Chapter 13 : Defining Moments

*Estelle*

I didn't intend to fall asleep. The physical exhaustion and emotional turmoil were just too much for me. After Charles left, I cried until my eyes stung. I must have cried myself to sleep. I sat up on the cheap motel bed and stretched. My back ached and my head felt foggy. I rolled to my feet and went to the bathroom to clean myself up.

I was a mess, but there wasn't much I could do about it. There were bags under my eyes and my face was red. My hair was a disaster, and no amount of water was resolving the problem. I had to get moving. I wasn't sure how much time had passed. I needed to figure out how I could get to the airport. I left the motel room and headed for the front desk.

I'd had a bizarre dream and I couldn't quite shake it. In it, I was in wolf form running through a forest. It wasn't the forest around Gabe's village. The trees were closer together and barren of leaves. It was late autumn and the chill in the air was bitter. I could smell distant fires. I