Unexpected Shift

14

Hearing this, even more tears well up in my eyes and my body goes limp with shivers. No matter how much I tried to scream or toss around, it only ended in disappointment. Asher, my mate, was lying on the ground at the verge of his death and I couldn't do anything about it.

Justin only cackled silently, pushing himself out of the main exit of the pack hideout with his left shoulder against the heavy door. When I look over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of the hideout mansion, I feel incomplete as if something dangerous was coming our way.

My hands twitched and I wept as Justin tossed me over his shoulders like a corpse. The warmth of the house and safety grew more distant with every second till we were right in the middle of the woods. Justin tossed me onto the soil and smirked darkly. "I've been waiting to do this for a while now." He laughed in an evil manner.

"Leave me alone," I garbled around the thick cloth in my mouth. Saliva was dripping down from the corners of my mouth. I couldn't care less about it as I kicked my feet and tried to shift or stand up. Justin only laughed in response and before I could register what exactly was happening, his claws were out and fangs protruded outwards.

I shrieked when I managed to stand right up but it was too late, Justin had already completely shifted into a wolf and was standing on all fours like the predator he was. He pounces upon me and I writhe desperately when he holds me in his wolf mouth, sharp teeth pinching my skin but not quite biting it enough to draw blood. Was he going to take me elsewhere? Or was he going to kill me now?

Chapter Eleven

I believe some of us, humans or werewolves, were built to be with one another even before our birth. Just two souls made to be fire and water altogether.

So, the thought of Asher being hurt, this being the last time I would see him, or he'd see me, was too much to bear. My real form was prying my skin apart, just wanting to be free and to be able to hold my mate in my arms. All the crying had gotten to my head. I felt dizzy as I kept trying to shift. Losing Asher? Even the thought makes my heart rip.

A voice inside me calls my name, urgent and fast, causing me to still with every inch of my hair. Fortunately it goes unnoticed by Justin who continued to walk ahead with my body in his wolf mouth. It called again and then the realization hit me like a truck.

My Wolf!

I half-gasped, scrambling to focus and hear further. "Asher," the voice spoke in a pained tone that I realized was the same hurt I was feeling. "Need to get to him."

Of course, we needed to get to him, I urged in my head.

"He's our mate, we need to save him. He's dying, we need to go as soon as possible." I whimpered in desperation. Justin let it pass off as another of my pained cries. My heart was aching like someone had replaced it with Asher's.

But how was I supposed to get to him with this necklace on?

My wolf seemed to have heard me and after a soft little snarl, replied, "The necklace is blocking your lycanthropy, but the real power lies in your blood! You have to use your blood!"

How was I supposed to use my blood?

"Use all the power you have and break free Elaine. Asher needs you." Following my wolf's instructions, I started to protest in Justin's hold. My energy returned with how Asher's pained look flashed across my pupils. I needed to get there as soon as I could.

The black wolf's throat vibrated with a loud growl and I twisted my body over and over till he got more worked up. In anger, Justin lost his cool and bit down against my shoulder blade. I gasped loudly, and a few moments later, blood started to soak through Asher's shirt.

Justin, as expected, tasted it against his canines and once again, the wilder part of me unleashes. The necklace trembled against my chest, glowing brightly under the moonlight until it shattered completely. The shards flew in all directions. The moment felt so magical that I knew I had won once my nails lengthened into claws.

I howled loudly, eventually shifting into my real form and without a glance at Justin; my wolf asked me to run, so I ran. There was not a single care in my mind about him following me back into the hideout. I was the world's strongest wolf in her true form.

There was no competition for me.

My feet landed on the soil and just like the two times before this, I felt more alive than ever when I started to run in the direction. "Left, left, go left!" My wolf instructed, and I followed without any second thoughts given. The trees and air whooshed by as if they never existed. I wasn't bothered by it.

My eyes lit up when the mansion was visible. I ran and ran.

The doors were wide open just like Justin had left them and I made a beeline straight to the guest room. I cried out in pain at Asher's limp body with the blood still fresh and scrambled to sit beside him in my human form. "Come on, draw your blood and give it to him!"

I nodded at my wolf's instructions and tried to work best despite the cloud of tears in front of my eyes. The only object sharp enough to cut me was the silver dagger. I pulled it out with all my will power and cut my finger open. Asher hadn't moved an inch.

He looked lifeless.

I held his jaw in my non-injured hand and pulled it slightly open to let the blood drop inside. A cough followed from his mouth and then another before my mate slowly pulled his eyelids open. Asher blinked at the ceiling a couple of times. When he finally registered my presence, the boy hurried to sit up and hug me against his chest.

I sobbed loudly, blood sticking awkwardly on both our bodies but there was not a care in the world. Asher was okay. I was okay. We were both together.

"I'm sorry." He sniffled. "I was supposed to protect you, save you. Not the other way around."

Shaking my head in denial, I pulled away and used my clean thumb to wipe the salty tears off his face. "Don't be sorry, it's all fine. I'm just glad you and I both are safe. We can deal with everything else together now." He nods, still frowning slightly. He rubs his palm over my bare back.

"Let's get you some clothes first." Asher laughed softly. "This is going to be really awkward if someone comes." I rolled my eyes but got back onto my feet along with him.

"Are you okay though? You looked very silly with your tongue out and all sprawled out on the floor," I joked despite my tears still flowing down my face and neck.

"Yes, I am, your magic worked on me," he teased with a gentle smile and continued to let his gaze wander around the place for a few seconds. "Get in there, I'll be back in a second and will wake up everybody else along the way. Apparently, Asher had thrown a sleep bomb cast with strong spell inside the mansion.”

He pushed me into the guest room and returned with a new shirt and jeans a few seconds later. It was a white shirt that hung loose on me; it being a possession of Asher's. I quickly got dressed and while Asher kept a keen gaze outside the room, I continued to stare at him with peace.