Wolf boy.

The words ring in my ears, almost blocking out the sounds of everything else that I can always, always hear. That I couldn’t hear before. Because I’m a wolf. Not a human any more.

“Oh my god I am so sorry! I didn’t think, it just slipped out, I’m sorry Ben. I won’t say it again. I promise, Ben. Ben. Ben? You ok? I’m so sorry. I-”

I hold up a ha- paw, and Cellum falls into a terrified silence. I can tell they’re afraid. I can smell it. I dare to glance over, and they don’t look scared. They look worried. Concerned. They’re not afraid of me. They’re afraid they’ve upset me.

“It’s ok. Just don’t do it again.”

They sigh. “Of course not. I really should think before I speak.”

“It really comes in handy.”

“Yeah, that does seem to be the case.”

I hold my breath, trying not to bark out a laugh. Cellum seems to be doing the same. I make eye contact, and we both break, unable to hold it in any more. Cellum falls over backward on the bed and I put my tablet down beside me so I don’t drop it.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard them laugh before. It’s a wonderful sound.

“Y’know, Ben, I can’t wait until you can move in with me. I’ll have to get some work done on the house first, or you’ll bump your head on every doorframe. Get a bigger bed for the spare room - well it won’t be the spare room any more, will it? Guess the guests will have to sleep downstairs on the sofa or something. I doubt Sandwich would mind the company.”

“I’m looking forward to it too. Hopefully I won’t scare Sandwich too much.”

“Nah, he’ll be fine. I swear, he’s the dumbest lizard to exist. He probably won’t even notice there’s suddenly two people living there.”

“Has he managed to learn any tricks yet? I remember you said you were trying to teach him.”

“Oh, of course not - he’s such an idiot. He doesn’t even know his own name. I guess bearded dragons aren’t great at learning things. Shame really. Maybe I should get a dog.”

“I’m not sure that would go well.”

“Ooh, that’d be interesting though, wouldn’t it? I wonder what animals would make of you guys. More intelligent ones, obviously, like dogs or pigs - they’re very smart actually - not Sandwich.”

I laugh. It doesn’t sound like a human laugh, more like a bark, but why would it? I grab my tablet.

“Why don’t we offer Sandwich to the ‘experts’ looking at the magic? Maybe they can make him more intelligent.”

“Now that’s a scary thought.” They sit back, still chuckling, before jumping to their feet. “Oh! I have to go home! Y’know, I completely forgot that this is just a job and I actually have to leave at the end of the day!”

“Soon it won’t be.”

“Yeah, that’s true. You better not make me late to work once you’ve moved in!”

“I thought your job was to look after me?”

“Only while you’re here. It all goes back to normal once you guys are out in the world. Well, goodbye now then. See you tomorrow!”

“Bye Cellum.” I doubt anything will be normal ever again for me. Or, normal as it was before all this.

Maybe my normal has just changed. Maybe the normal changing is the normal. After all, things change every day for everyone - new jobs, new homes, new families - or losing family - people deal with their normal changing all the time. Maybe this won’t be so bad.

I lie back on my bed and stare at the ceiling, listening to the hum of the lights, the gurgles and clanks of the water and heating pipes, the footsteps and voices of the people on the other side of the walls, buzzes and clicks and many other noises besides. I hear goodbyes and see-you-tomorrows, gravel crunching as cars leave the car park. The room dims as the sun sets. I can’t see the sunset from this room. I wonder if Cellum can see it from their house, or while they’re driving home. I hope the traffic’s not too bad today.

I stare at the ceiling in the dark, one paw behind my head, the other on my stomach, and feel the most peace I’ve felt in three years.