The Pack

Chapter 11

“Oh no!” was she changing? Now?! 

All she could do was think about Kono and his promise to be by her side. Where was he? Another stabbing pain hit her stomach as she wrapped her arms around her waist and screamed. Everything was spinning around her and her breathing was so fast. Her blood felt as if it were boiling and she couldn’t focus on anything except the pain.

“Hey! It’s ok. Anika, I’m right here.” She looked over and seen Kono sitting beside her back in his human form.

“It hurts!”

“I know, it’ll be over soon, just breathe. I’m right here.” She tried to focus again. The pain was all still there but she focused on those deep dark eyes looking back at her, full of love and concern. She could feel a calming sensation coming from his body and filling her own. 

Her bones began to break and the cracking sound echoed in her ears. She looked at her hands and noticed light brown fur beginning to grow. She closed her eyes tightly to bear the pain and when she opened them again, she was standing in front of a wide-eyed Kono, with a smile from ear to ear.

“You did it! You changed. You’re so beautiful.” Was she? She wanted to see for herself but had no way to see. She could hear everything more clearly. She could see things more precisely. Her senses were all heightened and she no longer felt even a hint of fear of this change.

“Do you want to see?” She looked over at him and nodded her head. He smiled again. Then he changed himself back into his wolf form. “You can still hear me right?”

“Yes! And you can hear me?”

“Yes! We are linked in mind and body. We can hear each others thoughts and will feel each others pain and will also be able sense or feel each others emotions. Like I said, this is all new to me, but my father did explain some things that would happen. Come! Let’s go to the river so you can see yourself.” 

With that, they both ran to the rivers edge. She walked up to the edge and peered into the still waters. By the light of the moon, she could see her reflection and she couldn’t believe it. She was a wolf. A huge, furry, beautiful wolf.

“Yes, you are beautiful.” If she wasn’t covered in fur, he would’ve seen her cheeks burning bright red.

“So...how do I change back?”

“You just think of your human form, and you will change back.”

“That’s it? What about my clothes?” Kono closed his eyes and just as quick as he changed into his wolf, he was right back to his human self, and he was still dressed. “A new perk I'm told, don’t worry.” 

Well that was a relief. She closed her eyes and pictured her human self. She waited just a second before reopening her eyes and looking down. She was herself again.

“You make changing look so easy and painless.” Kono nodded at her statement.

“The first time is the hardest, but the more times you change the easier it will be to change and the pain will subside."

“Oh! Good, because that was horrible.” Kono just laughed at her. 

She remembered the man he chased after. Before she could get the words out, he already knew what she was thinking.

“He got away. I almost had him but your wolf was calling out to mine and I could feel your pain. I remembered my promise to you and I didn't want the first promise I had ever made to you to be broken so, I came back. I’ll take care of it, don’t worry love.” Love? That was new. But as he pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head, she found that she really liked it, it fit.