The sun sat high in the sky, bathing the beach in its warm golden rays. The sound of waves crashing gently against the shore, children laughing, and seagulls calling created the perfect backdrop for a day meant to be carefree. Awa's initial apprehension about the trip had melted away in the sun's warmth, but her thoughts still swirled around one person—Forrest.
After setting up towels and umbrellas, Awa couldn't help but sneak glances at Forrest, who had since waded out into the water. His body moved through the ocean like he was born to be there, each stroke smooth and confident. The waves didn't seem to faze him at all, his movements calm and controlled. There was something about him that made her stomach flutter—a strange mix of curiosity and something else she didn't want to name.
"Hey, Awa, want to join us?" Tina called from a distance, waving her arms excitedly as she stood knee-deep in the water with Beatrice.
Awa snapped out of her thoughts and waved back. "Yeah, coming!"
The cool ocean water enveloped her as she waded into the sea. The chill was a welcome relief from the heat of the sun, and she smiled as the waves lapped at her legs. Beatrice immediately ran up to her, splashing her mother with salty water.
"Mom! Look! I can swim!" Beatrice beamed, paddling through the water with a bright orange inflatable ring around her waist.
Awa laughed, playfully splashing her daughter back. "You're doing great, sweetheart!"
Tina was busy floating on her back nearby, soaking up the sun like a starfish. She shot Awa a mischievous grin. "Feels good to unwind, huh?"
"It does," Awa admitted, though her mind kept drifting back to Forrest. She tried to suppress the thoughts, but it was difficult. He had this aura about him, something magnetic, and no matter how much she tried to brush it off, it kept tugging at the edges of her consciousness.
As the hours passed, Awa and Tina splashed in the water with Beatrice, laughing as they tried to build sandcastles and bury each other in the sand. It was a much-needed reprieve from the tension that had been building up in Awa's life.
Every now and then, Forrest would brush past Awa in the water—seemingly unintentional, but it made her heart race. She felt her cheeks flush each time their bodies briefly touched in the waves. He didn't seem fazed by it at all, maintaining his cool demeanor, which only frustrated her more. How could he stay so unaffected when she felt like she was on edge every time they were close?
At one point, as they passed each other again, Awa stumbled in the water, her foot hitting an unexpected dip in the sand. She tried to regain her balance, but before she could, Forrest's hand shot out, steadying her by the arm.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice calm and steady.
Awa's heart raced as she nodded, her face warming despite the cool water. "Yeah, thanks." She quickly pulled her arm back, trying to act like the simple touch hadn't sent her nerves into overdrive. But Forrest had already turned back toward the deeper waters, the moment gone as fast as it had arrived.
Still, it left her flustered.
The idea of renting a jet ski came to Awa spontaneously after watching a few tourists zip around on the water. It seemed like a great way to add some thrill to the afternoon, and Beatrice was immediately on board with the idea.
"Mommy, can we ride the jet ski? Please?" Beatrice pleaded, her eyes wide with excitement.
Awa grinned. "Of course! Let's go have some fun."
They rented one from a nearby shack, and after a quick rundown of how to operate it, Awa climbed aboard with Beatrice sitting in front of her. The engine roared to life beneath them, and Awa couldn't help but feel a rush of exhilaration as they zoomed out onto the open water.
Beatrice squealed in delight as they bounced over the waves, her arms wrapped tightly around her mother's waist. Awa felt alive—truly alive—for the first time in weeks. The wind in her hair, the spray of the ocean against her skin, and the laughter of her daughter filled her with pure, unadulterated joy.
After a few laps around the bay, Awa brought the jet ski back to shore to drop Beatrice off with Tina, who had been watching from the beach. "I want to try something," Awa said, a gleam in her eye.
"Don't take too long. We've got to be heading back soon," Tina replied, raising an eyebrow. She glanced at Beatrice and smiled. "You did a great job out there, Bea."
Beatrice beamed as she hugged her aunt's leg. "That was so fun!"
Awa climbed back onto the jet ski, her mind racing with an idea that had been bubbling up ever since the moment in the water with Forrest. She spotted him out in the deeper part of the bay, still wading through the water, his back turned to the shore.
Perfect.
This was her chance to see if Forrest could handle a bit more than just splashing waves. What if she 'accidentally' hit him with the jet ski? Not hard enough to cause real damage, of course—just enough to see how fast he could react. Surely, if he was a werewolf, he could handle something like this.
After all, this was for science. It wasn't like she wanted to get up close to Forrest, or to test the limits of how much he could take. No, definitely not. She was simply curious about what made him tick.
She revved the engine and sped toward Forrest, keeping her distance at first but gradually veering closer. Her heart raced with anticipation as she neared him, the sound of the jet ski echoing over the water. Forrest was still unaware of her approach, completely absorbed in the ocean.
Just as she was about to get close enough to force a reaction, a strange sensation swept over her.
Awa suddenly felt weak. Her limbs grew heavy, and her vision blurred as an intense wave of exhaustion washed over her. The once-warm sun that had kissed her skin all afternoon now felt oppressive, burning into her. It was as if her body had been drained of every ounce of strength.
Without warning, her grip on the handlebars faltered, and the jet ski veered off course. Awa's head swam as the world spun around her, her vision darkening at the edges. She barely had time to process what was happening before she collapsed forward, her body slipping off the side of the jet ski and into the water.
The last thing she remembered before everything went black was the sound of someone shouting her name and the cold embrace of the ocean.
Awa woke to the sensation of cool sand beneath her and a chorus of concerned voices around her. Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked against the bright sunlight that filtered through the canopy of umbrellas overhead.
"She's waking up!"
"Is she okay?"
A shadow blocked the sun, and Awa squinted, her vision still fuzzy. Tina's face appeared above her, relief etched in her features. "Awa! Are you alright?"
Awa groaned, her throat dry and her body feeling like it had been wrung out. "What... what happened?"
"You fainted," Tina said, her voice tight with worry. "Fell off the jet ski. Luckily, you were close enough to the shore, so they managed to pull you out quickly. You've been out for a few minutes."
Awa sat up slowly, her head pounding as she tried to piece everything together. She remembered heading toward Forrest, planning her little 'experiment,' and then... nothing.
The feeling of weakness. The sudden drain of her strength. What had happened?
"Where's Beatrice?" she asked, panic rising in her chest.
"She's with one of the lifeguards, getting ice cream," Tina assured her. "She's fine."
Awa exhaled in relief, but her mind was still spinning. Why had she fainted like that? Was it the sun? She glanced down at her body, still in her bikini, and realized with growing unease that she had barely been in the sun for a few hours before collapsing, her body was completely red, sunburned.
Could it be the sun? She had been feeling stronger, faster, more resilient since her encounter with Kelsey and the strange transformation that had followed. But what if her new abilities came with a cost? What if her body was now more sensitive to sunlight?
Tina handed her a bottle of water, her brow furrowed with concern. "You need to rest, Awa. You've been pushing yourself too hard lately."
Awa nodded absently, taking a sip of the water as her mind continued to race. She had no explanation for what had just happened, but one thing was clear: she needed to figure out what was going on with her—and soon.
As she lay back on the beach, her mind drifted to Forrest once more. She had been so focused on him, on his werewolf nature, that she hadn't considered her own changes.
Maybe, just maybe, they weren't so different after all.