“Well, children aren't really known for being the brightest.” She sits up in bed, rolling her neck from side to side.
I walk over to sit beside Leena on the bed, choosing to stay at the edge. I can barely control myself around her.
Getting into her personal space won't help either of us. As the full moon gets even closer, it's less likely we'll be able to control these urges.
“Adults aren't flexible. There are broad concepts like how pain is bad and should be avoided.”
“Which only makes sense,” Leena insists.
“Yes, but you're still looking at this with the eyes of a human. You're a wolf now and that means that there are certain things you have to break through. This is just one of them.”
Leena pushes air out of her nose. I know this isn't stuff she wants to hear, but if I'm going to help her, then it has to be this way.
I stand up from the bed. “How about this? Why don't you try changing today?”
She frowns. “Yeah, no way.”
“Come on,” I say, offering a hand to her. “The full moon is in two days. You can practice a few changes and maybe your transformation won't be so bad.”
She looks at my hand and then her gaze drifts up to my face. “I know a trap when I hear it.” Leena shakes her head.
“It's not a trap,” I chuckle. “If anything, I'm helping you. You're about to have your third transformation. Chances are, it'll be just as painful as the last one. I know you didn't enjoy that.”
Leena shudders. “I think my body is still sore from it.”
“For these lessons to work, you're going to have to trust me. Come with me.”
There's a bit more grit behind the instruction. Leena gets up and starts following right behind me. We travel down the stairs, saying hi to the twins when we reach the bottom. Both of them greet us with warm smiles.
“How's work coming?” I ask them.
“Real good,” Ramona says. “The house will be ready for our guests.”
“Great. We're having a few more early travelers than normal.”
“You can trust us,” Raph states.
“Good, good.”
Raph turns to Leena, who's still standing behind me. “You must be so excited.”
She gives him an uneasy smile. “Yeah…”
The twins are too lost in their own heads to notice that Leena isn't in the best mood. “It's always the best having so many shifters over,” Ramona gushes. “I wonder if I'll see Lance again.”
“Like you're going to be brave enough to talk to him this time,” Raph scoffs. This earns him a swift punch from his sister.
“Alright, you two,” I say. “Take the brawling somewhere else.”
They leave us alone, and we exit the house through the main door. A heavy wind blows through the trees around us, carrying the sweet, earthy scent on its back.
The sun is barely in the sky at this point, but there aren't all the usual colors of sunset present. Thick clouds form a blanket of varying shades of gray above us.
“Do you think it'll rain?” she asks.
“I doubt it. Do you know why we're outside?”
“Yes, but I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you.”
