Pursued (Completed) ✔️

Chapter 23

(Teeny, tiny, recap coming up... Ben is going to show her its all real by changing for her!)
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He took a step back, in just his underwear, and struck a pose. It was so unexpected that I burst out laughing. He winked.... and then his skin rippled.
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His actual skin rippled like something moved just under the surface. From his very calm face to his feet.
"I can change faster but it takes more energy and that means I get sleepy when I change back too soon after."
"Hey, I wouldn't know! Not judging you here.." I threw my hands up with a grin.

His muscles rippled with his skin, he dropped to his head with a groan.
"I shoulda got the popcorn," I grinned. "nothing like a good horror movie."
Something cracked and he raised his head. His eyes looked further apart and they definitely weren't human anymore.
My skin responded with goosebumps.

"I'm still me. My wolf and I are one." A gravelly voice that didn't sound like Ben, told me.
A cold sweat broke out on my head. Fear coursed through me and I understood that the bin might not be such a bad idea as the first cracks sounded and his limbs twisted in unnatural ways. He groaned as he dropped to his knees, what was left of them. His legs had shortened and I decided to try and focus on his face. I swallowed several times, my mouth dry, afraid to blink.

Half a smile made it to my face as his unfamiliar eyes stared into mine.
"You know?..I think that the popcorn might have been too much after all."
A huff was all he managed but I convinced myself that he laughed with me as more bones broke and shifted. As the very person I'd known for so long disappeared.
His skin rippled again and this time hair started covering his body. His face. It wasn't Ben anymore, this was an apex predator. I glanced at his body and watched as the hair grew longer, shaggier. His nails looked sharp and dangerous. I continued to take in the changes one at the time, continuing to ignore the cracks and pops of his reforming body.

My perception of reality shifted and the reality of time disappeared.
This was taking forever and it was going too fast.
There was a man, he changed, then there was a wolf. A wolf that proudly sat before me with his head slightly to the side as he stared at me. I focused on his eyes again and recognized Ben, despite the glow of the wolf's eyes I recognized him.

He waited. Unmoving.
I watched. Unblinking.
My mind racing as it tried to adjust to this new reality that I had stumbled into. My breathing finally slowed and my heart rate lowered to a more sustainable level as we continued to stare at each other. Black as night fur with glowing eyes of liquid honey. He was huge. Sharp nails and a wet nose. I finally managed a careful smile. He had a wet nose, like a dog. My dogs frightened some people because they were quite big but now, compared to this creature, they looked like cute, little puppies and a tiny corner of my mind tried to tell me that I should escape.

He huffed. My eyes shot back to his and the moment our eyes met he stomped a paw down before him. He was asking me to go to him. No, he demanded me to go to him. I sat frozen on the bed and he just cocked his head again. Years passed, or maybe they were merely minutes, before I moved ever so slowly. I slid from my spot and let my feet take my weight as they carefully shuffled forward.

I was standing on shaking legs and his head was level to my chest. I was tall.
He was freaking huge.
Another shuffle, he stayed rooted in the spot.
I reached out my hand, like you did with new dogs.
"I know you're in there Ben, but you talk about the wolf as something with his own opinions. So I'm going to just... you know... introduce myself."
He chuffed again. I was pretty sure he was laughing at me as he slowly moved his nose into my outstretched hand.

"May I touch you?"
I smiled as he nodded an enthusiastic yes, reminding me that this was still Ben. So far I was actually quite alright. Maybe a bit more sweaty and my heart had settled in a faster beat than usual but still, quite alright. Another small step and I carefully ran my hand over his head.