Hidden One

Chapter Fifteen

Kate stared at her, a look of utter disgust crossing her beautiful features as she took in the black stripes that had grown under Tessa's eyes, the changed pupils and clawed hands. She looked fearsome and terrifying.

"You are an abomination! You should not walk on this earth, should not exist!" A growl escaped Tessa as she bared her teeth, revealing longer, sharper canines and an absence of molars. All her teeth had sharpened, and her jaw had strengthened. Her brilliant blue eyes stared out from the majestic creature that she had become.

She took a menacing step forward, feeling her tail swish behind her. Despite herself, Kate took a step back.

"She is no longer at your mercy, Katerina. How dare you keep her in this weakened state, away from her full potential. Look at her, and witness what she truly is- half Shifter, half Seer." Atticus growled. Without so much as a shiver he transformed into a large lion, tossing his head so that his glorious man fanned out around his head. Tessa felt a shift beside her and turned to see Demetri had shifted as well, his large German Shepherd head bumping against her side.

His voice sounded in her head. Let yourself go. You're fighting the rest of the change.

Without even realizing it she complied, feeling herself convulse before she dropped, all her weight landing on four very sturdy paws. They were white with long black stripes, and rather pretty. She picked her bag up on her strong jaws tenderly, not wanting to break or scratch anything inside.

With some unspoken signal the whole group moved forward, Atticus, Demetri and Tessa in the lead. The Seers and MacAlistars moved out of the way with no resistance, Kate's face stone cold and pale as she watched Tessa walk away from her.

Tessa never once looked back, not even when the pack started to run and she lagged behind a bit as she tried to get used to having four legs. She knew Kate watched her, but she refused to acknowledge her. She was no longer anything to Tessa, anyway.

It did not take long to get to the Pack House, though it was no small feat- they had to take a considerable amount of back alleyways to stay out of sight as they made their way out of the city and toward wilderness. Despite the time, it was a considerable distance away and Tessa was panting by the time they reached it. She lost her breath again as she came upon the Pack House- and the scene she found there.

The pack's main living space was not one building, but more a collection of them, built in a semicircle on one side of a huge clearing. Trees surrounded them on all sides, providing more than enough cover for the hundreds of Shifters that had to be living there. Tessa could tell there were more houses scattered about the property behind the main ring. In the center of the semicircle sat the biggest house of all, roughly the size of the Compound and clearly the main building. The Pack House resembled a rustic cabin, made completely of dark wood logs and a significant amount of deer antlers. It was intricate and beautiful in it's own way, a building Tessa immediately fell in love with almost the second she laid eyes on it.

"The Pack House." Came a voice from behind her. Tessa turned her large head to look at Atticus before quickly turning away again. He laughed.

"Get used to it, Lass. Can't shift with clothes on." He said. There was a rustle of fabric as Tessa dropped her bag, trying to get the unpleasant taste of cloth out of her mouth. Atticus came to stand beside her, his hands now in the pockets of a pair of sweatpants. "We're the strongest, most dominant pack in the world. Our Alpha is the strongest Shifter, so I expect you to be kind."

Tessa shifted, gratefully accepting the extra-long flannel shirt that Mya handed her and buttoning it quickly. She tried to stop the rush of heat to her cheeks, determined not to be embarrassed if they weren't. Demetri, however, seemed to be extremely flustered and turned away to stare into the woods, a pair of jeans hanging low on his hips.

Only then did Tessa realize she was the last one to have shifted back, the others of their party already milling around the main area with other members of the pack who had not been on the 'mission', as she'd heard Atticus refer to it. Many had already begun doing tasks like gathering firewood and heading toward the kitchen to help cook dinner. Others were gathering with friends or children, taking and laughing as they stood in the middle of the huge clearing or headed toward one of the cabins. There was a wonderful sense of intimacy throughout despite everyone doing their own thing, everyone connected and intune with one another. Tessa found herself craving to be a part of it.

"So that's where he lives, than? The Alpha?" Tessa asked, guesturing to the Pack House. Atticus was clearly trying to surpress a grin but failing miserably, his eyes trained on the tall, regal woman coming down the short set of stairs that led to the front porch of the Pack House.

"Did you hear, Ceci? I had no idea you were a guy." He said, his laughter filling the air. "Have we been lied to all this time?"

"Yes, I'm really a man, Atticus. I've tricked you all!" The woman cried dramatically, clearly joking as she came to stand before them. She was a tall woman, with long brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and large brown eyes. She was every tan, her skin bronzed with endles hours out in the sun. She was dressed like someone who spend the majority of their time outdoors, in cargo capris and a form-fitting black tank-top. Her feet were bare, as were most of the people's here, and slightly dirty from the wet grass and dirt.

Tessa tried to get over her confusion. "You're..."

"Cecilia Ambrose, Alpha and most dominant Shifter in the world. Nice to meet you." She said. SHe looked incredibly familiar, and a lot like...

Tessa swallowed. "My mother." She said. "You look so much like my mother."

Cecilia nodded. "I would certainly hope so. We are twins, after all."