Everything Is Different Now
Chapter 13
March 31, 2013
3:00 AM
"Laura? Honey, wake up! Come on, Laura, hey, easy, elbow in the ribs! Wake up, sweetie."
"Mmmph? Jacob? What's wrong? Are you okay?
"Yeah, I'm fine. You were talking a bit."
"Oh, hell, I'm sorry. I woke you up, didn't I? I told you I should stay on the loveseat."
"No, I don't think so. I like you right where you are. No, you were mumbling a little but then you
sorta got agitated about something. You were raising your voice and you sounded scared, so I figured
I better get you out of there. Wherever 'there' was. You wanna tell me about it?"
"I can't."
"But you can, Laura. You can tell me anything, you gotta believe that. I would never betray a
confidence, just like you wouldn't, and I'll always have a sympathetic ear for you."
"That's very sweet of you, Jacob. But when I say I can't tell you, I mean I really can't because my
sleep talking doesn't result from a dream I'm having. I don't know what I'm saying nor do I
remember what I said. I'm totally somewhere else when it happens. If you want to know what the
problem is, you have to let me stay asleep and just listen to what comes out of my mouth. Then, if
you're nice and you really care about me, you'll tell me over OJ and coffee what I said."
"Wow! You're not joking are you? You really have no idea what you're saying?"
"None whatsoever. What did I say this time?"
"Well, I couldn't understand much of it, you were mumbling against my shoulder so it was a little bit
muffled, but I did hear 'puppy' and 'fuzzy' and 'soft'. I guess we can narrow that down to one or two
topics."
"I suppose so. I guess I'm making plans to get you situated with your new puppy."
"Or...you're making predictions for your experience with my wolf. He's a big puppy and he's fuzzy
and soft."
"Well, you may have something there. Speaking of that, how do you feel? Is this a good time? Are
you ready? I've picked what I think will be a good spot. We can walk there in just a few minutes."
"Yeah, I think it may be the right time. I feel great and anxious. Let's get this show on the road. How
'bout you?"
"Oh yeah, I'm chomping at the bit. I wanna see the 'guy'. Let's do this. Come on let's go. By the way,
we are alone here tonight. Everyone has the night off and they've all gone out of town on a little
getaway. It's just you and me, so no witnesses, no worries. K?"
"That sounds really good. Thank you for that. I hope the folks didn't mind."
"Oh no, not at all. They've all gone to the summer cabin to relax and do a little fishing and snoozing.
Maybe they'll even read a book."
"Sounds good. Do they have any idea what's going on?"
"I couldn't say. Willikins is incredibly perceptive and of course he saw first-hand what you did to the
door of your suite and the state you were in. He surely knows something is up, but naturally he's too
proper to inquire about it. He'll be totally open minded when you decide to share it with him
though."
"Hmm, good to know, but I'll have to think about that. We're not supposed to reveal the secret of the
Spirit Warrior's existence except to our imprints. Everyone else is hopefully kept in the dark, that is
they are hopefully still thinking of the stories as legends only, not based in fact."
"I see. Well, I'll leave it up to you. Nothing about your secret will pass these lips that I can promise
you."
"Thank you, Laura. I really hesitated before I told you."
"Why, Jacob? Trust issues?"
"Well, to be honest, maybe a little, but mainly because I didn't want to freak you out. That's not your
average everyday dinner conversation starter. 'Oh by the way, I can turn into a giant wolf and you
have been chosen by the Spirits as my eternal soulmate. And hi, my name is Jacob.' You know,
Laura, it was bad enough when I knew you thought my notions about wolves and vampires were the
delusions of a troubled mind. Yes, my mind was troubled, but for a completely different set of
reasons. You have almost seven years of records of my depression, my delusions, my violent
outbursts. I didn't want to jeopardize my chances with you by unloading all of this on you at once. I
don't know how to tell you how much it means to me that you want to see my wolf and that you're
willing to even contemplate that what I've been saying all these years is the truth. Your trust and
faith in me makes my heart feel whole. That's something I've not felt in a very long time."
"I don't really know what to tell you Jacob. I don't know why nobody else ever wanted to give you the
opportunity to prove your claims, but I think now, I'm glad they didn't. I feel special...and a little
privileged."
"I'm glad nobody else cared to find out the truth either. I want you to feel special, because you are,
and because you will be the only person who knows my secrets, outside of the Pack. And since I'm
not part of them any longer that makes you my whole world. You mean everything to me, Laura. I'd
be lost without you."
"Jacob. I don't know what to say to that. You are so special to me and it's happened in such a short
time. I've been a little taken aback by all of this and the suddenness of it. But I'm feeling calm and
collected right now. Are you ready to bring me into your world? This clearing is completely
concealed and right in the center of my property. Unless a helicopter with an infrared camera flies
over, no one will see you but me."
"Yeah, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I hope you are. By the way, let me approach you first after I'm
phased, okay? And don't forget, we won't be able to communicate back and forth, but I can
understand anything you say."
"Okay. I'm ready. And I'll remember. Hey, do I get a strip show or are you going to get shy with
me?"
"I'm totally game for a strip tease if you're brave enough. Are you game?"
"Absolutely! I'm no wimp. Have at it Magic Mike. Give me the full Monty."
"Whoo-hoo! You asked for it, babe!"
"Oh yeah, baby...take it off, take it all off! Holy cow, Jacob! Okay, I'm backing up now. Do your
thing."
The tall, handsome, naked man faced the beautiful, honey blonde woman and for the briefest of
moments, neither of them even breathed. He reached out his hand to her and she gently placed her
hand into his warm palm as they gazed longingly into each other's eyes, the trust mushrooming
between them. His fingers closed around hers, squeezing lightly as he gave her a mischievous
million-megawatt smile. He released her hand then and took several steps backward. She watched
him intently, illuminated only by moonlight, he was magnificent, beautiful. He stole her breath away
before he had moved a muscle.
She observed him as he closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly, appearing deep in
concentration. Heat waves began to distort the air around him and the edges of his body seemed to
blur in her vision. Fisting his hands, he drew his arms in close to his chest for the briefest of
moments before slowly stretching them out in front of him. Even as he was finishing this movement,
his body began to vibrate and Laura felt as much as heard the hum issuing from his form. In one
continuous, fluid motion, his human form faded from sight at the same second that a wolf, which was
indeed as big as Snowball, shimmered into view. He stood for a moment on slightly shaky legs before
rising tall, solid, majestic and shaking out his fur, a golden reddish-brown, thick and fluffy.
He lifted his head, sniffing the air, seeming to relish in the sensations he was experiencing for the
first time in many years. He looked to his female companion and gazed lovingly into her turquoise
eyes. She was beautiful, exquisite, his.
"You see, I told you she'd be good with us. Look at her. The most beautiful woman is not frightened
at all."
"How can you think that? She's frozen to the spot! Good God, is she even breathing?"
"Easy son, of course she's breathing. She hasn't fainted yet, has she? Just be cool. Relax. Lie down
at her feet. She'll get the message, I guarantee it. Trust me."
"Easy for you to say. If she freaks out, loses it, who gets to deal with her and try to persuade her
not to make us hit the road? ME! So just back off and let me handle this for now, alright?"
"Back off? Do we need to have the discussion again about who's running this show?"
After standing stock still for a few more minutes, the big red wolf did indeed take his inner beast's
advice, and stepped toward the woman slowly before collapsing to his belly right in front of her,
placing his muzzle on his paws in as near an approximation of a puppy as he could muster, no mean
feat for a creature roughly 2000 times the size of Rosie's new babies.
Laura's first movement had been to lift her hands to her mouth. Whether she was merely surprised
or attempting to stifle a scream, Jacob couldn't be certain, but she stood that way, unmoving, until he
lay down at her feet. He scootched forward, belly skimming the loamy surface, leaves and tall grasses
bunching under his weight, until his nose was barely an inch from her feet. This time, it was Jacob
who was hardly breathing, only letting out tiny chuffs that were condensing on her shoes and yet
warming her toes inside them.
Suddenly, she surprised him into holding that breath when she let out a hysterical giggle and plopped
down on the grass in front of him, grabbing the fur of his cheeks and placing a sloppy kiss on the tip
of his nose.
"Oh Jacob! No wonder Rosie knew you'd be able to take care of her baby. You could take care of
several hundred puppies! What an intimidating figure you present!"
At first, Jacob huffed at her a little at the image of him babysitting a mountain of wiener puppies, but
then he realized what he really wanted to do was...taste her. So he did. That great, wide wolfy
tongue snaked out and covered her face from chin to hairline, repeatedly. Amazingly, she didn't back
away, she didn't squeal or scream, she didn't push him aside to wipe her face with her sleeve. She
just laughed again, a lot. He wondered for a moment if he would be able to tell if it was genuine
mirth, or hysterics. He could only hope and trust. The next movement he made was one in which
Jacob and his inner beast were in total agreement. He rolled over on his back exposing his belly to
her, looking at her upside down, his tongue lolling sideways to the ground. The desired reaction was
achieved.
Running her hands from his chin down his neck and chest, Laura began to scratch Jacob's belly with
gusto. Digging her nails into the thick fur, she worked him over as he rumbled and purred deep in his
chest. She couldn't resist just one time moving her hands a little lower, to the delicate skin just
forward from one of his hind legs. The hind foot pumping, riding-the-bicycle action she produced
sent her into another fit of laughter. Finally, she crawled back up toward the wolf's head and lay
beside him, softly rubbing his chest, nearly putting him to sleep on the spot.
"You know, Jacob, I don't think I'd complain too much if you wanted to be in this form every day.
You're beautiful and soft and warm. This is simply amazing. I think I did believe you, but actually
seeing you and touching you is an experience on a whole other level."
She had curled her head into the big wolf's neck as she was rubbing his chest. Before she could
realize what was happening, her cheek was lying on bare, warm caramel skin, the same skin that her
hand was now stroking sensually with her head tucked into a strong, human shoulder, its muscles
bunching and stretching as long arms wrapped around her body.
"That may have been the best thing you could have possibly said to me. Oh,...my only one, how do I
tell you what it means that you aren't afraid of me, that you accept me as I am, beast and all?"
"More than just accept you, Jacob, I love your wolf. I love you."
Jacob rolled up onto his elbow until he cradled her in his arms and was looking down at her, his dark
eyes blazing and glistening with tears at the same time.
"Laura,...don't play with me, honey. Could you possibly really mean that?"
"I do mean it. I'm not playing with you. I could never do that to you. And...umm..."
"What is it, baby?"
"Your wolf already told me that he loved me and I was hoping that meant that maybe you felt the
same way."
"What are you talking about? My wolf told you that he loved you? How could that be?"
"When you were sick before, when you had the fever? You were unconscious, but your wolf spoke to
me. At least I think that's who it was."
"What did he say?"
"That I was very important to both of you and he would back away and let you come back to me once
he had satisfied himself that I believed in his existence and who he really was. I got the impression
that he was keeping you 'out of it' so he could use your voice to talk to me. It was like he needed to
make sure for himself that I believed. He has some trust issues of his own I think."
"Yeah, you may be right there. He's right about how important you are to both of us. And the part
about you believing who he is, I think that's necessary too. I think the wolf and I both need to have
your complete trust, faith and support in order to be complete, if that makes any sense. You really
are our soulmate, Honey. You're our other half. Without you, we're not whole. And yes, I feel
exactly the same as my wolf where you're concerned. I love you, Laura."