muzzle and her family chained in cells and to walls. They all gave out a nervous laughter.
Jamie took off his charm, so that the moon and the transformation would take place sooner. As soon as he was changed, his grandmother slipped the muzzle over his snout. Then quickly grabbed the knife from the window sill and smacked him in the forehead three times. Nothing happened. By the time she was done with Jamie, Harry and Rachel had changed. All Belinda could do was wish them a good night and go upstairs until morning. But before she left, she places Jamie’s necklace back on him.
The sun beamed through the living room window waking Belinda. She hurried downstairs to release the family and start some breakfast.
“I take it that it didn’t work.” Jamie said, not surprised, but heartbroken.
“I’m afraid not dear.”
While Belinda cooked, Harry showered, and the kids went for their morning run. They came back to a large spread of ham, bacon, toast, eggs, and hash browns. Belinda knew how hungry they would all be, after all she had been taking care of 3-4 werewolves for the last 42 years.
“Ok so tonight, I have to drive nails into your hands as you change?” Belinda squirmed at the thought, but knew that she had to be the one. “And what if that doesn’t work?”
“One last shot. Stabbing in the head with a knife three times. If it doesn’t cure it might kill me.”
“Then I should be the one she stabs in the head, Lord knows I’ve given her enough reasons to.” Harry smirked and patted Belinda on the butt as she walked around the table to get the orange juice and coffee carafes.
“Don’t even think such things Harold. It’s gonna be hard enough driving a nail in anyone’s hands let alone trying to stab them in the head three times.” Belinda wanted to cry, but knew that she couldn’t, not in front of Jamie.
They ate and tried to carry on like it was a normal day, but they all knew what was to come tonight, and if this didn’t work, what tomorrow would bring. Jamie and Rachel went to town to pick up some lumber for a project Harry wanted to work on, though neither knew what kinda of project.
“If this does or doesn’t work, do you think Rachel will stay here?” Harry asked Belinda. As they cleaned the breakfast tables.
“I think she would if Jamie asked her to.”
“You wouldn’t mind having another female here?”
“It’d be nice to have someone to talk to other than just you men.” Belinda laughed.
“I certainly hope so. I sent them after some lumber to build another room. Just in case she does stay.” Harry said as he dried the plates and put them away.
“Did you tell either of them that?”
“Nope, I’m leaving it up to Jamie to ask her. And if he doesn’t, well we needed another room anyways.”
Jamie and Rachel arrived back with the supplies and unloaded them next to the cottage. Then they went inside to help get supper ready. By 6:00 supper was done and everyone sat quietly eating. No one wanted to talk. Once supper was over they all pitched in and cleaned up. Then headed downstairs.
Jamie had already told Belinda what to do. They all sat patiently in the cells, chained, waiting for the change to start, as soon, as it did Belinda drove the iron nails into Jamie’s hands. He screamed in agony even began to howl and bled profusely. Belinda was ready with bandages and everything that she would need to patch him up. The howling ceased as Jamie started to change, but he never completely went into wolf form. He awoke the next day in his bed. Rachel at his side wiping his head with a damp cloth.
“So how’d it go?” He asked, uncaring about the pain he was in, or how he got up to his bed.
“I think we found the cure.” Rachel whispered, as he slipped back to sleep.
Belinda had slipped him some pain pills and he could barely talk let alone fully wake up so, he peacefully went back to sleep smiling, that at last his family could be rid of the curse. It also meant that he could have a family, a normal family. He hoped that family would include Rachel and her son William. He was going to ask her if she would stay there with him and his grandparents, as soon as he woke up that is...
Three days later Jamie woke up tired and drained but lucid. The last thing he actually remembered was the searing pain of the iron nails being driven into his hands. The room was empty. He called out and everyone came rushing in.
"Well its about time you decided to wake up boy." Harry tousled Jamie's damp hair.
"How are you feeling?" Belinda asked him as she unwrapped the bandages from his left hand and Rachel the right.
"A bit tired and really thirsty." He said. "How long was I out?"
"Three days... You had me, erm... us really worried." Rachel replied as she dropped the bandages into the waste basket.
Harry went out to the kitchen and came back with a pitcher of cranberry juice, Jamie's favorite.
"Did it work?" Jamie inquired as Harry handed him a tall glass of the cold delicious juice.
"Well, we think it did. You stopped changing, but I suppose the pain was too much, you screamed, and howled with the pain from the nails." Belinda was nearly in tears knowing that she had to hurt Jamie like that. "I didn't want to do it to your grandfather or Rachel until we are certain that it worked as a permanent cure, and that we won't be able to tell until the next full moon next month."
"Yea I guess your right. Best not to cause this kinda pain if its just a temporary fix." He looked at his hands. "Looks like no real damage though... look even the holes have already healed up." He flexed the hands and found them in perfect working order."I think I'd like to go outside for a bit."
"Of course dear. Do you want anything special to eat?" Belinda asked as she and Harry left Jamie to get dressed. Belinda looked at Rachel, "You should say with him and help him dress, he will probably still be a bit wobbly on his feet from the pain killers."
"No nothing special just whatever you guys want will be fine."
Rachel helped Jamie dress and they walked outside, Jamie leaning on her to steady himself. "Wow Grams was right, those pain killers will knock you for a lulu."
"How do you feel?" Rachel asked.
"I feel... I feel.. normal?" He looked at her puzzled, searching for the right words. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was plain, he could only smell the ocean air. Whereas before he could smell the air, the fish, the slight hint of the animals and humans from the mainland. "I really think it worked, I can't smell, see or hear like I could before. I guess that will be the downside of things huh?"
"Yea, gonna be sacrifices of all sorts if this works for you and your grandfather." She stated. "Not so much for me, as I haven't grown used to the extra strength or senses yet."
“Speaking of you....” He sat down on the porch steps and looked up at her. “Would you stay here?”
“I am here.”
“No I mean, permanently. If it works, bring your son here and everything.” He couldn’t believe it, he was finally asking her to stay. “If this doesn’t work, will you stay? We can find a place on the mainland for Lynda and William to stay during the full moons. Or you can stay on the mainland with them, and come back over here when its time to change...”
Rachel was half surprised that Jamie was asking and even more happy, in the few weeks she had known this man, she knew that she loved him. She never wanted to be away from him, but she couldn’t let him know that, well not instantly. “I’ll have to think about it.” She said staring off towards the shore.
Jamie felt his heart sinking into his stomach. Maybe she couldn’t love him after all. Maybe what they went through and that they had even met was just coincidence. Rachel sat down beside him, as he stared towards the mainland, not wanting her to see the tears welling up in his eyes.
Rachel grabbed his chin and pulled it towards her, she could then see the tears slowly sliding down his cheek, she brushed them away and kissed him... “Of course I’ll stay, I can’t imagine being any where else.” Rachel whispered to him. “But what about your grandparents, what wi
ll they say?”
“I think that’s why Pop’s sent us over for the lumber.” He beamed.
“Huh?”
“He wants you to stay to. The lumber is to build more rooms for you and William.”
“AHHH.... I can be so blonde some times.” Rachel laughed. “As for William staying here, lets see how this cure thing works out first.” She helped him to his feet as Belinda called them in for supper.
“Pops, Grams. I’ve asked Rachel to stay here permanently, if that’s ok with you.” Jamie said through bites of his pasta salad.
“Well, that sounds like a mighty nice thing, tell me, did she say yes.” Harry leaned in close like it was a secret between just the two of them.
“I said yes that is, if it is ok with you and Belinda. ” Rachel smiled as she poured another glass of lemonade for everyone.
“Well it’s a darn good thing I bought all that lumber, you too can’t very well sleep in the den like Dennis, and Jamie did. We’ll start adding a couple of rooms on for you guys and that baby of yours.” Harry said looking smug.
“I’m not certain about bringing William over yet. Let’s just see how things progress.”
The men went out and started laying the corners for the addition, while Belinda and Rachel cleaned the kitchen.
Belinda dried as Rachel washed and rinsed. “My sister is on the mainland, her kids and grand kids all have their own places, if you think your Aunt would not mind moving here, I’m sure she can live with my sister. Then she and your son