Becoming

Healing

It has been several days now that I've stayed in the cabin with Easton, and just as the doctor said, my wounds are finally healed. The ache that went deep into my bones has finally appeased and I feel more rested than I have felt in years. "Good morning young lady." Doctor Grant greets me. I finally learned his name through our daily conversations. "Hello Dr. Grant, I think I'm ready to go home now. I need to be with my parents and my brother I can only imagine the torment they are feeling right now." I see Easton from the corner of my eye flinch at the thought of me leaving. But I can't worry about that right now. My parents are probably frantic and it's time I go see them. "Well, your wounds are pretty much healed they only look like scratches now, which will definitely help sell your story of being lost in the woods. I believe it is ok for you to go home, but I will miss our conversations." He pats me on the shoulder tenderly and closes the door as he leaves.
"Do you have to go?" Easton asks somberly. I laugh at his puppy dog eyes he has perfected the look and it takes every ounce of my being to deny him. "You know I have to, but come on you can sneak into my room tonight. That is if my mom even lets me out of her sight. I'm not sure if she's going to be mad or relieved. I'm thinking mad." I say with a slight quiver in my voice. "Remember the media is going to be all over your house and the FBI will be questioning you, so you have to make sure you keep your story straight." "I know Easton, we have been through this a million times. I was devastated (insert eye roll here) at the thought of you breaking up with me so I went for a hike in the forest and got lost. I exit the forest miles away, where one of your pack members will find me scratched, starved, and dehydrated, and he will drive me to my house." I say annoyed that we are discussing this again. "Ok, well, let's get you into the forest are you ready to shift again?" I haven't shifted since a week ago and I'm a little nervous about feeling that pain again. "Don't worry baby doll the pain will not feel like that again I can't even believe you endured hours of that to begin with. You are the strongest person I know." He says as he gently runs his fingers down the reminder still left on my face. I look at his face as he's examining my "scratch" and I am overwhelmed with a sense of love that I've never felt before. I've never felt like this and I'm not really sure what to do with this feeling.

"Ok well how about we get this ball rolling and you teach me how to become a wolf again?" I laugh trying to shake off my sudden cheesy emotions. "Alright well, let's head outside. We definitely don't need you breaking everything in the house!" He laughs grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder. "Hey you big jerk! I am capable of walking on my own and I wouldn't break anything! I'm a natural." I say as I hit him on the back.

It is a little colder outside this morning than when I left and the leaves are starting to fall off the trees. I'm lost in my thoughts when I hear Alex, and Julie come outside. "Hey there Queen B! So glad you could finally grace us with your presence!" Alex jokes patting me on the head. "You better watch how you talk to royalty Alex, or I might lock you up in the dungeon!" I say swatting his hand away. Julie comes and gives me an extra long hug. "You are in serious need of a makeover but I am so glad you are feeling better!" I can't wait until you and Easton officially bond and make us sisters!" My face turns red when she says this. I have no idea what this bonding process is, but I definitely don't like having this conversation in front of Alex or Easton. Thankfully, Hanna comes out and saves me from my mortification. "Well, Easton! Hurry up and teach her! I'm so excited to see you in wolf form Easton said you are the prettiest wolf he's ever seen!" My face turns bright red once again. I've never had this kind of attention especially from people who are the epitome of perfection.

"Ok, so just how I talked you into your human form, it is the exact same but now you're going to picture yourself in wolf form. Imagine your teeth shifting into sharp fangs. Imagine your white fur sprouting over your skin. Smell the rich soil on the ground. Listen to the bugs crawling over the dried leaves." I'm picturing all of these things in my mind just as if it was the night of my first shift. And again, I start to feel the tingling sensation. I force myself not to fear it but to embrace it and as I do so, the burning sensation comes but now it just feels like a warm campfire and not the heat of a thousand suns. I can feel my teeth changing and my bones bending but it isn't the excruciating pain I felt over and over again for hours. Before I know it, I find myself in my wolf form and I howl with excitement. Everyone is staring at me in shock, and I'm worried that maybe I didn't shift correctly when finally Hanna speaks, "You're beautiful Charlee, you are the most gorgeous wolf we've ever seen! And your marking, it's in your fur too! It's so weird though it's the same color as Easton's fur!" "I noticed that the first night too. It's like we are already bonded without even being bonded." Easton says as he steps forward to run his fingers through my fur. I instantly close my eyes at the soothing feeling and I can't help myself and start to nuzzle his neck. "Well, before things become to heated how about we break up this love session and go for a run!" Alex says punching Easton in the shoulder. Everyone heads behind a tree to shift. They come back with bags around their necks and we take off to the destination that I will be picked up to head home.