight started in the wolves’ home and ended up in the streets of town. Many people jumped into the war to save one another, but just more and more people fell. Grandmother says it was all self-defense.” He paused for a second to get another sip of his water as I held on to the edge of my seat, waiting for more.

  “Everything started to calm down by sunup the next morning. Grandma stood there in wolf form with her fur covered in blood. Not long after, her heart started aching. She felt as if she’d had a heart attack, but all she coul
d think about was her love, her soul mate. Without seeing him, she knew he was dead. She looked frantically for him and noticed that not only had her mate died, but a lot of people she thought were friends. After that day nobody looked at Grandma the same. The part of the Sparks family who still lived left town scared; they left a lot of things behind. Some of our family even scattered as well. The remaining Hawk family took care of the Sparks home and land in case they returned, but, to my knowledge, none of them did. Grandma moved away too and married eventually, but it was never the same true love. This marriage is when they had children. That man is your great-great-grandfather.” Silence filled the table until my dad started to speak again.

  “I'm getting ahead of myself a little here. When you were telling me of your last attack last night, this story popped into my head. I could see how the enemy would twist this story around. If you didn't know the truth, it would look like an evil wolf had killed everyone out of anger and with no mercy. It would look like she killed everyone and took everything. I think the Sparks family is back to finish the war.” Dad then placed the four-by-six pictures face up on the table for Max and me to see.

  “This is a group picture of Grandma and some of the Sparks family back in 1905.” I stared at the picture as if I waited for them to pop out at me and start talking.

  “It does make sense, Leah. The boss said that you killed his family and stole his property,” Max commented.

  “Yeah, but now that we know what’s going on, couldn't we just explain what really happened to them?”

  Max looked at me as if he loved to see the innocence I portrayed. “I wish it were that easy, but you have to remember there’ll always be people in the world that’ll never accept someone who is different. Different is scary to some people, and we already know these people are scared. They have been taught over the years about their family and they believe it, just as you believe what your father has told you. They wouldn't believe you even if you tried.”