I sat up and stretched. And, felt something woven in between my fingers. Holding my hand up in the glow of the moonlight, I was struck breathless at the sight of a few long, silky black hairs. It couldn’t be. But, it was.
A quick perusal of the vicinity revealed that I was alone. I sensed nobody and nothing other than the creatures of the forest. Needless to say, I felt like I’d just been mind f**ked. I stared at Raoul’s hair wound around my fingers, and I was numb.
The urge to go home was strong, and I got to my knees, ready to embrace the change. I shook the hair from my hand, watching it fall from my fingertips. For some reason, I hated to part with it. I felt like letting it go would take our strange encounter away, and it would cease to exist.
I shifted to wolf with the ease of allowing it to happen. In just a matter of seconds, the change swept over me, and in a blink, I was wolf and heading for home.
After fetching my clothes and car from Kylarai’s where I’d left them, I made my way home. My mind was working overtime as I replayed the events of the evening. I didn’t know what to make of it, but it wouldn’t be far from my thoughts.
When I pulled up in front of Raoul’s house, my house, I had to take a moment to gather myself before getting out of the car. Strolling up the step, I felt like I was leaving one phase of my life and entering another. It was eerie. Things were changing whether I liked it or not. All I could do was be ready.
I opened the front door, and I was instantly greeted by the sound of two male voices raised in protest, shouting over the television. A sports announcer yelled something about a penalty, and I had to smile to myself at the normalcy of it all. This kind of normal just didn’t happen here often. It was nice. Comforting.
So, my world was ever changing. That wasn’t entirely new. I’d find a way to roll with the punches as I had been all along, somehow. The Wicked Kiss may hold more for me than I even realized, but I refused to live in fear after everything I’d faced so far. I could only deal with each day as it came and focus on what it meant to be part of this earth.
After kicking my shoes off, I went to the kitchen for a glass of water, waving in response to Shaz and Arys’ combined calls of, “Hello.” I stood there for a long time, watching as they enjoyed a hockey game. It came as no surprise that they were cheering for opposing teams. I shook my head and grinned. It was good to be home.
The End