Chapter Two- Signs and a Proposal

"Whoa. That must have been scary," Matt commented as they went about their shift the next night.

"The part where he was trying to kill me was the scary part," Elisa answered. "What I can't stop thinking about are the eyes: Red and glowing."

"I've never heard of a wolf with red eyes. However, red eyes are sometimes part of the werewolf legend."

"Oh, come on Matt! It wasn't a werewolf! There was no full moon and there won't be one for a week."

"Well, that's one side. There are stories that a werewolf can change whenever it wants and some even prefer to be in wolf form rather than take human form."

"You find this fascinating, don't you?"

"I admit it, I do."

The car stopped at a red light. "Well, what about this?" She pushed back her mended jacket sleeve to reveal smooth undamaged skin. "I had a bite mark last night and when I took the bandage off today to change it, it was gone. There was blood on the bandage, but there's no mark." She pushed it down as the light changed to green and she drove on.

"Hmm, that's interesting." Matt didn't say anything more than that. But he was becoming more convinced that his partner had encountered a werewolf. The red eyes were a good sign. It bit Elisa and the mark was already gone. Wait…it bit her. If it was a werewolf that changed anytime it wanted, it could infect someone all the time, not just the full moon. That means…Elisa could be a werewolf! Whoa there, Bluestone. Don't jump to conclusions. She may not be a werewolf. The full moon's a week away and there's signs that surface that indicate that one's a werewolf before the first change and I'll be sure to pay attention to any unusual things about Elisa. The fast healing of the mark is one sign: Werewolves heal quickly. Matt discreetly watched Elisa for the rest of their shift but she was completely normal. He also didn't see anything unusual the following night, either. It was the third night when he noticed something unusual.

Elisa was tapping her fingers on the steering wheel as she drove. He leaned forward a little to see that her jaw was set and she looked…annoyed, perhaps? She noticed him looking at her and snapped, "What?" in an angry tone.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said tersely.

"Elisa, you seem angry. Perhaps I should drive instead."

Elisa stopped at a red light and glared at Matt. "I said I'm fine," she practically growled, poking Matt in the chest with a long-nailed finger.

"Okay. I get it, you're fine," he said quickly.

Elisa blinked as she lowered the finger. She slowly exhaled as the light changed. She drove in silence before saying softly, "I'm sorry, Matt. I've been having disturbing dreams and not sleeping well since the attack."

"Ah, I see. Well, tomorrow's your night off."

"Yeah and Goliath wants to see me especially."

"Intriguing. Let me know what he says."

"Deal."

Silence fell again and Matt stared out the windshield. Elisa's words and actions had been alarming, but they were exactly what Matt had been waiting. He had done a bit of research on the Internet on werewolf signs and had complied a list of possible traits. Elisa's already exhibited three signs. She had a flash of anger, when insisting she was fine she practically growled, and her nails are longer than they usually are. It points to being a werewolf, but it's not definite. It could be as Elisa said: She hasn't been sleeping well. Perhaps her day off will give her time to sleep.

Elisa ascended the tower steps feeling confused and angry. She was confused about why she was angry and her anger grew because of her confusion. The two emotions fueled one another and she was having trouble getting past them. She achieved the top to see the clouds that obscured the city below and the stone back of Goliath. The sight of the gargoyle she loved caused her anger and confusion to melt away.

The sky darkened and the air was soon filled with sounds of crunching stone and roars or screams. I never get tired of that, she thought before Goliath turned and smiled at her before getting down and approaching her. He took her in his arms and embraced her and she responded back the same way. She always felt safe and calm in his arms.

Goliath enjoyed the feel of Elisa against him; it always filled him with a sense of joy he hadn't felt in a thousand years. A joy that made a decision he had been debating for a year very easy. It was now a matter of asking, however another matter seized his attention: Elisa seemed to be hugging him a little too tightly. "Elisa, you're hugging rather tightly."

Elisa eased up and stepped back. "I'm just happy to see you."

"I'm happy too and I wanted to see you to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Elisa Maza, will you be my mate?"

Elisa blinked in surprise. Goliath wanted her for his mate; the human equivalent of being engaged and married. She had had feelings for the clan leader for quite some time and had admitted them when the clan moved back to the castle. Heck, she had kissed him before he turned to stone. The smile frozen on his face made her glad she made her bold move. In short, she was happy he asked. Smiling happily, she said, "Yes. Yes, I will."

Goliath smiled as he took her hands. She had accepted as he had been sure she would. He was sure she knew that by accepting his proposal, they would be one, now and forever.

He was also aware of the wolf attack on Elisa, thanks to Matt. He had turned up before dawn and reported Elisa's strange behavior as well as his theory that the wolf who bit her was a werewolf and the possibility that Elisa was one now and would change on the full moon that was a few nights away. He had listened to Matt's report, but dismissed the werewolf claim. Elisa did not encounter a werewolf and she certainly wasn't one, either. What she is, is a police officer and now my mate. She's no werewolf.