Unexpected Shift

15

"Done?" he asked quietly, still looking away and I hummed causing him to turn around.

"Come here," I said in a soft tone as if it was reserved just for him. Asher agreed, easily plopping down on the guest room bed with a sigh. "Did you wake everybody else up?"

"Yeah, I did. Samantha and Audra woke up. I told them everything, they'll be waking everybody else up." He smiled softly and I went to stand in between his parted legs. "Does your back hurt?"

"No." I lied but I knew it would be okay in nothing more than a few minutes.

"How do you feel?"

I let my palms fall on top of his neck and the other on the injured area. Asher winced when I slightly pressed the width of my hand upon the wound but made no attempt to stop me.

"Better," he said in a shaky whisper, eyes trained on my lips and I wasted no time in leaning down to peck his lips. Then, they met again in a chaste kiss full of comfort and want. Asher leaned back, his hands holding my waist in a bruising grip and I rested on top of him. We were both getting lost in the feeling when I smelled the familiar scent of my blood mixed with that of soil.

My eyes shot open and we both pulled away at the same time.

Justin.

The door was tugged open by a large black wolf who's scent immediately gave away that it was Justin. I pried away from Asher, ready to attack with my claws out. There was rage inflicted in my eyes for the wolf in front of me but surprisingly, he only stood still.

There was no sign of emotions in his eyes, only blank irises staring at me like a damn robot. My breath hitched and it was as if I was expecting something to happen. Justin calmly sat down in his wolf form in the corridor with his eyes fixated upon me.

He seemed harmless and as if there was no concept of consciousness in the wolf.

Me and Asher shared slightly confused gazes.

Asher chose to test the water. He stood up and tried to approach Justin. Nothing happened. The air was very still and so was everything else. The moment I tried to move around, the black wolf would stir and change the position of his eyes in my direction.

"This is very suspicious," I muttered to Asher who seemed to agree with my statement.

"Hey, I think the Alpha is on his way here," he said, perking up from his position suddenly. I could see that Asher's strength had returned and his wound was almost healed.

I seconded his guess with a little concentration and closed eyes. A few moments later, gasps filled the corridor and Axel Chester's dominant voice boomed through the hallway once again. We both stood upright and the Alpha sighed in relief when he noticed both of us together.

"Oh, thank God," he murmured. "Who is this now?" Axel then grew more furious as he stared down at Justin's wolf that laid on the marble floor of the mansion.

"That's Justin," announced Aunt Audra as she appeared at the scene with arms folded across her chest. "The black wolf that attacked them before. He seems to be in a daze or maybe he's hypnotized. Elaine, dear, did something happen when he took you away?"

I parted my lips to speak, but where was I supposed to begin? I ended up nodding. I squinted in Justin's direction. "Get the hell away from us," I hissed and everybody else could only gasp when he listened, standing up to slowly walk off into a little distance.

"What exactly happened?" Samantha asked.

"My wolf told me to try and break free so that's what I did." I shrugged, and very weirded out by the whole situation. "She told me that my blood was where the power lied and the moment his canines were smeared with my blood, Justin let me go, so I ran."

"The will bending," she whispered to herself, and Aunt Audra simply nodded before stepping into my room. "Come to the meeting room with us. Justin is going to listen to everything you say."

"W-why?" I blurted out but she gave no reply, only asked me to be patient.

"We should cage him," Asher suggested, rolling his shoulders back for comfort and Alpha Axel nodded along. It was a good idea, who knew when he could turn wild again?

"It's your blood's power." I stop dead in my tracks at my wolf's voice and wait for her to explain things further. "Your blood, the Eden Wolf's blood has the power to make any wolf's will bend. Remember how your blood entered his stream when he bit you?"

I nodded.

"Yes, that's exactly when you bent his will. Justin will now be listening to you and will be answerable for everything. Ask him why he did what he did and what his real motive is. He has killed people; punishment awaits wolves like him. You will get him punishment Elaine."

Chapter Twelve

The actual meeting room, the one for more private and serious affairs before the hunt, was a circular room beside the Alpha's bedroom. It was painted gray and fashioned in extremely modern furniture. Axel Chester sat down in the biggest chair, which was the one kept opposite a few more couches and chairs, all facing each other.

In the room, there were six people in total. Five Wolves and a witch.

I was sitting in the middle with Asher and Samantha to my left and Aunt Audra to my right. Axel sat opposite us with a grim expression on his face while Justin was locked up in a large cage, now in his human form. What were we doing here?

Interrogating Justin, of course.

"Once again, dear Elaine, I'm terribly sorry for what happened tonight. You were supposed to be safe with the pack but somehow you are also the one keeping us all safe. Thank you and I hope you can forgive me," Axel's saddened voice and Asher's disappointed face told me stories more than anybody else could guess. There was something in the atmosphere that told me such events had taken place before, too, in the pack.

"Everything is alright Alpha, I'm very grateful that you were willing to take me in and that your son risked his life to protect me; not once but twice. I would've done the same," I said, reached out to slightly squeeze over Asher's hand, but he held onto it in desperation. I couldn't understand. Not yet, at least.

"Right now, what's more important is that we need to figure out what we are supposed to do next." I sighed and Aunt Audra nodded before joining in.

"We have to question this asshole," she announced drumming her knuckles against the metal bars of the cage in which Justin stayed still and lost consciousness. I wondered if this was a permanent thing while my eyes only grew angrier.

He had hurt me; he had hurt Asher.

He had hurt Asher.

I took in a deep breath and tried to compose myself but it didn't help my anger in the least. "I'm going to ask you a few questions Justin," I growled angrily, letting go of Asher's fingers to grip the bars in a strong grip. "And you're going to answer me right away."

Justin agreed. He hadn't even made a single sound since my blood mixed with his.

"What do you want from me?" I asked out loud, clear and bold after being sick of the mind games. "Why are you after me?"