Ashes (Book 3 of The Fire Trilogy)

Chapter 1: I am going to go Mama Bear on some mother fuckers.

Chapter 1: I am going to go Mama Bear on some mother fuckers.

I brushed my hands through my hair as I looked impatiently back at Maya.

"Come on Maya," I called, "its only a little ways from here."

She stuck out her bottom lip and pouted revealing a small wiggly tooth in her 8 year old mouth.

"You said the clearing wasn't far away five minutes ago," she said with a huff, "My feet hurt and I'm tired!"

"Come on, Maya. You know you want a lesson," I told her and she opened her mouth in a smile.

She loved lessons because she knew she'd change into a wolf one day and I was teaching her the proper way to do so.

I finally stepped into the clearing with Maya on my heels and started taking off my shirt while her bright eyes watched me in fascination.

And before you people go all, "Eight year old wants your bod," on me just know that werewolves are very close.

I have my pack.

Granted, it's not werewolves, but they have gotten used to the fact that sometimes walking around the house without a shirt on is normal.

Well, as normal as a teenage female werewolf wearing a sports bra walking around the house eating out of a bucket of ice cream can be.

You know... not that I have ever done that.

Haha....

I took off my pants and sports bra and got on the ground.

I shimmied my way out of my underwear and sat there.

I imagined myself as a wolf. How my nails would thicken and grow, how hair would grow on my arms and hands.

I saw the process working and I allowed my body to take control for the shift.

My bones crunched and I held back my screams as my body contorted itself into that of a wolf.

I lay down for a few seconds panting. Letting myself get adjusted to my wolf form.

I open my eyes and blink, once, twice, until I am able to distinguish objects.

I look over at Maya who, like the times before, is looking at me deeply in fascination.

I nod my muzzle toward my back. What are you waiting for? Get on.

I rarely do this only because I don't like the feeling of having someone on my back, but Maya's smell has adjusted to me. She smells a little like a wolf and my wolf doesn't mind helping another one. Sort of in a mother-like way. Even if I think of Maya as a little sibling, it doesn't bother me.

Maya grabs a handful of my fur and pulls herself on.

While I admit her pulling my hair to get on does hurt a tiny bit it only feels like when your hair is lightly pulled.

Not like a 60 pound child clinging onto your fur with her full body weight.

Thank God for pain tolerance.

She settles herself on my back by leaning down and holding onto me with her arms and legs.

I hike up my hind-quarters and then take a running jump into the woods.

And then I run as fast as my four legs will take me.

Maya is laughing and giggling in my ear. She is having fun.

I don't want to know if she's laughing because she doesn't have to walk or if she's laughing because a wolf is running at 50 mph and the only thing she has to hold onto is my fur and me.