A Luna's Escape

Her Wolf

Sophie's POV

I smiled up at Cole before immense pain radiated out through my veins. My entire body was on fire. My movements became involuntary as my back arched up and out of Cole's arms. My head snapped backwards, pressing itself firmly into the floor. I whimpered as my eyes rolled to the back of my head, causing me to lose my vision.

"Cole!" I cried out in fear, trying my hardest to move my arms. I mustered all of the strength I had to move my arm, searching for Cole. I hated him, but at this moment, I needed him. I need his comfort. My heart was racing and fear was beginning to overtake me.

I sighed as I felt his hand wrap around my shoulder.

"I'm here.' He whispered. "Just relax. Don't fight it." I did as he said and gave into my body. I relaxed into the floor, my body contorting into a ball on the hard ground. I screamed out as I felt my bones begin to shift to different positions. The sickening sound of their cracking as they rearranged themselves filled my office.

"Cole!" I managed to call out again.

"It's almost over." He replied. My body made a few more excruciating adjustments before everything stopped.

I lay there on the floor, unable to move. Pain still pulsing through my limbs. As I lay there with my eyes closed, I realized that my hearing had heightened. I could hear every shallow breath Cole took. I heard every beat his heart made. I heard the air passing through the air conditioning, the voices and footsteps of people from outside the office as they passed by.

"Sophie?" I heard Cole whisper as he placed a hand on my head. Even his touch felt different. I could feel the blood coursing through his veins.

I slowly opened my eyes. I blinked a few times as I processed my surroundings. I was in my office, a place I had been in for months now, but it was different. The colors seemed deeper, more radiant. Every little movement caught my attention. I saw a fly crawling around on the floor. I could smell the dirt in the carpet, my coffee and sandwich on the desk, and a sweet scent that made my mouth water. It was a piney scent, reminiscent of the woods after a rainstorm. My heart beat quickly as I looked around the room, slowly getting to my feet. Cole sat next to me, his eyes wide as he stared in my direction. Our eyes locked and my heart pounded. "Mate." I said in my mind.

"Mate." He responded back to me.

"No!" I thought. "How? How could you be my mate? You were already and you lost me!" Anger began to consume me and I bared my teeth. Hurt feigned across Cole's face. He reached his hand out towards me and I snapped out, narrowly missing his fingers.

"Sophie?" He said as he cradled his uninjured hand. A single tear slipping down his cheek.

"No." I said in my mind.

"I understand." He answered me out loud.

"How did this happen? I have no wolf?"

"I…I don't know."

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I." He said. "But, we can ask the elders. Elder Benton would have answers."

"I'm not going back there."

"That's fine, but, if you want answers, you'll have to."

I sat down, processing everything that had just happened to me. How did I shift? I had no wolf. Why would I gain one now? Especially after everything that has happened to me. Why now? I was finally happy with my life. I brought my paw up towards my eye, as if wiping a tear. I thought I was crying, but being the first time I was ever a wolf, I'm not exactly sure what was happening to me.

"What do I look like?" I asked Cole through our minds.

"Breathtaking." He answered. "You're fur is a very light black, almost the color of your dark hair, but not as warm. You have a white spot just between your eyes that thins out as it runs over the top of your head. Your body is almost brindle. It's a mix of that black color along your back, then lightens out to a dark brown, and fades to a white under your belly and down your legs, but your paws are black and it runs up your legs to meet the white at your joints. But your eyes, Sophie, they're captivating. Your right eye is the most vibrant green I have ever seen. Like a glowing, Kelly green color, and you're left is the same, but the brown speck is still there. It's earthy and more prominent against the green now." He pulled his phone out of his pocket, snapping a photo before turning it so I could see the screen.

"How do I change back?" I asked him.

"Think. Visualize your human body and relax into the image."

I wasn't quite sure what he mentioned, but I visualized my body. I sighed as I raised my head, imagining me moving to that body. I heard my bones begin to crack as they rearranged again. It was painful, but not as painful as before, and a lot quicker of a shift too. I sat on the floor of my office, stark naked. Cole was staring at me and I felt my face flush. He quickly spun around, his eyes meeting the wall. I scampered to my office chair where Cole had neatly folded my clothes, and quickly slipped them on.

I caught the scent of my meal and my stomach grumbled as if agreeing with my thoughts of hunger. I grabbed the bag and sat down in my chair. Cole turned around and began moving my desk back into its original position as I ate my sandwich.

"How about we go somewhere to talk?" He said nervous. I shot him a hate filled glance. "Um…just about what has happened. I'll buy dinner." I thought about his offer for a moment. I didn't want to go anywhere with him, and didn't feel talking was necessary. But, I was hungry, and did have questions about everything.

"Fine." I said as I finished my sandwich, tossing the bag into the garbage. I gathered my sketchbooks and other things I needed and followed Cole out of my office.

"Why did you come back?" I finally asked. We had walked to the restaurant in silence, and had sat for most of the night in silence. I was too nervous to speak. A lot had happened for me today and I wanted to be able to process it all without any interference.

"I miss you. I've been a wreck since the day you left. I started searching for you that night and I have never stopped looking." He said, his eyes meeting mine.

"How did you find me?" I asked between bites. Shifting for the first time is a very draining experience. I had no idea it was coming either, so I wasn't able to prepare properly.

"I hired a private investigator the day after you took off. We searched for you for years. We lost your trail somewhere around Colorado. You sold a vehicle to some people and we were able to track them down. After that we lost you. I never gave up though. I needed to find you. I needed to apologize, to really tell you how sorry I was, even if you never forgave me." He looked up at me, but I kept my glare indifferent, so I continued. "The PI came into the office a couple of days ago with a magazine. It had an article in there about Sondra Ellis and…you. I took the first flight out here as soon as I knew you were here."

"Stupid magazine." I huffed.

"I know you're upset…"

"Cole." I said exasperated. "I'm not so much upset as I am hurt. Sure, I'm upset you just showed up here. I've started my new life and am really happy. I'm even engaged." I flaunted my ring, all but shoving it in his face.

"Congratulations." He said.

"But, I'm just hurt. You really hurt me, Cole. In more ways than you can imagine. I thought I was over you, but seeing you again has made me realize I might not be." He smiled as I said those words.

"Sophie, you were the biggest mistake of my life."

"Is that why you cheated?"

"No. I didn't mean it like that. I meant that you were the best thing that happened to me, and I made the biggest mistake by running you off." He sighed before taking a sip from his beer. Apparently, he needed all of the liquid courage he could get tonight. "I never wanted to lose you. I mean, I knew what I was doing was going to run you off, but, in the back of my mind, I had hoped that it wouldn't. That you would just stay and everything would work out. I'm sorry I was a terrible husband and I wasn't a good partner to you. I have regretted every choice I made that led to losing you. I have punished myself daily, I just cannot forgive myself for what I did."

"Well, you should." I grumbled, not looking up from my plate.

"You forgive me?" He asked, shocked.

"No. But you should forgive yourself. Had you not done what you did, I would never be here. I would never have this amazing job, my cute little home. I wouldn't live in this beautiful town and I wouldn't be engaged to the best partner I could have asked for. You gave me my best life, Cole."

"You had a good life with me too, before." He said.

"I did. I will admit that." I finally looked up at him. "But, while I sat at home happy, thinking we were great, you were sneaking out behind my back with her."

"I know."

"I just don't understand it."

"I don't know that I do either." He said.

"How could you not? It was your choices that led us here."

"I know. But I never wanted any of it."

"Well, you wanted it while she was under you." I quipped, and he couldn't argue. He did want it, in the moment.

"Look, what are we going to do about all of this?"

"All of what?" I c****d my head.

"This?" He gestured between him and I.

"You're my second chance. We're fated mates, Soph."

"Well, it's not going to happen." I said, sternly.

"At least come back with me."

"To the pack?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To talk to Elder Benton. You have questions. He has the answers." I sat silently for a while, pushing the remnants of my steak around on my plate with my fork.

"Fine." I said, dropping my fork and chugging the rest of my soda. "But I'm only coming long enough to talk to Benton. After I get my answers, I'm gone. We aren't a thing, we will never be a thing. In fact, I need to reject you."

"Sophie, wait."

"No."

"But, we don't know what's going on with you. At least wait until after we talk to Benton to sever the bond. You just got your wolf, we don't know what a rejection would do to you."

"Ugh…fine." I said, getting up from the table. "We leave tomorrow."

He got the bill and rushed out of the restaurant to catch up with me.

"When are we leaving?"

"Where are you staying?" I asked, never stopping as I walked.

"At the motel around the corner."

"I'll pick you up there. Be ready by noon."

"Okay." He said, stopping as I continued to walk.

"And Sophie." He called out. I stopped, turning to face him.

"It's good to see you."