Jacob nodded. “I couldn’t find you and then I read about shifters who shifted late in life and how special they were. It’s my fault your father and mine tried to get you back. I found a book in the library explaining everything. I copied the parts needed and showed my dad. He was then determined to bring you back. Sorry.”
Finn waved away his apology. “We were both supposed to be here.”
Jacob nodded. “Yeah, but the fates could have picked an easier way for us to get here.”
“That’s true,” Finn agreed.
“So I’m shifting tomorrow. Who wants to come and join the shifting fun?”
Everyone said they would be there, except Emory who had to work.
The next daysaw the friends, Robbie and Frank, outside. Berni was due to join them as soon as he could and Aubrey and Christine were out for the day.
Robbie wanted Jacob to wait until he was back from the hospital, so it wasn’t until after lunch that they ventured out.
It had been a struggle for Jacob to make it down the stairs. Fran held onto him while Robbie carried the walker down. Jacob had to sit down when he reached the bottom step. Clairmont had been there with a chair for him to rest on.
Jacob grumbled as he sat there, waiting for his energy and breathing to return to normal. After a ten-minute rest and a drink of water, again courtesy of the trusty butler, Jacob stood and, using the walker with Fran at his side, they made it outside.
“I was going to suggest we walk over to the trees there,” Robbie said, pointing.
“That’s miles away,” Jacob commented.
“It’s about a hundred yards, but further than you can manage at the moment. How about we shift here in the driveway?”
“Yes, let’s take that option,” Jacob said happily.
“Alright then. Jacob, you shift first, and then we’ll join you. See if you can run to those trees. If you can, yay. If not, just do as much as you can,” Robbie explained.
“Okay, I can do this,” Jacob said, excited to shift into his wolf form. This was the longest he had ever gone without shifting. He stepped away from his walker, took off his t-shirt, dropped his jogging bottoms and, with a grin at Fran, shifted into his wolf.
“Wow,” Ezzy and Finn said at the same time.
Fran stepped forward and dropped to his knee. He stroked wolf Jacob’s head. “Look at you, handsome. Babe, did you know your wolf now has silver fur?”
Wolf Jacob stared at Fran for a moment before looking at his front legs. His silver fur covered legs.
So this is new.Jacob said to his wolf.For some reason, I thought you would go back to your original colour when we got better.
His wolf shook his head.No, this is now our colour.
“You look amazing,” Joe said, kneeling down next to Fran.
“Okay, folks, any idea why Jacob is now silver?” Ezzy asked.
“No, but when we get back I can contact the pack shaman and ask him,” Frank replied. “Let’s shift and see how far Jacob can run.”
Everyone started stripping, but Jacob only had eyes for Fran. He wondered if his wolf was drooling, Fran was literally perfection.
Once shifted they started off at a slow trot and then sped up. Halfway to the trees, Jacob had to slow down. He stopped, breathing heavily, and checked in with his wolf.
We can’t run for long. It’ll get easier, but we’ll never be able to run like we used to, the silver damaged our lungs. We’ll need to run every day to increase our stamina, but even then, we’ll have to do long runs at our own pace with frequent stops.
Jacob lay down, still panting heavily.
Looking around, Fran saw Jacob lying down and ran back to his side. He rubbed his head against Jacob’s and then sat down next to him.
They watched the others running round and having fun.
