Element

Element XXVI

Leaving Zayne's office. I headed back to Alora's room and spent the afternoon lying in her bed trying not to think about tomorrow. As a normal human being, a week ago I would have been complaining about going back to school tomorrow but as a werewolf, I now had to travel south and worry about rouges. 

"Rebecca, I feel so overwhelmed." Letting out a sigh, I continued to stare at the TV without actually watching it. 

"Tell me what's wrong young one?"  Considering her question, I didn't even know where to begin. 

"I don't know really. I feel like everyone expects me to be moving at 100 MPH and I feel like I can barely walk. They are asking a lot out of me and I barely know what is actually happening." I tried to explain.

"Helen, everyone understands that this is all new to you. No one expects you to be perfect." She said trying to speak rationally into my predicament.

"They want us to go tomorrow Rebecca..." 

"I know young one and it's our responsibly to be there." She answered.

"I know. They expect me to be there in order to protect them. How am I supposed to be able to do that if I don't even know how to use my abilities?"  I could feel the stresses begin to weigh me down. How am I supposed to handle it all?

"Helen, you can't just expect to know how to do everything right away. Like Julian said, some Elementals take time to develop the parts that make them who they are." 

"I know. But Cole just turned and he can already use wind. I can't do anything." Burying my head into the pillows, maybe I should have stayed a secret a while longer; at least until my abilities came in.

"No. The goddess' people needed to know that you are here; that you are prepared to fight for them. The goddess has a plan and even though it seems overwhelming and confusing, your future will soon begin to make sense." 

Letting out a sigh, I knew she would say these things and I still didn’t feel confident in myself. Grabbing my phone and checking the time, I had an hour before I met with Julian and I knew I needed to get my mind off of things. 

Jumping off the bed, I grabbed a change of clothes and went downstairs. Stepping into the afternoon sunlight, I took a deep breath and headed towards the forest. 

Walking just inside the tree line, I took off my clothes and took a calming breath in. Closing my eyes, I willed the transformation to happen and when I opened my eyes again, images were sharper and clearer. I could hear the birds chirping from miles away and I could hear the pounding of paws on the earth from the pack wolves running the property line on patrol.

Shaking out my fur, I felt every hair stand on end as my wolf anticipated the moment when we would spring into movement and take off at a run.

Feeling the tension build within my limbs, I crouched low and suddenly took off. The speed was incredible. I pushed myself as fast as possible. I dove and dived and leapt around the obstacles within my path.

To others, they would barely be able to see me. If they did happen to see me, they would think their eyes were playing tricks on them.

Changing course, I headed North through the trees with a path in mind. As I continued to push myself as fast as possible, I was amazed that everything was still crystal clear to my eye.

Slowing down my pace slightly, I exited through the tree line until I was at the clearing where I had my first change. Trotting up to the rock that dominated the space, I laid down on it and stared at myself in the water’s reflection.