Sharp Edges

The World as I Know It

One year since arriving in Jasper...

"Jules where are we going?" I ask her for the fifth time.

"I told you babe, it's a surprise."

"No offense but I don't know whether that worries or excites me. Your surprises tend to be a little.... over-the-top." I laugh.

"Well, this is definitely a surprise that you won't soon forget." Jules smiles at me, but I can see the worry behind her eyes.

"Hey. Don't worry. I am sure I will love it. You know me almost as well as I know myself. You can practically finish my sentences. If anyone can pick a surprise that I will like it's you." I say, trying to lighten her mood.

She just nods, and smiles turning her attention back to road. We had been driving for almost an hour now and are deep in the mountains. I look out the window taking in the beautiful forest.

"Where is Zack today?" I ask Jules trying to change the subject. "He stayed with me last night, but when I got back from my run this morning he was gone."

Jules seems to tense a little at my question, but the tension is gone almost as fast as I register it.

"So, Zack stayed with you again last night? I bet that was fun." She wiggles her eyebrows at me, and then continues. "I want details. Spill, and don't you dare leave out the juicy bits."

"Just our usual s*x, shower s*x, sleep, more s*x, routine." I smile at her. "Similar to your routine, I am sure." I reply.

"Okay, that is the exact definition of leaving out the juicy bits..." Jules laughs, and continues, "He does know how to take care of a girls needs doesn't he?" She asks playfully.

"That he does." I laugh. "I've never been in a relationship with someone where it was just physical. It is kind of nice. Especially after..." I let the sentence hang, and Jules fills in the rest.

Over the past year Jules had slowly gotten bits and pieces of my past, and now she knows the whole story. She also knows the pain that I still feel over it and how I sometimes feel like it might consume me. However, instead of pitying me she encouraged me to better myself. Make myself smarter, stronger, faster, more cunning. We were grown adults who often played games like children. Once she had me swim laps in the pool at my apartment complex for an entire month, then challenged me to see who could swim across the lake the fastest. She beat me by a long shot, but I was just happy to have made it across without drowning. Jules had seemed impressed also, even though I lost.

"Honey, I know you still hurt over Jaxon. You probably always will, but Skye?" She makes sure I am looking at her before she continues. "You are not the same broken girl who arrived in Jasper a year ago. Jaxon shattered your world, but you picked up the pieces and built a better one. One with Zack and me. We love you, and we will never let anyone hurt you again. Your family now Skye. You have been since day one, but especially after today."

"Today?" I give her a questioning look hoping to get some idea on what this big surprise was.

My mind starts jumping to conclusions. Assuming the worst. Jules said 'I have been family since day one, but especially after today,’?? If Zack tries to propose today, I swear I will kill him. He wouldn't though, right? This was just s*x. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy. Probably take a bullet for him, and Jules too, but this isn't marriage kind of love. Zack knows that right?......Shit.

"Nice try, but my lips are sealed." She takes one hand off of the wheel and pretends to zip her lips and throw the key out the window; completely oblivious to my inner turmoil.

I cannot help but laugh at my best friend despite the heaviness of the previous topic, and the possibility of a looming proposal, curtesy of my own overactive imagination. Plus, she was right about the Jaxon stuff. Jules had a way of always saying the right things, and I was probably way off with the assumption of Zack's proposal. Zack and I were inseparable, but we both knew where we stood. I had made sure of it from the beginning.

Finally, Jules exits the main road taking a small gravel road that winds up the side of a mountain.

About halfway up the mountain she pulls off to the side of the road and parks the car. I give her a questioning look, but before I can ask, she is climbing out of the car. Confused I get out, and meet Jules at the front of her car, where she stands with her hands on her hips looking into the woods.

"We are going hiking!" She cheers pointing to a small sign indicating a trail head. If she had not pointed it out, I wouldn’t have noticed the trail at all.

Looking away from the trail back to my friend I reply, "Not that I don't love a good hike Jules, but we are not exactly dressed for one right now." I wave my hand over my tank top, blue jeans, and flimsy flats, and then to her blouse, blue jeans, and heeled dress boots.

"Dressing for the occasion would have ruined some of the mystery but have no fear…I brought us both hiking boots, and a set of clothes fit for the environment." She takes my hand leading me to the trunk of her car. Inside we find two back packs filled with clothes, and supplies. I look at Jules who is smiling triumphantly. I can't help but compare her to a child who got away with stealing from the cookie jar at grandma’s house, and a smile spreads across my face.

"So hiking is your big surprise?" I ask skeptically. "Not that I would be disappointed if it were," I assure her. "but you are not the type to get so worked up over something so... simple." I look at her sideways while removing one of the bags from the trunk of her little car. 

Her last surprise was for my birthday, where a one-thousand-dollar shopping spree was followed by a party where strippers were the highlight of the evening, followed by a night with Zack that left me in bed recovering for the whole weekend. Jules didn’t do simple… like ever.

"Hiking is not the surprise. Now get changed. We must get a move on. Even though I drove over the speed limit to get us here, we are still a little behind since you were running late... again." Jules answers with her hands on her hips. Then she jesters for me to start changing while she removes the other backpack and proceeds to starts stripping right there on the side of the road.

"Jules! What are you doing?" I exclaim laughing. "What if someone sees you?" I look up and down the small gravel road we came in on.

"Skye, you worry too much! No one comes here. This hiking trail is one of the many hidden gems of Jasper. Now... trust me and get changed or I will leave you behind." She threatens playfully.

"Okay. Okay. I'm changing." I laugh, shaking my head at her.

Once we are changed Jules leads us over to the trail head, and we begin our hike. Despite it being a hidden gem, as Jules had called it, the trail is obviously well worn. The hike starts out with hardly any incline, but it increases significantly the further we go; becoming rigorous, cluttered with rocks, and other natural obstacles.

 It takes only about an hour for me to feel winded.

"How are you not dying?!" I call out to Jules in front of me. “We are basically climbing straight upwards!”

When she looks back at me, I notice she is not the slightest bit winded, and where my body has started to produce beads of sweat over the surface of my skin, Jules seems completely unfazed.

"Oh. s**t Skye. I'm sorry. Why didn't you tell me to slow down?" She joins me a few paces back. "Here. Let’s take a break." She leads me off the trail a few yards to a flat stone under a big pine tree.

"I like to think I am pretty fit, but you put me to shame." I say to her as we sit down. I take two bottles of water from my backpack, handing her one before I continue. "I hope, with all the workouts you put me through, I'll have your stamina sooner than later."

"Funny you should mention having my stamina. Come on. We are almost there." She answers, getting to her feet. She offers me her hand and pulls me to my feet.

It's official. My best friend is trying to kill me. I can see the headlines now, "Twenty-Four-year-old woman dies from exhaustion today while hiking in Jasper, Canada." I laugh to myself at my overactive imagination. First marriage, now death via hiking trail.

We take off up the trail again, but this time Jules sets her pace to match mine, walking next to me as we make our way upward.

"You like me, right Skye? Like, as a person?" Jules asks after a few minutes.

Surprised by her question I look over at Jules. Her elbow is practically touching mine as we walk, but she doesn't look at me.

"Of course, I like you! How could I not? How could anyone not? You're like this ray of sunshine, and everyone you encounter is affected by your warmth." I look at her again. She seems to be considering my words, so I continue. "I honestly wonder how you manage to be so happy and positive all the time."

She finally looks at me. "Thank you, Skye. That means a lot."

"Jules why are you asking? Did someone tell you that you were a bad person?" I asked, already getting angry at the thought. 

"What? No. Nothing like that. I was simply asking for your opinion. What about Zack?"

"Zack? What about him?"

She stops walking, grabbing my arm lightly so that I also stop, and turn to face her. "Do you think Zack is a good person? You trust him, right?"

"Jules, I don't know where this is going, but yes. Zack is also a good person, and I do trust him." I answer.

Jules is quite for a moment lost in her own thoughts. I sigh, putting my hands on her shoulders as if I am ready to shake some sense into her. Maybe she needs a good shaking. She is making zero sense.

Still, she looked like she needed more convincing, and I wanted to put her doubts to rest. I smile playfully at her to lighten the mood. I make a scout’s honor sign with my right hand then say, "I, Skye Coleman, believe without a shadow of a doubt that Jules and Zack are good people, and I trust them with my life. They have taken me in as one of their own, and I will love them like family for the rest of my life... Even if I am sleeping with Zack." I add the last part to make her laugh and it works.

"Okay. Okay. I believe that you like us." Jules said laughing, moving to continue up the trail.

She looks back at me to make sure I am following before she adds, "Do me a favor, and remember this conversation when we get to the clearing."

Confused yet again by her meaning, I follow her replaying the conversation in my head. 

After another half hour or so of hiking in silence I notice the terrain has leveled out a bit. The trees begin to thin, and then we come upon a large clearing.

This must be the clearing Jules had mentioned earlier.

Sure enough, Jules walks to the center of the clearing and begins removing her backpack. I join her in the middle while she pulls out a blanket and lays it out neatly for us to rest on. Her backpack forgotten Jules lies on her back with a sigh of relief. I remove my backpack as well, taking out two bottles of water. I hand her one as I spread out next to her.

We lie there in silence for a while catching our breath and watching the sky. I feel my heart rate slow, and eventually return to normal before Jules speaks.

"Skye, I need to tell you something, and you're not going to believe it."

Your pregnant.

Wait...pregnant? Why is that my first thought? I mentally palm my forehead. It would make sense though. Her nerves. All her questions about them being good people. Even the hike into the middle of nowhere. She probably wanted to tell me here encase I got upset and wanted to leave. We were both sleeping with Zack, after all.

Jules's voice interrupts my inner babble. "I can see your wheels turning Skye, but I promise whatever you’re thinking right now, you're not even close."

"O k a y . . .?" I reply unsure of how to respond.

"I'm not really sure how to tell you so I'm just going to come right out and say it. Will you promise to stay, and listen to everything I have to say before you reply, or freak out, or leave?"

Yep... She's totally pregnant.

"Jules you're starting to scare me."

Jules sits up from where she had been lying and waits for me to follow.

"Will you promise?" She asks again, her face pleading.

"I can't promise not to freak out, but I can promise to hear you out before I freak out. I can also promise that nothing you tell me will change my opinion of you." I reply, adding the last part because of her concern for my opinion of her on the hike.

She is quiet for a moment before she looks into my eyes and says, "Skye, Zack and I are werewolves, and we want you to become a part of our pack."

What?! I must have heard that wrong...? If not, my best friend has completely, and utterly lost it.

"I know you’re probably thinking I'm off my rocker, but it's true Skye. We didn't tell you for obvious reasons, but we are tired of keeping you in the dark."

"...

...

..."

"Skye? Say something? The silence is unbearable."

Say something? What does someone say when their best friend who just dropped a bomb like that?! At first my mind rejected what Jules had said. There was no way. Just....no f*****g way! However, the more I thought about it, the more questions it answered. Both Jules and Zack were incredibly strong and had ridiculous stamina. They ate all the time but never gained weight. Not to mention the Jules/Zack/Skye s*x situation. How affectionate they were from day one.... My mind replays Jules's explanation for their relationship...

"Think about the relationship with me and Zack as something similar to...a friends with benefits scenario. It's more complicated than that, but that is the best way to describe it, for now. We have needs... physical needs I mean. Zack satisfies mine and I satisfy his, but it's more than that. We care about each other like family. You could even say we love each other but it's a... companion kind of love...not a partner kind of love."

"Okay, so let's just say for a minute that I believe you, which I'm still not one hundred percent sure that I do, what...how... when... I don't even know where to start!" I take a deep breath to calm myself and throw myself back on the blanket in an attempt to avoid eye contact with Jules without hurting her feelings, before I start again. "Let's just say for a minute that I believe you, you're telling me that I have been sleeping with a fricken werewolf for eight months, and no one thought that would be good information for me to have... Oh... I don't know... before I started sleeping with him!?"

Jules is silent, looking down at me like I am the one who just told her I was the supernatural creature that is only supposed to exist in books, and not the other way around.

"Jules?"

"Sorry Skye, I just... I just told you that your best friend and lover are werewolves, and your first thought is to be upset that we didn't tell you BEFORE you two hooked up? "

"Well, it's kind of something a girl should know don't you think. I can't believe you didn't tell me! What about girl code!?"

"It's not exactly information you just drop on people Skye. Would you have believed me if I had told you that fist night when Zack had you pinned against his truck? Or even after you had been here for months, and finally decided to stop fighting your desires? Hell, I'm not even sure if you believe me now! I expected you to get pissed! To yell, or cry, or at the very least accuse me of belonging in a mental institution!"

 "Well if I'm being honest, my brain still thinks you’re a little off your rocker, but in my heart, I believe you. It explains a lot of things I hadn't been able to before." I reply.

"So, you don't hate me? You don't think I am some disgusting monster that shouldn't exist?" Her voice cracks at the end, and I can tell she is on the verge of tears.

I brace myself and sit up from where I had been laying while we talked. "Look Jules, I don't hate you. I could never hate you. You’re my best friend. Your actually one of the nicest people I've ever met. Wolf or no wolf. As for Zack, well sexy beast takes on a whole new meaning now, doesn't it?"

We laugh for a moment at my joke, and she raps her arms around me pulling me in for a hug. "So, you’re really okay with this?" Jules asks again.

I pull away so that I can make eye contact. Something I had been avoiding since she told me.

"Jules don't get me wrong, I am a little hurt you didn't tell me sooner, but I get why. It's just that you know my whole life's story, and now I feel like there is this huge part of you that I don't even know. This huge part of Zack... that I don't know… and considering we have had s*x on literally every surface in my apartment I didn't think there was anything about that man I didn't know.... I guess what I am trying to say is that I can handle the wolf thing. I'll definitely need more details on that in a minute, but it just kind of stings a little that I've trusted the two of you with all my secrets, trusted Zack with my body even, but it took you basically a whole year to trust me with yours. I know it’s a completely different situation. Your secret is this huge supernatural thing, and all of mine consist of a few orgasms and an epic heart break, but still."

"Oh Skye. I am so sorry! It's not that we didn't want to tell you, or that we didn't trust you with our secret. We just wanted you to be ready. We wanted you to know who we were before we dropped such a big weight on your shoulders. We have both bonded to you and we didn't want to scare you away."

"I guess I can see your point."

There is a long pause and Jules is quiet letting me process and organize my thoughts.

"Jules?"

"Yes?"

"Does Zack know that you’re telling me all of this?" I ask. "Thinking back over my time here in Jasper, I think this is the longest I've gone without seeing him. Is it weird that, even after everything you just told me, I kind of miss him? I am starting to worry that I am developing feelings for him. Like... real feelings. My head says this thing between us is just s*x, but the way I feel when he is around, the absence when he is away, the things my body feels when he touches me, I have only ever felt those things before with Jaxon."

A knowing smile appears on Jules’s face before she speaks, "You may very well be developing feelings for him, but what you're feeling for Zack could also be caused by the pack bond. I have never heard of a human feeling the bond before they make the change, but wolves don’t typically bond to a human either.”

When I just stare at her blankly, she continues. "It makes sense that you haven't really noticed the pull before, because we never go exceedingly long without seeing you. Since you have arrived what is the longest you have gone without one of us?"

"Umm... I don't know. Maybe six hours." 

"And when was the last time you saw Zack?"

"Well, he was in my bed at 5 this morning when I went for my run, and it is almost 6 now."

"So, eleven hours without him, and you’re feeling the pull? That is amazing."

"Jules, I am a little out of my element here, so I am going to need you to fill me in."

"s**t. Sorry girl. You’re just taking this so well; it is easy to forget that you literally just found out."

"It's fine, just fill me in. What is the pull?" I reply to her.

"Well,..."

Jules starts, but doesn't finish as she looks over my shoulder and into the trees.

"Jules?"

"Sorry. Again. Look I want to fill you in on everything, but I think it would be best if Zack were here also. He is nearby and has been listening to me break the news to you. He was prepared to come out in his wolf form in case you didn't believe me, but he can come out in which ever form you would feel most comfortable with now. Hearing that you feel the pull, as well, has his wolf excited, and it's taken all his power to keep his distance from you for this long."

"He can hear us?" I ask skeptically.

"Wolf hearing. In our human forms our senses are only heightened slightly, but once we shift everything is sharper." She shrugs as if it is the most normal thing in the world. I guess to her it is.

"I..." was all I could reply. Was I ready to see my lover as a giant dog?

"Skye, babe, if you’re not ready it's okay. He can come out as his normal human self; however, I will warn you it will be in all his glory." She winks at me before she continues, "Not that you haven't seen him naked I just didn't want to shock your system any more than necessary right now. "

"I think I'd like Zack to show me his wolf form. It will make everything real to me. Not that I think you've made it all up, but more like a seeing-is-believing thing. You know?"

"Of course, babe. Whatever will make this easier for you. Here," Jules stands and offers me her hand, pulling me to my feet beside her. She turns us to face the direction she had looked to before and takes my hand. "Okay he is fixing to come out. Don't be afraid. He won't hurt you, and he will move very slowly to make sure he doesn't frighten you."

My heart begins to race, and I feel my hands begin to sweat. I know Jules feels it also with her hand holding one of mine, but she doesn't complain or pull away.

"Are you sure you’re ready?"

I can't seem to make my mouth form the words so I just nod, and after a few moments Zack emerges from the tree line.

I don't know what I was expecting exactly... Maybe something close to the wolves in the Twilight, New Moon movie. This was different. Zack's wolf was not some huge beast that towered over me, instead his size was similar to that of an Alaskan Timber wolf. If I hadn't spent the last hour or more with my best friend telling me this was Zack, I would have assumed this was a normal, large, wolf. His fur was a combination of the gray-black and yellow-white shades. He was beautiful.

His eyes seemed to be taking me in for the first time, and I had to remind myself that this was my lover and not some wild animal that thought I was it's next meal.

Zack had not moved from his position at the tree line since he came into view. I knew he was doing it to make sure I felt comfortable and had the space I needed. Seeing his green eyes looking back at me from across the clearing I had no doubt that this wolf in front of me was Zack. My friend. My lover. My Zack. He took a slow step closer and stopped again.

Noticing for the first time how much distance was still between us I was hit with an overwhelming need to be close to him. This was Zack, and I had no reason to fear him. I let go of Jules's hand and began walking quickly toward him. He took this as his sign to close the distance between us as well and trotted over to me. When he was within touching distance he laid down and put his head on his paws. Still feeling the need to be close to him I knelt in front of him, lifted his head with my hands, and touched my forehead to his.

After a few moments I look over my shoulder at Jules who is smiling from ear to ear. "Would you like to see my wolf as well?" She asks.

I reply, "Why not?" Laughing as Zack stands up and jumps around happily. I can't help but compare him to a playful puppy. 

When I look back over at Jules, she had stripped completely naked. I watch in shocked silence as she begins her shift. It takes only about a minute, and her wolf was a beautiful reddish blond color, but watching her change is too much. I felt the world start to spin around me before everything went black.

Jules's POV:

"Are you sure you are ready?" I ask Skye. More for Zack, and I than for her. I know she will not back out now. Even if she's not ready. A small nod is the only answer I get, so I turn my attention back to the tree line. 

I see Zack step out. I hold my breath, waiting on Skye's reaction. I watch her face as she processes what her eyes are seeing. I find myself relived that I see no fear in her features, only curiosity. 

For several moments nothing happens. Then Zack takes one more, slow step forward. He carefully studies Skye's reaction as he moves. Skye drops my hand, and I half expect her to turn and run.

Instead, she starts walking towards Zack. My jaw drops. I cannot believe how well she is handling this. When Zack showed his wolf to me, I

FREAKED.  Meanwhile, here’s Skye, acting like this is not some life-altering supernatural s**t.

Watching them together things clicked. Skye is supposed to be here. To be with us. Even if she chooses to stay human, she is meant to be part of our pack. Hell, if I did not know any better, I would say she already is. 

Skye looks back at me with an expression that is a mix of excitement, and holy-s**t-this-is-real. I smile encouragingly at her.

Noticing no signs of fear or overwhelming I call out to her, "Would you like to see my wolf as well?" 

"Why not?" She answers laughing and turning her attention back to Zack.

Excited I strip and begin the shift. When I open my eyes, I instantly know something is wrong. Skye's features, that had been so happy and bright only moments before had gone a ghost white.

 I watch as she faints.

Well s**t. 

Zack registered the change in Skye before I had even completed the shift. He managed to shift back into his human form just in time to keep Skye's head from hitting the ground. I let out a mental sigh of relief, and quickly shift back as well. 

I run over to them.

"Is she okay?" I ask Zack.

"Yes, she is fine. I think it was just too much. Knowing we transform into wolves, and actually watching it happen are two vastly different things for her human mind to process." Zack answers, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Skye's ear.

"This is all my fault." I say to Zack.

"Listen Jules... this is not your fault, or anyone else's for that matter. This is just a difficult process. You asked her for permission before you changed, and with as well as she was doing, we had no way of knowing that it would be too much for her."

"Okay. Let’s get her home so she can rest. I have a feeling she’ll have a ton of questions when she wakes up."