Chapter 226 - Change of face (1/2)

Cam knocked lightly on the old, weathered door of Jos's cavernous home. She only had to wait a brief moment until she heard movement from inside and the door was opened. Her eyes scanned her friend quickly as the door was pulled open. ”How are you feeling?” She asked when the silver-haired girl smiled up at her weakly.

Jos shrugged as she stepped out of the way so Cam could come in. Jos brushed back some of the fallen strands of her hair as she looked away in embarrassment. ”I'm sorry you had to witness all that.”

Cam frowned as she noticed the dark bruises across her friend's wrists. Her gaze quickly moved down to the girl's boney ankles that were barely visible from under the plain dress she wore. Cam quickly pulled Jos into a tight hug. ”There's no need to be sorry! I can't imagine not having control over my shifted form!” She leaned back to meet the bright, slightly misty aqua eyes staring uncertainly up at her. ”I'm only glad that I could be of some help... though it doesn't seem like it helped enough.” Her attention moved back to the bruises on Jos's wrists. ”Sorry you were hurt.”

Jos let out a wobbly breath as she pulled Cam into another hug. ”Thank you for coming back. I was worried you would have been too afraid...”

Cam laughed, ”I'm a wolf! A few tentacles aren't going to scare me away!” She bumped Jos playfully with her elbow as she winked. ”Besides, you're my best friend.” After the girls shared in a giggle, Cam grew serious. ”Which brings me to the reason for my visit.” She grabbed Jos's hands in each of hers. ”Jos, it's finally happened. Ales is an alpha! Not only can we be together but will be coronated as the crowned prince and princess on the next full moon! You have to come!” Cam all but bounced beside her as she squeezed Jos's hands.

Jos frowned, ”I've told you; the wolves wouldn't want me around.” Jos looked away in embarrassment and dread. ”Cam you know what I am... you understand what that means... you said yourself you'd heard tales even as far north as Norway.” Her sad eyes met Cam's. ”I've killed many of their families over the years. They hold me personally responsible for any ship that doesn't return... to any ship that has been sunk when out to sea.”

Cam furrowed her brows as she bent closer to Jos. ”But you aren't responsible for every life lost at sea and you can't control it when it is the Kraken.”

Jos shook her head. ”The people of this island don't see it that way... they don't care which is me and which aren't, and they would never believe I don't have control over that form. To them, I'm simply a monster that is capable of hiding behind a pretty disguise.” She shrugged. ”Besides, people will always hate what they don't understand and can't control. It's a simple fact of life...”

Cam tilted her head. ”A pretty disguise... You've mentioned before this is just a chosen form... What is your real form? Can you choose other forms?”

Jos nodded. ”Yes... why?”

Cam stroked her chin thoughtfully. ”Well, they identify you as this girl, right? Couldn't you change to another form when you need to get supplies or... to come to my coronation...” She sent Jos her widest, saddest puppy eyes she could manage.

Jos sucked in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. ”I could shift into a different form, but for the most part, I still look the same... I'll still have the same color hair and eyes... I'll basically only look like I've aged... unless I change genders, but honestly, I'd probably still look similar and smell the same.”

Cam looked Jos over. ”You could try it and at least see. We could go to town and test it out right now.”

Jos blew out a breath in defeat. ”I suppose if nothing else, this can at least prove my point to you...” Jos pulled the door back open and stepped out looking around.

”What are you doing?” Cam asked following her out.

”Looking for Raven. If there's any chance of it working, we'll need her help.” Jos answered as she climbed the bank leading to the top of the falls. ”Ah, there you are. Would you like to help me shift into a boy and prove to Cam the wolves will still recognize me... probably by scent?”

Raven opened one eye as she arched a brow at the two girls staring down at her. ”Can't even enjoy a day off with the two of you...”

Jos rolled her eyes. ”You're my guard... my only guard, for another 100-plus years. You don't get days off.”

Raven shrugged as she pushed herself to a standing position. ”Fair point...” She arched a brow as a mischievous smile curved her lips. ”So, you want to look like a boy? What age are you going for?” She waggled her brows at Cam. ”You already trying to make your man jelly?”

Jos rolled her eyes in irritation. ”Do you have some clothes that could work or not?”

Raven's smile widened. ”Sure do... if you think you can shift enough to fill them out.” She winked.

Ten minutes later Jos was stepping out from behind a set of dressing screens. She lifted her arms out straight as she looked over her body and the outfit. ”I tried to stick to a similar frame as yours... as a male though of course...” Jos mumbled as she stepped farther into the room.

Raven nodded as she studied her. ”Not bad... I mean we'll have to tie your hair up into a more manly style but other than that...” She narrowed her eyes at Jos's boyish face. ”Do you think you could pop out some facial hair or something?”

Jos arched a brow in irritation. ”It doesn't really work like that. I'd have to have time for it to grow out. I can't magically cause hair to grow or shorten. She turned her attention to Cam. ”What do you think? Do I still smell the same?”

Cam forced her eyes up to Jos's and her mouth closed. ”My gods Jos, you ARE a man... Can I touch?”

Jos took a step back with her hands out. ”Wait! What are you wanting to touch?! I did this to prove a point about the people in town not to be groped!” She dodged a curious hand as it reached out to squeeze a biceps.

”Ah come on killjoy, just the normal places... nothing weird.” Cam argued as she reached out for a fill of a solid peck.

Jos brushed her hand away as she moved again. ”It's already gotten weird, stop!” Jos jerked and jumped to the side as she backed into a waiting hand and it squeezed her backside. ”Damnit you two! You don't even like men!” Jos growled as she narrowed her eyes on Raven.

Raven shrugged, ”Yeah but you're also not a man... so...”

Jos swatted at the fairy's arm hard before crossing her own. ”Stop messing around or I'm shifting back... both of you.”

Cam giggled as she shot a mischievous glance toward Raven. ”Can her body and mind shift into separate things? Cause I think her brain shifted into a grumpy old man!”

Jos narrowed her eyes, ”If the two of you are finished...” She lifted a thick arm and pointed toward the door.

Cam nodded as she skipped to Jos and laced her arm with hers. ”Lead the way, my handsome friend!”

Raven smacked her ass as she hurried by Jos. ”Yes, lead the way, my tight cheeked friend.”

Jos let out a heavy sigh. ”You two aren't going to make this easy, are you?”

Cam giggled, ”Doubtfully!” She took a few seconds to study Jos's new form. Jos had been right, most of her features were very similar. She still had the same large aqua eyes and pale silver and turquoise hair, but her jawline was now wider and held no trace of the fragile feminine one Cam had become so accustomed to seeing. She brought her finger up to poke the protruding Adam's apple. When Jos smacked her hand away again, Cam tilted her head. ”What should we call you while you're in this form?”

Jos crinkled her brows in thought. ”I'm not sure... I hadn't really thought about it... Jo maybe? Josh... I don't know...”

Cam thought it over. ”I kind of like Josh, what about you?”