Lost Luna

Pain

The first few weeks seemed to be based around strengthening her human body, which Zia was thankful for despite the fact that she fell into bed a giant pain filled sack. Sparring, runs, weight lifting, and strengthening her mind. Marius had reminded her multiple times that a strong alpha was not just powerful physically but also a good leader because of their ability to think through problems and provide solid advice to the rest of the pack. She had to know how to manage those under her and govern over disputes that could not be solved with a quick scuffle in wolf form. 

All in all Zia was tired, mentally and physically. A few times she had found herself snapping at Marius in an ugly manner, and every time she was swiftly rebuked with a physical slam into the ground. She currently sat outside the cabin on the bench, counting the bruises as they were healing and stretching out the sore stiff muscles of her arms and neck. Marius was nearby shirtless, the man hardly ever seemed to be fully clothed much to Zia’s absolute delight and dismay. In a few days 6 other young adults and teens would be joining her here, the other up and coming Alphas from packs across the country. This training wasn’t just about getting ready for future responsibilities but also about diplomacy.

Many a potential pack war or long standing territory dispute had been settled by the next generation meeting at training and striking long lasting friendships. A shadow cast across her and she looked up at the sweating man in front of her, and struggled for her cheeks not to betray her attraction. Before he could even speak she stood up and rested her hands on her hips emphatically before saying rather snottily, “So what exactly qualifies you to teach us future Alphas on how to do our job?” The day had been a trying day between the two, and even though Zia found him undeniably attractive she couldn’t help but feel a little resentment toward the person who put her through so much strenuous work. 

Marius paused in what he had been about to say, and frowned for a minute before he laughed and patted her on the top of her head, amused by her childish attitude. “None of your business.” he said simply, winked at her and moved past her into the inside of the cabin. Returning he held two backpacks, and thrust one out into her chest which she grabbed instinctually. 

“Time to shift.” He said cheerfully, and pretended not to notice the look of horror that crossed her freckled nose from the early summer sun. 

Zia was freaking out on the inside. She had managed to avoid any circumstance where she might have to shift the last few weeks and now he was straight up ordering her to. Her stomach clenched and she gaped at him like a fish out of water while her mind raced. How was she going to get out of this one? How could she tell him? The situation was quickly spiralling out of control now as he had started undoing the buckle of his belt in preparation to strip and shift. 

“I...don’t want to.” She stuttered out, and then firmly settled the look of resolve on her face. 

He turned to look at her, his dark hair shifting across his body deliciously. 

“I wasn’t asking.” He stated, staring her down with eyes that were starting to change to a amber yellow. His wolf’s eyes, peeking out in irritation and excitement. 

“That doesn’t mean I am any more willing to do it.” She retorted, crossing her arms across her chest after dropping the backpack into the dirt at her feet. Zia stopped her impulse to give it a kick for good measure. 

“Shift.” He said again, this time low and forcefully, the undercurrent of his wolfs growl bubbling beneath the surface. The wild animal inside him was rippling just under his skin, making it twitch like a horses hide when a fly lands on it. 

“No.” She said again, and turned to walk away from him, her shoulders tensed up in refusal. The next moment she found herself on her back, the air knocked from her lungs and body pressed into the earth by a much larger one. His lips were curled back from his teeth in a snarl, teeth already lengthening into the canines of his wolf side. 

“You don’t have a choice.” he growled, one large hand was wrapped up in her dark red hair and the other was grabbing her jaw painfully. “I have had enough of your attitude lately, you aren’t here on a f*****g vacation...shift!” he snarled inches from her face. Zia had seen him frustrated before, but this new demanding shadow rippling through him was new and she felt her body light up with adrenaline like electricity. The tingling reminded her of the beginning of a change, and it took her a moment to realize that he was forcing her shift...somehow. Her green eyes widened as she looked up into his angry face and the glowing yellow eyes. 

He had a power, and she had never felt anything like it. Up until this moment she hadn’t even been aware that any werewolf possessed the ability to make another shift. The feeling of electricity began to deepen and her muscles spasmed with it like a tens machine turned up too high. If her wolf hadn’t disappeared she knew she would have shifted by now, her bones would have rearranged under this pressure and a canine would have surfaced in defense to the tremors overloading her senses. It was becoming painful as her body refused to change despite the compelling force from the man above her. The larger muscles in her body seemed to be trying to tear themselves apart, the searing pain through her legs and into her abdomen were taking her breath away. 

 Tears welled up in her eyes, falling from the corners and she bit into her lower lip so hard she tasted the blood that welled from it. This needed to stop. She had to tell him. She was going to have to tell him that she couldn’t or else this was going to kill her. The panic started rising in her, but it was drowned out by the power hitting her like a tsunami flooding her senses and body. 

“I -” she struggled to speak through the white hot flash of pain through her body, before her words changed to a high pitched scream of agony. Then suddenly the force stopped as if a faucet had been turned off and the world started to darken around the edges of her vision. 

“Hey...Zia..hey stay with me.” The man above her had let go of her jaw and hair, his hands instead gently touching her cheeks and then her jostling her shoulders as she lost consciousness. “Zia…” the words breathed over her face as the world escaped her. 

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It was dark all around her, and she felt numb as she walked alone. How had she got here? She hugged herself and shivered involuntarily, the emptiness was smothering and she looked around herself but was unable to discern her environment. 

“Zia” a voice that sounded like it was far away, or behind a barrier. She frowned and whipped around searching for where it had come from.

“Hello…?” She called hesitantly, but noted that her voice held a vibration of her fear. Again something called to her, as if whoever or whatever it was had a gag in its mouth and was stuffed in a trunk. She frowned and the atmosphere got colder, causing her to shiver uncontrollably. 

 Then a low growl that seemed to shake her to her core, and before she could answer she was yanked away. 

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Bolting upright in the bed with a gasp, her green eyes snapped open and she grasped at the sheets in a panic, sweat stood out against her hairline and chest. Darting furitive glances around the room she determined that she was back inside the cabin. The light through the window told her that it had been a few hours since her last memory of sitting outside stretching. What had happened after that? Why was she inside in bed feeling like she had just run a marathon?  Hands were suddenly running down her head in a soothing manner, one warm hand on her shoulder gently insisted she lay back down. Zia looked to the owner and saw Marius staring at her with a strange expression on his face. 

“What -- what happened?” she asked, her voice croaking out as if she had been at a loud bar the night before yelling too much. She licked her lips and swallowed feeling the pain in her vocal chords. 

“I was hoping you would tell me…” he said, a concerned frown on his face as he sat back down on the stool beside the bed, running a hand through his dark hair as he fixed her with a direct stare that begged not to be lied to.