by Naomi Clark
Well, that gave her an excuse to contact Devon, and she fired off a message to her, asking if she was free and wanted to meet Noah.
She’d just finished her panini when Devon answered, saying she’d be at Callie’s place around five o’clock. Callie’s heart lifted. Maybe it was silly or naïve to be thinking about romance. Maybe Devon was just grateful to her for her support and there was nothing else there. Maybe Callie was going to be left hurt and alone after the full moon, when it turned out Devon wasn’t a werewolf and didn’t need a witch anymore.
Maybe.
But secretly, in her heart of hearts, Callie didn’t think so.
****
At five o’ clock sharp, Noah and Devon were on the doorstep. Callie rushed through closing the store and they went into Aroma Mocha.
Noah twitched at that decision. “Is a public coffee shop the best place to be having this discussion?” he hissed at Callie as they joined the long queue.
“I don’t know what discussion we’re having yet,” she said, scanning the pastries and cakes left on the counter.
“About, you know, the thing.”
“We can get something to go,” Devon said. “But honestly, who’d believe us if they did listen in?”
“I’d still prefer a bit more privacy,” he insisted.
Callie couldn’t really argue with that. They got their drinks and food to go, and went back to the store. There was more room in there than her little apartment, even if one of them had to sit on the floor.
“So what’s happening?” she asked Noah once they were all settled.
“I was thinking about what you said, about practice?” he said, staring at his coffee cup and sounding faintly ashamed to be admitting it. “And I thought … well, why not? You’re right, there’s nothing to lose. And I can’t go on like this. I’ve lost two jobs since this started already. Two! I have to do something or I’ll never have a normal life again.”
Callie beamed. “That’s great! Not the jobs, obviously, but that you want to try.”
He nodded and pulled a small, brownish piece of moonstone from his pocket. “I got this. I didn’t really know what to do with it, so I figured you could tell me.”
Devon produced a piece of her own, a bigger, paler piece. “I cleansed it with smoke,” she said, flashing Callie a smile. “The lady at Crystal Wishes sold me some frankincense incense for it.”
“Great,” Callie said again. “We’ll see if it helps. When do you want to start practicing?” she asked Noah.
“I thought today? It’s not like I have anything else going on in my life,” he added darkly.
“We could go out to the woods where we met,” Devon said to Callie. “Nobody else is likely to be up there at this time of day, especially in this weather.”
Callie nodded, glancing out the store window. Darkness was a thick, soft blanket on the town, obscuring everything, and the winter mists were crawling in. The woods wouldn’t be exactly welcoming, but that was probably ideal for their purposes.
She finished her latte and stood, determination coursing through her. What kind of ritual would help a werewolf gain control of himself? Her mind buzzed with possibilities, all the things she’d read last night, and all the things she’d learned about witchcraft and manifestation over the years colliding together. There were so many possibilities swirling around her head. Was it wrong to be excited? Noah certainly didn’t look excited.
For a guilty second, she wondered if she was taking this seriously enough, if she was turning Devon and Noah’s very real troubles into some kind of witchy experiment or validation project for herself.
Then Devon jumped up, her body language purposeful, and Callie dismissed her worries. She didn’t need validation for herself. She didn’t want it. All she wanted was to help this woman, however she could.
“Let’s get moving,” Devon said. “We’re wasting moonlight.”
****
They went to the circle of white spruce trees deep in Blackhurst woods, where Callie and Devon had first met. Callie always felt such a sense of peace there, it seemed like the ideal place to try … whatever they were going to try. She’d formulated a rough plan on the hike here, but so much of it depended on Noah being receptive, and it was hard to tell if he would be.
It was good that he’d suggested trying something himself, but she’d watched him diminish on the way here. The wilderness spooked him. Every broken twig, every calling owl had him flinching and whimpering, scuttling ever closer to Devon and Callie. Why he’d thought he’d like being a wilderness survival guide, Callie had no idea.
By the time they reached the spruces and the old well, he was visibly exhausted, his labored breaths fogging in the night air. He almost fell down the well as he sat on the edge.
“Now what?” he asked, voice hoarse.
Callie spread out the blanket she’d brought with her and sat down on it, cross-legged. She didn’t mind sitting on the earth normally, but it was ice-cold and iron-hard tonight, and she figured a little comfort was needed. She drew a piece of clear quartz from her pocket, toying with it nervously. She’d never even dreamed she might be trying something like this, and if it went wrong, she had no idea how to handle it.
“Have you ever meditated?” she asked Noah. When he shook his head, she continued. “We’re going to do a guided meditation. I’m going to try to put you in touch with your inner wolf, see if we can get you to draw it out on your own terms, rather than because you’re panicked or angry. But I really need you to be committed to this. So much of … of magic is about intention, about visualizing yourself in a certain place and state. If you can’t put all your energy into that, it’s not going to work.”
In the inky shadows, she couldn’t see his face clearly. He was just a pale blob a few feet away. But she could see well enough to know he straightened his spine, squared his shoulders, and nodded.
“I can do this,” he said. “I will do this. I’ll try, anyway.”
She smiled. “That’s all I can ask.”
“Do you want me to do anything?” Devon asked, sitting down next to her.
“You can join the meditation if you want,” Callie said. “Maybe it’ll help. I mean, meditation is just helpful generally, you know? Ordering the mind and everything. But it might help, you know, more deeply.” She stopped, aware she wasn’t making much sense.
Devon patted her knee, her fingers lingering just long enough to make Callie’s heart flip. “We’ll follow your lead, then.”
The words made Callie gulp, nerves tingling. She was out in the woods with at least one werewolf, about to embark on a path she couldn’t clearly see. Nothing in the universe could ever have prepared her for this, and the sudden weight of responsibility was dizzying. They were both trusting her so much. It was a little frightening.
A lot frightening, actually.
She tipped her head back, staring up at the sky through the canopy of trees. The clouds were too thick for her to see any stars, or the slender sliver of moon she knew was there. But she breathed in their energy anyway, letting the tranquility of the night flood through her. She had to let their belief lift her up, not pull her down. She had to use it. Just as she’d told Noah, intention mattered. If she let doubt or fear creep into her, she’d harm him and Devon. Werewolves might be new territory for her, but spellcasting and rituals were not. She could do this.
What was the worst that could happen?
Chapter Eight
Callie straightened her spine and took a few deep breaths, cradling the clear quartz in her lap. It was a great stone for amplifying energy and banishing negative influences, and she always used it in her mediations. She was hoping it would bring a good vibe to the three of them now.
Truthfully, she wasn’t actually that good at meditating. As much as she tried to keep her mind clear and peaceful, she always found it wandering to abstract thoughts, like were animals freer t
han humans, or if internet access should be a fundamental human right. And then she’d have to corral her wandering mind back, over and over again, and eventually she’d just give up and go read a book. So she probably wasn’t the best person to lead a guided meditation.
She swallowed her self-doubt, watching Noah and Devon settle themselves into the same cross-legged position she was in. She’d said she’d try, so she’d try. Maybe she didn’t have to be good at it herself to walk someone else through it. She knew the principles, after all.
She cleared her throat and dropped her voice into what she hoped was a soothing tone. “I want you to imagine you’re in a forest. It’s a warm, sunny day. Sunlight filters through the trees, dappling the path in front of you. Notice the birdsong and the smell of moss and flowers. Notice how calm and happy you feel here, how safe and tranquil the forest is.
“Now you notice there’s a wolf beside you. You know this wolf is a part of you, and you’re pleased to have it with you. You study its coloring, familiarizing yourself with the wolf, with its size, its scent…”
Noah whimpered.
Callie started, peering through the dark at him.
He hadn’t moved, but then the whimper came again, frightened and high-pitched.
Callie hurriedly kept talking. “The wolf is nothing to fear. Everything around you is safe and calm…”
He growled. It was a clear, deep rumbling sound that made Devon turn to stare at him.
“Um … the wolf is definitely safe, especially,” Callie said, stumbling over her words, her heart racing. “Definitely not a scary wolf, or an angry wolf…”
Noah tipped his head back and howled.
Devon leapt to her feet, by Callie’s side in an instant.
Callie jumped up, clutching her quartz so hard her hand ached.
“What’s happening?” Devon asked, grabbing Callie’s arm.
Before Callie could reply, Noah staggered to his feet, howling again, a long, pained howl that rang out through the forest, sending night-creatures scattering in a rustle of dead leaves. He grabbed his head, doubling over with a low moan.
“Noah,” Callie said, her voice shaking and shrill. “Can you hear me?”
His answer was another growl that soon become a roar. He dropped to his knees, arms wrapped around his middle now. He panted and moaned, agony dripping from every sound, every movement. When he raised his head again, his eyes shone a brilliant, metallic green. When he growled this time, Callie clearly saw the fangs dropping from his gums. Big, canine fangs, for biting and tearing and ripping.
“Shit,” Devon said. She stepped in front of Callie. “Callie, you should go.”
“What about you?” Callie squeaked.
“He’s already done everything he can to me,” Devon said grimly.
Callie shook her head, heart fluttering. Mutely, she stood at Devon’s side. She had no idea what they were going to do, but she wasn’t going to run away. She’d brought them both here, after all.
Noah thrashed in front of them, his body changing in the shadows. Elongating here, shortening there, bowing and snapping and…
Callie’s vision blurred, her mind trying to deny it all. It was too big, too crazy, to take in, but it was happening, right in front of her whether she believed it or not.
With one last, triumphant howl, Noah righted himself. He was a wolf the size of a small pony, gray-furred and glorious, and only a few feet separated him from them. As Devon and Callie stared, rooted to the forest floor with shock, he swung his massive head toward them, inhaling with an angry chuffing sound.
“Shit,” Devon said again. She grabbed Callie’s hand.
Run, run, run, Callie’s brain chattered, but she couldn’t make herself move. She felt like her feet had melded to the earth, and even as Noah paced slowly toward them, his hot breath fogging in the darkness, she stayed stupidly, hopelessly frozen.
What would they say at her funeral? she wondered hysterically. Eaten by werewolf would be a good conversation-starter at the wake, at least.
And then Devon growled.
Callie yelped and tried to pull free, but Devon’s grip was rock-solid, and she yanked Callie in even closer to her side. Devon was hot, her hand burning Callie’s. Her growl was rich and powerful, seeming to reverberate up from her feet, pouring from her throat as a warning and a challenge.
It made Noah pause. He was close enough now that Callie could see the almost-human look of surprise on his wolf-face when Devon growled at him. One paw in the air, tail slung low, he was the picture of unhappiness, all coiled tension. And next to Callie, so close that Callie was scorched by her very aura, Devon was trembling with that same tension. Power needing to be unleashed.
“Shit,” Callie said.
Noah took another step forward.
Devon’s growl became a snarl, and she moved too, dragging Callie along with her.
“Devon!” Callie said, frantic. She wasn’t even sure Devon knew she was still holding onto her. Her entire being was laser-focused on the wolf in front of her. When Callie glanced at her face, she was shocked to see Devon’s eyes glowing the same metallic green as Noah’s.
Noah lowered himself to the ground, growling back at Devon.
For a heartbeat, Callie thought it was a submissive posture, but the aggression in his eyes was undeniable. If he leapt at them, he could crush them both before Devon had a chance to … do whatever she might do. Could she even change yet?
Callie didn’t stop to think about it. She knew there were no clear answers, so she just acted on pure, stupid instinct and threw her quartz crystal at Noah.
It hit him square in the muzzle, drawing a confused yip from him. Practical witchcraft, Callie thought. “Noah Howard! Noah Howard! Noah Howard!” she yelled, stamping her foot with each word.
She didn’t expect it to work. It was wild desperation, plucked from the memory of all the books she’d read the night before. But the third time she called his name, Noah whined and slumped to the floor, this time in a clear position of submission, tail and head held low.
Callie gaped at him, not sure what to do now. Next to her, Devon growled again, softly this time, and shook her head. Callie snuck a look at her and saw with relief her eyes were her own again. Her skin was cooling off too, so rapidly in fact, that Callie was starting to shiver herself. Was that good or bad? Who bloody knew?
“Noah Howard,” she said again, deciding to focus on the biggest problem. “Um. Are you in there?”
Noah whined again and scraped idly at the hard ground with his paws. All the ferocity was gone. He could just be a big, wolfy-looking dog right now. Callie and Devon exchanged nervous looks.
“Is he safe?” Devon asked. Her voice was thick and hoarse, as if she’d been screaming for hours.
“I guess?” Callie exhaled sharply and knelt, putting herself on eye level with Noah. “What do we do now?”
Devon hugged herself. “Personally, I’d like a stiff drink.”
Noah grumbled. It sounded like he agreed.
Nothing Callie had read, ever, in her life, let alone last night, could have prepared her for this. She looked back up at Devon. “Are you okay? You’re not going to…” She waved her hands at Noah vaguely.
Devon frowned, then shook her head. “I don’t think so. For a minute there it felt like … I can’t describe it. My bones were itching. I felt like … something was eating me from the inside out.” She swallowed, turning pale. “It was horrible, but… It’s passed. I think it’s passed.”
Okay. So Callie had one actual werewolf and one maybe-werewolf, and she’d brought them to this point through meditation. So maybe … maybe she could walk them back, too?
“Sit down,” she told Devon, keeping an eye on Noah. He looked as tame as any beloved house-pet, but she wasn’t taking anything for granted. “Close your eyes.”
“What are we doing?” Devon asked, obeying.
/> “Reverse-engineering, I guess,” Callie said. She eyed her quartz crystal, wishing she dared reach for it, but it was squarely between Noah’s paws, and there was just no way she was going to be that brave. Or that stupid.
She took a few deep breaths, trying to still her quaking nerves and racing heart. “Okay. So, you’re still in the forest.”
Her voice was shrill and uncertain. That was no good. She tried again.
“You’re in the forest, in your wolf body. You feel good, strong, calm. Very calm. You’re enjoying the birdsong and the feel of a summer breeze in your fur…”
Slowly, she began to lull herself into a calmer state, and she watched Devon seem to relax as well. Her shoulders loosened and her breathing eased up. Noah, on the other hand, was staring at her far too intensely, still submissive in posture, but he kept baring his teeth as if annoyed. Well, maybe he was. He certainly had the right to be, but Callie refused to let it distract her. She’d talked him into changing once already. Surely, she could do it again.
“You look inside yourself and see your other self. Your other half. A human body. You remember all the things that make you human, all the things you love about being human. Your favorite foods. Favorite TV shows. Your friends and hobbies. All the things you can only experience in a human body…”
On and on she talked, knowing she’d crossed the line into rambling a few minutes back, but unable to stop. She was scared that if she stopped, Noah-the-wolf would turn nasty again. But as she rambled, she saw the change steal over him.
Afterward, it was impossible to explain. The wolf seemed to melt away, like mist in sunlight, just a little bit at a time, until there was a man there instead. A man in ragged clothes, mud and dead leaves glued to his palms. His glasses were cracked and sat crookedly on his nose, and his shoes were beyond saving. But he was very definitely a man, and not a wolf, and Callie couldn’t help the surge of pride and triumph that welled up in her when she realized the change was complete.
