MARKED | COMPLETED

Chapter 6

The families of the participants weren't allowed to watch the Shifting. I remembered how the Buckley family tried to protest—I remembered watching from the hallway as Mrs. Buckley tried to reason with anyone who would listen, but in the end was forced to go back inside her home.

Mother and Father didn't do the same for me. Their goodbyes were silent, and when they closed the door behind me, I stared at the empty wall ahead of me. Breathless didn't begin to explain how I felt. The excitement wasn't even a word I would use.

Eighteen years led to this moment; I thought it would be different. I thought it wouldn't be so... lonely. But I was lonely. I was quiet when I didn't want to be, and the only thing I could look at was the wall until Colin came out of his own home three doors down. It was just the two of us now—only ten minutes left before everything would change.

I heard the sound of his door opening and watched as he hugged his mother and little sister. Two years ago, his father had died in a fire. He was the only man in the house. His sister had two years to go before she'd go through her own Shifting. I could hardly see her, as she kept her head buried in his chest.

They were crying. I didn't realize how badly I wanted someone to cry for me until I saw that.

When Colin looked up, he quickly straightened and kissed his mother and sister goodbye. Then, he took those first few steps that I would have to take and nodded to me.

I nodded back, trying to keep myself composed, whispering a mantra to stay strong. When he reached me, he took a moment—closing his eyes he took a deep breath, opening them when he was good and ready.

But he couldn't hide the moisture that pulled along his lashes.

"I bet on you, you know," He said, smiling. "I think you'll survive."

Don't say that, I thought.

I felt guilty when I shouldn't be feeling it. I bit my lip until I felt the pain deep beneath the skin.

"We'll both survive, Colin. We trained for this. Believe me. You're strong."

"You're a fighter," he said. "Even the Alpha thinks you'll survive."

He has no idea. Alpha Aisling had no idea. The only one who did was Reece, and he was far gone. I nodded. I wasn't able to speak anymore. I could hardly breathe, and that was something that I desperately needed to feel. I clenched my fists, doing my best to keep it in.

We walked for what felt like years, slowly descending down the steps. Outside the windows, I saw the flicker of fire and heard the sound of drums. Outside, it seemed, was the entire pack of Oirthir, waiting for the shiftless to emerge.

Just in front of the Alpha's cabin were large stones that were placed intricately in a circle. The closer we got I began to realize that they were carved to represent each phase of the moon. While I was busy saying my final goodbyes, they must have put these up, preparing. If I had the chance to admire it, I would have. Outside of the circle, the rest of the pack, the ones who were allowed to witness this, kneeled, wearing clothes that were opposite in color.

They quickly stood once we started down the gravel path their heads inclined and looks of pride painted on their faces.

In the center of the circle stood Alpha Aisling and Beta Shaun with their shirts removed. Warpaint covered their bare chests and they stood tall, portrayed as they should be. They were the epicenter of all this—it was them, I realized, who would be conducting this ceremony.

I said nothing as Colin reached for my hand. I found solace in it, for that moment, as I looked around, my eyes scattering across the crowd and looking for a familiar face. I saw Brom, my mentor, standing far out there. Cummins was the second.