The Forgotten

Chapter 6: The Change

Chapter 6: The Change

Mattie’s Prov

Just get in the water you big baby. I thought to myself as I looked at the snow colored bath tub filled almost to the brim with warm water. You could still see the soft trails of steam rising into the air making the whole room feel warm. I squeezed my eyes shut before taking a deep breath and touching the transparent surface of the water creating small waves to ripple to the porcelain sides of the tub. I let the soft robe fall off my shoulders and gently got into the tub letting the warm water melt my worries away. I stretched out my legs and sunk into the hot water until my lips just skimmed against the surface.

I just sat there for a while trying to forget my life and everything that happened. I took a deep breath before I dunked my head under the warm water and was completely submerged into the water. Thousands of pitch black thoughts slinked through my mind, but I quickly sat up clearing my mind as I breathed in a much needed breath of air. I pulled my legs to my chest and rest my forehead on my knees as a salty tear slid down my cheek while trying to ignore how my side started to protest my new position.

I rubbed my hands across my face before I grabbed the bar of soap and scraped all the dirt, dried sweat, and gunk that coated my once pale skin. I washed my whole body, but was careful when I got near my injured side and realized how scrawny I was because of malnutrition. Soon the water turned brown so I grabbed the shampoo and conditioner and scrubbed my head before pouring fresh water over my head from a bucket nearby. I watched as twigs, leaves and grass joined the now black water while I stepped onto the towel lined floor and put the robe back on loving the feel of the soft material on my newly cleaned skin.

I drained the tub watching the dark murky water circle down like a whirlpool. I kneeled on the ground while leaning my chin on the cool white tub twirling my finger in the muddy waters lost in thought. Before what I knew what was happening I was on the ground arching my back in unimaginable pain while the moonlight from the cracks in the shades scorched my trembling body. I wanted to scream, but I felt paralyzed  while my blood felt like molten lava was burning through my veins. My breathing got faster and my bones started to break and move around. It felt like bugs were crawling around in my skin while biting, stinging, and filling every cell in my body with venom.    

I screamed just as I heard the final crack and something changed inside me. Every part of my body stung, but on my back where I was bitten it felt like something was ripping my flesh from my bones and I screamed again in the most agony I have ever felt before. Then the door broke down and Colton appeared, but something was off about him he looked more predatory while his eyes turned silver. A burst of energy exploded within me and then everything changed; I trembled before howling in a mix of pain and confusion. Colton looked down at me in shock and Knight stood next to him standing his ground as he stared down at me. It broke my heart that Knight didn’t come to help me and a defeated whimper left my lips as I curled in a ball, but it felt awkward like something was different.

Then like they both came to life they rushed over to me Knight nuzzling my neck and Colton kneeled down next to me saying he was sorry over and over again like a broken record. I tried to move, but I couldn’t and I looked down at my hand only to see a golden brown paw in its place. I just stared at it in shock blinking a couple times to make sure my ‘paw’ wasn’t just a slipper or something before I had a full on panic attack.

“Dani!” “Sweetie I need you to look at me!” I whipped my head in Colton’s direction meeting his pleading bright silver eyes. “Dani you aren’t alone. I need you to look at me.” I whined in response too confused to understand what he was saying.

Before I could take another breath of air Colton changed before my eyes into a huge black wolf and my heart stopped. My head was spinning and my fight or flight instinct kicked in when the enormous black beast stepped closer. I freaked out and scampered to my feet trying my best to run away scrapping my nails across the tiled floor. I bumped into a few walls and stumbled a bit, but didn’t stop running until I was outside. I just ran and ran and ran tripping on seemingly everything as I went. I took long strides on shaking legs, but I could hear something behind me closing in so I kept running. I could suddenly see better, clearer, father and I ran faster in my new world.

I heard two howls behind me making me stop in my tracks just as I was about to break through the threshold of the forest. I skidded to a stop and looked behind me in confusion just as they broke through the bushes and joined me in the clearing. I was about to keep running when Colton changed back into himself and held his hands up in surrender.

"Dani, Please stop. I'm sorry if I scared you I just wanted you to know you were not alone in this." His voice was soft and seemed broken like me running away hurt him in someway. I took a small step back away from him and I could almost see his desperation and sadness, but didn't understand why he cared so much. He stopped moving it was almost as if he was terrified if I took another step back. I cocked my head to the side silently asking why making a ghost of a smile cross his lips.

"Dani, let me explain things to you. I know you are confused and scared, you have every right to be, but let me help you." his deep voice pleaded. I stayed rooted to the ground watching him with a calculated gaze trying to figure out what to do. I looked behind Colton at Knight who had his chocolate eyes glued to mine. He was my everything yet he looked at me like I was a stranger and it ripped me up inside. However, he stood next to Colton almost like they were keeping each other grounded like how we used to be. Knight was my heart, compass, and whole world if he trusted this stranger who within two days has become my only friend in a long time then the least I could do was try to listen. I slowly took a step towards the pair keeping my eyes on them ready for anything.  

Colton seemed relieved that I listened to him and even laughed a little. I nodded my head silently allowing him to change back to his beast and surprisingly he obeyed. Knight looked so tiny in comparison to Colton’s massive body, but when I got closer to him he came towards me and my heart stopped. Knight gently pressed his nose into my neck and let out a short happy bark before he urged me to walk beside him and follow Colton back to the house. I was slightly bigger than Knight, but as we walked through the woods our pelts were brushing together the whole way. I could see our breaths leave our muzzles and crawl up the sky in white swirls toward the shining stars in the sky surrounding the beautiful moon lighting the way back home.

Home. It feels like I hadn’t had one in years, that is if I ever really had one. Soon we reached the house and I wished I would never have to change back and stay whatever I was forever. Humans left me nothing but heartbreak and trust issues, now I knew why I felt like I could trust Colton, he wasn’t human. He was something else, something else entirely and now so was I. I looked over to Knight and stopped in my tracks when I caught my reflection in one of the broken windows of Colton’s house. I lost my breath in what I saw, I was beautiful. I had golden brown fur and yellow honey colored eyes that for once were not empty. I walked closer to the jagged piece of glass and looked at the gorgeous wolf in the reflection in awe.

“Dani come inside.” I looked to the side where Colton and Knight were standing in the doorway. Colton had changed back and put on his clothes gesturing me to come inside with one last look of my new reflection I obeyed him. As I stepped inside the house and followed them into the living room where a fire was already lite and crackling in the silence. I walked next to the fireplace and layed down on a soft carpet littered with hundreds of leaves while Knight followed my suit and curled up next to me on the ground. Colton only shook his head before he threw a blanket over us and sitting on a nearby couch easily getting comfortable.

As I watched the orange and yellow flames dance together I realized something. This was the new me someone stronger, braver, and happier and I will die before I will go back to the human girl I once was. I no longer am Mattie my name is Danniella and I for some reason am a wolf, but I would never have it another way. Mattie died a long time ago and Danniella was born the minute I stepped into those woods.  That was my last thought before my eyelids closed and I was pulled into my dreams without a fight effortlessly letting my mind wander.

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Thanks for reading!!!                         XOXO Lyla