We Are Forever

Awakening

Me and Abbi stay at my moms for about a week before we go back home. It is weird thinking of a place other then with my parents home. But Aunt Jennas place has become my home. Abbi needed to get back to her house since her brother is due to arrive any day. I also needed to get home and work on getting into some sort of routine. The twins are a couple weeks old now. They still sleep a lot but try to stay awake more at night. Which means I am exhausted! I love my babies more then anything. But I’d love some sleep too.

Today though I am going to get a manicure and pedicure. My birthday is tomorrow and Abbi said we are going out to celebrate. Something in my gut is screaming that my life will change forever. It’s deep in my gut and I can’t shake it. It is making me nervous and anxious.

I put the babies in the car and head toward town. They are good babies for the most part. They don’t cry unless one of them starts for whatever reason then the other one pitches in. It’s tiresome at times. And I love being a mother but it gets lonely. Abbi does all she can, but I want companionship.

I pull up to the nail salon next to Quirky Books and quickly climb out. Once the babies are in their stroller we head into the salon. The outside is just an ordinary brick building with a big glass window. The inside however, is big and spacious. Everything is open and bright.

I decide on French tips for my nails and a peachy pink for my toes. The babies sleep through most of our time in the salon. Ellie wakes before Eli and just looks around. She seems to really enjoy the bright lights in the room.

After we get done at the salon we head next door to Quirky Books to see Aunt Jenna. The bell chimes as I pull the door open and push the babies stroller inside. It’s takes some work but I figure it out. The trick it to hold the front of the stroller and pull it through the door. I think I may just be rocking this single mom gig.

“Hey sweetie how was the salon?” Aunt Jenna asks as she looks over the counter at the twins. She smiles brightly and I can’t help but wonder if she misses having someone special.

“It was fine. The babies slept through it mostly. We just wanted to pop in and see our favorite aunt.”

“Well that’s nice of you. So what’s on the agenda for today?”

“Not much. I’m bored at home. Do you need any help around here?” I ask as I look through the receipts on the counter.

“Marie?! What are you doing here?!” Abbi yells from behind a tall book case.

“Well I was checking to see if Aunt Jenna needed any help. I am bored. And I don’t want to go home. I am feeling restless.” I still haven’t shaken this feeling. It’s almost like something is under my skin now.

Abbi has an excited look on her face. She comes over and looks the twins over.

“Well you know you can stay hun. Even if you just want to hang around. Maybe I can even keep the twins for a bit. It’s slow in here. You can go across the street and buy a dress for tomorrow night with Abbi.” Aunt Jenna says.

“Let’s go chicka! You know I never miss a chance to shop!” Abbi says as she pulls me out of the store.

We head across the street to a women’s clothing outlet. They have everything in here a girl could ever want. And the best part is that it’s not expensive. We head over to where the dresses are. It doesn’t take Abbi long to have a handful of dresses.

“Let’s go to the changing rooms!” I follow behind her as she splits the dresses into two piles. Abbi loves to shop.

Once in the dressing room I quickly strip to my black panties and bra. My postpartum bleeding finally stopped a few days ago. I am so thankful to be back in my pretty panties again. Those cotton monstrosities were terrible! But I definitely understand why some women would love them. They don’t look pretty but they are comfortable. I look at my body before I slip the dress on. My body has more or less snapped back. I have no stretch marks somehow. I am grateful but don’t understand that part much. My body shape hasn’t changed too much. I still have a slim waist but my hips now flare out. My breasts have more then doubled in size. My usually A cup perky breasts are now a C cup. They also don’t sit as high as before. But still high enough that I don’t feel like I need a push up bra. I officially have a true hour glass figure. I really love my new mom bod. But this mom bod needs different clothes to fit it’s new shape.

“Come out Marie!”

I quickly pull on a red sequin dress that I know I will not be wearing. It’s strapless with a low back. The material feels like it would rip easily too. I step out and see Abbi in a plum dress that has the sides cut out. I love it on her and she seems to like it as well.

“Abbi I love that on you! It looks amazing!”

“Yeah I think so too. I am going to get it. But you are not wearing that.” She snickers while covering her mouth.

“I didn’t plan on it.”

She goes to her pile of clothes and pulls out a royal blue dress that seems more modest.

“Try this one on. I think it will look amazing on you.”

I take the dress and go into the dressing room. I hear Abbi taking her dress off in the one next to me. I pull the blue dress on and zip it up. When I look at myself I am shocked. The dress fits me perfectly. It is strapless and hugs my shape and yet it allows room for my hips to breathe. The dress is a few inches above my knees so my ass is covered completely. I step out and show Abbi the dress and she immediately starts nodding her head.

“That’s the one you are wearing tomorrow night. It looks perfect.” Abbi says excitedly. We find some shoes we like and and head back to Quirky Books.

“Did you find something you liked?” Aunt Jenna asks. She is holding Eli in her arms while Ellie is sleeping in the stroller.

“Yeah we did. Marie is true MILF status!” Abbi yells when she walks in behind me.

I take Eli from my aunt and sit in a chair by the window. He immediately starts rubbing his face against my chest. I pull my shirt down and undo the nursing strap. He latches on immediately and makes me flinch. Nursing hurts all the way around. Some people say it isn’t too bad after a few weeks.

We stay the afternoon and I help with organizing the receipts. I also go over the books and log all our purchases into an excel sheet. The babies are mostly quiet and the customers don’t seem to mind them being at the store.

Abbi heads to her house as her brother arrived while we were at the store. I didn’t even see her phone. She must have seen the text and put her phone away. Or maybe while she was in the back she got the text. I’m not sure. She seems very close to him. I hope my children have that kind of bond. Part of me wishes I had siblings but then again I was adopted.

Once we got home we ate a quick dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner. After I helped Aunt Jenna clean up the dishes and took the twins to my room. I laid Eli down in his crib while I undressed Ellie and put her in her small bath tub. Ellie doesn’t mind bath time so I get her done first. After I put a new diaper on her I get the lavender scented lotion all over her body. Then I put her in a pink pajama outfit with jumping cows and stars on it.

I lay her in her bed as I get Eli in the tub. He automatically starts crying and kicking his legs out. I swear you would think someone physically harmed this boy. I rub a hand down my face as I lean over the tub.

“Shh sweet boy it’s okay. I know you don’t like being clean but it’s part of life.” I whisper softly to him. This is only his second time in the bath tub as his cord just fell off. I quickly get him finished and wrapped in a towel. Once I get him set up with a diaper, lotion, and jammies I hold him close. He eventually stops crying so while I hold him in one arm I stand from my bed. I grab Ellie in my other arm and sit in my chair. I move my shirt out of the way and immediately the twins latch to eat. I have had to start pumping in between feedings as my breasts get so sore and leak all the time. Once both babies have had their fill I quickly burp them. After wiping their faces off I put them in their cribs and get ready for bed.

After I shower and get my night gown on I climb into my bed. I decide to read this book on my Nook app I have been wanting to read for a while. I get lost in my story for a while. I am getting to a particularly steamy part of the book I am currently absorbed into when I start to feel something off. My skin starts to feel hot and tingly. It doesn’t hurt but it isn’t pleasant.

I sit up in bed just as my vision blurs and my head starts throbbing. It feels like someone is taking a hammer and makes a hole in my brain. Sweat starts dripping down my faces as I start to pant. I am seriously thinking of calling out for my aunt but I don’t want to wake the twins. I grip my sheets and try to focus on breathing.

Just when the pain starts to go away I feel like there’s a shuffle in my head. It’s not painful it just feels like pressure and like my head is full.

Hello Marie it’s nice to meet you

I hear in my mind. This is crazy! What is happening to me. I start to panic. I mean full blown panic. I bring my knees up to my chest as I rock my body back and forth. I take in a deep breath.

Relax I won’t harm you. You aren’t going crazy either. I wish there was a way to make this easier for you. I’m a part of you. Granted it is a part you aren’t aware you have yet. I’m the wolf that lives inside you. Please take some deep breaths.

I listen to the voice in my head and try to focus on breathing. I feel like I may still be going looney toons or like this is a wacky dream. I used to have crazy dreams while I was pregnant. Maybe this is part of being a new mother. My heart rate slows to a mostly normal rate but now I am officially wide awake.

Now that your calm I can start to explain. You are a wolf shifter Marie. I have been with you this entire time. But because you weren’t raised around a pack I couldn’t come out. You were never taught that. I am unsure as to how I actually got to come up to the front. Only one thing makes sense and it is that our mate is near. I have been acting as your conscious since the day you learned right from wrong. By the way nice going with Adam. I tried to tell you to save yourself for our mate but you ignored the feeling.

What happened to my parents? And what do you mean mate? Like soul mate? Abbi keeps talking about soul mates like they are a real thing. I don’t believe in love at first sight. What do I call you?

Your parents pack was attacked by rogues. Your father was alpha. There were only a few members that survived. They went to surrounding packs. And yes a soul mate. A male made for us. He will protect us and make us happy. He will care for our children and give us more children. And Abbi is also a wolf shifter. Mates are sacred in shifter communities. And I am not a different being then you. I am part of you.

This is so weird. So does that mean I can shift into a wolf now? Does it hurt? Does my family know what I am? What about my babies?! How will this impact them? I start to hyperventilate.

It doesn’t hurt to change. It’s a freeing feeling. And your family knows about shifters. Though I am not sure they know of you being a shifter. And as for the twins they are strong pups. They are so young now. Maybe our mate is in a pack nearby? We can join the pack and they can be raised the way you should have been raised. Tomorrow we will shift in the woods. For now get some rest. I will be right here.

I take a deep breath and lay back down. It takes me a while to get situated, but once I get comfortable and close my eyes. I think about what all this must mean. I finally drift off into sleep. I dream of broad, muscular arms and shoulders and a pair of smoldering grey eyes.

Mate. Mine. Soon.