Chapter 4 A COMPROMISE

She had to admit, he was right again. If they got to her before she could help Uncle Jimmy and Trevor, it would all be for nothing.

"I've already sent someone to help your uncle ... but I'm not too sure we should be worried about Trevor Coppola," he told her, his lips twisting into a contemptuous sneer.

Eliza frowned. There had never been any love lost between Noah and Trevor, even before she was in the picture, but now it was even worse.Like everyone else, Noah suspected Trevor of following the Witchery Way, like the rest of his Shapechangers family.

He did have good reason to doubt Trevor, but Eliza suspected Noah might also be a little jealous of her relationship with the other man.

"I know you don't trust Trevor, but he hasn't given me any reason to doubt him," Eliza spoke up in defense of her friend.

Noah smiled. "A rattlesnake doesn't always give warning before he strikes."

"Let me go Noah," she demanded.

A tired sigh escaped his lips. "You're not going to make this easy, are you?"

"I think you're the one making it difficult."

Noah shrugged his wide shoulders. "Well if I could trust you to cooperate ..."

"I'm not the cooperative type," Eliza snapped.

"Yes I know," he admitted with a grimace, "but I'm willing to compromise."

This peaked her curiosity. Noah Walker wasn't exactly known for his willingness to compromise. Being the leader of the Sinapu had its advantages, and never having to negotiate his position was one of those advantages.

Eliza's eyes locked with his. In that instant she remembered the passions they'd shared and how his tenderness and desire had taken her to a place she'd never imagined could exist.

The surge of longing that made its way through her body was totally unexpected. Her throat tightened, and for what seemed an eternity, she couldn't respond.

Finally she managed to force words from her dry throat, "I'm listening."

"I'll take you to Howlingwater and your uncle ... if you agree to stay with me until the Changing.After my transition, you will no longer be any use to them, and they will leave you alone."

It didn't seem like such a bad deal, except for the fact that she'd constantly be in Noah's company for the next two weeks.After their last agonizing separation, could she afford to let herself get any closer to him?

Guessing her thoughts, Noah spoke up, "I know I hurt you Eliza ... but I never meant for that to happen.I never wanted to take from you without the ability to give something back."

He grew quiet and a pained expression distorted his features.In her heart, Eliza understood that he was trying to find a way to let her down gently. She instinctively knew that he was about to confess the real reason he hadn't contacted her after she'd left.

Every fiber of her being wanted to scream at him - plead with him not to say the words that would push them even further apart, but she couldn't utter a sound.

"Eliza ... there's no hope for us.We come from two different worlds.You come from the world of man ... but I'm destined to spend my life in the world of beasts.That has always been my destiny."

Clamping her eyes shut, Eliza struggled to hold back her tears.He had just confirmed what she'd feared for months. He hadn't just been trying to protect her.Noah hadn't contacted her because he'd been giving them both enough room to grow apart.

"Please try to understand.Letting our relationship go any further wouldn't be fair to you.It would be sentencing you to living most of your life alone.We could only be together during the full moon. After the Changing ... that is the only time I will be able to take the form of a man."

This wasn't new information, but for some insane reason, she'd hoped they could find a way to defy fate.Eliza had told herself that it wasn't so unreasonable to hope he could find a way to protect the people, but still continue to live his life as a man.

Now that the reality of their situation was spelled out for her, she realized how futile her hopes had been.Hope would not stem the tide of fate.Swallowing the lump in her throat, Eliza refused to let the tears come.

"You don't have to explain. In fact, I completely agree with you," she lied.

The truth was, she wanted to get on her knees and beg him to defy fate, but wasn't that exactly what the Shapechangers wanted her to do?

If he didn't make the Changing, the Sinapu would be without a leader, and they would no longer be able to protect the Heart of the People.That would leave it open to the Shapechangers.

Once they had control of the Heart , their evil would know no bounds. As hard as this reality was to accept , she knew Noah was doing the right thing. Accepting this was one thing , but having to spend every moment with him for the next two weeks was out of the question.

Being that close to him , would only make saying goodbye that much harder in the end. But she could always pretend to accept his terms.

Even before Eliza nodded her head in agreement , she'd already decided that given the chance , she would escape.