Moonlit Refuge (The Moon series)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Miles POV

I was scared. I'm told I'm paralyzed, but Jay thinks she can heal me by changing me. But I was worried. What if it doesn't heal me? I open my mouth, ready to ask these questions but what tumbles from my mouth surprises everyone. Even me.

"Do it." Comes out in a hoarse whisper. Jay's eyes fill with determination, her green eyes flashing silver.

"Aunt Khloe. Grab my ceremonial dagger from my room. It should be in my nightstand drawer." Jay orders, ripping her sleeve off and exposing the scar she had for the last time she use the ceremonial dagger. Apparently, it had silver properties, so the cut couldn't heal fast, allowing time for the amount of blood to come out that she needed.

"Wait, what? You can change humans into wolves?" One of the guards exclaims, Jay nods and pulls her black locks up into a ponytail.

"Yes. No more questions. I need to concentrate. This is all based on a whim. Did Asher only change because he was my mate and he marked me, or was it my blood? I don't remember." She paces, biting her lip. Her eyes flash silver, and she nods.

"Blood. Right." She says, letting out a deep breath. Khloe comes back, holding a silver dagger in her hands. Jay gently takes it with a small wince, unsheathing it and lowering the blade onto her wrist.

"Someone take him outside. He'll need to shift outside." She orders, walking outside with the tip of the dagger pressed against her skin. Blade picks me up, carrying me outside and setting me onto the dewy grass. The gray sky was still, the birds seeming to be holding their breaths as everyone circles me and Jay. With a quick jerk of her hand, the dagger flies across her wrist. She hisses, her eyes narrowing in pain as she stoops down to me.

"Open your mouth." She murmurs, I do as she asks, and she sets her bleeding wrist into my mouth. I gag at the flow of blood entering my mouth, but then a need grows in me. One that's so primal, I couldn't stop it. I greedily drank the sweet blood, feeling both repulsed by the want and encouraged that this was okay.

A heat builds up in my stomach, spreading out through my body and calming the pain. Then, I scream. Pain overwhelms me. She takes a step back as my body jerks, bones snapping and my body moving in ways that shouldn't be possible. I writhe on the ground. The agony rippling across my body as screams leave my mouth.

It feels like an eternity. Finally, fur sprouts from my body and with a final jerk of my body. All my bones snap, reconfiguring themselves. I lay, panting on my side. A whine slips through my teeth, my mouth and body sore but the pain slowly ebbs away. 

I jolt to my feet, taking a moment to realize that I can stand and walk without pain. I look down at my feet, now paws, seeing that my fur is a stunning rich brown with reds and blacks intertwined in it. I stand almost as tall as Kiko's shoulder, but I somehow knew I would grow even taller in just a few short weeks.

Finally, I feel a presence grow stronger in my mind. I'm your wolf, Roan. In the morning, I'll speak more with you.

Then he falls asleep. It's like I can feel him curl up in my mind, sleeping soundly. It's... different. Weird, but nice. I slowly take a step, cringing as the wet grass tickles my pad. How do they walk like this? It tickles!

I snort with laughter, my tail swishing around me as I look at it mesmerized. A beautiful scent comes over me, an urge to look at Jay has me perking up.

"Miles. Calm down. I'm not your mate, it's my heat. Only I go through this. Blade, take him out to the forest please. I don't want his wolf taking over." She orders, making a whine slip through my teeth. Blade pushes me, and the scent momentarily leaves my nostrils. She's right. She's not my mate, it's her heat that's making me act this way.