Unexpected Shift

12

The Alpha nodded like he knew me beforehand.

"Good," he simply shot in Asher's direction and it was like a weight lifted from our shoulders. "I assume the meeting is about to begin and Elaine must be here for a reason. Let's go, shall we?"

The meeting room was not meeting-like, it was an open area at the back of the house that led into the woods through a closed barrier. Was this how they always had meetings?

With a bonfire in the middle and everybody laughing around?

Must be nice.

It wasn't until a few more minutes later that my eyes stopped on a particularly familiar figure in the midst of the crowd. Laughing with her head thrown back against a wall and three people surrounding her was none other than Audra Hayes.

"What the hell?" I muttered under my breath. It caught Asher's attention and he turned to me with raised brows in order to ask what was wrong. "What's Aunt Audra doing here?"

"Oh," he too, breathed out in confusion. "I actually have no idea why."

"Let's go talk to her," I urged, patting his forearm without much thought given to the action or touch. Asher meekly nodded before he headed in Audra’s direction with me.

"Aunt?" I called, placing a palm on her shoulder to make her turn around, which she did with a confused hum coming from the back of her throat. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh! Elaine? Ash must've brought you along for safety purposes," she exclaimed in realization.. "Turns out, we both think a lot like each other. I arrived here this morning, too."

"For what exactly?" Asher asked with a nonchalant yawn as he slung one arm around Audra's shoulders. His eyes and body showed clear signs of exhaustion that made me ache.

He didn't even complain.

"Elaine's safety, of course," interrupted Axel Chester's booming voice and all of us stood upright, so suddenly it must've given him whiplash. "Ah, just relax everyone. I get embarrassed by all the formality." He laughed, a little giddy and it made me smile, too.

"I think you know everything then." Asher nodded to himself.

"I do," Axel agreed with a soft sigh. "When Audra came in this morning, I was sad to see just how worried she was about you. I assure you two that as long as Asher is there with you, you're safe. In his absence, and just for backup, the whole pack will be ensuring your safety."

"T-Thank you," I mumbled. "Although I do not wish to be a liability, I'm grateful to both you and your son,. The pack shared knowing looks and Asher pats the top of my head gently.

"He's your mate sweetheart, this is his duty and you are definitely not a liability. We take pride that you and your family trust us enough." The Alpha smiled gracefully, and it suddenly hit me just how much he was like Asher. The same smile and the same mannerism reflected in his son.

Axel then raised the wine glass in his hands towards the sky and clicked his fingers against the surface to produce a clinking sound that got everybody's attention.

"Attention all members, I have an important announcement to make," he began. "I'm sure most of you must've noticed our long-time friend Audra Hayes distressed when she came in this morning. The reason was her niece Elaine over here. This special girl is now under the protection of the Eclipse pack, we are all equally responsible for her safety!"

The crowd broke into murmurs of agreement and loud cheers that made my heart warmer than it already was. Asher's hand slips into mine and he squeezes softly with his thumb rubbing over my skin lovingly. "She will also be joining us for the hunt tonight,” he continued.

At this, my heart stopped beating for a moment and then confusion filled me.

Did he mean hunting for real? Actual hunting of other animals?

Once the crowd was a little quieter and Axel was busy talking to Audra about something that didn’t entirely pick up my interest, Asher cornered me and carefully explained what exactly the hunt was.

He told me that the hunt was their long-followed tradition wherein all wolves of the pack should shift. After shifting, they would all run into the woods under the moonlight, together as family.

Safe to say, it was much better than actual hunting.

I heaved a breath of relief but then again realized that I would have to shift again. Of course, it wasn't like I was scared of shifting, but the first time was not in my control. This time, however, it would be by choice. Asher must've sensed my hesitation so he placed his palm against the small of my back and pulled me closer.

"You don't really have to shift if you don't want to or if you think you can't," he then paused and licked his lips while he searched for the right words. "You can ride my wolf too, you know?"

My cheeks went bright red at his words and I flushed.

"Oh," I said simply, and quite dumbly if you were to ask my opinion.

"I'm a little embarrassed to say this, too, but my wolf has been asking to be ridden by their mate." That does it, I blush deep red and playfully push at his chest before disappearing behind the nearest tree so I was still close enough. Everybody else too was getting ready to shift, or so I assumed.

Why did my wolf not talk to me like Asher's? Was I doing something wrong?

Since I didn't want the situation from last time to happen again, I decided to take my clothes off and place them right where I changed. Then I concentrated on the feeling of being free, the liveliness of shifting, and before I knew it, claws were protruding in place of my nails.

The fur on my arms and legs followed till I had shifted completely. My soul felt like it was on fire, loud, vibrant, and most of all; the taste of freedom was addicting.

I relaxed for a moment and then walked out in front of everyone else. A few of them had already shifted, including Asher who was staring back at me with adoration he never bothered covering. A hustle of shocked whispers at the sheer size of my wolf erupted, but I had been expecting it.

What I wasn't expecting was for Axel himself to be in awe of my wolf form. His eyes were glinting and noticing me. He too shifted into a huge navy-blue wolf. The piercing sound of the Alpha's howl rang through my whole body and all the other wolves started joining in.

They all circled together to howl and Axel was the one who led us in the direction of the woods where the 'hunt' would proceed. Asher's wolf snarled and succumbed to my side. I internally grinned at him and realized what he meant by the word mate.