Chapter 3: The Awakening
896 Words
The nightmare came in flashes.
Claws scraping against bone.
A howl that tore the stars apart.
A pair of golden eyes not Calder’s burning through her.
Ivy jerked awake with a gasp sweat plastering her hair to her forehead. The cabin was cold the fire nothing but dying embers. Her heart hammered against her ribs wild and erratic.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
She threw off the blanket wincing as her injured shoulder throbbed. But it wasn’t just the pain. It was something deeper a pull under her skin a prickling awareness crawling up her spine.
She wasn’t alone.
Ivy stumbled to her feet nearly tripping over the edge of the rug. The door creaked in the breeze slightly ajar.
Had Calder left it open?
Or had someone… something… been here?
"Ivy" a low voice rumbled from the doorway.
She spun around her pulse spiking.
It was Calder.
But not the calm brooding man from earlier. His eyes blazed molten gold brighter than before. His chest heaved nostrils flaring as if he could smell her fear.
"You shouldn’t be up" he said roughly stepping into the room. His body seemed larger somehow shadows clinging to his bare skin like a second coat.
"I heard something" Ivy said voice trembling. "I thought"
"You’re hearing yourself" Calder interrupted sharply. "Your blood’s waking up. Your instincts. You’re not human anymore Ivy. Not completely."
"I don’t I don’t understand" she whispered.
"You will."
He stalked closer and instinct screamed at her to run.
Instead she held her ground.
Because deep inside another instinct roared louder: Trust him.
Calder stopped inches away towering over her. His heat washed over her skin his scent wild pine and smoke wrapping around her like chains.
"Your body’s changing" he said voice low and fierce. "You’re sensing things most humans never will. Feeling things. Smelling things."
He lifted a hand slow and deliberate giving her time to pull away.
She didn’t.
Calloused fingers brushed the side of her neck right over her racing pulse. Ivy shivered.
"You’re burning up" he muttered. "The shift is starting."
"The shift?" she echoed panic rising.
"You were bitten" he said. "That should’ve killed you. But you survived. That means you had dormant wolf blood in you. Somewhere back in your family line someone wasn’t entirely human."
Ivy’s knees buckled. Calder caught her before she could fall scooping her effortlessly against his chest.
"I can’t I can’t be a monster" she gasped against him horror lacing every word.
"You’re not a monster" he said fiercely his grip tightening. "You’re stronger than you know. You’re meant for more than this town this life."
She looked up at him and for a moment just a breath their souls collided.
Something ancient stirred between them.
Recognition.
Resonance.
Fate.
Calder sucked in a harsh breath and stepped back almost shoving her away.
"You need to stay away from me" he ground out fists clenched at his sides. "The bond it’s dangerous."
"What bond?" Ivy demanded dizzy and furious and terrified all at once.
He stared at her with tortured eyes.
"The mate bond" he said hoarsely. "It’s already starting to form."
Ivy’s mind blanked.
Mate.
As in... forever.
As in... no choice.
"No" she said voice breaking. "That’s not possible. I don’t even know you."
"Neither of us has a choice" Calder bit out. "The bond is older than either of us. It doesn’t care about logic or reason. It’s written in your blood. In mine."
He turned away pacing like a caged beast.
"If we give into it we’re bound for life" he said. "If we fight it... it’ll tear us apart."
Ivy’s legs trembled. She gripped the edge of the table to steady herself.
"This is insane" she whispered.
"Yeah" Calder said bitterly. "Welcome to my world."
For a long moment silence stretched between them taut and heavy.
Then a loud c***k split the night.
Both their heads snapped toward the window.
Something heavy moved outside circling the cabin.
Not Calder. Not a rogue.
Something worse.
"They found you" Calder said grimly already grabbing a knife from the table.
"Who?" Ivy choked out.
"The Pack."
The word dripped with loathing.
"Wait I thought you were a wolf!" she cried.
"I am. But not their kind."
He tossed her a bundle clothes and barked "Get dressed. Now."
Ivy fumbled into the jeans and hoodie heart thundering in her ears. Calder yanked open a trapdoor in the floor revealing a dark hole beneath the cabin.
"Get in" he ordered.
"What about you?"
"I’ll lead them away. You stay hidden. No matter what you hear don’t come out."
"But"
"Don’t argue" he snapped voice cracking like a whip. "They’ll kill you if they find you."
Terror clawed at Ivy’s throat but she nodded and dropped into the hidden cellar. Cold earth closed around her. Calder slammed the trapdoor shut above her muffling the world.
In the darkness Ivy pressed a trembling hand to her chest feeling the pounding of her heart.
Upstairs boots slammed against the porch.
Voices growled.
The door crashed open.
"Calder Blackthorn" a harsh voice barked. "We know you’re hiding her."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about" Calder snarled back.
A heavy silence.
Then a low cruel laugh.
"You can’t protect her forever mutt" the voice sneered. "The girl belongs to the Alpha now."
Ivy’s blood turned to ice.
The Alpha?
- Writer
