I felt my body being shook as a voice whispered my name. I cracked my eyes open, and saw Derek. A thick sweat covering his face making his hair stick awkwardly to his face. He scratched at his arm roughly and gave me a puppy dog stare, fear in his eyes again. Even though he knew that the Change would come easier this time, he still tugged at my sleeve. Blood dripped from his skin as he scratched harder. I placed my hand over his and sat up, grabbing my jacket. We crept outside and into the forest, he stripped into his boxers before getting on all fours and looked at the ground. I dropped my coat down onto the ground before sitting on it. My hand dropped softly onto his back and massaged his muscles.
"Are you sure it's going to come? You don't seem too...C-Change-y," I said stumbling over the word as I stared at the side of his face. He nodded and I felt his back twitch, his face scrunched up before his back arched upwards. He whimpered in pain as I felt the hair grew between and under my hand, I lifted it so it could grow before resting it back. He threw his head back and I saw his jaw length with a cracking noise then he dropped it back down. His hands dug into the dirt letting the moist smell drift up and cover the smell of sweat momentarily. His back arched even farther up and his legs started to change into the back legs. I encouraged him, rubbing his back lighter. The Change paused as his breathing slowed down. My eyebrows came together "Sh-Shouldn't it have gone all the way?" I said watching the fur recede, I didn't think he heard me, but then his back arched again and he flopped to the side.
A 200-pound wolf panted as he gained his breath and shook his head. I reached forwards and ran my fingers through the coarse hair and felt the soft fur underneath. His eyes watched me as his breath calmed down. I stood up and patted my knees, teasing him. A half-hearted growl emitted from his throat when I did this. "You going to go hunt?" I asked watching him clamber onto his feet and walk over to me. Sitting down and staring up at me. Then his muzzle dipped down and up then jerked towards the house, Yeah, after you get back inside.
"So I come out here to watch you change for fifteen minutes, then get kicked back in the house?" I sighed and dropped my hand a little roughly on his head. He winced and growled softly, nipping softly at my fingers. I'll be back, then we can play, if we must...
I laughed and kissed his head before turning and walking calmly towards the house. When I emerged, Aunt Lauren was standing on the back porch tapping her bare foot on the wood. My pace slowed down before I started to trudge back up to the house. When I got in hearing distance, she sighed. Disappointed. I got onto the porch and stared at her waiting for her to chew me out. Though her eyes flickered to the forest. When I looked back I didn't see anything.
"What were you doing out there? Where is Derek?" she asked, not even waiting for my first answer. I wanted to glare at her, always thinking I was fooling around with Derek.
"Derek was Changing, so I was his mental support and he's out hunting some bunny rabbits or deer right now," I explained, moving to brush past her. Though she matched my direction and crossed her arms. As if she was disappointed by that answer. "What?" I snapped, actually glaring at her this time.
"You were watching Derek change?" Her eyebrow shot up, her tone disbelieving and slow. I grunted and shook my head.
"Changing, as in turning into Wolf Derek," I answered using my fingers to make fangs. She glared at me for that, I sidestepped to walk past her. Blocked again.
"Wolves are dangerous, Chloe, we shouldn't be out here at all with him running around," her hand shot out to grab mine and tug me back to the house. I shot her a glare and stepped away.
"Derek is still Derek, only in wolf form," I explained, my eyes flashing to see Tori and Simon walking up to the back door. Watching with curiosity.
"He is a natural violent person, do you not remember that he threw you against a wall?" her arm shot out as if showing me how he threw me, "A wall, Chloe!"
"Do I look injured? Do I look like I am in need of medical care? No. If he were to run out of that forest and tackle me, I knew it was because he was being a puppy, not a freaking insane killer wolf. It's called playing," I explained, sending her a look. Her eyes darted back to the forest, fear shooting through her body. Simon stepped onto the porch, opening his mouth, I shook my head. She was my aunt I would take care of her.
"Throwing you into a wall is not playing, and how heavy is he in wolf form? Exactly?" she asked, her hand going onto her hips. Her foot taping against the wood again.
"I meant the dog part, and he is about..." I trailed off thinking, my guestimate was 200 pounds, but I wasn't sure exactly. I looked over at Simon to see if he knew, though he just shrugged. "175, give or take a few," more like 35, "pounds."
"If someone who weighed that much tackled you, Chloe, it could really hurt you!" she retorted, using that as if it was going to persuade me to stop going out with Derek. I growled and turned around staring at the forest. "What are you doing?"
"Derek!" I shouted into the forest, a patch of sleeping birds took off and flew away.
"What are you doing!" she hissed walking forward and grabbed my arm, yanking me back towards the house. A black shape darted out from the forest and growled. His lips curled back and his hair stood on end when he saw what was happening. He darted forwards, scaring Aunt Lauren. Her grip loosened and I pulled away. I bent down and Derek trotted over to me and placed his nose against my cheek and snorted. I laughed and pushed his face away, then scratched his neck. Simon walked past Aunt Lauren and patted Derek on the back.
"Derek won't hurt a fly, well...he might...but that is because the fly got in the way," Simon said with a laugh and scratching Derek on the head as if he was giving him a noogie. Aunt Lauren seemed to get angry and then pointed at the woods.
"You said he was out hunting, how did you know that he was hunting animals and not humans?" Derek growled at her, lips drew back and he turned and lowered his head in warning. I held my hand up to Aunt Lauren before kissing Derek's wolfish cheek and stood up.
"He won't hurt us, we could be wrestling and he won't kill. It's if we run and we are afraid, then he might, or at least that's what Mr. Bae said," I explained and to show her I ran my hand down Derek's back. She backed away so she was back on the porch and hissed a warning. I grabbed his tail and pulled it. Simon rolled out of the way as Derek twisted around, nipping at my pants tripping me. I laughed as he snorted and sat down. I win. I smirked and stood up, a stick whipped past me and into the forest. Derek snorted and shook his head. Hell no. Simon shrugged with a laugh before walking over to stand beside me.
Aunt Lauren clutched the railing as if she were going to run and intervene, but was too scared of Derek to do it. I reached forward and tapped Derek's head. "He can even play tag, though he cheats," I said and then told him he was it. He snorted and nodded before turning and walking over to stand by the porch. Then lowered his front half down and snorted, Go! he took off into a run towards us, I darted out of the way with a smile. He booked it into the forest and I sighed. "See?" I said and shot a look over to Simon who brought his hands up and suddenly was gone. I blinked and glared at him. "I hate playing with supernaturals," I sighed and backed away heading to the house. Tori was leaning against the railing yawning. I smiled at her and then saw the fear in Aunt Lauren eyes, I turned just in time to see Derek running full speed at me. I booked it straight towards him, I could see a wolfish grin but at the last second I jumped and sailed over him. He skidded to a stop and smashed into the porch. "Sorry!" I shouted placing my hands over my mouth as he turned around and shook it off. Then lifted his nose and sniffed,
He turned and ran straight at the forest again, I groaned before he lunged. I rose my eyebrow and he connected with the air. Suddenly Simon appeared and the collided into the ground. Simon groaned and coughed. I didn't move, not sure if he was playing or was telling the truth. Derek hadn't landed on him, just stood there above his brother before he backed off and nipped at Simon's arm. Then gave me a look and ran at me. He past me, grabbing my pant leg tripping me again. I laughed turning around to see his tail disappear into the bush. When I stood up, Simon was running towards me with a smile on his face. I grinned at him before running at the porch. It was about two feet off the ground and 4 feet of fencing. I ran and stepped on the wooden porch bit and then used the momentum to grab the railing and pull myself off.
Simon frowned and called cheat, I replied by stick my tongue out and darting into the house. Seeing Derek dart out of the forest, circle around the backyard before barking, it distracted Simon and he darted after his brother. I grabbed some water and saw Mr. Bae walking down the stairs sleepily. He frowned when he saw me before looking at the clock then hearing Simon laugh and another bark. He turned and looked out the window, laughed once then got some water for himself and walked outside to enjoy it with everyone else. I smiled and stared at my makeshift family. If I lost any of them, my heart squeezed remembering my many dreams about it before I walked outside and set my water down. Simon had disappeared again. I frowned and asked Tori where he went, she just smirked and shrugged.
"Now this is cheating, I wish I had a better power, knew how to cast spells, mine is pretty...wait..." I said then saw Liz appear she danced around a spot and pointed at it. I smirked before running at it, content to act as if I was running into the forest. Though just when I ran past Liz I collided with Simon. We fell down, and he cursed.
"Geez," he muttered then laughed, "at least it wasn't Derek again," he said, patting my shoulder. I laughed and nodded, paused and glared at him.
"You just love to be a smart a-" Simon smirked then got up and ran into the forest. Aunt Lauren called a warning before I darted into the forest after him. This continued for a while, Simon, Derek and I darting in and out of the forest tagging each other. When we finished we all collided in a small clearing where Derek had Changed, well for me and Simon we actually ran and smacked into each other. Derek just ran in and skidded before he did. Much more coordinated.
I lay back and watched the stars, laughing and trying to regain my breath. It had been a while since any of us had had that much fun. Derek trotted in a circle around the clearing before dropping down by my head and nipping at my hair. I adjusted so my head was on his side and my hands were resting on his back. Simon plopped down beside me and placed his head on my stomach. I laughed, which caused him to laugh. Even Derek's stomach moved with laughter. We, meaning me and Simon with occasional grunts or snorts from Derek, started to talk about the game we just had played. I explained that Liz helped me, Simon called cheat. So I helpfully reminded him that he used a cover spell, and Derek got to use his super wolf senses.
Halfway through Derek whined and nipped at my hair, I felt his leg twitch, kicking my shoulder. I hissed an oath before patting Simon's hair. "You should go back, we'll meet up with you in a bit," I said before turning and rubbing Derek's side. Simon seemed to understand but stubbornly sat down on the other side of Derek and patted his brother's shoulder.
"I want to be here, even just once, for my brother," he said nodding and then looking down at Derek who just gave a half-hearted growl then started to whine as the Change started. If Simon was at all uncomfortable with the situation he didn't show it through the entire contorting gross part. I kept my eyes locked on Derek's face as he finished the Change. He sat the breath before turning and hitting his brother.
"Pants," he muttered and rolled back down, staring at the stars, I lent Derek my jacket as Simon walked and grabbed the clothes that Derek left. We both turned around as Derek changed.
"First time, and not even looking disturbed, you must be a pro," I teased, bumping Simon with my shoulder. He shot me a look then nodded back towards Derek, then another look. I really was, but you know I didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable especially after I invaded his privacy. Well he wouldn't admit to half of those words, but in his heart that's what he meant.
I smiled and nodded, patting his knee. "We should get back before Aunt Lauren sends a search party after us," I explained standing up, when I turned around Derek picked me up and spun me around. Smiling the entire time, this first time I had seen him smile in weeks. He placed a kiss on my lips before lowering me. His hands stayed protectively at my waist as he looked at Simon. He said that he'd tell the others that we were going to be a while, Derek was having troubles Changing back and if Mr. Bae wanted to run and help then we knew Simon would say that it probably wasn't a big deal. If anything happened I could run back there and tell them.
Simon ducked out and Derek waited, and waited, and waited before turning back to me and wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing me softly, I complied and wrapped my arms around his neck. Soon I felt his lips part and his arms tighten. His mouth felt soft against mine, despite the firm pressure that seemed to fuse us together. I didn't want us to stop, though I knew just like the last time we kissed. This one would have to end, someone would interrupt it wand it wouldn't be perfect. Though we pulled away for air and he scooped me up, then dropped to his knees and lowered me onto the ground softly. Hesitating, eyes locked, but I didn't say anything. We resumed kissing immediately, my hands tangling in his sweat dampened hair.
I flipped us over so I was on top of him, this way neither of us needed to support our weight over the other. Our feet tangled and his hands roamed my side, not straying anywhere. My fingers laced in his hair as we broke apart, our breath mingling in between us. He leaned up and kissed the corner of my mouth gently before letting his head fall back onto the ground and smiled up at me.
"I love you," he whispered, brushing my hair out from my face and tucking it behind my ear. I could feel my flush heat up and I placed my head down on his chest and smiled, the first time I've heard those words from someone besides family. I inhaled smelling the dirt, sweat, deodorant mixed with wood, pine, and flowers. I knew that I would be smelling this for as long as we were both happy together.
"I love you too, Derek Souza," I whispered curling my fingers around his shirt and kissing his cheek.