Frostbitten (20 page)

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.

Love always,

Anastasia

Anastasia didn’t
hesitate as she positioned the handwritten note on the kitchen table – a
location where her grandparents would surely find it when they woke up. She’d
truly meant those words, especially for her grandmother; adding her
grandfather’s name was a mere nicety since they hadn’t been on good terms for
some time now. Nevertheless, she hoped that they wouldn’t be too hurt by her
quick departure. She knew that it was very rude, but it was just something that
she had to do for her and Frost.

Her cell phone
vibrated, alerting her of an incoming text message. It was from Frost, stating
that he was waiting for her at the bottom of the driveway. Anastasia took a
deep breath, readjusted her overstuffed backpack and then hurried out of the
house, making sure to close the door gently behind her. The feeling was
bittersweet.

Outside the temperature
was chilly, but unlike the past few days, it wasn’t unbearable. Anastasia was
more than a little grateful for the slightly milder weather because she knew
that she’d be facing the elements for the next two days. The thought alone made
her shiver, or maybe it was her worsening cold.

In the early morning
darkness, Anastasia made her way toward Frost’s SUV, where she saw his tall,
muscular silhouette standing near the passenger side. A mixture of nervousness
and excitement instantly rose within her as he greeted her with a quick kiss
and then opened the door. When they were both inside, an awkward silence filled
the SUV. They were entering a new stage in their relationship, and they knew
that everything was about to change.

“Are you sure this is
what you want?” Frost finally broke the silence. “There’s still time to back
out.”

“Just drive, Frost,”
Anastasia replied, her mind firmly made up.

Looking at Anastasia,
Frost smiled, revealing teeth so white that it seemed to light up his face. How
the hell hadn’t she noticed that before? What she did immediately observe,
however, was the change in Frost’s expression as he continued to stare at her –
he now appeared very concerned.

“What?” she asked
self-consciously.

“Do you feel alright?”
Frost asked. “You don’t look good and...”

“I didn’t have time to
apply make-up, and I
was
going to wear my stilettos but I was concerned
about practicality.”

“Anastasia, I’m not
going to joke about this. I’m worried about you. Has your cold gotten worse?”

“No,” Anastasia lied,
unwilling to tell Frost about the multiple symptoms which had left her feeling
uncomfortable and even a little weak. He’d just insist that she stay home, and
that’s not what she wanted. Instead, she quickly changed the topic. “So, what
did you tell your parents?”

“There was a last
minute school trip,” Frost answered with a sigh, while starting to drive away.
“I’ll have to tell them the truth eventually – well, as much of it as I can.”

Sensing Frost’s
sadness, Anastasia spoke in a reassuring tone. “You know, we will return to Cedar
Falls. This werewolf craze will pass, and you’ll find a way to control your
transformations.”

Frost was quiet for a
moment, as if thinking about Anastasia’s words. “You’re always optimistic,” he
finally commented with admiration. “That’s one of the many reasons why I love
you so much.”

Anastasia couldn’t help
but snort. “Me, optimistic? You must be thinking about someone else.”

“Maybe I see you better
than you see yourself.”

“Or maybe you just make
me feel like everything will be okay,” Anastasia answered quickly.

Frost smirked before
muttering, “Maybe.”

Making a sharp left
turn, Frost drove onto a narrow, unmaintained road. Even though he proceeded
slowly, the SUV bumped roughly over drifted snow that was now frozen. Minutes
later, they reached a dead end. Frost parked there, his SUV partially concealed
by branches which hung low due to the amount of snow upon them.

“It’s now or never,”
Frost told Anastasia, his eyes revealing a hint of concern, despite him
appearing firm and determined otherwise.

Anastasia nodded before
grabbing her backpack and exiting the SUV. Frost copied her actions, stopping
only to retrieve a small sign and place it behind the windshield. After reading
the sign, which bore the words,
Gone Hunting
, Anastasia cast Frost a
skeptical look.

“It’s unlikely that
anyone will find our SUV,” Frost explained, “but if they do, consider the sign
as insurance. No one will ask questions if they think we’re after the
werewolf.”

Taking her hand, Frost
led Anastasia into the woods. Even though she’d been surrounded by trees for
the last several weeks, it somehow felt like she’d discovered a new world. The
light was dim, and any which way she turned, there were shadows of tall,
leaning trees that appeared to guide them deeper into the woods. Even the air
was fresher, causing Anastasia to inhale at a slower pace. She was beginning to
feel like she was in a fairy tale, and she wanted nothing more than to fall
into all its romance and adventure.

“I feel more at home
out here than anywhere else,” Frost said whimsically. “It’s where I belong.”

“Is that a werewolf
thing?” Anastasia asked hesitantly, not wanting to offend Frost despite her
desire to know everything about his supernatural secret.

“Could be,” Frost
replied with a nonchalant shrug, “but it’s probably more of a Frost thing. I’m
a man first and a werewolf second. It’s always been that way and nothing’s
going to change.” He was silent for a moment before adding, “Tell me the truth.
Does all of this freak you out? Do
I
freak you out?”

“Actually, no,” Anastasia
confessed. “Call it shock or denial, if you want, but either way, I’m oddly
comforted by the fact that there’s more to life than meets the eye.”

“You may say that now,
but once you see the real me...”

“I already have,”
Anastasia interrupted, stepping in front of Frost so she could look him in the
eyes, “and I like
everything
that I see.”

Frost gave Anastasia a
smile and then quickly kissed her. “You’re one of a kind, Anastasia, and you
can trust me on that because I know a thing or two about rarities.”

To conceal her blushing
cheeks, Anastasia looked away and resumed walking. “So, how exactly will this
work?” she began to ask. “I assume we’re not just calling out their names – not
that we know them in the first place.”

“Even as a human, I can
hear, smell and see things that others can’t. I’ve learned to control the
intensity of these senses while in my current state, but when I turn into a
werewolf, they take over. It’s like the ultimate rush, as if the world and
every little thing around you is suddenly coming to life. These are the senses
that will help me find my parents.”

“It sounds kind of
magical,” Anastasia noted aloud.

“Sometimes it is,”
Frost admitted. “Other times it feels like a curse.”

“There’s still one
thing I don’t understand,” Anastasia said. “On the night Chloe was attacked,
there was a full moon, but you weren’t a werewolf.”

“Over the years, I’ve
discovered that many of the werewolf myths we know from books and movies are
actually true, but unlike popular belief, we’re not slaves to the full moon. It
only has power during that first transformation, as if it triggers something
inside of you and unleashes the wolf.” Frost sighed before adding, “I wish my
transformations really were controlled by the moon. It would make my life a lot
easier.”

Now silent, Anastasia
and Frost trekked onwards. As the sun rose higher in the sky, an orange-like
glow was cast upon the woods. Unfortunately, this comforting light was soon
left behind. Their surroundings had once again darkened due to the trees which
had grown taller, fuller and denser. This caused Anastasia to shiver and
realize that even fairy tales had sinister moments.

Abruptly, Frost stopped
walking to examine the area. “This is the perfect place,” he concluded, while
beginning to undress and place the clothing into his backpack. “The snow is
compact and icy because of the lack of sunlight – it’ll be harder for anyone to
track us from here.”

“Um, Frost, what are
you doing?” Anastasia asked, even though she suspected that she already knew
the answer.

“How else did you
expect to cover so much ground in so little time?” he asked with a devilish
smile, right before wrapping Anastasia in his arms and kissing her with a deep,
almost hunger-like desire.

It didn’t take long for
the transformation to commence, followed by a howl that indicated Frost had
become a full-fledged werewolf. This process now filled Anastasia with
fascination and even excitement. She could only imagine what it was like to
shape-shift into a whole other identity – it must feel surreal and very
empowering.

Frost proceeded to
lower himself to the ground and then look at Anastasia, as if waiting for her
to do something. She stared back at him for several moments, wondering what he
expected from her. When Frost let out a small yelp, in a supposed attempt to
communicate with her, and tossed his head sideways to glance at his back,
Anastasia finally realized what he wanted.

Slowly, Anastasia
approached Frost. He let out another yelp, while twitching his back paw. Hoping
that she was reading his body language correctly, Anastasia gently stepped onto
Frost’s massive paw. With one swift movement, he lifted her onto his back. The
next thing Anastasia knew, he had risen, picked up his backpack in those
powerful jaws and was going forward at an incredibly fast pace.

Anastasia gasped as she
watched the woods become nothing more than a dark blur. Her heart thudded
within her chest, and she clung onto Frost’s fur until her hands felt numb.
Nonetheless, she’d never felt so alive. It was like he wanted to share with her
the greatest aspect of being a werewolf, and she couldn’t help but experience a
sense of power from being situated so high upon him. Together, Anastasia felt
like she and Frost could accomplish anything. They truly were the rulers of the
woods.

After six long hours of
running through the woods, with only a few minor breaks in between, Frost came
to a stop beside a pile of snow-covered boulders. He then bent down, clearly
indicating that Anastasia should get off. She was grateful for the chance to
stretch her very stiff legs, and as she did so, she realized that it now felt
odd
not
to be charging through the woods with the cool wind whipping at
her partially exposed face. It was like Anastasia had also been a werewolf for
the past few hours and was now slowly returning to the human race. She couldn’t
fathom how Frost ever adjusted to such a jarring change, especially since it
was more than just a feeling for him.

Expecting Frost to
shape-shift back into his human self, Anastasia waited patiently for several
moments. However, as he continued to lie on the ground, his heavy panting
finally lessening and his stomach growling with hunger, she came to the
conclusion that she’d be having lunch with a werewolf today.

After retrieving their
lunches from her backpack, Anastasia sat upon the large but low-lying boulder
where Frost was resting. As she leaned against him, appreciating the way his
heat penetrated her many layers of clothing, she unwrapped the sandwich and
energy bar which she’d brought for him. Hand-feeding Frost, she watched in
amazement as he ate both items with only one bite. Anastasia then handed him an
apple, before forcing herself to eat even though her cold had left her with
little appetite.

“Are werewolves even
supposed to eat this stuff?” Anastasia asked as she reluctantly nibbled at her
energy bar. “Shouldn’t you be hunting deer or something?”

Looking at Frost,
Anastasia believed that he understood every word she said. Although she hadn’t
spoken to him while they searched for his parents, she’d only done so because
she thought that she’d be a distraction. If they were going to find his
parents, Anastasia knew that Frost’s complete concentration had to be on his
scent and hearing senses.

Suddenly and almost
symbolically, a raven flew overhead, making his way skillfully and speedily
around the tree branches which seemed to be sticking out everywhere. The raven
let out a single but loud,
Caw
before disappearing from their sight. As
Anastasia watched Frost begin to salivate, she confirmed that a lunch made for
a human would definitely not be enough for a werewolf.