The Monster Within - Book 1

Chapter 40

'Werewolves?' Hayley asks, looking me as if I have two heads.

'Yeah...'

'I came here for help, Cassandra? And now you're telling me this story and expect me to believe it? How gullible do you think I am? I thought you would help me?!'

'I am helping Hayley. It's the truth. I promise you. I didn't believe it at first myself, but this is happening to you just like it happened to me.'

Hayley stands from her seat and paces the room.

'I don't believe you.' She says flatly as she walks to the door.

Hayley only gets within a few feet from the door before Archer appears from nowhere, grabbing her wrist, stopping her from leaving.

'You're not going anywhere.'

'What do you mean? Get off me!' Hayley throws at Archer, trying to shake his hold off her arm. 'Cassandra? What is this?' She asks panicked, trying to pry his fingers off her with her free hand.

'It's too risky with a hunter out there. He knows what you are now after what you did to that nurse and he will kill you.' Archer tells her, not sugar coating anything.

Tears begin to pool in Hayley's eyes as she take in Archers words.

'You can't just keep me here!' She yells at him.

Then suddenly she goes quiet as her eyes widen as a jet black wolf walks in before shifting back into human form. She stops struggling against Archer as she takes in what she just witnessed, unable to look away from Apollo.

'What...' She utters, barely audible. 

'I'm sorry, Hayley. But there is no other way.' Apollo says, walking up behind his brother.

For a moment nobody says a word. The longer the silence stretches out the more frantic Hayley's breathing becomes until its too much for her to take. She lets out an uncontrollable cry as she begins to pull of Archers hold again, trying to back away from where Apollo stands. Her heels dig into the floor and her breathing is so laboured as she fights Archers hold.

'Let me go.' She screams. 

'Just... Stop fighting.' Archer tells her, not budging at inch as she scratches and pulls at him.

'Calm down.' Apollo tells her, looking her dead in the eyes. 

Her breathing seems to gain some sort of control as she still tries to push Archer off.

'Stop.' Apollo instructs.

My eyes pinch together as she stills, as if she's hanging on every word he says.

'When it's safe you will be free to go, but until then you WILL stay in this house under my protection.' Apollo states. 'Archer will show you to your room.'

No one says anything else as Archer leads her to the bottom of the stairs, holding onto her as he leads her out of view.

'How did you do that?' I ask him as he walks over to me.

'Do what?'

'She was hysterical and then you spoke and she instantly calmed down?'

'Oh that... that's just an Alpha thing.' He replies flippantly.

'How does it work?'

'I can command any other wolf in my pack to obey me. They do as I say and there's nothing they can do to stop it.'

'Have you... have you done that to me?'

'If I could do that to you we'd have a lot less fights.' he chuckles.

'So you don't try to do it to me?'

'Cassandra, I can't do it to you.'

'Why?' I ask, feeling like there's something wrong with me.

'I don't know. It might be the same as how you can change at will when only the Alpha is supposed to be able too. You're just different. You're just like me.'

'Could I do that? Have others obey me?'

'I don't see why not. But it takes a lot of practice. And we need to work on yourself control. We can't have you shifting whenever you get angry or when Archer annoys you.' He jokes.

'Would I be able to stop myself shifting on a full moon?'

'With practice.'

'How long will it take? I'd like to be there for Hayley at the next full moon.'

'Then I guess I better start teaching you then.' Apollo says, holding his hand out for me to take.

I reach for him, placing my hand in his and my faith in his ability to teach me all the things I need to know.

From that day and every day until the next full moon, Apollo and I practice the transformation over and over again. He shows me what I need to do to bring it on and how I can control my wolf. He shows me how to end the transition, returning me back to my human form. And then he teaches me relaxation techniques to help me control myself and to help me fight the urge to turn under a full moon. The more I shift the less it hurts and soon I'm able to shift just as quick as Archer and Apollo.

'You're a quick learner.' Apollo says to me as he runs his hand through my white fur.

I nuzzle into his side, trying to show some appreciation while in my wolf form. I shift back to a human, feeling over the moon with my progress. Apollo throws a blanket over my shoulders, covering my body as I wrap my arms around his waist, feeling safe and content in his hold.

'Thank you.' I tell him as I step up onto my tip toes and plant a kiss on his lips.

'Well, tonight we get to put your new skills to the test.'

I feel confident in myself and ready to put my new skill into action before I remember the whole reason I put myself through this hardship. Tonight is the night Hayley will either survive the change and become one of us, a part of this pack or she'll die.

Something I've tried to put out of mind, until now.