Full Moon Rises

Chapter Eight

If I didn’t believe it before, then I definitely believed it now.

I had been staring at a wolf in the garden. It was much larger than any wolf I had ever seen in my life.

Movement below then caught my eyes, and I saw Daniel walking off towards that wolf, shucking off his clothes before his body twisted and turned and just… changed.

I didn’t think I could ever describe what I saw, but if there was ever any doubt in my mind, then it was all gone now.

A werewolf. I was a werewolf. f**k.

The wolves sat together for a few minutes, and I tried to guess who the other wolf was. I thought it was Lane but was corrected when Sarah’s body suddenly unfurled. I turned my eyes out of respect while she grabbed her robe and headed back to the house.

My attention was then focused on Daniel. His wolf was beautiful, strong, and powerful. I felt astonished by the mere sight of him.

Daniel sat for a few more moments before rising to his feet and running off into the woods. I felt disappointed that I could no longer see him, and a tiny part of my heart ached at the loss but I ignored it.

These feelings were crazy.

I turned towards the bed, unfastening my jeans and slipping them off before climbing under the silk sheets and burying deep under them, careful not to lean against the bandage covering the bite on my abdomen.

I heard various howls in the distance, some closer than others, and wondered just who was making them.

I tossed and turned for hours, unable to sleep. My brain was on overdrive and my body was thrumming with an energy I just couldn’t burn off. I groaned in frustration when I turned over for the millionth time tonight, and a soft noise by the door caught my attention.

There, standing in the doorway, was a wolf, not just any wolf, Daniel.

I smiled at the wolf and could have sworn he smiled back, trotting into my room and placing his head on the bed, looking up at me and whining softly. I should be afraid of a massive wolf in my room, but I wasn’t. This was Daniel and I felt surprisingly protected in his presence.

“You can’t sleep either, huh?” I asked, not even sure if the wolf could understand me.

Daniel made a non-committal noise and yawned, showing off huge teeth that I really didn’t fancy being on the receiving end of. Then again, part of me wanted those teeth to bite me... Talk about an inconvenient time to learn about a biting kink I apparently have.

I decided I wouldn’t get any sleep tonight and patted the bed for Daniel to join me. The wolf’s gaze lingered on me for a few moments before he jumped up onto the bed and dropped down next to me, elbowing my ribs in the process.

“Ow!” I groaned, “Elbows!”

The wolf was almost laughing at my discomfort, and I glared at him before turning towards him, sliding closer as the bed dipped with Daniel’s weight. I sighed in content and brushed my fingers through Daniel’s fur, finding it a lot softer than I had imagined.

Daniel shifted slightly and rested his head on my chest, allowing me to continue running my fingers through his fur. Down his neck, over his head, and even across his huge pointy ears that were even softer than the rest of him.

I smiled softly when I realized Daniel was snoring quietly, head still lying across my chest.

It was comforting, in ways it probably shouldn’t be, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it as my eyes slipped closed, and I finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

***

I knew I should probably be bothered by the fact that I woke up with a naked man sprawled across my body, but I really couldn’t think much past the point of ‘dear god, he’s hot.' Daniel had obviously shifted when I was asleep. His head was still pillowed on my chest and he was curled protectively around my body. It should be disturbing. I should really be freaked out… but I’m not.

Daniel was gorgeous, smooth tanned skin that stretched for miles covering a powerful expanse of muscle that’s not bulky but just enough to look strong and protective. His floppy brown hair hung over his face yet didn’t disturb his features. In his sleep, he looked so delicate and all I wanted to do was sweep him up in my arms… but I wouldn’t because that was weird and invasive. Though could anything really be considered weird anymore?

Nearly half an hour later, when Daniel finally stirred awake. His breathing slowly became lighter before a yawn escaped him, and he stretched out his limbs. He was yet to open his eyes and froze when his arm brushes over mine,

“Crap,” Daniel mumbled, still not opening his eyes. “I’m naked on your bed, aren’t I?” he scrunched up his eyes a little more as if it would protect him from the answer.

I chuckled, “Yeah...”

He groaned and turned his head to bury it under the sheet, his cheeks turning a bright shade of red as he hid from me.

“You know, you’re a little too big to be hiding under the sheets, Daniel,” I poked Daniel in the shoulder, almost to prove my point. “I can still see you,” I tilted my eyes slightly downwards, across the small of his back and curve of one perfect ass. Raising my eyebrows in approval, “Like, all of you.” I continued as the alpha finally opened his eyes, glaring golden yellow orbs at me.

“Remind me why I thought it would be good to comfort you again?” Daniel twisted his body in the most awkward way possible and managed to cover himself with the sheet, dragging most of it off me.

“Hey!” I complained as half of the sheet was ripped off my body.

“You totally took advantage of my weak state,” Daniel teased

“Your weak state!” I almost yelled in disbelief. “You were the gigantic wolf just casually strolling into my bedroom! If anybody was weak, then it was me!” I couldn’t help laughing along with Daniel.

“So it’s your bedroom?” Daniel asked in a teasing tone that was almost hopeful.

“I… uh…” maybe Daniel didn’t want me here. He said he did, but perhaps he was just being nice, and I was imposing. “If you want it to be?” I finally said, suddenly shy.

Daniel flashed me those heartbreaking dimples, “I’d love it to be your room.”

I tried to contain myself, I really did, but when Daniel smiled, the whole world smiled back. “Then you better get your ass in the shower if you want to take one this morning because I’m thinking I need a long one.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Daniel mock saluted and turned to leave before realizing his state of undress. “Uh… think I could borrow this sheet?”

I laughed. Daniel had stripped off so casually last night and had only just covered himself, yet he was worried about being exposed. Daniel narrowed his eyes at me, causing me to laugh more before he pulled the sheets extra hard, dragging them off me and hurrying into the bathroom.

True to his word, Daniel sang in the shower… badly.

I wasn’t even sure some of them were songs because I sure as hell hadn’t heard them before, then again, Daniel’s singing did sound nothing like the original songs. However, his rendition of a Mariah Carey song sounded much better, though he only knew the chorus.

I grinned when I heard a soft thud followed by an, “I’m okay!”

Around fifteen minutes and way too many awful songs later, Daniel declared the bathroom free, and I rolled out of bed and slowly forced my body to move.

The bathroom was all steamed up, judging by Daniel’s body temperature, he could stand the water a little hotter than most... Just like Daniel was a little hotter than most. I shook my head as if to snap myself out of such thoughts before wiping the condensation off the mirror and taking in my appearance.

My hair was sleep rumpled and there were pillow lines on my cheek. My eyes were the usual hazel-green color, but with sparks of gold in them, quite a spectacular sight, and I almost wished I could keep them like this instead of having them change to gold. I looked to the bandage covering my abdomen and gently prised it off, stunned when the bite had fully healed, leaving only a thin white scar in its place.

’Well there’s something I can live with’ I thought to myself, noticing any other cuts I had on my skin were also healed.

I turned on the shower and was surprised when the boiling hot water didn’t hurt at all. Instead, it soothed my aching muscles and let the past few days just wash down the drain. For a few blissful moments, I almost forgot about where I was and what I was turning into.