Shift

Training

I ducked, narrowly missing the fist that came at my face, and swung my leg out in a kick. He grabbed my leg, twisting me until I was flat on my stomach and he was pinning me to the ground, fangs at my neck.
"Again," Chris murmured.
I pushed him off angrily, bouncing up and down a few times and stretching my shoulders.
"Don't get emotional, Stacey."
We'd been at this for days. The snow fell lightly on the ground, marking the start of winter- we'd been here a month now. As I grew more hormonal and my body senses grew more heightened, Chris pushed me harder and harder in training. It seemed futile; I wasn't a fighter. I was thin and toned, and I was fast, but I wasn't good on the offensive. I missed easy giveaways and gave chips cheap shot opportunities when I was on the defensive. I got emotional and let it cloud the instinctive part of me, hindering my fighting skills substantially.

I nodded, eyes narrowed. I imagined myself breathing out a cloud of emotions, getting it out of the way so i could trust the animal instinct in me and fight back.

Chris crouched and jumped at me with no warning.

I twisted out of the way, reaching out and grabbing his arms. I pinned them behind his back and pulled him down to my level, planting a kiss at his jugular.

He spun around in shocked happiness, picking me up and kissing me. "You did it!!" He exclaimed.

I grinned, feeling incredibly proud of myself. Maybe I wasn't so bad, after all. ~

"What do you want for dinner?" I asked.
"Mmmm... surprise me."
I put my hands on my hips, looking in the cupboard. I'd taken chicken out earlier to thaw, so I grabbed cream cheese and spinach and got to work stuffing the chicken. Once it was in the oven, I set a timer and plopped down at the table.

Chris's strong hands started massaging the knots in my shoulders.
"You okay?" He asked.
I closed my eyes and leaned back into him. His warmth and minty, woodsy smell calmed my nerves.
I nodded.
"You're strong," he whispered. "It's okay to not be okay."
I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes. My body was changing, my emotions all over the place. I'd abandoned my family and friends. I was a freak of nature whose family and friends would be horrified of her if they knew the truth. Of course I wasn't okay.

But Chris was being so sweet and working so hard to train me and protect me. How could I let him know how torn up I was inside?

I grabbed his hands, kissing his forearm. "I know."

He planted a kiss on my head and poured me some lemonade. I smiled half heartedly, working to make it genuine. I did love him. I wouldn't change finding out about myself and our shared abnormalities for anything.

~

I looked over the top of the trees, eyes wide open despite the early hour. I'd climbed up the tallest tree in our back yard to watch the sunrise, and I was not disappointed.

The ground below me was dark, but up here was awash in lavender, pink, and a soft gold as the sun made its slow ascent.
I breathed in the cold and saw my breath as I exhaled. The branch I stood on was coated in ice. A month ago, I couldn't have made the climb up here, much less balanced on an icy tree branch more than 30 feet above the ground.
My body was changing. I sharply could see minuscule ice particles in the frozen parts of the trees; I could see the colors of the sunrise more vividly than ever before; I could hear small creatures I never imagined were out here before...all of this.

Footsteps fell softly, ever so softly, below me. I stiffened, immediately on alert. My heartbeat quickened its pace, all peace gone from my body. I crouched below the top of the tree and peered below me.
Chris was looking for me.
I smiled, whistling. His head snapped to me. I waved and beckoned him up.

He moved quickly, gracefully, not missing a beat as he scaled the tree.
He settled next to me, close but not touching. I breathed in his scent, my heartbeat slowing down finally.
"Couldn't sleep?" He asked.
"No. I decided to watch the sunrise."

His eyes were questioning. I knew he wanted to comfort me, to be there for me. So I smiled and leaned into his side.

He let out a grateful sigh, wrapping his arms around me and kissing the top of my head.

"Everything is different," I murmured.
"It is."
"I'm different."
"You're still you, Stacey. You just have...extra parts."
I grinned. "Extra parts?"
"I'm trying to be delicate."
I giggled, wrapping my arms around him in return and kissing his cheek. He smiled, looking down at me like he'd just been given ten million dollars- awestruck, happy.

I turned my gaze back to the rising sun.
~

On mile 9, I felt the stitches in my side. I focused on my breathing- in through my nose, out through my mouth- and fought to keep my strides even.
My legs burned. My chest felt like it would burst at any moment, my breaths painful.
I rounded the big oak tree and increased my pace, desperate to be finished, desperate to breathe again.

I saw Chris ahead, and I fought with all of my strength to move just a bit quicker, to stretch my legs just a bit more... I passed him and stuck my hand out to slap the mailbox, marking my 10-mile endpoint.

I collapsed, arms around my knees, and struggled to even out my breathing. I laid back in the snow, letting the icy cold soothe my aching muscles.
Chris joined me. His hair was stuck to his face, his cheeks red. I'd never seen him so affected my a workout- it gave me a small ego boost to know I'd beaten him to the finish line and he was also exhausted from the running.

"You're a soccer player," he panted. "You're used to running. Not fair."

I laughed hard. "You're a fucking wolf!"

He joined me in laughing, his eyes closed and head thrown back in mirth.

He was beautiful. His strong jaw, russet skin, raven hair, dazzling smile.. I was a pile of mush.

We'd been training for six weeks now. My body had been pushed to the limit. I'd been exhausted and thought I couldn't go any further... but I had. I was here. Chris was here.

I smiled as I laid back in the snow, truly content for the first time since our sudden departure from home.