"What's wrong with you, Leah?" There was an edge to Sam's voice as his lips, aimed to connect with hers, skimmed the side of her face as she turned away..

"I'm sorry, but I'm just not feeling very well. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've been running a fever for a few days now, and I ache all over. Maybe it's the flu. Anyway, I don't want you to get it - whatever it is."

Sam sighed and touched his lips to her forehead. They were parked in his truck at First Beach and the full moon shone brightly on the gently breaking waves. "Damn, Lee, you're burning up! I'll take you home." He put the truck in reverse and backed onto the dirt road.

"Call me in the morning, okay?" He scooped her up in his arms and deposited her on the front porch. "Want me to wake your mom?"

She smiled weakly. "No, it's okay. Just a bug. Probably just need a good night's sleep" She closed the door softly and headed up the stairs, tiptoeing past Seth's room. Slipping into bed in her clothes, she began to toss and turn. Her muscles ached and her skin somehow felt too tight. Leah had never been claustrophobic, but the walls seemed to be closing in on her. With a sigh, she padded barefoot down the stairs and out the back door.

Her knees buckled, and she found herself lying on the grass in the silvery moonlight. There was a roaring in her head, and her body twisted and cracked with agonizing speed. The pain was excruciating, and she screamed. She did not recognize her voice. The high-pitched scream she expected died in her throat and was replaced by an ululating howl.

"What the…" She scrambled clumsily to her feet. All four of them. In pain and panic, she looked down and observed huge grey paws where her hands should be. Snapping her jaws at the invisible enemy, she howled again. The sound was ear-splitting, and she was vaguely aware of her father stumbling out the back door and turning on the porch light as she lurched clumsily toward the woods.

The great silver wolf gained momentum as her muscles took over, quickly transforming her ungainly gait into a graceful lope. Leaf litter and sticks flew from beneath her big paws as she ran, unsure of where she was going but swiftly moving AWAY. She ran for an hour in sheer terror, stopping finally by the side of a stream. In the moonlight, she glanced at her reflection in the clear water.

Leah knew the legends, of course. She had heard Billy Black spin the tales as she sat on her father's lap in the light of a bonfire on the beach, but nobody really believed them. The grey wolf reflection staring back at her wobbled as she lapped up the cool water. She sneezed as the water went up her nose, then carefully repositioned herself and extended her long tongue to drink. "If this is a dream," she thought, "it's a beauty!" Her muscles had begun to relax, and she realized she was exhausted. She fell asleep on the forest floor, her bushy tail curving around her lean, muscled body.

Sunlight dappled the morning among towering pines as the outsized wolf's formidable jaws parted in a yawn, snapping shut as intelligent eyes scanned their surroundings in sudden panic. A soft growl told Leah all she needed to know. She was, it seemed, still in wolf form. Standing on wobbly legs, she shook off pine needles and an occasional leaf. The woods were cool and quiet, since anything with eyes and a nose automatically gave her a wide berth.

Leah's mind was clear today, and she felt better. She felt, in fact, more aware and powerful than ever before. Her senses seemed expanded, and she knew instinctively which way was home. It was time to get her body back, and she hoped her parents might be able to help. She was hungry, but the thought of snacking on raw rabbit or deer was nauseating.

By the time Leah got home, Seth would be in school. Her mother appeared at the back door in response to a soft growl. "Leah?" Sue whispered the word, and the enormous wolf nodded before lying down on the porch. Looking deep into the wolf's eyes, Sue moved slowly to the steps, taking a seat on the top step and reaching out a hand. The wolf nuzzled her hand, and the deep brown eyes seemed to be pleading.

"I'm sorry, Honey," Sue said with a sigh. "I'm guessing you don't know how to change back. Your dad has gone to get Billy and see if he has any suggestions. Are you hungry?" In spite of her malaise, Leah had been ravenous the past couple of weeks. She whined softly in response.

Sue smiled weakly. "I don't have much experience feeding a wolf. How about some leftover chicken?" She brought out a platter and watched, wide-eyed, as Leah gobbled it up - bones and all. She was washing her meal down with a bowl of water when Harry and Billy rounded the corner of the house. Harry stopped in his tracks and stared up at the wolf, but Billy continued up the steps.

Billy smiled. "I'll be damned," he whispered. "You okay, Leah?"

The large furry head nodded once before resting on Sue's knee. Sue slipped an arm around the animal's neck as Harry took a seat next to her on the step.

Billy ignored them and spoke softly to the wolf. "It seems to me," he said, "you'll just have to relax and wait for the change to happen. I suspect it will come easier as you get used to it. We don't have any experience with this, but I'm here if you need me. We'll need to leave you on your own." He nodded toward the shredded clothing still scattered over the yard. "Your mom will leave you some clothes out here."

The phone jangled on the wall in the kitchen. Leah knew it would be Sam and wondered what on earth her mother would tell him. She found, to her surprise, she had no trouble hearing both sides of the conversation. Leah was said to be "sleeping in," and Sam said he wasn't feeling so well himself. He said he would call again tomorrow.

"I think I'll stop by and see Sam," Billy said as he grabbed his hat and stood to leave. "Call me if there's anything you need." The three adults entered the house, and Leah's bathrobe fluttered to the porch swing before the door closed behind them. Her hunger sated and her fears allayed, the wolf drifted off to sleep. An hour later, she woke in human form and grabbed her robe, belting it tightly around her before slipping into the house.