With the last tent pitched, Jack, Rian, Cass, and I had the camp made around a fire pit Melody built. I went to edge of our tent circle and began to create a barrier to protect Jack and Zack from Lessa or Alex losing control around them during the night. I looked at Alex, who had removed his shirt, jeans, jacket, and beanie, and I saw he was scared. He knew the time was close when he’d lose himself in his wolf. I felt so bad for him; I wish I could help him retain his human train of thought when he turned.

“That’s it, the barrier is done,” I said sadly, “Lessa would like to test and make sure I did it right?”
Lessa ran toward the camp but was thrown back by the elasticity of the barrier. I actually got it right on the first time. Points for me on getting better with my magic.

“Alright the moon is about to rise, Alex,” Lessa said as she sat down on the grass, a ways away from the camp, “Get away from the barrier so everyone can be safe.”

Alex looked at with sadness in his eyes. I stepped over the barrier and I hugged him quickly. He needed to be reassured that everything was going to be fine.

“Go with Lessa. I’ll be fine and so will the others,” I told him.

“But what about me,” he asked, upset by the fact he’s about to go through the hardest thing in his life.

“I believe in you making out of this without a scratch and without hurting anyone,” I told him.

Alex went over to Lessa and sat across from her. The moon was finally visible in the sky and the sun vanished over the horizon. Lessa turned first into her grey wolf. She shook out her fur and pranced around Alex. It was like she was showing him that in time his turning won’t hurt anymore.

That was when his started. He screamed in pain as his bones began to crack and break, reshaping his body into his wolf form. His hair became course as his fur began to form and his face reshaped into a wolf’s. His were shut tight as he screamed and howled in pain. His boxers tore off his body as his legs changed into the hind legs of his wolf and his tail spouted.

After ten minutes, Alex was gone and a brown wolf was in his place. He opened his eyes and they were a glowing caramel color. He saw me and he instantly started snarling at me. Lessa stepped up and snarled at him, showing her authority as the alpha in their new pack. He bowed his head in submission to her. I walked over the barrier line to go and see him.

“No Camille get back into the barrier,” Jack called to me, but I ignored him.

“Mills, it’s not safe,” Melody added.

“I trust him,” I told them as I sat on my knees in front of Alex.

“Cam, you should be with the others, to protect them if the barrier fails,” I heard Alex’s thoughts somehow.

“How is that possible,” I asked out loud.

“What’s possible,” Cass asked from the edge of the barrier.

“I can hear him,” I told her, “I heard Alex’s thoughts I think.”

“Um,” Cass paused for a moment.

“Cass, Alex imprinted on her,” Melody chimed in, “Alex marked her as his. It’s so romantic.”

“Wait, you’re saying that I belong to Alex,” I asked.

“Lessa says that imprinting isn’t just about love and romance. It’s sharing a strong bond with someone. I would be whatever you need in your life, like a best friend or a protector. I will know when you’re in danger or hurt and I’ll be able to share in happiness with you,” Alex explained.

“So you and I have a connection that no one really understands,” I asked him.

“Something like that. Lessa has the same thing with Zack, but she doesn’t share the information with him. She feels he’s not ready to handle that his girlfriend isn’t entirely human,” Alex replied.

I stayed out of the camp with Alex. I laid down in the grass and Alex laid against my side, his head up as he kept watch over me. I felt so sleepy and I wanted to just curl up and sleep. But with being outside of the camp and my tent, I couldn’t really do that.

“Go to your tent and sleep, Camille. You’re drowsiness is dragging me down a bit. I’ll feel better if you were safe in your tent for the night,” Alex “spoke” up.

“Fine, just be careful and learn everything you can tonight,” I told him as I pet his fur once before going into the barrier to my tent, “The barrier will break at dawn. By then you both should be human again.”

---

I wanted to sleep, I really did, but I couldn’t. I worried about Alex being out there alone and he might run off because he knew I was safe in the barrier that he’d be able to roam and he could kill someone. That worried me the most. Alex would never be able to handle killing someone if he did.

“I know you’re still awake, Camille,” Alex piped up as I sat up and turned on my lantern. I opened my tent to see his wolf muzzle against the barrier, “Try to sleep so I can rest easy tonight.”

“I can’t sleep,” I told him, “My mind’s really restless right now.”

“You need to sleep,” he told me, “Being awake isn’t healthy right now. The barrier is holding up to Lessa. She’s been trying to flank the camp from Jack and Melody’s tent.”

“Alex, please respect that I can’t sleep,” I told him, “I’ll sleep when I find peace. I’m going to read my grimoire for a bit to try and exhaust myself. Go run around the camp for a bit.”

I went back to my grimoire, but Alex laid down where he sat before and watched me read and practice the spells to myself. I waved my hand around and I learned a couple new spells.

“Can I show something I learned while I waited for you to pick me up to go the beach,” I asked Alex.

“Sure,” he replied.

I held out my hand and I made a Lily out of ice. Alex’s wolf jaw went slack in awe at it. I melted it and danced fire across my palm before I created a rose of ice. I melted the rose and created a small raincloud in my hand and showed him a hurricane in the palm of my hand.

“How can you do all of the so easily,” he asked in awe and admiration at my tricks.

“I was born a witch. I just figure out what I know how to channel, like fire and ice, and then I use my imagination to bend it to my will,” I tried to explain.

“Can you make others into witches,” he asked.

“I can’t. You have to be born with the ability to use magic in order to become a witch,” I told him.

“So you’ve always been like this? Is the same true of your mom and dad,” he asked.

“My dad is the only one that’s a witch. He’s a healer so he works as a doctor for his cover,” I told him, “My mom was always human. But she wasn’t depressed like I told you at the beach. The Synfires manipulated her into committing suicide so I was drawn to their turf here on the east coast.”