Crissa's Mate

Chapter Twenty-Four

The two walked away from the lodge, following the dirt road that led to the river. Crissa felt strangely safe with David at her side.

"You can't believe how that whole experience was," he said, with a strange mixture of enthusiasm and seriousness to his voice. You would think I should be completely alarmed and sad . . . about what had happened to me. But I'm not, Crissa. It was actually the most amazing feeling. To be . . . I don't know, instinctive and animalistic about life. It's something we all try to hide in ourselves, but maybe shouldn't."

Crissa was perplexed at his reaction.

"What are you saying, David?"

"There was just no hiding it when I was . . . with them. I felt free and so . . . amazingly alive!"

The two stopped as they entered the bridge, both looking down at the swift moving water.

"But . . . you must have felt that you also lost something. Didn't you David? I mean . . . at least temporarily?  I saw you out there in the night. With them. You looked up at me. And I knew it was you. I felt so far away. So out of the world you were in then."

"No. I felt your heart Crissa . . . when you looked at me from the roof. I knew you were aware it was me. And still close to me. I detected that pure and clearly. And it's the reasons I rejected . . ."

"Her?  The village girl . . . turned wolf?"

"Yes. But being one of them changes you. Entirely. You react from . . . strong instincts. Not when you are like a human. Fighting, hunting and . . . mating just seemed so natural when I was out there. Perfectly in tune. I know it sounds crazy, but it was in some way really . . . good and fulfilling to sense that. Something maybe we have all lost."

"But David you're back!  You must be glad. We are all so blessed you've returned to us. Especially me. I worried so much for your safety. And that I may have never seen you again."

"I am happy, Crissa. To be back here . . . blessed too, even. Yet, there's a part of me . . . something which has changed. I don't know. A hunger to . . . return when I can. As brief as it all must be."

"God!  This is all just so unbelievable, David. It seems like such a nightmare. For all of us here. I can't imagine how you and Julie's lives must now change. Be so cursed!"

"Please, Crissa. I don't see it that way. Not as a curse. As crazy at it must sound to you, I've already accepted how . . . that is, what, I will have to be each month . . . for three, maybe four days and nights."

They stopped on the crest of bridge, turned and faced each other. The wind was blowing David's long hair like a flag and his tanned face seemed so absolutely handsome to her.

"It was all just so amazing," he added softly, with no trace of the beast which would rage inside, and outside him again, in just weeks. "Look. Crissa. I've already thought about my return home. How it will be. No one will have to know. Just those of us here. Josh and Mary will return to Illinois. You . . . to Canada, and Brad to Alaska. I cannot speak for Julie. She became as wild as me. And she did not hesitate taking a mate. As I witnessed. Wolves mate for life. It's a known fact. I can't expect that she'll want to return to Alaska when we find her. It will be a battle to get her on any plane back to her old life now."

"Jesus, David. Is the change so deep?"

"I can't describe exactly what kind of new dimension I am in now. But I'm seeing my life in two worlds, Crissa. With one so very much closer to nature."