Forced To Love You

Surprise

Christian took the first blow better than I expected. He fell back onto the hard concrete without so much as a grunt. All I could hear was the sound of Everett's fist hitting Christian and the chains clanging against one another.

I squinted in the darkness to try to see what was going on between Christian and Everett. It was so dark that I couldn't see much. Even with my enhanced vision, I couldn't see too far from where I was. I couldn't protect Christian at all.

What kind of mate couldn't protect the one person they loved most?

I took a deep breath and felt my skin get hot. It was a feeling I recognized but knew I hadn't felt often.

Christian told me that anger could bring out my wolf and make me turn without warning. Maybe I could use it to my advantage. There was no better time than the present to try it out.

I closed my eyes and balled my hands into fists. I wanted to hurt Everett. I wanted him to feel pain like he was doing to Christian. I wanted him to know that I wasn't someone to mess with, even if I wasn't one to start a fight.

Hearing the fight going on between the two brothers was enough to make me angrier. I didn't like that Everett was hurting Christian. I didn't want him to get away with it just as he had when he murdered their mother. I wasn't going to let him if I could help it.

The first hint that I was beginning to shift came at my back. I felt a dull pain starting at the base of my spine that worked its way up to my neck. A whimper escaped my throat as I involuntarily arched my back to accommodate the sudden pressure I felt.

Time slowed as the pain intensified throughout my body but I knew it really wasn't As Christian and Everett fought, my body shifted and changed. My teeth extended into canines that I had only seen come out a few times before. My nails extended and scraped the concrete floor under me. Hair spread over my body. Within seconds, I went from a twenty-one-year-old girl to a brown wolf.

A snarl left my lips as I caught sight of Everett. I could see him a little better since shifting and could see how he was hurting Christian.

Christian hadn't shifted but his nails were present and his fangs peeked out when he opened his mouth. There was blood running down his face and his leg looked bruised around the shin area.

When I shifted, the chains keeping me in place had busted. Even with the wolfsbane, I was able to get myself free so I wasn't stuck just watching the scene unfold.

Christian's eyes turned to me and, even as Everett sent a blow to his face, I saw the pleasant surprise behind the brown irises. I hated that he was seeing me as my wolf for the first time because of Everett.

Everett followed Christian's gaze and growled. "I was told she hadn't shifted yet."

I narrowed my eyes. Told. He was told that I hadn't shifted? Who was giving him that information? I knew damn well it wasn't me or Christian. It couldn't have been Zeke or Harmony. Maybe Madison? To get back at me for being such a bad friend and for Christian firing her? I didn't want to believe it but it could have been a possibility.

I really hoped it wasn't.

Christian took advantage of Everett's pause and put both hands behind Everett's back. He pulled down so the chain between his cuffs choked Everett, catching him off guard.

I used the opportunity to charge at Everett. I didn't have a plan and I wasn't working with Christian to take out Everett but I couldn't complain if things worked. I felt like I was trusting the Goddess to guide me since I had no clue what I was doing. She knew my wolf better than I did, especially since it was my first time ever shifting.

It seemed that she didn't like Everett any more than I did. She gave me the strength to tackle Everett.

I jumped onto Everett with my front paws and sent him stumbling backward. Scratches formed on Everett's chest through his cut-up shirt. He growled at me but he didn't shift just yet.

Christian wiped blood from his right eye as he sat up.

Everett turned and latched his eyes on me. "You weren't supposed to have shifted yet. I didn't think you even knew how."

Christian grinned at him. "Surprise."

"Don't act like you knew."

"We tell each other everything."

Everett turned to look at Christian, giving me the perfect opportunity to attack again. I charged at him with my teeth barred and bit into his thigh.

Everett snarled and threw his arm back to swat me away. His hand connected with my snout and sent me flying. I rolled across the floor and ended up several feet away.

I shook off the pain in my face and put my focus back on Everett. There was no way I was going to let him get away with hurting Christian. He had gotten away with too much for too long and I was ending it.

Everett turned his attention back to Christian but found Christian had disappeared. I wasn't sure where he went either but hopefully, he had a plan, too. He was the Alpha so I trusted him to know what to do in a situation like this.

A wolf walked up slowly beside me. Its fur was a dark brown, almost black. It stood taller than me on its four feet and was longer than I was.

Christian.

Everett whipped around and narrowed his eyes on the two of us. "You really think you can take me on? Have you forgotten who I am? Who I was supposed to be?"

He shifted into a large black wolf with glowing gold eyes. He snarled at the two of us through sharp teeth.

We wasted all of two seconds before Christian and Everett charged at one another.

Christian was able to strike first. He threw his shoulder into Everett and made his front leg buckle. Everett stumbled and Christian lept at him, sending him rolling backward.

The two took turns exchanging blows while I watched, unable to step in without fear of hurting Christian or getting myself hurt. I'd never been in a fight nor had I ever been a wolf. I was in brand new territory that scared me. I didn't want to show it around Everett but I wasn't good at hiding it when it was all I could think about.

Suddenly, Christian collapsed to the ground between Everett and me and shifted back into his human form. His face was bloody from the beating he had taken and I saw bruises forming on his left side. He wasn't moving any more than it took to breathe. I couldn't tell how bad the damage was.

I took a step toward him to check on him but Everett growled. He lowered himself to a crouch and I felt panic settle in. I wasn't sure how I was going to defeat Everett when he had taken out Christian so easily. He was meant to be Alpha at one point which meant he was stronger than me. Did I even stand a chance?

Everett charged at me and I dodged his first attack. I wasn't quick enough to dodge the second and he clamped down on my left shoulder, sending pain down my entire arm.

I cried out and tried getting away from him. His teeth were firmly embedded in my skin and I could smell metallic in the air.

He sunk his sharp teeth deeper into my skin and the pain became unbearable. My body couldn't take it anymore and I went limp. Along with going limp, I also shifted back into my human self.

Everett tossed me onto the hard cement ground and I rolled a few times before coming to a stop on my back. I reached up and felt sticky blood coating my shoulder.

Tears sprung to my eyes as the pain settled in. I was scared. Christian was unconscious and in an unknown state. Everett was too powerful and seeking vengeance. He wasn't going to stop until he got what he wanted: Christian and I dead.