Second Life (Book Two in the Awakening trilogy)

4: Fox

My fur a redfish orange, my paws pounding against the leaves, my tail whipping behind me, my body takes complete control of direction. Part of me knows where I am, another is completely lost. The biggest part of me is screaming for Jake, I need help from somebody who turns into an animal, that I trust. I end up near my den, I hunker down and crawl toward it. My stomach rubbing across the ground, my head low, tail dragging. My ears perk at a familiar sound.

"She lived here?"

Jacob's voice.

"Yeah, that's the blanket she got for Christmas when she was 3."

Gabe.

I slowly crawl forward. Their heads snap in my direction.

"Elizabeth?" They say simultaneously.

I stand up and shake my fur. My eyes heat up and change color, quickly changing back.

"Well, you're definitely not a Hybrid." Gabe scoffs. No, really dumbass.

I bark at him. He steps back. Jacob just gives me a sad look. My eyes meet his.

"You can't shift back can you?" We learned this trick sometime in Alaska. Like the wolves do, only where I'm his imprint.

"Not really."

"We can work on this later."

"I'll try to figure it out, why are you two here?"

"Just snooping."

"Well, you're trespassing, get off my property. And can you take the blanket to the house for me?"

"We'll leave, and I'm washing it before you put it on the bed."

"Jake?"

"Yeah."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Would you two tell me what's going on?" Gabe demands.

"She wants us to leave." Jake replies.

"Liz?" I nod.

They walk away, Jake shooting a small smile over his shoulder to me. I turn and take off toward the house. I slow when I find my clothes. I grab them with my teeth and jump through the window.

How do I do this?

"Jake?"

"What?"

"Quick question, how do I shift back?"

"Just think about it happening, and it will."

"Okay."

My paws turn to hands, snout to a nose, tail disappears, fur gone, claws and fangs dull, ears normal and round. On my hands and knees I grab up my clothes and walk to the bathroom.

Why do my clothes fall off and theirs rip?

I turn on the water and wash my face and wipe off my arms and legs. I wash the leaves and twigs out of my hair and run a brush through it. I get dressed and turn off the water before leaving the bathroom.

I walk over and sit by the things from my den. I can't believe I was ever that small, I'm not exactly big now, but I don't look anorexic either. If I was ten when this fit me, then I was. Life was harsher than I thought for me. I blow hot air through my nose and lay back in the bed.

"You okay?" A soft voice rings through my ears.

"How am I supposed to do this Sue?" I ask, cursing myself for letting weakness seep through the cracks.