I closed my eyes but I couldn't fall asleep no matter what; my body wasn't used to resting this much, so it refused to sleep. As I lay in bed thinking about what to do, it occurred to me that I hadn't transformed into my wolf form for a long time. This might be the best activity for today. I got out of bed, put on some clothes, grabbed the house keys, and went outside. I walked toward the deep and wide forested area north of our region. Since I hadn't spent time with myself or my wolf for a long time, this walk would do us a lot of good.
After walking for a while, I stopped at the entrance of the forest. The surroundings were quiet and peaceful. Among the chirping of birds and the rustling of trees, the thought of finding myself again in the arms of nature warmed my heart. I started looking for a thick tree behind which I could comfortably take off my clothes and transform. Actually, werewolves don't mind nudity, but I did; I didn't want anyone else to see my body before my mate. I found a tree thick enough to hide me, got behind it, took off my clothes, and called my wolf to set it free.
Transformation always felt like a ritual. First, my hands turned into paws, my fingers replaced by strong claws. Then my mouth began to elongate, my long and sharp fangs becoming prominent. Although this process was a bit painful, I was always filled with the peace of freedom and being part of nature. My body began to grow fur; my golden-yellow coat slowly covered my entire body. Finally, my feet completed their transformation and touched the ground on all fours.
Being part of nature in this form was an incredible feeling. Every scent, every sound, every movement was much sharper and more meaningful. With my senses sharpened, I could feel every detail around me. The moisture of the soil, the breeze of the wind, the rustle of the trees; all of it made me feel like a part of nature. I took a deep breath and let myself go into the depths of the forest.
I started running, fast and free. The sound of leaves crunching under my feet, the howl of the wind filling my ears – everything was perfect. I hadn't felt this in a long time, and now, getting away from everything, I was moving only on instinct. I ran through the forest, between the trees, leaving all my worries and responsibilities behind.
After a while, I started to get tired and stopped by a stream. The water was clear and cool. I bent down and drank; even the taste of water was different in this natural form. As I rested, I looked around. Somewhere deep in the forest, maybe another animal's eyes were on me, but that didn't scare me. Being here as part of nature was more real and peaceful than anything else.
After resting for a while, I realized it was time to transform back. Slowly, I retreated and started the transformation process. This time, my golden-yellow fur gave way to human skin again, my paws turned back into hands, my fangs back into human teeth. After getting dressed and taking a deep breath, I started walking toward the exit of the forest, now back in my human form.
When I returned home, I felt more energetic and refreshed. This transformation and the experience of being in nature had given me the peace I was looking for. I was now ready for tomorrow's work and the meeting arranged by Aunt Meltem. I felt renewed both physically and mentally. I went to the kitchen to snack on something and decided to rest a bit before my evening shift at the bar. I now felt more prepared and energetic, as if I could handle anything.
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I didn't want to waste any more time at home, so I got ready and headed to the bar. The entrance of the bar was quite calm compared to yesterday. I went in, put on my apron, wiped the counter, and started waiting for the place to fill up. I would be working alone tonight; it was Mehmet's day off. Although working alone was tiring, sometimes it was good for clearing my mind.
When it was time to open, the place slowly started to fill up. Since it was the middle of the week, it wouldn't be crowded today, as usual. Under the bar's soft music and dim lights, customers began to enter one by one. While observing the silence and the calm beginning of the evening, an idea suddenly came to my mind.
I immediately took my phone, opened the message from Aunt Meltem, saved Murat's number to my contacts, and called him. "Coffee or a glass of wine, what's the difference?" I thought, and pressed the call button. The phone was answered after the third ring. The voice on the other end was a mature male voice.
"Hello," I said. "Hello, who is this?" he asked. "Hello, I'm Eylül, Aunt Meltem's niece," I said. "Ah yes, hello Eylül, how are you?" he said.
Apparently, he wanted to prolong the conversation, but I didn't have time for that. The bar was getting busier and I needed to get ready to serve customers. "Murat, I'm at the Blue Green Bar. I'd be very happy if you came. I have to get back to work now, I work here and I don't have time to talk. If you come, call me," I said and hung up without even waiting for a reply, put the phone in my apron pocket, and continued my work.
As the bar became more crowded, I worked quickly and carefully behind the counter. I prepared drinks, collected empty glasses, and attended to customers' requests. Although working alone was challenging, I did my job with love. This busy pace kept my mind occupied and prevented me from thinking about other things.
After a while, my phone rang. I looked at the screen and saw that Murat was calling. I quickly answered.
"Hello, it's Murat. I've arrived at the bar, where are you?" he said. "Hello Murat, I'm behind the counter. Come, I'm waiting for you here," I said.
After a short while, I saw Murat in front of the counter. He was a tall, charismatic man. He had a striking presence at first glance. "Hello Eylül," he said. "Hello Murat, welcome. What would you like to drink?" I asked. "I'll have a glass of red wine," he said. I quickly prepared his order and placed it in front of him. As Murat sipped his wine, he began to look around the place.
"Is it hard working here?" he asked. "Sometimes it can be hard, but I love my job," I said. He smiled and continued sipping his wine. Meanwhile, while serving customers, I also had short conversations with Murat. Despite the busyness, meeting and talking with him felt good.
As the night progressed, the bar calmed down a bit. Murat was getting ready to leave. He turned to me and said, "I shouldn't keep you busy any longer. Nice to meet you. We can talk longer another time."
"Nice to meet you too, Murat. See you later," I said. He said goodbye and left the bar. At the end of the night, I started cleaning up and closing the bar. Both working and meeting someone new today had given me a different kind of energy. This meeting arranged by Aunt Meltem hadn't turned out as badly as I had thought.
On my way home, I thought about the new opportunities tomorrow would bring. What happened today made me look at tomorrow with more hope and energy. I felt tired but happy. With a belief that everything would get better, I slowly opened my front door and went inside.
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It was a night as enjoyable as it was tiring. As soon as I got home, I washed my hands and face, put on my pajamas to relax, and threw myself straight into bed. After the intense hours I had spent, resting a bit would do me good. I wanted to rest and gather my energy before going to the palace in the morning. To start the new day with hope and a refreshed feeling, I closed my eyes and surrendered myself to sleep. As I lay in bed, thinking about what I had experienced during the night and what I needed to do the next day, I smiled slightly. Wishing that everything would go well, I slowly fell into a deep sleep.
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