Oh Shift!

Oh Shift!-10

Chapter 10

Clean Up Duty
 
"You are going to help me find them?" I asked stunned.  
 
"We are Destiny. It has occurred to me that it is very strange that they just picked up and left your home without taking any of their things. Let alone they never tried contacting you, their only child, while you were in the hospital or why they have not listed you as a missing person. To me there seems to be something amiss," Ethan Carriway said, standing on his porch.  
 
"I haven't heard a word from or about them since I broke out. I have no idea where they are or what they look like anymore," I said dropping my head in sadness. 
 
"Can't we just Google them?" Mick asked laughingly. 
 
"No Mickey," Ethan said, shutting off his laughter, "we will use all the resources that we have. I'll contact the other pack leaders and ask them to search as well. But before we do anything, Dezzy you probably would like to clean up a bit, wouldn't you?" 
 
By that time I had finally calmed down enough to actually take in how extremely filthy I was. Mud and dirt was caked to any bare skin, my clothes were drenched in my sweat, and my hair had fallen from the braids and hung about my face in brown and teal knots. Oh and I smelt really really bad. 
 
"A shower would be lovely, thank you." 
 
 Ethan, Hale and I started towards the house until Ethan turned and addressed Arron, "Clean up and then wake up the boys. Its going to be a long day." 
  
Arron nodded, turned for the other cabin, and then disappeared inside the door. As I turned to go inside I looked over my shoulder back over towards the tree where Levi was just moments before I had arrived back at the house, but he had vanished. 
 
"Come on Dez, this way," Hale said gently taking my arm, sending a warm tingling sensation throughout my body, and leading me inside.
  
"But what is she going to do about clothes?" Mick asked as Hale and I entered into the living room. 
 
"Ah clothes," Ethan said as I watched him quickly think to find a solution. "Surely you boys have some smaller clothing that may fit her for the time being. Destiny you wouldn't mind hand-me-downs for a little while?" 
 
"That would be fine with me. I've worn worse," I said with a small laugh that earned curious looks from the two brothers. "Long story."
 
Ethan saved me by saying, "We can take you into town so you can buy some clothing and necessities later today. I have to run some errands and then talk to some people about your parents."
 
Mick ran up the stairs and I heard water begin to fall from a room at the top of the stairs, "Thank you Ethan, for everything," I said.
 
He walked over to Hale and I and he laid his hand gently on my shoulder, "I don't know half of the things you have been through in your life but you are like us. We understand how our lives are different from the humans and how it sets us apart. You've stumbled upon us not just by chance, but by fate. We can help you here, understand you," he paused, dropped his hand and looked at his son standing right at my side and then back at me, "protect you, and accept you. You're part of our family now, you don't have to stay but you don't have to run anymore. It's your choice."
 
My head was reeling. I hadn't had a family practically my entire life and these almost complete strangers, not to mention werewolves, were extending an invitation to me. I felt more at home here amongst the wolves than anywhere else in the entire country. I looked at Ethan's caring and sincere eyes and then to Hale's shining golden ones. At that moment I knew my answer, I knew where I belonged.
 
"I'd love to stay," I said with a smile.
 
Hale's handsome face lit up, and my heart leaped to know I had caused his excitement. He threw his arms around me and squeezed me to him, his wolfish scent intoxicating me. He didn't even care about how bad I smelt.
 
"Welcome to the family," he whispered almost too quiet for me to hear and raising goosebumps all over my body.
 
Then suddenly the floor banged beside me and I pulled away to see Mick about ready to pounce on us. His impact about knocked the wind out of me.
 
"Welcome to the pack sis!"
 
I laughed, then squeezed out from in between the two of them, and then slipped up the stairs into the bathroom.
 
One look into the steamed up mirror that hung above the sink made me wonder how any of those guys could stand to be anywhere near me. I was just a giant ball of filth and stink.
 
I stripped down and happily slunk underneath the warm grime ridding water. For a good few minutes the water itself was mud brown as it rolled down my body. As I continued to scrub away at the grime my mind began to wander.
 
...
 
"What is that thing? That's not my daughter!" My small petite blonde headed mother squealed when she walked into my nursery room.
 
I was four years old and I was sitting on my nursery room floor playing with one of my toys when my mother first witnessed my shifting. I couldn't control my body as it changed forms, shapes, and colors randomly. The shifting did not hurt me, but it didn't feel pleasant. The changes to my body usually occurred at night when my parents were asleep, but they kept becoming more and more frequent.