The Wolf's Girl

HE

I knew why Kaelyn's mum calmed down. She knew that as long as her daughter was with me, she was safe. I was created to lay down my life for Kaelyn, to go to the edges of the world to keep her safe, even if it meant giving my last breath for her.
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I remember meeting Kaelyn, the first day we were introduced to each other, the blue, ghostly walls of the laboratory still burning clear in my memory, the way they gently placed the day old baby in the crib beside me. I remember her crying, her face turning red as she gasped for air between sobs. They took my hand, placing gently on her forehead. I felt the heat of her skim radiating through my fingertips, and her crying subsided, her breath slowing as she calmed down and relaxed. Calmness flooded me, and I felt my consciousness slipping as we both fell asleep, laying side by side.
No other day old baby would remember vivid memories like that, not even Kaelyn. It was a side affect of the genes that rested within me, the ability to recall the clearest of memories containing her, the ability to feel her emotions, and ability that took me years to learn to control.
We grew up together, played out as the children of two lifelong friends, who's wish was to join their own children in friendship. At first, we were neighbours, playing in each other's tree houses and running around in the streets, from the earliest days Kaelyn could remember, until I had to move. Suspicion was arising, that a wealthy family kept in such close contact with a family with an adopted child only had to be that of a wolf connection, the group of protestors against the conception of manipulated children and the linking to unchanged children becoming increasingly interested in the activities of two children's play dates. My family feared for Kaelyn's family's safety, and moved, still close enough to hold contact between Kaelyn and I, but enough distance to spare us from suspicion.
We were both 9 when we were separated, the longing for each other remained strong in our minds. I could feel Kaelyn's loneliness, for I was the only person she knew and trusted, her parents had made the hard decision to seclude her from the outside world in a desperate attempt to protect her from harm. She had no one else. Our visits became spaced out, the distance seeming to grow each day. I could feel each of Kaelyn's emotions, feeling them as my own. We were 12 when I first heard her voice in my head, the telepathy as expected by my creators. I could hear her voice as though she was standing in front of me, speaking to me. We held conversations through our minds, for years. We saw each other at school, but kept a distance, as my parents insisted. Her safety before happiness, the words drilled into my head. The distance was also to prevent another thing, for we were the trial, Kaelyn and I, the first pair made of opposing gender, and any relationship that stemmed from our close friendship could prove lethal to either of us, it was untested water, a chance my creators and Kaelyn's parents didn't want to take, for the risk on Kaelyn's life. So I kept my distance, watching over her from a distance, staying close enough to protect her but far enough to prevent anything unwanted.
It drove a wedge between us, damaging our bond. We grew distant, the emotions I felt that mirrored Kaelyn's grew weak, and we became estranged, seeing each other as nothing but acquaintances in the corridors at school.
By the time we turned 15, Kaelyn was a different person. We hardly spoke, our contact diminished to nothing but the occasional spike of panic I felt every time a potential risk threatened Kaelyn, the only aspect of our bond that remained was my undying loyalty to protect her from harm, nothing else.
Other pairs had gone differently, without gender barriers posing risks of damaging the success of the bond, pairs of girls growing up as close as sisters, pairs of boys growing up to stay as close as brothers. Kaelyn and I didn't have that, and never would, for the creators fear of losing the experiment to unwanted emotions like love.

This remained the same until the day of my 17th birthday, when I was summoned into the clinic I was created in, an annual event that occurred on my birthday, aimed at reinforcing my instructions and checking on progress. I was walked down the cold halls and sat in an office, the fluorescent white light burning my eyelids as I waited quietly. I was taken aback as Kaelyn's parents entered the room, their faces calm but stern, the same as I remembered. Dr. Simmonds joined us, the man who created me, the man I knew as my creator. He sat at the desk, leaning forward and folding his arms. I noticed the fine hairs on his arm standing on edge, goosebumps splayed over his pale skin, skin that hardly saw the sun with all the time he spent inside the lab. He was anxious about something, and so were Kaelyn's parents. I focused my attention on Simmonds, awaiting the instructions I was going to be given. The doctor cleared his throat, and I sensed as Kaelyn's father, Trevor, stiffened in his chair.
"Now Bastian, as you know, you were instructed to keep your distance from Kaelyn, to avoid any... Potential mishaps.." He said. My mind flooded with a million things, focusing around the idea that I had done something wrong. Had Kaelyn been hurt and I had failed my duty? Had I gotten too close to her and done something to damage the experiment?
" this separation has seemed to... Estrange the connection between you too, you no longer share as stronger bond to each other. You, Bastian, still feel the full strength, but can no longer sense Kaelyn's full emotion, only the aspects of panic or threat, as your mother reported, while Kaelyn see,s to feel no connection at all."
Turning to Kaelyn's parents, he continued "this separation could cause more long term damage, the genes may be deemed useless by the body and therefore cause the bond to completely diminish, leaving Kaelyn unprotected."
"What should we do then?" Elaine, Kaelyn's mother asked, swallowing hard. They feared for their daughters safety, I could feel the panic radiating from their skin, could hear their heartbeats quickening.
"I suggest that we act upon repairing the bond" Dr. Simmonds said calmly, folding his hands before him. As simple as that, to reconstruct the bond between Kaelyn and I, Simmonds continued on, explaining his plan to slowly reintroduce me into the picture, allowing me to grow close to her again. Under the condition that I did not grow any closer than a friend, and to report back at least once month. Taking it all in, I nodded, agreeing and reassuring both the doctor and Kaelyn's parents that I would stick to my word, in promise of protecting Kaelyn.

So I did just that. We became friends again, close enough so I wasn't invading her space, unwanted around her, but still distant enough to prevent anything from happening. Her emotions came back to me, allowing me to feel her happiness and sadness, all flooding me as if they were my own emotions. Our Telepathy came back also, although I knew Kaelyn only thought of it as voices in her head. She thought she was mad, she didn't know the importance of being able to hear me inside her head, she didn't know how to respond. Not intentionally anyway.

I watched as she matured, became more than just a girl, I knew she could protect herself, but my loyalty held true. I watched as she met Lucas, her dream boy. He cared for her, put her first, and I was happy for her.
But things turned dark between them, his revealed his true intentions, a dark, twisted human being who held the ability to manipulate people, the type of person who could threaten Kaelyn. I first saw the bruises on her upper arm, a clear handprint from his rough grasp, in now way affectionate. I felt her emotions when she was around him, fear consumed her, consumed me. And I couldn't do anything. She had forbidden me, and I obeyed her wish, prepared to step up when it grew too much. The abuse got worse, and yet she didn't leave, the characteristics of her wolf side showing, the loyalty to her mate, a female wolf bowing to her alpha male.
She feared him, feared what he'd do to her if she ran, so she stood strong. And all I could do was stand by and watch.
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I stood before her now, watching as she made sure no bruises showed, preparing herself to return to school, to act like nothing happened. Guilt filled me as I felt her emotions flood through me, her fear, her worry, anxiety consuming me. I needed to stop her, distract her, keep her from harm. From harm. Me instincts kicked in, she was in harms way. And it took over. I no longer could stand by and put my duties aside because of a scientists fear or future damage rather then the damage that Kaelyn was facing right now.
I walk over to her, and take her wrist. She flinches, but then relaxes. I focus my emotions, calming myself, knowing her mind will mirror what I feel.
"Let's go somewhere, other than school" I say. She nods, following me out of the room, down the stairs and out of the house. She slides into the passenger seat of my car, and I wait patiently as she pulls the seatbelt across her body. Safety first I find myself thinking sarcastically.
I pull out of the driveway and head towards the city. I feel Kaelyn relaxing beside me, sinking into the leather seat, her emotions calming down, the tension disappearing, for the moment at least.