What About Now?

Chapter 13 - Assault

Despite my lack of sleep, I woke up early.

Levi said we'll be going for a run together in our wolf forms. The only problem,I can't shift, and if I don't shift then he'll find out my wolf is in the translucent stage.

I pace around the room, trying to think of a way to get out of this predicament, but nothing comes to mind.

"Maybe a warm shower will calm my nerves," I mutter and walk towards the grand bathroom.

The second I open the bathroom door a smile immediately graces my face. The light blue color makes me feel at ease as I let out a sigh of relief. Moving towards the window I open the curtains, allowing the sunlight to stream inside and complement the gold colored moldings.

What's with these people and having gold colored moldings everywhere?

The shower is just as grand as the bathroom itself, being very spacious and unique. Mirrors surround the shower walls, which at first glance seem peculiar as you stare at your naked form but then become easily dismissible as the mirrors begin to fog up from the steam.

I stay in the shower and attempt to let the tension escape my body. I sigh against the water's heat and try to free all the negative thoughts encasing my mind, but no matter how many times I close my eyes and try to forget, I can't.

Staying with Levi is dangerous. Whatever I touch I destroy. It's because of me that my whole family split up. It's too dangerous to be with him. The negative thoughts quickly creep into my mind and cause a slight chill to accompany it.

Wait a second, a chill? I ponder dubiously.

I swiftly raise my head and stare at my reflection; taking notice of the completely clean mirrors. I reach my hand towards it, but halt my movements when the water from the shower-head suddenly stops running.

"That's weird," I mutter and try to turn it back on.

From my peripheral vision I see something move. I swiftly raise my head to stare into the mirror's reflection. The water from the floor swiftly gathers behind me, aiming for an attack. I gasp and quickly duck, barely managing to dodge its assault. However, the water quickly makes up for its failure by surrounding my wet form. It grasps my arms tightly behind my back and pushes me down the cold granite floor, restraining me.  

Fear swiftly courses through my body. The water raises me off the ground and shoves me against the mirror, positioning me to look at my reflection. The water encircles around my head and glows. It feels like it's reaching inside my mind. Suddenly, a blue thread gracefully flows out of me, causing me to grit my teeth from yelling out in pain. My breathing becomes labored. I feel like I just lost a part of me. 

The water still has its tight hold on me. I gasp at my reflection and stare at my wolf's translucent eyes. If you will not set me free by your own volition then you leave me with no choice but to fight against you, my wolfs irate voice resounds loudly throughout my mind.

She appears ready to say more but is interrupted by a loud knock against the door.

"Kailani, are you ready to go?" Levi's firm voice says from behind the door.

Hearing his voice has the water removing it's hard grasp from around me and disappearing down the shower drain.

I fall to the floor and clutch my throat, taking deep breaths as I generously gulp in a large amount of air before swiftly jumping out of the shower and closing its glass door behind me. I reach for the towel lying on the hanger and wrap it tightly around myself.

"I'm coming! Just give me ten minutes to get dressed," I say quickly, hoping he doesn't hear the strain in my voice.

"Not a minute more," he expresses in an irritable tone; pounding once more on the door before leaving.

As soon as I'm sure he's gone I run out of the bathroom and lock the bedroom door. I quickly proceed to make my way towards the mirror on the vanity table to stare at my reflection.

I gasp frightfully. There are large claw marks running down my throat and I wince when I place my hand against it. I hurriedly attempt to wipe the blood trickling from it.

Hopefully it heals by the end of the day. I move to get dressed before Levi returns. Usually I would wear a pair of jeans and match it up with a knit sweater but the only thing in my closet are dresses. Therefore, I quickly put on a black dress with a jeans jacket over it. However, it still doesn't seem to conceal the claw marks.

"Kailani, I will break this door down if you don't answer it within the next ten seconds." His tone sounds deadly, making me wonder how long I must have been tuning him out as I was getting dressed.

"Coming!" I quickly grab a black scarf and wrap it around my neck while simultaneously running to open the door. I'm met with an annoyed expression but when I reach out for his hand it slightly diminishes. 

He's wearing a lavish black suit causing a small smile to grace my face as I realize his attire somewhat matches to mine.

"Why were you taking so long?" he questions looking directly into my blue eyes.

"Because.. I'm a girl." I present him with a nervous glance and fiddle with my hands. I mean I gave him a pretty girly reason, but I don't think he can counter it. However, by his questioning gaze he knows there is something more. He sniffs the air and his eyes quickly travel down towards my scarf.

"Can we go?" I ask hurriedly, hoping to take his attention away from the scarf covering my neck.

He's silent for a moment just staring at my neck, but soon grabs my hands in his and leads the way. Does he know I'm injured? I continue to mull over the thought as I follow closely behind him. But if he knows he would have definitely said something by now. He's not the type to keep quiet about something that bothers him.

With every step I take my erratic heartbeat increases. My breathing becomes labored as I think about shifting. I know I can't do this, especially now that she's out to get me.

"I can't do this," I whisper quietly and dislodge my hand from his.

We are standing outside in the center of the forest. Somehow, we managed to get that far without me freaking out yet. 

He turns to raise his eyebrow in questioning. He watches my shaking form take a couple of steps away from him. A frown quickly takes hold of his expression. But I haven't shifted in over two years. If she somehow manages to get out she can hurt him. That is not a chance I'm willing to take.

He moves his questioning gaze from my face down towards my scarf, causing me to protectively hold my hand over it and take a couple of steps back.

"Stop." The command is clear in his voice and causes me to halt in my tracks.

I can't move. It feels like someone froze my body in place. He calmly walks around my form and scrutinizes the scarf wrapped around my neck. Suddenly he walks closer to me and inhales my scent. An involuntary shiver runs through my body, causing a smirk to cross over his face. 

His hands lightly cup my heart shaped face as gazes at me with those beautiful dark orbs that could make any woman do his bidding. I am paralyzed as I watch his hands slowly move down towards my scarf. But before he can rip it off his movements cease.

His eyes glass over and turns a shade darker, as if he's mind linking with someone. With that fleeting thought wolves suddenly surround us, taking defensive positions.

With their newfound presence the command lifts, allowing me to move my body and gaze at the gigantic wolves surrounding us, or more preferably me.

"What's going on?" I question nervously.

"We will talk about this later Kailani." He ignores my question and moves his gaze towards my scarf, giving it a lingering stare.

"Take her back to the castle. If I see a single scratch on her head I will kill you all." The authoritative command causes the wolves to slightly tremble as they bow their heads.

He briefly glances at my awed form before sending the surrounding wolves a loud warning growl. The last thing I see is his leaping figure shifting mid-air into his midnight wolf and taking off in the direction of the kingdom's borders.