The Darkness Within (ON TEMPORARY HOLD)

Shift

Days had passed since Jacob had told me about the 'deal' with his families pack and no new info had been shared with us since. I was beginning to wonder if they would even take the deal. Whatever it was. It had to be a bad one for Jacobs pack.

Either way, we needed to get out of here soon. My mind and body couldn't take much more. I had pretended that I was fine after the incident, but I was breaking. Every night was a nightmare and sleepless. My body and mind had lost all the fight it had been harboring. Amber still refused to speak or make herself know. Even when the Alpha had come around two days ago and commanded us to shift, I was unable to. Amber just couldn't even hear anything that was going on.

The only time her gaze turned outward was when Jacob would talk to us or laugh. Even then she was just a listless thought in the back of my mind.

Her attitude was making it hard to pretend for Jacob. I was finding less and less energy to play with him. At times it was hard even to talk.

Listless days passed and the effects of prison life were taking their toll on Jacob as he grew older.

Sitting in our respective corners Jacob whispered to me, "You know... Today's my birthday... I'm turning 8 today." Shock filled me. That meant more then one thing in our world. Jacob would be shifting for the first time tonight. This would also be the first birthday without his family and pack too.

Scooting over to his corner I settled next to him.

"I thought mom and dad would have gotten me already Cadence... Where are they? Why haven't they come for me already?" Shifting his head in my direction he allowed tears to fall as his lower lip trembled. His eyes searched mine for answers I didn't hold.

Drawing him into my arms I hushed him. Rocking him slowly I said, "Maybe the bad Alpha lied to your mom and dad and they got a little lost? That'll take a while for them to find out bud. So don't give up on them, I'm sure they're doing everything they can to find you jake. You've got to try and believe in them ok?"

Sniffling he grunted and straightened up. But kept his eyes down. "What else is bothering you jake?"

Playing with the frayed hem of his shirt he quietly answered. "Will it hurt real bad? The shift?"

Patting his head lightly I smiled a small, but real smile this time. "It's gonna hurt real bad the first time, but after that you won't ever feel it again. And you don't have to worry, i'll be here with you the whole time ok? I'll keep you safe,"

Remembering my first shift I shuddered inside a little. I had hurt like a mother. I could still remember how every bone had broken and moved under my skin. Eventually shaping into the form of my wolf.

Pulling Jacob closer to me again I settled his head on my shoulder an mussed his hair.

"Hey!"

Laughing a little I began telling him about my first time shifting. I didn't hide any of the details from him just like my parents hadn't hid anything about it from me.

Feeling him shudder at the part where I shifted I squeezed his shoulders. "Don't worry jake, after that it's the most amazing feeling you'll ever have. The freedom you feel and the way you see everything will change into something better then you can imagine."

"Really?! Will I have super powers like superman?! Can you see through stuff?"

Belting out a laugh I pushed him over. "Oh yeah! I have super powers alright! in fact, you wanna know what my super power is?"

Giggling he shook his head yes, eyes widening in wait.

"Well, my super power... is TICKLING!!" launching at him I tickled him under his armpits as he squirmed and squealed in delight. Trying to fend me off he tried kicking me.

"Wrong move kid!" Laughing I grabbed his feet and wrenched his socks off attacking his tiny feet.

Gasping for breath he finally surrendered. "No fair Cadence!! I want a super power when I shift!"

Struggling to sit up he huffed and puffed. Laughing I began to tell him he would get one too when a snap broke the the happy fuzz.

Jacobs face went white and I snatched him into my lap. I hadn't realized how late it had gotten already. Cradling his arm the tears began to fall from his wide, frightened eyes.

"Cadence!! What's happening!! Why does my arm hurt?!" Crying even harder he dug in closer to me, squeezing his eyes shut tightly.

"Shhhh it's ok jake, your shift is finally starting. Remember I'm here to keep you safe ok? Just focus on breathing and my voice."

Crying out, another snap sounded through the room and his leg shifted into an awkward position. Gasping, a light sheen of sweat began to bead his forehead.

Mumbling random stories to him I ran my hand through his hair trying to soothe him.

The night wore on as more snaps sounded out as his body transformed. By around mid-moon the fur began to sprout from his body. Huffing and crying Jacob bore it well, as only an Alphas son could.

Trying to keep his cries quiet I used some of our saved up water and ran it across his forehead with the cleanest cloth I could find.

Finally, as the moon began to lighten with predawn light Jacob was fully in his wolf form.

He was huge for his age. A light brown, he went to my waist already and filled nearly the entirety of the tiny shack.

Whining he huffed out a deep sighing breath and his whole body went lax with exhaustion. But I knew he couldn't stay in this form yet. It was nearly dawn and the pack would soon be up and about.

Kneeling next to Jacob I pat his head and poked him a little to get his attention. "Hey jake? I know you're tired kiddo, but I'm going to need you to shift back now ok? The bad Alpha will be awake soon and it'd be bad if he saw you like this ok?"

Whining, he shifted his head awkwardly to the side, like it was too heavy for him.

Feeling a smile move across my face I began to explain to him how to shift back, "You have to focus on what it feels like to be human again. Try remembering what it's like to have toes, or armpits."

Grunting jake began the slow transformation back into his own skin. Laying there he gasped for air.

"Not... funny... Cadence..."

Laughing I picked him up and set him back on the thin bed and tucked him under the thin sheet.

"Go to sleep Jake, you'll need your strength back soon. The bad Alpha might not be happy that you shifted..."

Too tired to ask he grunted and fell asleep quickly.

'We have a chance now Cadence... with him having changed we can start planning for our escape and eventually our revenge...' Amber had finally resurfaced. Seeing Jacob change had given us both hope. Before it would have been too risky to try and break out while he was still confined to his human skin. But as a newly shifted wolf, with his size and background... We might actually be able to make it.

'We should start planning then'

'Agreed'

***

Sorry for any spelling mistakes!!

Update! :

The pic is the closest I could get to my image of Jacob xD