Frostbitten

by Heather Beck

  Immediately, the book instilled in Anastasia the significance of the wolf. They were strong, brave and territorial animals who were at the top of the food chain, with no predators other than humans. Wolves truly were the rulers of the woods and a symbol of knowledge and power.

  Just like Frost, Anastasia thought with a chill, while remembering the time he’d somehow known that they were being stalked by a cougar. The way he’d handled the situation displayed strength, bravery and territorial traits, and that cougar was definitely submissive to Frost. There had been nothing normal about that encounter, and her suspicions were heightened by Frost’s mysterious claim that he had a great affinity with nature.

  Gulping, Anastasia continued to read, discovering that several case studies had proven wolves to have excellent memories. Frost has an unhuman-like memory, she recalled. There’s no way he could’ve remembered being an abandoned baby in the woods. That is, unless he’s not human...

  Anastasia could hardly believe the thoughts that she was having, but it was all too coincidental. The more she read, the more connections she made between wolves and Frost. Wolves were warm-blooded, with temperatures naturally rising to 102 degrees; Frost was always hot, and he would never give her a real explanation for this oddity. As for the ability to withstand the cold, he’d insisted on staying on the other side of her window, despite the freezing weather, and he actually seemed to enjoy it! Even his night vision was unlike an ordinary humans’. He saw too well in the dark and could navigate through the woods in the harshest of conditions. These traits also belonged to wolves.

  Then there were the little things, like how his intense eyes glowed in the dark, exactly like an animals’. The way he’d reacted when hearing people talk about the Cedar Falls werewolf was also unusual, especially for someone who had proven himself to be unafraid of dangerous creatures. He’d been scared and tense, as if fearing the exposure of a secret. Additionally, the way that Frost had abruptly stopped coming to her window at night when the werewolf hunt increased was beyond uncanny.

  Everything Anastasia had once found alluring about Frost now frightened her. She’d been too infatuated with him to see that his behavior and traits crossed the line of unique and entered abnormal at best. However, despite all of this, she couldn’t forget how Frost was always there for her, saving her both mentally and physically. He was loving, gentle and most definitely incapable of the accusations which had been hurled at the werewolf. Better yet, there was a strong possibility that Anastasia was completely wrong about Frost. Maybe she was sick with more than a cold; maybe she was starting to hallucinate.

  “Anastasia.”

  Gasping, Anastasia looked up to see Frost standing at the library’s entrance. She hadn’t heard him come in, and she’d temporarily forgotten that they’d made arrangements for him to pick her up after work. Was it already that late? Anastasia looked at the clock to confirm that she should’ve begun closing up ten minutes ago.

  “Hey, Frost,” Anastasia replied in a strained voice, while shoving the book onto the shelf. “I’m, um, not quite ready yet.”

  “Take your time.”

  Working quickly, Anastasia turned off all the computers and then retrieved her coat. The whole time, Frost had stood there, silent, still and watching her. This gave Anastasia a creepy feeling, but it was more than just that. Frost appeared unhappy and stressed. Normally, she would’ve begged him to tell her what was wrong; however, she now wondered if she really wanted to know.

  “I’m ready,” Anastasia said, before switching off the lights and following Frost outside.

  After locking the library door, she entered Frost’s SUV. Apart from a few casual niceties, they didn’t speak during the drive to her house. Anastasia was positive that something was very wrong. Did Frost somehow know that she suspected him of being the werewolf? It didn’t seem possible, but who knew what type of special skills he possessed.

  Finally, Frost brought his SUV to a stop outside her house and then sat there, as silent and reserved as ever. He looked as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t find the right words. Anastasia knew that look very well; she’d seen it upon her mother’s face many of times.

  “Can I come in?” Frost blurted out.

  Anastasia was taken aback since Frost had never shown any interest in entering her house. Before tonight, if he’d made the same request, she would’ve assertively answered yes. However, she was now uncertain, and she could tell that Frost sensed this hesitation.

  “I know your grandparents are out,” Frost continued, “and we really need to talk – tonight.”

  “Okay,” Anastasia hardly whispered as she numbly unbuckled her seatbelt and exited the SUV.

  As she unlocked the front door and held it open for Frost, she wondered if she was making a big mistake. What if Frost wanted to eat her? That’s what werewolves did, right?

  “Can we go to your room?” Frost asked, after Anastasia had gestured toward the couch in the living room.

  “Um, sure,” she replied, while slowly leading him there.

  Once in Anastasia’s room, Frost began pacing like a caged animal. She couldn’t help but see the irony in this; however, she was more concerned with how distressed he appeared. Although Anastasia now felt a little wary around Frost, she still cared about him a lot.

  Suddenly, Frost stopped pacing and grabbed hold of Anastasia’s hands. “I’m leaving,” he said in a sorrowful tone.

  “What?” Anastasia was hardly able to choke out. She would’ve been less shocked if he’d admitted to being the Cedar Falls werewolf, because she’d never once thought that he’d ever leave her. “Why?” she demanded, when Frost failed to offer an explanation or even respond.

  “I...I can’t tell you.”

  “You can’t or won’t?” Anastasia snapped as she tore her hands from Frost’s grasp; his touch was getting too hot for her to handle, anyway.

  “Please try to understand, Anastasia. I’m doing this to protect you.”

  “Protect me from what?” she challenged.

  Frost opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. Instead, he cast her an apologetic look and said, “You have to trust me.”

  As Anastasia looked at Frost, anger and upset swelled within her. This caused her to recall a certain chapter from the book about wolves. It had said that wolves used a combination of instincts and emotions to guide their behavior. Naturally social animals, they were capable of displaying love, hate, loyalty, and fear. These emotions were so strong that even mild-tempered wolves could become aggressive and unpredictable.

  Powerful emotions can change a wolf, Anastasia summarized, her mind racing with thoughts. Maybe that’s why Frost’s so afraid to be passionate with me. Could a real kiss actually transform him into a werewolf, regardless of whether or not there’s a full moon?

  Unable to suppress her curiosity any longer, Anastasia stepped toward Frost, put her hand behind his neck and then brought his face close to hers. She looked into those beautiful eyes for a moment before locking her lips with his.

  Frost was receptive to her affection, but only for a few seconds. As he tried to pull away, Anastasia wrapped both arms tightly around his shoulders and pressed her body against him. Frost’s will to resist dwindled until he was kissing her passionately. His touch and movements were seductive, even as they stumbled toward the bed. Against Frost’s increasingly hot body, Anastasia felt herself melting.

  Then everything started to change.

  Anastasia let out a cry of pain as claws dug into her back, but her wail was overpowered by the sound of Frost’s bones snapping as they began to take on a different form. Almost as shocking was the way his warm, soft embrace turned into the eerie sensation of his sprouting fur pricking at her skin. Frost howled as he finally let go of Anastasia and fell to the floor, his clothing ripping as he completed the transformation. Before she knew what was happening, a large white werewolf rose to his feet right in front of her.

  At the exact same eye level, Anastasia
and Frost stared at each other for what seemed like several moments. Breathless and in awe, she noted how his fur was whiter than the purest snow and the way his eyes, which were larger than ever, shone so much brighter. His stature was powerful and imposing, but he appeared tame and in control. Anastasia instantly knew that she had nothing to fear.

  Frost’s the beautiful werewolf from four nights ago, she realized, and unlike my other dream, it had all been real. I can’t believe I was so blind.

  Suddenly, Frost bounded toward Anastasia’s open bedroom door, causing a strong panic to rise within her chest. He couldn’t leave her, especially now. There were too many unanswered questions, and even more important than that, they needed one another.

  “Frost, please!” Anastasia cried desperately, before it was too late.

  Frost hesitated at the door and then looked back at Anastasia, his eyes filled with sadness. Slowly, she approached him until they were face-to-face once again. Frost’s fur flattened to his body, and his head and tail lowered, clearly indicating that he was ashamed.

  Carefully, Anastasia reached out to touch Frost’s head. She wanted to offer him comfort and let him know that somehow, it would be okay. However, he backed away, as if he’d never experienced affection while in werewolf form. Anastasia wouldn’t give up that easily, though. She tried again and was soon stroking his soft, fine fur.

  I’m petting my boyfriend’s fur, Anastasia thought slowly. This is surreal.

  Anastasia’s touch must have had a soothing effect on Frost because within a couple of minutes, he began to transform back into his human self, starting with his claws slowly morphing into fingers and then his fur receding into his skin. It was like watching a nightmare unfold, but this was real, and Anastasia found herself stepping backwards slightly, overcome with a mixture of fascination and unease. However, her attention was quickly drawn away from the oddity of interspecies shape-shifting as she realized that Frost was naked. As he panted over the exertion of transforming, she could see sweat shimmering on his defined muscles and the heat rising from his excessively hot body.

  Damn, Anastasia thought, politely averting her eyes from Frost and onto a nearby mirror.

  Quickly, Frost put his clothing back on, but since it was ripped at the seams, it merely hung like rags. Obviously embarrassed, he muttered, “I always keep spare clothing in the car.”

  “How?” Anastasia demanded abruptly. “How is this possible?”

  Taking her hand, Frost led Anastasia to the bed. He was silent for several moments, as if trying to find the courage to be truthful with her. Then he began to speak in a very serious tone.

  “I can’t give you the answers you’re looking for because I don’t know how or why this has happened to me. Somehow, I always felt different, but it wasn’t until turning thirteen that I discovered just how truly different I was.” He paused briefly to swallow hard. “I remember the first time I became a werewolf so vividly. It was an early spring night and as usual, I was hiking in the woods. Then all of a sudden, it hit me – a pain so intense that I thought I was dying. The next thing I knew, I was running through the woods on all fours and howling at the full moon. I panicked like hell and spent that whole night fleeing, as if I could somehow outrun the curse. I did return to my human form, but not until the following morning. When I came home, dressed in torn clothing, my parents were frantic and demanded to know what had happened, but of course, I couldn’t tell them. I couldn’t tell anyone.”

  “Am I really the only person who...” Anastasia began.

  “Who knows that I’m a furry freak?” Frost finished for her. “Yes.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I could’ve helped you.”

  “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how. I came to your window on Monday night, and when I saw your grandfather and his hunter friends, I got so angry that I shape-shifted. Then I saw you out there, and I wanted to show you the real me, but you ran away. I was the one who took you home when you were hurt.”

  “I made myself believe it was a dream,” Anastasia said, while hugging him tightly. “Frost, I’m so sorry.”

  “No, I’m sorry,” Frost protested. “I’ve been seen too many times, and I really lost control with Pete. I swear I never meant to hurt him.”

  “I know,” Anastasia said, finally understanding the look Frost and Pete had shared the night of the town meeting. Pete must have seen the similarity between Frost’s eyes and the werewolf’s, but he probably couldn’t bring himself to believe it. “Everything’s going to be alright.”

  “No, it’s not,” Frost argued. “I’m turning into a werewolf almost every night now, and I’m not exactly sure why. I need to leave, Anastasia, before I’m killed.”

  “Then I’m coming, too,” Anastasia stated as she jumped up from the bed and prepared to pack her bags.

  “You know I can’t let you do that,” Frost said, while putting back the clothing she’d taken from her drawers.

  “Don’t try to stop me,” she threatened.

  Gently, Frost reached for Anastasia’s arm and pulled her in close. He looked into her eyes, his own almost brimming with tears. “I love you, Anastasia,” he said softly, “and I’d rather die than let any harm come to you.”

  Anastasia’s heartbeat quickened as she placed both hands upon his face and kissed him gently. Every inch of her body tingled, and with each passing second, her desire for him only burned stronger. However, she knew that if the kiss turned passionate, he’d turn into a werewolf, so she reluctantly stopped.

  “I love you, too,” Anastasia whispered. “For the longest time, I’ve felt nothing but pain and isolation. You’ve changed that. You’ve changed me.”

  “I’m a werewolf,” Frost muttered sadly. “Are you sure you can handle that?”

  “Just be with me, Frost. I don’t care about anything else.”

  As he hugged her, Anastasia could tell that there was something bothering him, something more than his dire need to escape from Cedar Falls. “What’s wrong?” she asked with concern.

  At first, Frost hesitated, but after a comforting nod from Anastasia, he began to open up. “There’s a slight chance that my biological parents, who I can only assume are werewolves, too, may still be alive. Two years ago, I came across a cabin deep in the woods, and although it was empty, there was a very faint scent that was familiar. I think it was from my father.”

  “If your parents are alive, why haven’t they found you yet?” Anastasia pried.

  “No one looks for what they don’t want to find,” Frost replied. He then shook his head, as if trying to erase his thoughts. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it. Forget it.”

  “No,” Anastasia protested. “We have to find your parents. How would you feel if they were killed and you didn’t even try to warn them about the hunt?”

  “They obviously didn’t care when they left me to die in the woods.”

  “You’re so much better than this, Frost. Besides, don’t you want to know why they left you? Maybe you can finally get all the answers you’ve been looking for.” She paused briefly before thoughtfully adding, “Perhaps it’s the anger toward your parents which is making you shape-shift so often. You need to confront them to finally let go of your rage. Control your emotions, control your transformations. It’s worth a shot, isn’t it?”

  “Of course it is,” Frost replied, “but the scent is so weak, and what if they aren’t even in Cedar Falls Woods anymore?”

  “And what if they are?”

  Frost sighed. “Fine. I’ll go look for them, but you should stay here until your cold gets better. I’ll come back for you, I promise.”

  “You’re not going alone,” Anastasia interjected. “Anything could happen, and I need to know that you’re safe.”

  “There’s no arguing with you, huh?” Frost asked, while taking Anastasia’s hands in his own.

  “It’s a lost cause,” she concurred.

  Frost smirked but then quickly turned serious. “We’ll leave
before dawn, taking a circular route through the woods so more ground can be covered. At dusk, we should reach the old cabin. That’s roughly the half-way point and where we’ll spend the night. Come morning, we will continue on this course until arriving back here, regardless of whether we’ve found my parents or not. It’ll be dark then, and driving to Hartfield unseen shouldn’t be a problem. That’s where we’ll make our new home.” He paused. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

  “Yes,” Anastasia said assertively. “Now go home and pack.”

  Before leaving, Frost gave Anastasia a very warm hug and a soft kiss. “See you tomorrow and every day after that,” he whispered in her ear.

  Then he was gone.

  Hurriedly, Anastasia packed only what she thought she would need, although she wasn’t exactly sure what that was. She’d done a lot of crazy things in her life, but running away with her werewolf boyfriend definitely topped the list tenfold. Was she really going through with this? Anastasia knew that the answer was yes the moment she recalled the way Frost held and kissed her. She’d never been loved like this before, and she refused to ever be without him.

  * * *

  Part Seven: The Deep, Dark Woods

  Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

  I’m leaving Cedar Falls and returning to Toronto. Frost is taking me to the train station, so by the time you read this letter, I will already be gone – there’s no point in trying to stop me. I’ve talked to my mother about this decision, and she’s agreed that it’s in everyone’s best interest for me to come home. I will send for the rest of my belongings at a later date.

  I want to thank you for opening your hearts and home to me. Your support and love has meant so much, and I’ve learned a lot about myself in these past few weeks. I couldn’t possibly begin to express my gratitude for everything you’ve done – I’ll never forget it.