Soul Mate

chapter 72

River's POV.

I lock eyes with Sebastian in wolf form who is bent over a certain howling wolf covered in blood. Whatever my mate had done to him must have been horrific. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes. My mate was deadly, I knew that much.
His eyes quickly give me a once over and relief clouds them. He must have been checking for injuries or something. But strangely, I felt fine. Just soaked to the bone with Greta still clinging to me for dear life. My eyes are then drawn to movements from the trees ahead and I break eye contact with my mate.
A group of already shifted wolves and hunters emerge from the trees. The hunters are dressed like modern day Robin hoods with the signature bow and arrow to match.
I watch in shock as they aim their bows to one particular wolf.

My mate!

And before I can even blink, they release a series of arrows. I don't have time to think but I toss Greta to the side and do the first thing that comes to mind.
Which is to protect my mate.
I raise my right hand and conjure up an ice bubble hoping it's not too late. The moment the bubble solidifies around my mate, the whooshing sound of flying arrows comes to a stop as they rapidly collide with the ice barrier.
I release the breath I was holding and my entire body sags with relief.
I was in time!

But there's no time to waste for the fight was just about to officially begin.
And by the looks of it, we were seriously outnumbered.

"Am taking it down now! Get ready." I mind link my mate.

I wave my hand and the bubble disappears into thin air, exposing him to our attackers.
Something brushes against my leg and I look down to see Greta in wolf form.
When did she even shift?
But it didn't matter now, she was trying to tell me she had my back.  We stand back to back, we were surrounded. Sebastian and Casper make their way to us and flank our sides. I quickly scan the new arrivals and count up to twenty wolves and hunters.

Yeah... We were definitely screwed. Well unless Sebastian decides to go Huxembeast. I wasn't even sure what he was capable of in that form. I'd never seen him in it.
Or I could gamble with my gift and see what else I could do. After all this was my training session.. sort of.
But things had totally gotten real.  And now I had to do my thing..
My mate lifts his head and stares at me, he must feel my nerves.
To be honest, I was fucking scared.  But I had to keep myself together. This whole mess was my fault to begin with. If only I'd confided in my mate, we wouldn't be here going up against a mini army.
I had screwed up big time! And now it could really cost us.

"Don't worry... I can do this. You got my back and I got yours. Together till the end." I tell my mate.

There was no way I was backing out now. Even if I wanted to, which I don't.
He gives me one final look before focusing on the wolves infront of us. I turn to Greta and Casper.

"You guys go do your thing.. I will cover you as much as I can. I think I've gotten a hang on these powers. Take on the wolves and I can deal with the hunters."

I'd do my best to protect my loved ones and my pack.

The words barely leave my mouth before casper leaps for the nearest wolf.. and am frozen for a second.

" Focus you idiot!" Zane yells in my head.

Oh! Right... Cover.

And I get down to business. Creating barriers here, ice blocks there, using strong gusts of wind to knock wolves off of my people. I even chocked one or two hunters, knocking them unconcious. I wasn't sure yet about the actual killing. I wasn't comfortable with the whole concept of taking someone's life. So I did the next best thing, knocking them unconcious and leaving the rest to finish the job.
I was in the act of chocking a hunter telepathically when a loud bang rings throughout the clearing.
I pause my actions and whip my head around trying to figure out what had caused the noise.. my eyes search for my mate of their own accord and I see his wolf stagger Abit but otherwise remains standing. He seems to be looking at something. I follow his gaze and my eyes land on Elliot who is holding a gun aimed at my mate.
I look back at Sebastian and see his fur soaking with blood.
That's when realisation hits.

Elliot had shot my mate!

And by the looks of it, he had every intention of doing it again.
The murderous look in his eyes said it all. He was going to empty that magazine on my mate and that would kill him. Wolves rarely survived a single silver bullet, now how about more than one??
My mate wouldn't make it out alive. Silver was every wolf's worst nightmare.
My heart begins to race as my breathing grows laboured. I start to feel light headed and my vision grows hazy before Zane fully possesses me. I relinquish control willingly because I felt absolutely helpless.
Then Elliot pulls the trigger again.

And then a third time.

And that's when I lose it. Zane and I both lose it. I feel a tingling sensation crawl all over my body and I feel my canines drop for a second time since that incident in the bathroom a week ago.
I couldn't comprehend what was happening, all I knew was that my mate was in danger and I needed to eliminate whatever was threatening his life.
Strong winds blow and the sound of rushing water fills my ears. It felt like very strong waves were crushing onto a cliff before a heavy storm. The heavens give way and a hail storm descends from up above. It felt like the goddess herself was angry.

And that's when I feel the change.

I stand dumbfounded as my bones begin to extend and realign themselves. Without warning, am propelled to the ground on all fours and a series of cracking sounds fill my ears.
I watch in shock as my hands turn to black paws. They dig into the soggy ground with extended claws.

Holy shit!!
It was happening.. I was fucking shifting!

"I need you to focus on the shift. I can't do it all alone!.' Zane's panicked and frantic voice rings in my head.
Why was he panicking??
" Work with me here!" he urges.

Okay what do I do? What to do? What to do?

I go with my instincts and  imagine the black wolf I saw in the ancient book with glowing eyes and fur as dark as midnight.

And that's all it takes for me to fully shift for the first time in 18years!

I get up on all fours under the pelting rain and it looks like all fighting has ceased. The glow in my eyes lights up the entire space we are in and I can see for miles ahead. I felt gigantic.
I felt powerful, I felt mighty. I felt indestructible.

Right Before my eyes, my mate finally crumbles to the wet soggy ground, his blood mixing with the rain water that soaked his beautiful fur.

And I unleash my wrath  on our enemies.