Are they dangerous?

Amaris

I jolt awake; the urge to get out of here is all-consuming.
*What is going on?* I ask, the need for answers just as strong as the need to bolt.
*‘Something—* she begins but then stops, as if reanalyzing whatever is making us feel this way. Then, suddenly, panic surges throughout my entire body as she states, *’Mate! Something is coming that will put him in danger. We cannot go to him yet, we must prepare.’*
*Again?* I question, wondering what I’ve gotten myself into and if this guy even knows the meaning of keeping himself out of trouble. *We have to prepare, now?*
*’Yes, now!’* She states, urging me to get a move on. *’There is no time to waste!’*
Knowing that there isn’t any point in arguing any further, I get dressed and then quickly but quietly make my way through the pack house, intent on not waking any of the other people who are more than likely still asleep—much like I would still like to be—especially with our keen sense of hearing, which, with my human upbringing, is something that I’m finding it hard to get used to.
As soon as I make it out of the house, I shift, letting my wolf form take over and lead us to wherever she feels we need to go. We run for about ten minutes before we make it to a clearing, where she slows down, taking in her surroundings and checking to make sure that there aren’t any threats present.
Once she’s sure that it’s safe, she pulls make, giving me the reins once more and allowing me to shift back into my human form.
*What are we doing here?* I ask, looking around the clearing just as the sky starts to lighten slightly, indicating that the sun will rise within the next half hour or so.
*’We need to practice. It’s time that you learn exactly what kinds of powers we possess and how to wield them. You must learn to control them, so that they don’t control you.’* Her words sound ominous, as if there is an underlying meaning that I’m not picking up on.
*Are they dangerous?* I ask as things that I never could have imagined running through my mind. *Am I in danger?*
I can *feel* her sigh, the action letting me know that I likely won’t like whatever she’s fixing to tell me. *’If your powers, if* you, *fall into the wrong hands, it could be catastrophic for all of us.’*
*Us? As in—*
*’As in all shifter kind. As your friends informed you, there are more than just shifters out there—some who would do or say anything to rid the world of what they consider abominations. And if they were to get their hands on you, on us, it would be the end of the world as we know it.’*
*But, I’m just me—why would they—*
*’There is so, so much more to who you are than you know, than you could ever imagine. You are—’*
*Special, I know. So, you’ve said,* I snap, tired of hearing the same thing over and over again but not having any answers as to why. I hate going around and around in circles. *Let’s just do this. What do I need to do?*
*’Sit down and meditate. You need to be relaxed before we can try to tap into our powers.’*
*Relaxed, she says, yeah right,* I grumble as I find a spot in the grass to sit down and then get into Lotus Pose. Taking a deep breath in and then out, I try to clear my mind and will myself to relax. *This would be so much easier to do if, say, for instance, your wolf hadn’t basically just told you that the safety of all shifter kind falls solely on your shoulders—like what in the actual heck? Ugh—shoot, relax* I remind myself, breathing in deeply through my nose again and holding it for a count of five, and then releasing it.
*I can’t do this!* I growl, feeling frustrated and needing to actually *do* something, not set on my butt and learn breathing techniques.
*’Yes, you can and you’re not just sitting on your butt learning breathing techniques. You have to clear your mind so that we can reach out to our ancestors—they are the only ones who can teach us everything that we need to learn.’*
*Reach our ancestors?* I question, taken aback by that statement even more than everything else that she’s said thus far. *I’m supposed to talk to dead people?* I shriek, a chill working its way throughout my entire body at just the thought.
*’Just—wait!* She says, pushing herself closer to the surface as we listen to our surroundings while also looking all around us. *’Someone is coming.’*
A second later the sound of sticks breaking proceeds the silhouette of a person slinking through the trees, making their way towards me. As they get closer and step out of the cover the surrounding woods provide, I find that I recognize the person.
“What are you doing out here? The sun’s not even up yet.” I ask Maxon when he’s just a few feet away from me.
He has a smile on his face as he comes to a stop right next to me and says, “I could ask you the same thing,” and then he plops his large body down on the grass, surprisingly graceful for such a large guy, his knee knocking into one of mine as he folds himself into a meditative pose as well. “But it’s pretty obvious what you’re doing out here. But before the sun’s even risen?”
*’Tell him. We can trust him and I believe that he can help,’* my wolf says just as I start to recoil from his closeness.
*He can?* I ask her, surprised by her statement.
She doesn’t answer me but continues nudging me to let him in. So, I open my mouth and start to tell this relative stranger *everything.*
“So, in order for you to understand, I’ll need to start from the very beginning,” I tell him, watching him closely to make sure that he’s not only paying attention but also trying to gauge if perhaps my wolf could be wrong about him.
“Hit me with it. I’m all ears and I love hearing stories about other people’s lives,” he says, leaning forward as he rubs his hands together as if I’m about to dish out some really juicy information.
“If you’re expecting a story of sunshine and rainbows, you’re going to be sorely disappointed,” I warn him and then say, “So, my story starts with my twin brother and me growing up in foster care…”