Being Shown Something World Changing (Part 1)

Just as I thought, Edythe hadn't been in class either, so it wasn't just her skipping lunch. I found that whenever I looked over during lunch that at least 2 of the Cullens were looking back at me with their eyes piercing through me. Sort of like a glare.

Something I quickly realized...was their eye color was different. It was darker. More like a dark brown than the gold it had been yesterday.

Another thing I realized was that Edythe had probably complained about me.

I felt...shameful yet also unperturbed. I didn't care what her family thought. If Edythe told me personally, I'd care. Anyone else? I wouldn't pay it much thought.

It was a weird sort of thought process and mentality to have, honestly.

Anyway, the school day passed by slowly yet peacefully. Nothing new happened - no new feelings, no new physical changes. It was just a normal day. If you don't count the painful ache I had whenever I thought about Edythe.

But hey, what can you do right? Mystical, weird feelings are hard to get away from, it would seem.

Right now, I was sitting down in Billy Black's living room. It was a simple looking place, like Charlie's, with pictures up on the walls and a traditional log fire placed in the middle of the far-away wall - opposite the sofa. What I would say is that other than looking simplistic, it was big. Very big. Big enough that it had three sofas that could each fit 3 or 4 people on easily.

It was the type of living room that you'd have a massive family gathering in...

...One I could never have.

The thought struck me, a wave of heat going through my body like the mix between a lightning bolt and a firestorm. I clenched my hands, my knuckles going white. I didn't know why I'd had such a thought but I felt somewhat volatile right now because of it.

Flashes of images went through my head but before I could do something stupid, Billy came back with another person in tow.

When I laid eyes on the man, I felt exactly what I felt when I saw Carlisle - like I was in the presence of a super predator. My body locked up. But something was...different. Instead of inspiring fear like Carlisle had, this man's presence inspired a sense of calm. A sense of kinship that I'd never experienced before.

But it wasn't kinship like family but rather...similarity. Respect for someone like me, even.

I stood up, knowing it was the polite thing to do when someone comes into a room. Billy saw my reaction and seemed to affirm his thoughts that I truly had whatever he thought I did.

"Sam, meet Will. Will, meet Sam," Billy said before wheeling to the side and out of our way.

I put out a hand, "Good to meet you, Sam," I said and he complied, grabbing not my hand but my forearm, like some kind of ritualistic greeting. I just gripped his forearm back. It was at this point that I realized that he was a good three inches taller than me and much broader and more muscular. He looked like a serious bodybuilder. Though his massive height made sure that he didn't look bulky or anything. He looked proportionate - like a warrior would.

Even his grip on my forearm was beginning to hurt. Like I was being held in the claws of some kind of mighty beast.

Just as I was about to ask what he was doing, Sam smiled, flashing the same pearly white teeth as Billy, and let go of my forearm, "Right back at you, Will," he said before turning to Billy, "You're right. He's showing the first signs of Phasing. Just before we came into this room he was raging his head off if the grinding of his teeth and squeezing of his fists was anything to go off of," he said, sounding serious and having lost his smile.

"What--How did you...?" I got out, feeling genuinely out of the loop - no difference there, then - but all I got was silence as Billy spoke back to Sam.

Looking at Sam, he looked a lot like a younger, Billy. Russet-colored skin, silky black hair that was cropped short, and dark eyes. He was just taller, more muscular and not in a wheelchair.

And he looked like he could take a bear in a fist fight.

"Right then. We better take this outside," Billy said before wheeling himself around before moving for the exit where he'd just came from.

I looked from Billy to Sam and the latter just put a hand on my shoulder before guiding me forward, "I know it's confusing but trust me, until we get outside we can't explain it," he said and even if I wanted to stop myself from moving forward, the hand on my shoulder felt like it could push me forward even if I did everything to stop it.

So I just continued walking.

"So...I guess that you're the one who's gonna be showing me what's happening with me?" I asked curiously, wondering how exactly someone could show the things I'm struggling with right now. Maybe some kind of meditation technique to keep myself calm?

Is this gonna be some sort of Karate Kid scenario where I have to train with them to keep my cool at all times?

...God, I hope not.

"Something like that, yeah," Sam smirked like there was something funny and if it weren't for the fact he and Billy were helping me, I would've kicked off. It still pissed me off somewhat though, no matter how grateful I was.

When we got outside, the fielding I saw earlier came back into view.

A long plain of green green that was ankle-length and soft to the touch. Tall, mighty pine trees surrounded this like slice of natural heaven and there were rocks and other things like fallen trees strewn about the place yet it only added to the beauty. It all looked...well, I hate to sound like a broken record, but it all looked so natural.

Unlike the asphalt of the town. The concrete and the metal and the glass...this place made me feel calm and collected and at ease.

It was relaxing, most of all. Especially when the strong breeze hit you and carried with it strong scents of the forest surrounding.

I was brought back by Sam speaking to Billy, "You got the thing to make sure I wasn't wrong?" he asked, to which Billy seemed to agree because he spoke to me with a loud voice that instantly made me turn to him.

"Catch, Will!" he said and I snatched the flying object out of the sky in front of me.

Sam just chuckled, "He's definitely got good reflexes," to which Billy nodded with a smile while I looked down at what he'd thrown at me. Which instantly confused me.

"A digital thermometer? What's this for?" I asked, an eyebrow raised.

"To measure temperature, obviously," Billy quipped, obviously teasing me but teasing wasn't exactly what I wanted right now.

"I know that!" I snapped at him, a scowl coming across my face, "'Why do I have it?' is what I'm asking, Billy," the words came out low and slow, like a growl and Sam narrowed his eyes a little at me, looking like he was ready to do something.

Billy just raised his hands, "It was a joke Will, so keep calm, okay? Remember what I said yesterday? Keep that anger in check," he said and I slowly realized that he was right, so I took a few deep breaths and he continued, "Isn't that better? Now, turn it on and measure your temperature," he said, and I complied albeit in a confused manner.

Putting the measuring end in my mouth, I stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before the thing beeped and I took it from my mouth and looked at the temperature.

109 Fahrenheit.

I just looked at that number, partially in shock and the other part, as usual, in confusion.

"W-what...?" I whispered to myself before looking up to Billy and Sam before looking back down to the device with that otherworldly number on it.

It has to be wrong, right?

As if reading my mind, Sam spoke up, "The number isn't wrong, Will. That's your body temperature," he said as he walked over to me. Withint three long strides he was in front of me and he took the thermometer from me, looking at the number with an appraising gaze.

"B-but shouldn't I be...?" I got out, feeling like a boat lost in a storm.

"Dead?" Sam finished as he looked at the thermometer before throwing it to Billy, "Yeah, you would be."

"Would be?" I asked, feeling like I was ever so close to the answers I wanted.

"Yeah, you would be if you were fully human," Sam said and before I could scoff at him, he stepped away from me and Billy a good few meters before something...weird happened.

The air around him began to shimmer, like it does when it gets extraordinarily hot. His breathing picked up and became rough and deep, while his expression twisted into something both wild and angry, like he was remembering something. Instantly as soon as all this started to happen, my instincts started to go off, ringing in my head.

It was only my curiosity for answers that kept me where I was, rooted to the spot.

But what I saw next made me think, and wish, that I should've left when I had the chance if it were just one chance at still being normal after it.

Sam, in a few seconds began to expand, fur shooting out all over his body. Pitch-black in color. His dark eyes began to change, becoming bright gold and glinting under the scant sunlight coming through the clouds. He looked like he was becoming an animal of some kind.

His back bent down and his hands touched the ground before sprouting fur of their own and becoming...paws? His hands became like the paws of a canine and were adorned with massive sharp claws that sent cold shivers up my spine.

His entire body expanded and a tail sprouted from his lower back. By now, his clothes had torn themselves to shreds, not being able to keep up with his expanding form.

His mouth extended forward and soon formed a snout, while his face was covered in fur and wolf ears appeared on top of his now wolf-like head. No, that wasn't right. It wasn't wolf-LIKE, it was the head of a wolf.

Sam just turned into a wolf in front of me.

And not just any kind of wolf but a wolf that was bigger than a horse and from the thickness of the musculature could easily be mistaken for a Grizzly Bear.

Seeing this massive beast in front of me, I did what any sane person would do:

I fell backward on my ass, gawking up at the toothy maw of the giant wolf in front of me.