Changing You ✦ The Sequel

Chapter 16 {R}

He tensed up so quickly I instantly knew something was wrong.

It didn't take me long to figure out what it was. The way he stared at my eyes gave it away.

"Shit- I'm sorry, I-" I pushed myself backwards, out of his reach, slamming my spine against the headboard of the bed as I sat up too fast. I squeezed my eyes shut, focusing on my ragged breathing and racing heartbeat to force the golden glow out of my orbs.

A few heartbeats of silence passed as he was struggling to find his voice. "N-no, it's okay," he rushed out, his voice unsteady. "You- you've got nothing to be sorry for. I just- it took me by surprise."

"It scared you," I stated softly, recalling the fear that had flashed across his features at the sight of my werewolf eyes. I didn't look at him until I was certain my eyes had gone back to normal.

"No, I-," he trailed off, biting down on his bottom lip. He sat back, folding his legs underneath him, and studied his inner palms. He exhaled a deep breath, knowing he couldn't lie to me. "I thought I did something wrong."

I bit my inner cheek, looking away from him. Guilt crept onto my features and into my voice. "I'm sorry," I said softly.

"Hey, I'm serious. Look at me." He leaned forward, taking my hand in his gently. Hesitantly.

My eyes turned up to meet his strong, sincere gaze. "You don't have to be sorry for anything," he repeated.

I rubbed a hand over my face, releasing a frustrated sigh, directing the irritation at myself. "It just- I can't help it sometimes," I said, shaking my head lightly.

"The things you do to me... make my heart beat too fast. And I have these heightened feelings running through my head and it can get so intense it triggers my werewolf side. And if I let my control slip for just a second..." A bitter smile formed on my lips. "You tend to have that affect on me."

Both surprise and confusion blinked in his eyes. "I do?"

I nodded, fiddling with the metal ring around his index finger. "It happened the first day we met," I openly admitted to him for the first time. "When we bumped into each other in the hallway and I knocked you over, ending up on top of you."

A light smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he recalled the memory.

"It happened when we first kissed, too," I told him softly, afraid to meet his gaze. "I told you I freaked out because it was my first kiss and I didn't know what to do. And yes, that was actually the truth, but the main reason was that I had started shifting. That's why I ran off."

He didn't seem that surprised by this new information. Something like conformation flashed through his eyes, like he had suspected it himself before. His head was tilted an inch to the side, studying me.

I pursed my lips, looking down at our hands. "It kind of happened now," I admitted, embarrassed to say it out loud.

He was quiet for awhile. So quiet I could almost hear his brain rattling, creaking as it processed everything he learned about me and all that it meant, battling the doubt and the fear and the anger that had rusted into his skull. Convincing and fighting himself. All at the same time.

"I want to see you."

My eyes snapped up to meet his, breath locking in my throat. Out of all the things he could have said, I had never expected this to come out of his mouth.

He swallowed; the only sign of his hesitation, because both his eyes and voice were filled with certainty. "The real you. Your werewolf side."

My eyes couldn't stop moving. Switching between his orbs. Running across his face. Searching for a trace of doubt but I found none.