In The Woods Somewhere

Chapter Twelve: Control

Glory folded her hands behind her head. Closing her eyes she leaned her head on the tree, pressing against it, making small scratches on her forehead.

Sweat swam down her temples. Down her back. Her shirt was almost drenched.

Her chest rose and fell. The pain was inescapable.

There was nothing Edan could do but watch.

The first month away from NightShape - her first full moon - it wasn't that bad. She just had a major temper and couldn't stand it when someone voiced their opinion. The second month - her second full moon without shifting, it wasn't that bad either, it was much like her first. Until the last three days of the cycle, that's when her temper turned physical. The third month of the full moon without shifting, her temper had slowed down. It's just that every little thing they said annoyed the hell out of her, and at night when the moon was visible, she started to feel the pain of her bones starting to shift by force - it was hard trying to control it but it was manageable. The fourth month of the full moon, the one she was currently experiencing, was the third all over. Just ten times more extreme.

Edan and Everest watched from the wooden cabin. Through the hole they considered to be their window. "Maybe you should go check if she's okay."

Edan looked at her like she was a serial killer. "Why me? You're the one that's buddy-buddy with her."

"It's your turn!"

"And? She'd kill me in a heartbeat. You're a lot stronger."

"No, I'm not.

"Okay," Edan challenged. "Let's say we both broke our legs. Who would heal faster?"

Everest furrowed her eyebrows and sputtered, trying to find words. "That's not fair. It's your turn!"

"Well, I don't speak female!"

"What's the difference?"

"I don't know!"

So the two bickered while Glory, in very much pain, was mere seconds away from shifting. Her canines grew, a layer of claws grew and hide her human ones. Her scent already getting stronger by just those simple actions.

"Glory," Edan sneaked up behind her; which probably wasn't the best idea.

A low growl erupted past her lips and she turned away from the tree. He put his hands up in defence, so she would see he wasn't a threat. Her wolf was taking over. Her eyes started to glow. She growled at him again. Her lips turned up to expose her sharp teeth. He stepped closer to her, despite her threatening growl.

Everest watched from the cabin. Thinking she should feel guilty for sending him out there with a murderous untamed female who was about to shift, but she didn't feel guilty. At all. To Everest, it just seemed like a better way for the two to spend time together and bond. They needed that.

Edan was never really into any females back in their pack. Even though he was hiding it. It took a blind wolf to see the chemistry the two had been developing the last four months, and they were both blind wolves. Okay, maybe it wasn't that obvious, but it was obvious to wolves that knew Edan before - to the ones that knew how little interest he showed in other female wolves before.

Glory, however, Everest didn't really know Glory before so maybe she was reading the signs wrong. Maybe she acted like this around all male wolves. Maybe she got all the wolves back home in her old pack like that. If she didn't, she was whipped. So badly. So intently. Everest even felt sorry for her. As for Edan, she was glad that he had to suffer. He deserved it.

Glory's eyes narrowed, the growls becoming louder, threatening.

Edan didn't know if he could stop her from shifting. It was hard. The first time that this happened to him he couldn't resist the temptation to shift either. He knew that if he couldn't stop her from shifting he had to get her as far away from here as possible, so her scent wouldn't stain their territory.