He stopped for a moment and crossed his arms at his chest. “Tell me this…” Owen began. “Have you shifted?”
“If by ‘shifted’, you mean transform into a bear, no, I…” Jett replied. “I mean, yes, maybe.”
“Well, which is it son? Yes or no?”
“I did once… it was under hypnosis and there was another time possibly but I can’t be certain.”
“Shit…” Owen said as he stood. The speed with which he moved tipped his chair over backwards onto the floor. It crashed into the ground with a loud bang.
“There isn’t much time for certain now.” He said as he started to pace back and forth. “Not much at all.”
“Not much time for what?” Jett asked.
The old man disregarded his question. “No doubt about it, boy. You are young and strong, like your father before you. But… Kane…” The old man reached up to his chin. As he rubbed his palm against the grayed stubble, he exhaled. He looked at Jett and shook his head.
“What?” Jett replied. Concern laced his tone. It was the first time Daniella recalled ever seeing him show any real fear.
“There’s work to be done. That’s all. At least a week of it. We’ll have to hope for the best after that.” Owen said as he waved off the question.
“Work? What are you talking about?” Jett said.
“It doesn’t matter right now. I will explain everything. Tomorrow will be a long day. Get plenty of rest. Don’t do anything to…” The old man narrowed his gaze in Daniella’s direction as he spoke. He looked at Jett once more and continued, “waste energy. If you do, you’ll never keep up.”
“Keep up?” Jett asked. “What does that mean?”
Owen ignored him once again. “We begin at daybreak. Now…” he said as he gestured towards the bedroom, “get some sleep.”
***
Fifteen minutes later, exhausted and bewildered, Jett and Daniella laid together on the small mattress she’d napped on earlier in the day. It was a clear night out. The stars and moon cast a somewhat bright light into the room. The cabin was silent but doubt hung heavy in the air. Jett laid awake and stared at the ceiling.
“Jett,” Daniella whispered, “what are you thinking about?”
“Hmm? Oh, I don’t know.” He replied. “I mean, I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
Daniella stayed quiet for a moment and then turned her head towards him.
“Let’s run. We can get out of here, together.” She said with desperation in her tone. “I don’t care about anything except you and I don’t want to lose you. I can’t.”
Jett propped himself up on his elbow. As he looked down at her, he noticed her eyes pooled with tears.
“Why do you think you are going to lose me?”
Daniella shrugged and started to sob. He pulled her close. For several seconds he hugged her as the emotions she’d bottled up for weeks started to pour out.
“Jett, I don’t belong in that world that you come from.” She said. “I’m not one of you but I don’t want to live without you, either. Please, can’t you let it all go and run off with me?”
Jett exhaled. “Sweetheart, you know I want to be with you more than anything but… that’s something I cannot do. Not after everything I’ve just learned about my true identity.” He replied. “And you’re wrong, you may not be like me but you do belong with me.”
Daniella continued to weep softly but didn’t reply.
“Right now, you need to have faith,” he continued. “You need to believe that the cause I am fighting for is the right one because to win without you would be meaningless. Don’t you see that I am fighting for our future and not my own?”
Daniella draped her body across his. “I feel so bad for you,” she said. “I wish there was a way I could help you with whatever Owen wants you to do.”
“What do you mean? You’ve done so much for me already.” He said as he caressed her check. “I couldn’t possibly ask you to do even one more thing for me. And anyway, you can’t stay here. You have a brand new job, remember?”
The truth was Daniella had all but forgotten about it… But he was right. There was no way she could stay. Not for a week. It would be impossible unless she wanted to lose her job.
“Yes,” she sighed at last, “I know.”
“Look, try not to think about it for now.” Jett said. “Let’s see how things go tomorrow. I’m going to give Owen at least a chance. I have nothing to lose at this point. If it works out, great and if not, well, I’ll figure something else out.”
“Okay,” Daniella replied.
“Now, let’s get some rest.” He said. “As much as I would like to do any number of other things with you, my instincts tell me Owen wasn’t kidding when he said I’d need my strength.”
“Yes, I’m sure you’re right.” Daniella replied as she exhaled, snuggled up to him and drifted off to sleep.
***
When Daniella next awoke, early morning sunlight filled the bedroom. She glanced over to where Jett should have been to find he’d gone. She sat up, looked around and noticed the bedroom door cracked open. In the other room, she heard Jett and Owen, so she threw on her clothes and walked towards the doorway.
As she peeked around the corner, she noticed Max and Amigo at the far end of the hallway. They both looked at her, jumped up and trotted down the hallway towards her. As they neared, she knelt down and petted them both. After a few licks to the face, she stood and walked towards the kitchen.
As she entered, Jett stood from the table and kissed her on the cheek. “Morning,” he began. “Coffee?”
She rubbed her eyes. “Good morning… and yes, please.”
“There’s eggs and bacon there on the counter.” Owen said as he scraped the last morsels of food off his plate. “Help yourself.”
“Thank you. I’m not hungry at the moment.”
Owen nodded. “Well, be sure and get something in your belly. We won’t be back here ‘til late afternoon. Long day ahead.”
“Where are we going?”
“About two miles west. Good training ground that.” He began. He stood from the table, pushed his chair back and walked into the kitchen.
As he did he continued to talk, almost mutter. “Rugged terrain, challenging… Yes, it’ll do. It has to.” He said.
The trio set on the trail a little past eight o’clock. Max and Amigo wandered ahead as they apparently followed a route they’d taken in the past.
“Trail’s pretty open here for a bit,” Owen began. He gestured towards a ridgeline in the distance and said, “Past that, it gets tricky.”
Of course it does. Why would any of this be easy?
They walked in silence for several minutes until the trail split into two. Owen stopped and whistled for the dogs. As they returned, he looked at Daniella and said, “I imagine you are wondering why all of this is necessary? Aren’t you?”
“I don’t know,” Daniella shrugged. “A little I guess…”
“Come…” he said.
Daniella walked over to him. He placed his arm over her shoulder and pointed to a nearby pine tree. “There, you see that?”
She followed the direction of his finger. “No. What?”
He pulled her a bit closer. “Up there, about halfway to the top. There’s a nest. Magpies…”
“Oh, okay,” Daniella nodded. “I see it now.”
“It’s tough out here for Magpie chicks,” Owen began. “They have to learn to fly the hard way. The parents kick them out of the nest before they hardly have a feather.”
“Uh, that’s terrible!” Daniella exclaimed as she stared up at the nest. “Why do they do that?”
“Because that’s their nature.” Owen replied. “Sounds bad, I know, but right away, the first thing the baby learns is how to survive without its greatest asset, the ability to fly. It has to learn to survive first before it can fly at all. Only by experiencing fear of death will its greatest power come to it.”
“I’m confused.” She said. “What does this have to do with Jett?”
Owen nodded and smiled. “That’s a secret.” He said with a wink.
Daniella laughed and they got back to hiking. About forty minutes passed when Owen stopped and looked around behind them.
“Where’s the dogs?” He asked.
Daniella and Jett looked at each other and shrugged.
“They were behind us a minute ago…” Jett replied as he did a half turn and looked back down the trail.
“Well, go rustle ‘em up.” Owen replied. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a dog whistle. “I reckon they got down that trail that heads to the blueberry bushes. Damndest thing you ever saw… Dogs eatin’ blueberries.” He handed the whistle to Jett and said, “Just walk back to where that trail splits off. Blow it. They’ll come. We’ll keep going.”
Daniella chuckled at the mental image of foraging canines as Owen spoke.
“Okay,” Jett said as he took the whistle. “Back in a bit.”
Jett turned and jogged back down the trail.
“Well, no sense standing here…” Owen began. “Let’s keep movin’…”
Daniella nodded and they continued to walk along for a couple of minutes when she asked, “Owen… when Jett partially shifted before, it seemed painful. Is it always that way?”
“In the beginning, yes.” Owen said as leaves and twigs crunched under his steel toed boots with each step. “But with time the pain not only goes away but it feels incredible to shift.”
“Incredible?” She replied with disbelief.
“Absolutely!” He exclaimed. He stopped and turned to face her. She’d never seen him this excited since the moment she met him.
“Close your eyes…” he said. “Go on.”
Daniella stopped and did as he said.
“Now, I want you to imagine a single moment in your life when you felt stronger than ever and each one of your senses were the sharpest possible.”
Daniella squeezed her eyes together as tight as she could. Her lips came together in focused concentration.
“Do you see it?” He asked. “Can you feel what that’s like?”
She tried for several more seconds. Her hands came together and made tiny fists in support of her effort but at last she shook her head. “No, I can’t.” She replied with frustration.
Owen placed his immense hands on her shoulders. His touch startled her and her eyes flipped open. “Exactly,” he said. “You can’t. And do you know why?”
“No.” She replied as she shook her head.
“It’s because of this…” he said as he pressed the side of her head with his index finger.
“My head?”
“Not your head but what’s inside.”
Daniella frowned as Owen turned and started to walk away. “Wait, I don’t understand. What do you mean?” She asked.
Owen sighed. “There was a time Daniella when man was closer to his nature but it hasn’t been that way for thousands of years, maybe more.” He said. “Long ago humans placed the center of their power in the head and in doing so, betrayed the true source of all power in this life.”
“And what’s that?” She asked.
He stopped once again, turned and placed his hand on her chest, above her heart.
“It’s that… right there…” he said. “Do you feel that?”
“Yes, my heart, you mean?”
He nodded. “Yes. That beat… the steady pump, pump, pump is all the proof in the world that you are a part of this universe.” He replied. “And that rhythm, the alignment with one’s true nature… that is what it feels like to shift. I am not the bear and the bear is not me. We are one, the same.”
He smiled and turned away from her and as he did, she looked at him with bewilderment.
“There!” He shouted as he pointed to a break in the tree line up ahead. “Time’s a wastin’…”
Daniella stood frozen in place as Owen took off with the speed of a man half his age.
“You okay?” Jett said as he walked up to her several seconds later.
“Yes,” she smiled. “Maybe a little jealous but otherwise okay…”
“Jealous? Of what?”
“Of you, shifters…”
“Really? Why?”
“It’s a secret.” She replied with a sly grin. Daniella turned and started to walk up the trail behind Owen.
“A secret?” Jett said as Max and Amigo dashed by. “Daniella, wait! What are you talking about?”
***
They came upon a large clearing. The trail spilled out into the open and everywhere she looked alpine flowers painted the landscape. Daniella sat down on a nearby boulder. As she did, Max and Amigo laid down on either side of her while Owen and Jett stood nearby.
“This is as good a spot as any.” Owen said. He made a sweeping gesture with his right hand and said, “Get used to this place, boy. For the next week, it will be your home.”
Jett surveyed the landscape and replied, “If you say so. Just looks like a bunch of trees and rocks to me.”
Owen chuckled. “When I need your commentary, I’ll ask for it. You’re here to learn so pay attention.”
Jett rolled his eyes but nodded in understanding.
“Those ‘trees’…” Owen began. “they will tell you when danger is near or your prey is close. You will learn to understand the subtle difference between a short creak or a long groan. The ‘rocks’? Every stone from the tiniest pebble to the largest boulder gives you clues to the world around you. All you have to do is learn how to interpret them.”
Owen knelt down and pointed at something in the dirt. “Come here,” he said to Jett. From her vantage point, Daniella couldn’t make it out but looked on with interest as Jett squatted down next to him.
“Tell me what you see, boy.”
Jett squinted at the ground and then shrugged. “I dunno… animal tracks?”
“Just one kind?”
Jett looked at the ground once again. “No, there’s a couple of different kinds. I don’t understand. What does this have to do with me learning how to shift?”
Owen laughed at Jett’s question. He turned to Daniella and said, “Daniella, tell Jett here what the Magpie chicks have to learn before they can fly.”
“Um,” Daniella said as she tried to remember. “Oh! They have to learn how to survive on the ground first before learning how to fly.”
“That makes no sense at all.” Jett said. “How can a bird survive without the ability to fly?”
“How indeed…” Owen said. “And yet, they do. The chick must learn to evade predators, to eat and stay alive with its wits alone. So once it learns how to fly it becomes the stronger predator possible, more adaptable and better able to survive. Flight becomes a complement to its survival skills; the bird does not need it to live. If a Magpie ever breaks a wing, it will live because it already knows how to live without them. Nothing is accidental in nature.”
Jett listened to Owen as he spoke but didn’t respond.
Owen continued, “See boy, your bear can’t survive because it never had to learn how. Shifting for us is like the Magpie chick learning to fly. We are at our peak with it but you must never rely on it exclusively. Shifting is not an automatic, off or on kind of thing. It requires concentration and focus to master. The more you do it, the better you get but in the presence of a superior foe, like Kane, you will fail. At this moment, you are little more than the shifter equivalent of a Magpie chick.”
“Okay,” Jett replied. “I think I understand.”
“Good,” Owen nodded as he slapped Jett on the back. “Because there’s much more…”
Owen returned to a discussion of the tracks in the dirt. Over the next several hours, Daniella watched as Owen tutored his pupil. They wandered off into the woods at one stage. When they did, she thought it best to stay put with Max and Amigo. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of the mountain lion fiasco. If Owen saved her twice, she’d never live it down. At around noon, they walked back over to where she was.
“How’s it going?” Daniella asked.
“Okay, I…” Jett began but as he started to reply, Owen interrupted him.
“Boy?” He said as he looked at Jett. “How would you know anything about how you are doing? How many shifters have you trained in your life?”
“None, obviously.”
“Right, none.” Owen deadpanned.
“Well,” Daniella said as she turned her attention to Owen. “How’s he doing?”
Owen motioned for her to pass his backpack to him. As she did, he unzipped it and pulled out sandwiches for them and treats for the dogs. For about a minute, he worked in silence, passed out the food and tossed the dogs theirs as well. He climbed up on the rock and sat next to Daniella. After he took a big bite of his sandwich, he put his arm around Daniella and pointed at Jett.
“That one,” he said as he nodded at Jett. “He’s got a long way to go…”
Jett waved Owen off with his hand and walked off with his sandwich in disgust.
Owen chuckled. He leaned in to Daniella’s ear. “Can you keep a secret?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
Owen gestured in Jett’s direction. “Truthfully? Best I’ve ever seen… It is a privilege to be around him. Never seen anyone with gifts like that, even better than his father.”
“Really?” Daniella whispered with excitement.
“Shh,” Owen replied. “It’s a secret, remember?”
“Yes,” she said. “I promise I won’t tell.”
“Good,” he replied. “See that you don’t. The last thing I want is him getting lazy because of his talent. Greatness like that is a special thing but it needs to be focused, humbled and honed. You understand?”
“Yes.” She nodded.
Owen took the last bite of sandwich and winked at her. He stood up and yelled at Jett. “Come on, boy. At this rate, we’re gonna need every single second of daylight. Back to work…”
As Daniella finished her lunch, Owen and Jett disappeared into the woods once again. The sun was high overhead and a bit too hot for her so she took the dogs and planted herself under a nearby stand of trees. She enjoyed shifter training. It was the closest thing she’d had to a vacation in months so as far as she cared, they could stay gone as long as they needed. Soon, with a full belly and warm breeze on her face, she drifted off to sleep.
When she next awoke, a sweaty Jett and dirty Owen stood over her.
She sat up, rubbed her eyes and said, “What happened to you?”
“Oh nothing,” Jett said as he looked at Owen. “Just practice. Right?”
“Yep,” Owen replied. “Not bad for the first day. Long way to go yet. We best be headin’ back before it gets too dark.”
After hiking back to the cabin, Daniella turned to Owen and said, “I have to go. Gotta be back at work first thing tomorrow.”
Owen nodded. “I understand. See you next week then?”
“Yes,” she nodded. Then, without thinking she leaned over to hug him. As she wrapped her arms around him, his body stiffened.
“Oh, come on you old grouch…” she complained. “You want to hug me!”
Owen remained frozen for a moment and then lifted his arms. With a stilted action, he patted her back in a mechanical motion.
“No!” Daniella barked as she hugged him closer. “Do it right or I won’t let go.”
Jett stifled a chuckle.
“Watch it, boy.” Owen warned.
Jett waved his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. I’m just telling you right now, you may as well do it because she won’t quit until you do.”
At last, Owen relented and hugged Daniella to her satisfaction.
“There,” she said as she released him. “Now, was that so bad?”
“Um, no.” Owen replied. “Stubborn, this one. Reminds me of your mother, boy.”
“I will take that as a compliment,” Daniella said as she smiled.
“That’s how I intended it,” Owen replied. “Okay then, until next time.”
She waved at him and said, “Okay.” As Owen walked into the cabin she yelled, “You take care of him.” He raised his arm up, waved back at her and disappeared inside his home.
“That…” Jett said. “was hilarious.”
“I know,” she chuckled. “He likes to act tough but he’s not so much.”
“Huh, not to you!” Jett exclaimed.
A few seconds later, they began to hike back down to Daniella’s car. Max and Amigo trotted along ahead of them. The late afternoon sun poked through the immense old growth pines and lit up the trail with hues of red, orange and gold.
“Pretty crazy day for you, wasn’t it?” Daniella said as they walked.
“Yeah, but incredible as well.” Jett replied. “Although I always sensed something was missing from my life, I never imagined how alive all of this would make me feel.”
“I’m so happy for you,” Daniella said. “I’m sure it’s an amazing experience.”
“It is a weird feeling though.” Jett said as he gestured back towards Owen’s cabin. “As much of a pain as he is, he’s the closest thing I’ve got to real family. Growing up I felt like I was different but I had no idea just how much.”
“What do you mean?” Daniella said. “Jo and David love you and raised you as their own.”
“I know but I think they understood this day would come.” He said with a somber tone. “It was inevitable I would discover my true identity. It’s a tragedy that Wyatt died in the process but I will make certain it wasn’t in vain.”
A few minutes later, they arrived at her car when Daniella turned to face him. As she looked into his eyes, it was clear a change was underway. His eyes, weary and exhausted not days before were alive once again. They sparkled back at her with optimism, hope and focus.
“I wish I could stay.” She said.
He smiled at her. “Me too but it’s only a week. Before you know it, you’ll be back.”
Pink twilight broke over the ridgeline as he moved closer to her.
“Will you miss me?” She asked.
“Terribly…” he whispered.
She remained silent for a moment. With her index finger, she twirled a lock of her hair and said, “How mu…”
But just as she spoke, Jett’s mouth pressed against hers. There was a new energy in him. It radiated from his lips and into her own. As their tongues intertwined, she leaned back against the driver’s side door and delighted in the feel of his torso upon her.
With his hands, he reached down and gripped her waist. Jett squeezed her ample flesh as she moaned in response. He pulled her closer and started to kiss her neck with slow, delicate lashes of his tongue. Daniella’s arms snaked their way up the back of his upper body until they found their way into his tangled locks.
A gentle, cool evening breeze brushed against her exposed neck, still moist from his affection moments before. The sensation reverberated all throughout her body. Her hair stood on end and her nipples hardened against the soft fabric of her bra.
At last, Jett broke free of her for a moment. “If we go any further, we will have to go a lot further, if you know what I mean.”
“Yes,” Daniella said as she licked her lips. “I know what you mean… I… think you are right, as much as I hate to admit it.”
He smiled and leaned away from her. “Gonna be a looooong week.”
“Definitely.” She groaned. “Well, I should probably get going.” She unlocked the car and opened the door.
“Okay,” he said as she slipped inside her car. “See you next week. I’ll be right back here Friday after work, around seven or so.”
He leaned down and kissed her one last time on the cheek.
“Sounds good, I’ll be waiting.” He replied with a smile.
***
The events of the past weekend hit her at a time when she could least afford it, six o’clock Tuesday morning. Bleary-eyed from a non-stop three day weekend, she turned off the alarm on her cell and sat up in bed. If nothing else, at least it would be a short work week.
After downing twice as many cups of coffee as normal, Daniella arrived at work. There was still an awful lot to do for the juvenile diabetes fundraiser and she turned to her handy checklist to figure out what remained. Of all the items, the biggest issue was the still banquet hall space. She’d tasked Victoria with handling it and as far as she knew, things were right on track.
“Hmm,” she mumbled to herself as she picked up her phone. “Let me see if I can get her…”
She reached Victoria as shewas on her way in the main entrance. She promised Daniella her desk was the first place she’d stop.
“Hey,” Victoria said as she entered several minutes later. “How was your weekend? Oooh, did you go out with Marlon?”
“Hmm?” Daniella replied as she looked down at her checklist. “What?”
Victoria leaned forward and placed her hands around her mouth for emphasis. “Did. You. Go. Out. With. Marlon?”
“Marlon? What?” Daniella replied. “No, no… I didn’t.”
Victoria rolled her eyes and plopped into the chair across from Daniella’s desk. Daniella tapped her pen against the paper and without looking up, she said, “So where are we on the banquet hall? Did we get the extra space?”
“Uh,” Victoria replied. “No, remember? I sent you an e-mail about it on Thursday. You said that you would handle it.”
“I did?” Daniella said as she looked up. “I don’t remember that…”
“Well, I sent you the e-mail. Check it for yourself.” Victoria said with a casual wave of her hand.
Daniella turned her attention to her computer.
“Shit…” she said as she read the e-mail about a minute later.
“Yeeeaahhh…” Victoria replied. “What are we going to do now?”
“Well, I’ll have to call them and see what I can work out.”
“And what about…”
“Kim?” Daniella said.
“Yep.”
“I’ll talk to her. It’s my responsibility after all.” Daniella replied.
Victoria stood from the chair. “Good luck with that!”
“I know,” Daniella groaned. “I’ll need it.”
After Victoria left her office, Daniella spent the next several minutes trying to get the banquet hall situation back on track. No luck yet. What she accomplished amounted to little more than a game of phone tag but at least things were in motion. The very next thing she would have to do is go and tell her boss about the situation. But just as she stood, her phone buzzed.
It was Kim.
“Good morning, Kim,” Daniella said as she answered. “I was just about to come see you.”
“Hi Daniella,” Kim replied. “Good, okay. I hope that you have positive news about the space for the banquet.”
“Well, I have news…” Daniella replied as she winced.
“I see,” Kim said with frustration in her tone. “Come down so we can discuss it.”
“Be right there…” Daniella replied. She hung up and gathered her things. On the way, she passed by Victoria and Candi who exchanged concerned glances with her… and for good reason.
Kim Alfredson was a senior vice-president at the charity. She was also the person who interviewed Daniella and recommended her to the board above all the other applicants. Needless to say, Daniella didn’t want to disappoint her. There was no way around the fact she’d screwed up. Her only hope was that Kim would be merciful about it.
As she reached her office, Daniella took a deep breath.
“Stay calm…” she whispered to herself before she turned and knocked on the door.
“Come in Daniella,” her boss said. “Close the door, please.”
As Daniella entered, Kim was on the phone so she took a seat across from her desk. Within a minute or two, Kim wrapped up her phone call while Daniella readied the files on the fundraiser. But as Kim hung up, it was clear she wasn’t in the mood to ask questions.
Instead, she took off her reading glasses, brushed her shoulder length black hair back and glared at Daniella in silence. Kim was an older woman but still beautiful, not to mention intimidating. This was a side of her Daniella hadn’t yet seen and it didn’t look good.
“Daniella,” she began, “a couple of things. The first is that I just got off the phone with the head of facilities for the banquet hall. I have fixed the issue of the extra space.”
Daniella started to blurt something out when Kim raised her hand.
“No,” she said. “I don’t have time for any excuses. Now, I hired you for this position not only because you were well qualified but because you seemed to believe in the work the charity does.”
“I do… I…” Daniella interjected.
Kim held up her hand again and waited for Daniella to calm down.
Once satisfied she had, Kim continued, “If you were in a position here that I could find a replacement for, I wouldn’t even be having this conversation right now. I don’t enjoy being stern with you this soon after you’ve come to work here but I want to be clear we are on the same page. And I also wouldn’t go through all of this trouble if I thought you didn’t have real potential. I have plenty to do here every day, believe me. I need to know that I can count on you to do your job without me having to hover over you. Do you understand what I am saying?”