(Chloe's point-of-view)

I should be asleep. I shouldn't be out here. This is crazy. I told myself this while I did exactly what I shouldn't have been doing.

I shouldn't have been walking around outside without anyone knowing. I shouldn't have been walking in the woods barefoot. I shouldn't be alone. But I was, so what I shouldn't have been doing obviously didn't bother me. I didn't even know why I was out here. An impulse? Or knowledge that something would be happening? Necromancers were supposed to be able to tell the future using their ghosts, but I hadn't seen a spirit in days so it must have been the first option. I was just dangerously impulsive.

"Are you searching for that young man?" A voice asked from behind me. I spun to see an old lady in a silk nightgown. Her voice was hoarse and her hair was long and gray. That was all I could tell in the darkness. She just shook her head.

I decided to take advantage of the opportunity. Maybe I could find out why I was here. "You saw him?" I asked trying to blush.

"Of course, he was blundering around out here sweating up a storm. He probably caught something, though I can't tell if it's very warm out."

"Could you tell me where he went?" I asked hiding the worry in my voice.

"He headed that way into the woods; if I were you though I wouldn't go after that one." She said nodding toward the forest. "Big dark character didn't look too friendly either."

I nodded but started off toward the woods. "Thank you."

"I was a witch you know." She called after me. "So what's he?"

I half turned back seeing the curiosity in the woman's eyes. "A werewolf," I murmured running into the woods.

It was probably stupid of me wandering through the woods looking for Derek, knowing only the general direction he was in.

It was dark and I fell a lot, scraping my palms and cutting my jeans. Rocks lodged in the bottoms of my feet, but I just kept walking, searching for Derek.

The smell reached me first. It was the smell of sweat and vomit. It made me nauseous to smell but I followed the scent to a small clearing.

Derek was hunched over choking and gagging. He convulsed and the surface of his body became dark as fur sprouted through his skin. His spine arched under his skin and his bones moved, taking a new shape.

I rushed over to his side.

"Chloe," He gasped between labored breaths.

"I'm here." I whispered putting my hand over his.

His convulsions were more frequent now. He whimpered garbled words, unrecognizable because of his shifting jaw.

He wouldn't look back at me now; he was in too much pain for that, his mind occupied by fears.

I held onto his hand as claws sprouted from his fingertips. Soon his fingers shrunk and pulled back into his hand. The transformation was almost complete.

There was a loud ripping sound as he tore through his boxers. I couldn't help but blush. That would be awkward when he changed back. He would change back wouldn't he? After what the Edison Group did we could never tell.

I felt a tear trickle down my cheek but my mind didn't register that I was crying.

An ear-splitting howl echoed through the forest. I had the urge to cover my ears but didn't want him to notice.

"If I finish this, if I seem even close to finishing, you need to take off." I remembered Derek saying that last time I had stayed with him while he changed at the truck stop.

He was almost done now; the movement of his muscles was slowing. It was pitch black outside and I couldn't see my hands held out in front of my face.

"Derek," I said reluctantly.

His whimper was purely canine.

"Derek, you're okay." I said.

He let out a high pitched whine. I hoped he could understand me.

He moved forward into a patch of moonlight. He was large; on all four legs he came up past my hip. His fur was a thick and black.

He slowly moved closer holding his head low.

I reached out my shaking hand and he brought his head up to meet it. I knelt down beside him stroking my hand across his back. His back arched under my fingers and he let out a sound that sounded suspiciously like a purr.

His mouth stretched wide it what looked a lot like a yawn, revealing a mouth full of sharp, dagger-like teeth.

He padded back over to a spot in the clearing and curled up, laying his head down on his paws. I went over and laid beside him my head resting against his side. His breathing was shallow.

I was drifting to sleep against him when he let out a long whine. His breathing became deeper and more labored and I could feel the muscles moving under his skin.

His spine shot up and his fur started to retract back into his skin.

"It's okay." I told him gently.

And so his change was reversed. I apologized and had to leave when he was becoming too much human. He'd ripped through all his clothes and that was more than I needed to see. He just nodded in agreement and let me go.

I stood behind a tree for the rest of the change, feeling bad that it was probably hard on him not to have anyone there.

"Chloe," he gasped. "You can come back." He said forcing his words to have some volume.

I walked back around the tree. He had sweatpants on but left his shirt off. His skin glistened with sweat and his hair was slick with it.

"I'm sorry I left, but," I started to explain how it was just too much for me but he just waved me off.

"I understand. More than you needed to see, and more than I wanted you to see." He was panting but he looked better than before, maybe it would get easier over time or maybe it was just his confidence. He knew now that he could make it through the change safely, and that he wouldn't hurt anyone around him. That had to help.

"It seems like it's easier for you now." I commented.

"Not at all, I just know what to expect now."

I grabbed his hand, it was hot and feverish, but it was human. I pictured claws ripping through the skin, and the hand turning into a paw, but I couldn't get it right. It seemed so impossible, but I'd seen it happen before my very eyes.

I looked up at Derek; he was sitting up staring at me inquisitively.

"It's hard to picture after the fact." I explained.

He just rolled his eyes. "Says you,"

"Aren't you tired? You should lie down; or if you can make it we should get you back to the house. A bed would probably feel nice right about now."

He just nodded and stood up pulling me up with him by the hand I was already holding.

I hoped he wouldn't let go, but of course he did.

I followed him home, occasionally running into his back. There was no moonlight now to let me see. After the fifth or so time I ran into Derek, he reached back and grabbed my hand pulling me behind him. I had to look like such an idiot when he turned to look back at me and I was smiling stupidly. He just smirked and looked back at the path ahead of him.

I'd finally made my decision; this was what I wanted.