"For the first time in my life, I felt as if I mattered. On the surface, I was less than the dirt on someone's shoe. But underwater - I was a princess."
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Born without a wolf, Charlie aspires to be a ballet dancer. But a deliberate sabotage crippl...
If there was one thing to be said for Gertrude's house, it had all the amenities one could need when one had a cub on the way. And the next morning, after breakfast, Gertrude handed me a key. "Poolhouse is outside," she told me. "It gets cleaned every day, so you don't need to fuss about it. Just make sure you lock the door after you're done."
It was a little walk, but when I reached the pool house and stepped into the warm air, I felt the autumn's chill melt from my bones. In short order, I'd stripped down to the biknini I'd brought along for just this purpose, and after dropping my clothes and towel on a nearby chair, I stepped into the pool, letting out a sigh of relief as the warm water cradled my body.I'd forgotten how wonderful the water felt on my skin, and I closed my eyes, gently cradling my belly, smiling as my cub - whom I fervently prayed would be a girl - decided now was as good a time as any to do some gymnastics. They'd gotten more active in the last few months, and I knew I wasn't far off from giving birth. I just hoped he or she would have a safe world to grow up in.
I decided not to worry about it. I was safe, my cub was safe, and I had the feeling Gertrude would fight tooth and claw to keep us so.
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Feeling comforted by that thought, I set out for a swim, gliding gently through the water. I couldn't do too much in my current gravid condition, but I still enjoyed the sensation of the water caressing my body. It was enough to make me forget my worries for a while, and I held onto it, letting the water wash all my cares away. Here, at least, was a bit of peace.
After a little while, I took a deep breath and dived underwater, swimming down to the bottom. I wouldn't be able to hold my breath for too long, but I made sure I had enough air in my lungs to reach the other side.
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I kicked steadily, enjoying the way the water flowed over my skin and through my hair, and when I reached the shallow end, I surfaced, blinking the water out of my eyes. Overhead, the sun shone brightly, making patterns of light and shadow on the bottom, and once I'd got my breath back, I went under again.
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