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Silently, singly and in pairs, they made their way deep into the the dark forest. The night was black and moonless, but they knew the way. Standing still as the ancient stones, the twelve awaited the one who would complete the circle. Their capes were androgynous, their faces concealed by crimson hoods, red as fresh blood. The only fluctuation was in height, and it would be impossible to determine their sex - even in daylight.
Emily knew there were seven men and five women. She emerged from the thick underbrush and took her place, throwing back her hood and flicking her finger at the candle in her hand. All the others followed suit, but the feeble light of thirteen black candles did little to dispel the gloom. She smiled grimly. The Quileutes had their secrets, and the Makah had theirs.
"Sam Uley." Her voice rang out in the total silence. Even the night creatures gave this circle a wide berth. A hum took up the chant, the soft buzz of a thousand tiny insects. They waited. Ten minutes, then fifteen. Emerging from the undergrowth, an enormous wolf, blacker than the surrounding darkness, broke through into the clearing. Within seconds there was a shimmer in the air and Sam stood before them - a magnificent naked figure, eyes wide open yet obviously fast asleep. Emily licked her red lips and stepped into the circle. The hum continued, growing in volume as Sam joined her in the center.
Emily set her candle on the makeshift driftwood altar and dropped her robe. In the dim light, her pale body glowed. She faced Sam and reached for him. His face remained expressionless, eyes unfocused, but his virile body reacted to her touch.
Whispering in a strange language, words Sam would not understand, Emily lay on the ground in the center of the circle. Again the murmur increased in volume, the sound buzzing all around them. At some unseen signal, Sam knelt over her prone form. With no indication that he was aware of his surroundings, he nevertheless continued to cooperate with the candlelit ceremony. The buzz increased to a deafening roar, until Sam threw his head back, unseeing eyes staring, and Emily screamed "Mine!" into the sudden silence.
Sam woke up, sticky and dirty, in his own bed. He stared in disgust at the filthy sheets. Grabbing clean shorts, he showered quickly before tackling the laundry. He had no idea where the mud had come from, but he stripped the sheets from his bed and threw them in the washer. Pulling on a brown henley shirt, he scooped up his phone and called Leah.
"Sam. Hey!" Leah's voice was sleepy, but she sounded happy to hear from him. Ever since that fateful day when he phased for the first time, he'd been keeping her at arm's length. He wasn't sure how much longer he could protect his secret from her. They had been intimate before the wolf pounced into his life, and she was curious and suspicious now that he was reticent to be alone with her.
"Hi, Lee. Did I wake you?" It was the gentle voice she loved, though it seemed deeper somehow. Maybe a bit hesitant, or was that her imagination?
Leah sat up in bed, now fully awake. "What's up, Sam? It's good to hear your voice. And no, I was awake," she lied smoothly.
"Are we still on for today?" Leah had asked him to drive her to her aunt's house to pick up her cousin, Emily. She was visiting from the nearby Makah reservation, and Sam had agreed. How much trouble could he get into with a roomful of people?
Leah stifled a yawn. "Yeah, sure. I thought maybe…" she hesitated. "I mean, I'm glad you remembered. I know how busy you've been lately." Of course she had no idea exactly what his busy-ness involved, but she trusted him to enlighten her eventually. She was in love, and if Sam was absent a lot she figured he must have a good reason. The elders had warned him not to tell anyone about his shape shifting, and in most cases it was simple to obey. Leah was the notable exception.
Sam smiled. It was good to hear her voice, and he closed his eyes and pictured her face. He found he could conjure up her exact image, eyes bright, face flushed from lovemaking, like a full color movie in his head. Still getting used to the nuances of his new existence, this was his favorite part so far. Sam laughed, and the familiar sound sent shivers down Leah's spine.
"I'll be there about one, okay? As soon as I finish up my laundry and get some lunch." His voice dropped an octave. "I can't wait to see you, Lee. I know I haven't been showing it lately, but I do love you."
Leah closed her eyes, surprised to feel tears prickling against her lids. "I love you too, Sam. I hope…" She wasn't sure how to finish the thought. "I hope everything is okay. With you, I mean."
Sam sighed, feeling guilty. "I'm fine, baby. I'll see you at one." As he clicked off the phone, he went to the laundry room to throw his sheets in a basket. He picked up the clothespin bag as he headed out to the backyard clothesline.
Leah was practically bouncing on the porch swing when Sam's familiar black pickup came over the rise, headed for the Clearwater house. In a cloud of dust, he parked in front and swung easily out of the cab.
Leah frowned. It had only been two weeks, but Sam seemed to have grown a few inches and put on even more muscle. His broad shoulders strained at the cotton shirt, his biceps bulging beneath the short sleeves. She ran to greet him, throwing her arms around his trim waist and raising her face for a kiss.
A quick peck on the lips was disappointing, but looking over Sam's shoulder as he bent to hug her, Leah could see her mother standing in the doorway. Sue's eyes were narrowed and she stared at Sam as if she had never seen him before. Leah released him and looked up at his face. "You okay, Sam? You're awfully warm."
His smile failed to reach his eyes as he scrambled for an excuse. "I just finished chopping some wood for my mom. Should have showered again, I guess."
Leah shook her head. "I'm just happy to see you." She waved at Sue. "We're going to pick up Emily, Mom. We'll be back in an hour or so."
Leah chattered happily on the short ride. "You look great, Sam. Have you been working out?"
He smiled and nodded. "A bit. And working around the house." He parked in the driveway and hurried around to Leah's side to open her door. She jumped into his arms and he set her down on the gravel driveway, taking her hand in his as they walked to the house. The inside door was ajar, and Leah knocked on the screen.
"Em! We're here!" Emily appeared in the doorway, her dark eyes fixed on Sam. He blinked once, then stared.
"Sam, you remember my cousin Emily?" Leah looked up at him and froze. "Sam?" He appeared to be carved from stone, barely breathing. His eyes bored into Emily's.
Emily suppressed a smile. "Is something wrong, Sam?" she purred.