I found Roman in the corner, stealing a moment with his wife. I waited off to the side as not to intrude.
“Oh, Emma! I didn’t see you there.” Cherry blushed having just shared an emotional farewell kiss with my brother.
“It’s okay. I didn’t want to interrupt.” I looked at my brother, still oblivious to my presence as he focused on his wife. I couldn’t help but admire their love and his devotion.
“Cherry is going to stay with you tonight as you go through your change. She helped another woman in our pack a couple years ago so she knows what to expect,” he announced.
“Oh, thanks,” I stuttered, caught off guard. I’d completely forgotten that I’d be undergoing my change tonight. Fresh fear tinged my nerves. I hadn’t prepared for it. I didn’t even know what to expect. What were the steps of transition for a woman?
“You’ll be fine, Emma, I promise,” she said, laying a caring hand on my shoulder.
“Of course.” I offered her a pitiful smile. I looked back to Roman. His face was expressionless as his eyes studied me. It was as if he was trying to read me and not reveal the results. “You be safe. Don’t get hurt. You have a wife to come home to.”
Cherry lit up with excitement. “Can I tell her?”
He smiled brilliantly at her and nodded his approval.
“We’re having a baby!” she squealed.
“Oh my gosh!” I clasped my hands over my mouth. “Congratulations!” I yanked her into a hug. “I’m so happy for you both!” I released her and turned to Roman. “Come here, brother,” I ordered, opening my arms to him. “Congratulations. I can’t wait to be an Aunt, if you’ll have me that is...” I backtracked since Roman was the only one who hadn’t openly acknowledged whether or not he accepted me.
“Of course,” he assured.
“Well, now you have to be safe. No if, ands, or buts about it,” I commanded sternly.
He looked to his wife, the soon-to-be mother of his child once more, adoration in his eyes, before nodding.
“Let’s wrap it up,” Dad yelled.
My heart doubled in pace, pounding so hard I thought it’d leap out of my chest. This was it. They were all leaving now to go fight for me. I suppressed the guilt that broke free again. I palmed my cast, biting my lower lip as I followed the packs into the lobby.
Marco found me again. “Stop, mi amor. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. And them, they’re fighting for you, but not because of you. They live for this stuff. In the spring their wolves wrestle in the backyard.”
I shook my head, my pulse racing next to him. It wasn’t that I was worried about their skills; I was worried for them. No one could predict what Ryan would do.
“I’ll be back before you know it, and I can’t wait to see your eyes aglow, a full mate for me.” With one last kiss he walked towards my father. I stood back watching, my casted hand over my heart, my other wrapped around the cast anxiously.
“Remember, only Marco and I shift now. We’re going a quarter mile into the forest before you all will follow. Anyone who disobeys will be punished upon return,” my dad declared.
Marco and my father turned and quickly undressed. Two seconds later, after a second of bone cringing crunching, they were wolves. I sobered immediately at the sight of my father standing beside Marco. Time stood still as I took in the wolves by the door. Marco stood tall and large with fur the color of midnight. His eyes glowed a honey hue, looking directly at me. But my father…he was…he had…amber colored fur. Oh my God! It’s my father in my dream. He’s the one fighting Ryan.
I struggled to breath, to catch my breath as déjà vu hit me. I closed my eyes, concentrating on my dream, on the images flashing in my mind.
The wolf pack was charging through the woods, the alpha leading. Through the treetops, the full moon glinted down illuminating his amber colored fur. I could see his muscles bulging and straining in his stride. He was bigger than the others, clearly dominant in size alone, yet there, beside him, closer in mass to him than the others was a black wolf.
Marco.
Through the uproar along the forest floor, I heard the words, “A werewolf’s worst enemy is another werewolf.”
That’s when I saw the second pack racing towards them. I heard my heartbeat begin to sprint. It became the background music escalating in volume as the two packs drew closer.
In the moment of truth though, all went silent. I waited with baited breath as the blond challenger leapt into the air merely feet away from the other. He responded with a harsh spring. They were both flying through the air, their sharp claws angled outwards as war cries shook the surrounding timbers. They were on a collision course with each other. Marco was right behind my father, preparing to follow suit. Everything slowed right before impact.
“No,” I yelled, gasping for air. My eyes flew open to find they’d already left.
“Are you alright, sugar?” Cherry asked, placing a hand on my back.
I swallowed hard, looking around at the women all focused on me. “I… Oh, God.” I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging roughly on the roots.
“Calm down, sugar. Everything will be alright. They’ll be back in no time at all,” she cooed.
I felt a surge of heat shoot through my veins. “Emma,” Wilma cried, running towards me. “What’s wrong, honey?”
“It’s the change. Her strong emotions are fueling it too fast. You have to calm down, Emma,” Cherry explained.
I couldn’t. I couldn’t control it. I just kept focusing on Marco and my dad—on my dream. Suddenly my vision blurred. I teetered, losing my balance. Someone caught me. It cleared a second later.
“What…what’s happening?” I stumbled.
“Come sit down on the couch, sweetie,” Wilma advised.
Another wave hit me as I fell backwards onto the couch.
“Listen to me, Emma. You need to calm down. Your body is supposed to slowly change over the next couple hours. If you don’t control your emotions, you could lose consciousness or even your life. Your body can’t handle it all at once which is what’s happening right now.”
I swallowed trying to focus on her and her words. I closed my eyes, scrunching my forehead as another heat wave broke through me.
“She’s burning up,” Wilma exclaimed, pressing the back of her hand to my cheeks and forehead.
I opened my eyes, panicking when everything was in black and white. I was colorblind.
“Oh my God!” Wilma jumped back.
“Emma,” Cherry cupped my face with her hands, shifting me to focus on her.
When I tried to take in Wilma in the corner of my eye, that’s when I realized I had no peripheral vision. Oh, God. I’m losing it!
“Focus on me, Emma. Breathe through it. Calm down. You have to let go of them, honey.”
“Let me see,” I whispered.
Wilma, Cherry and another woman exchanged glances amongst themselves. Wilma retrieved a cosmetic mirror from her purse.
I gasped at the sight. Despite no color, I looked otherworldly, inhuman. I closed my eyes and took a deep, calming breath. I opened my eyes to see a pair of honey eyes glowing back at me.
“That’s the change,” Cherry stated, sweeping my hair away from my face.
My eyes were large and dilated. Their honey hue was dominant. It didn’t look natural, yet somehow seemed right. I thought of Marco and my father’s honey eyes earlier. My dream swept my mind again.
I jumped as a convulsion rolled through me. “Oh, God!” I screamed as pain shot from my arm. I heard a crunch and felt the snap of a bone cracking.
“What’s happening to her?” Wilma demanded.
“I…I don’t know. This isn’t supposed to happen,” Cherry panicked.
I dropped to the floor, wrapping my arms around myself as my muscles began to ache. Like the sound of bullets ricocheting off the walls, I heard my bones breaking one by one as a warm numbness took over. It was a strange sensation to know I should be in agony yet somehow all I
felt now was an intense pressure that I longed to be relieved.
“Oh my God!” several women screamed off in the distance.
“It can’t be!”
“She can’t be!”
I closed my eyes as I curled into a ball on the floor, stretching my body out fully to alleviate some of the pressure. I felt both pain and pleasure at once. I was uncomfortable yet comfortable. It was like being naked in front of someone for the first time. You’re nervous, yet you know it’s natural. I felt a pull and tug in my face, under the same pressure, in the same sort of fog that comes with Novocain at the dentist’s office.
“Holy shit,” Wilma gasped.
I opened my eyes and gazed up at her. The shadows of her features were more predominant without color. I cocked my head. Her eyes looked ready to pop out of their socket. I suddenly realized I heard heartbeats and the breath of an entire crowd. Oh, God, please tell me I’m not a wolf.
“Oh my! This isn’t possible. At least it’s not supposed to be anyway,” Cherry stuttered, clearly flustered.
I paused for a moment, feeling as if another being was right behind me, hovering too close for comfort. I spun around, but no one dared come close to me. They all kept their distance.
Suddenly, I sensed her. It was as if an imaginary friend physically appeared before me. The spirit of my wolf.
My wolf? I thought Marco said women only had the traits and that men were the ones with wolves within?
I looked down at my…paws? Oh, God, I’m a wolf! I have a wolf. We’re a wolf right now.
Wait. I’m a wolf! Marco! My dad!
I jumped up on my hind legs before falling back down to four. I raced to the door nudging it with my snout. I had to get to them. I sniffed the air, quickly picking out Marco’s scent. It called to me. It was the easiest one to distinguish. It was as if I was meant to know it, as if it were embedded in me.
“Oh, God, Roman is going to kill me for this,” Cherry groaned, reluctantly opening the door. I looked up at her but stopped when I realized I couldn’t tell her thank you. I’d have to do it later. The second the last door was open, I raced out, following the trail they’d left behind.
I raced through the forest lining the mountains that sat as the backdrop to our town. You’d think being a wolf for the first time I’d be slow, overwhelmed by my sensitive hearing, limited sight and four small feet, yet I wasn’t. She wasn’t a new wolf, only a new to me wolf. She guided us with ease.
I knew I was getting close when I heard them. Off in the distance, about half a mile, was the pack. I heard the rustling of the pine straw on the forest floor crunching and being sent into the air with their rapid dash across it.
And there it was.
The second I concentrated on the direction, I realized the sounds were coming from opposite directions heading towards each other. I whimpered, doubling my speed as my dream raced through my mind. I couldn’t let it happen. I couldn’t let my father or Marco get hurt. If that meant I had to, then I would take the blow.
Come on girl. We need to hurry.
I swerved through the trees with grace, unbothered by any obstacles such as fallen branches. I leapt with ease over stumps and logs that would have slowed me substantially in my human form. My human form…my hand! It’s healed! I had no time to celebrate.
I honed in on the sounds up ahead. I couldn’t come around the back of the pack. Based on my dream, I needed to deadpan in the middle of them both, leap across and successfully knock out Ryan.
Then I saw them, the figures racing through the tree trunks on either side. I looked ahead to a small clearing; blazing beautifully in the sky above it was the full moon. It was the exact spot where everything stopped in my dream.
Adrenaline coursed through me. My nerves were tossed to the side. Like they had said, this wasn’t about me; it was about them. And this, this was about me protecting them.
Each pack broke through the clearing and everything went into slow motion.
—
MARCO
The hairs on my back stood at attention as anger rushed through me, fogging my reasoning. Yet cutting through it all was Emma. Why do I smell Emma?
I jerked my head towards a figure flying towards us. No one had noticed; no one was as aware as I was of her smell. I sniffed the air, certain my mind was playing tricks on me. It couldn’t be. Women didn’t shift.
Cutting through the forest into the reclusive clearing was Ryan’s pack, with him front and center. I sharpened on my target, ready to shred every inch of his golden fur for what he did to my mate. Just because Adolf was in front, didn’t mean he was solitary in his attack on the alpha. I wanted to skin him alive.
Across the field I locked my eyes on him. He was focused on Adolf leading our charge. It was the perfect distraction for me to make my move.
Adolf gave me a quick nod. This was it. I let out a single howl to warn the rest of the packs behind us.
I was right up on him, less than a few feet away preparing to launch myself when Emma’s scent hit me again. I hesitated, my mate’s scent so strong I was afraid she was there.
Adolf and Ryan sprung into the air, their growls viciously echoing through the forest. I propelled myself at a slight angle behind Adolf. He would take the front of Ryan down and I would take the back. It was an unfair assault, but he never played fair.
Suddenly, a new wolf appeared out of nowhere and projected itself right in the path of destruction. It smelled entirely of…could it be? Emma? Adolf redirected himself in time, taking a second glance at the wolf taking the brunt of Ryan’s maul. A yelp sprung from the black wolf. It was her! I didn’t know how, but I knew it was her. Adolf and the others seemed to sense it too. It was enough of a surprise to Ryan’s pack to stun them, giving us the advantage.
My eyes locked on her lying limp on the ground with blood dripping from her fur. My heart tripled its rate as an angry roar bubbled from within me and shook the surrounding timbers. If anything happened to her I- I didn’t want to think about it.
I raced to her side and abandoned my raging wolf; I transformed back to human in a swift second.
“Emma?” I lifted her head into my lap. Her honey eyes were glossy, the pain written in her gaze. “It’s going to be alright, mi amor. You have to stay in wolf form though so you can heal.” I ran my fingers through her thick fur, lost in total amazement of this strong woman before me. It was supposed to be me defending her, not the other way around. “What were you thinking, mi amor? Ay que loca? You could have been killed.”
She lowered her head back to the ground and closed her eyes.
“I can’t lose you,” I whispered.
My heart was breaking at the sight before me. I was stunned. She was the first female to ever shift, at least that I knew about. I didn’t even think it was possible. I never know what to expect with her though; she keeps me on my toes. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect woman. She’s so many things that I’d been searching for but never thought I’d find in one package. And, dammit, I could have lost her.
—
Chapter Seventeen
The pain was sharp in my abdomen. My fur felt cold and wet. I’d misjudged his travel time and jumped too soon. I was okay with it though because it gave my family the chance they needed to catch them off guard and take them down.
I heard rustling through the forest, as if wolves were beginning to retreat. I knew it was over when I heard a few of the guys commenting about how weak Ryan’s pack was. They’d won. Relief washed through me at the knowledge.
I was finally able to relax beneath Marco’s soothing fingers as he stroked my head. I heard him tell me not to change, that I couldn’t shift or I wouldn’t heal. I didn’t have the energy to lift myself up anyway. Despite the stinging, I was content to lie there.
“How the hell did this happen?” Dad asked, his voice coming from behind Marco, sounding of both shock and awe.
“Damn, this is cool as shit!” Brandon declared.
“Damn straig
ht. We have the first and only female to ever change in our pack. We’re up there now, man,” Alex chimed in.
“Dang, Em. I didn’t think you had it in you.” Micah gazed at me in amazement.
Kuha squatted down in front of me, paying no mind to his own nakedness. I quickly closed my eyes, covering them with a paw, reverent of my human reaction. A tiny whimper escaped me as the movement sent a shockwave of pain through my abdomen and chest.
“We need to get her back to rest,” Kuha said.
“Marco, carry her back to the hotel. I’m going to deal with this—” My father growled. “—This asshole who hurt my daughter. Men, follow Marco’s lead. Steven, come with me. I’ll need your strength in case he tries anything.” Steven was my father’s beta. He was about the same age as Roman.
“I’m going to have to lift you, mi amor. It may hurt. I’m going to try not to jostle you too much, okay?” Marco’s tone was soothing. His touch was tender, his moves graceful. I winced and yelped when he picked me up. It didn’t feel like anything was broken, but I had gaping holes in the side of me that’d torn my flesh and muscle. “Sorry, mi amor.”
The walk back to the hotel was long. It went by much quicker when I was running on all fours. Given that Marco couldn’t carry me in his wolf form, he had to walk the several miles completely naked. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have minded the view, but I was distracted by everything that had happened.
Ryan was in my father’s custody and would be dealt with. I worried about his pack, but I knew Marco would take over if he had to. He wouldn’t let them wander aimlessly.
Marco momentarily passed me off to Kuha so he could get dressed. He’d had one of the pack members retrieve his clothes from the hotel for him. The others had discarded their clothes all in one spot within the forest. Luckily, the treetops had caught most of the snow from the snowstorm we had earlier so the ground was primarily dry.
The second we entered the hotel lobby we were swarmed. Everyone was throwing out questions about me. In the time we were gone, packs within the bordering states had ventured out to investigate the rumors. I bet Wilma could tell me how they spread so quickly later.
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