My first shift book 1#

Chapter Nineteen

The moment Jade disappeared into the forest, I took off after her.
Once I was far enough from the house, I quickly pulled off my clothes and shifted into my wolf form.
The familiar feeling rushed over me as black fur covered my body.
I lifted my head and caught her scent.
She was close.
I spotted a flash of white fur weaving through the trees.
Jade.
She was running as fast as she could, the wind rushing through her fur.
I smiled.
She looked free.
I sprinted after her.
Within seconds, I caught up and playfully tackled her.
We rolled across the forest floor before stopping.
I looked into her beautiful icy-blue eyes.
She stared back into my bright yellow ones.
For a moment...
Neither of us moved.
Then she gently pushed me off with her paws.
I laughed.
"Oh, you're playing now."
She ran a few feet ahead before stopping and looking back at me.
It almost looked like she was smiling.
"Race you."
She took off through the trees.
I chased after her.
For the rest of the night, we ran together beneath the full moon.
Neither of us wanted it to end.
But eventually...
The first rays of sunlight began shining through the trees.
I stopped.
"Jade..."
She looked back at me.
"It's time."
The pain hit her almost instantly.
She cried out and stumbled.
Her body trembled as the transformation back into her human form began.
"It hurts..." she whispered.
I stepped closer.
"I know."
"You have to let it happen."
"Don't fight it."
"If you try to overpower the change, it'll only hurt more."
She nodded through tears.
"I'll try."
A scream echoed through the forest.
I felt my heart sink.
Every bone in her body shifted back into place.
She cried harder with every passing second.
There was nothing I could do except stay beside her.
When it was finally over, she collapsed onto the ground.
"My... my whole body hurts," she cried.
"My bones..."
"My legs..."
"I can't move."
I knelt beside her.
"Jade?"
She looked up at me, tears still running down her face.
"Can I carry you?"
She gave a small nod.
"Please."
I carefully picked her up in my arms and carried her back toward Maya's house.
Everyone was already waiting outside.
The moment they saw us, Leanna hurried over.
"Is she okay?"
I gently carried Jade inside and laid her on the spare bed in the guest room.
She closed her eyes, exhausted.
I quietly stepped outside and closed the bedroom door.
Maya walked over immediately.
"How is she?"
I sighed.
"She's in a lot of pain."
Leanna looked worried.
"That's not good."
"We have school today."
"What are we supposed to do?"
"I think she'll be okay by the time school starts."
"I hope you're right," Maya said softly.
"I've never seen someone hurt that much after their first shift."
Leanna crossed her arms.
"What about tonight?"
"She'll transform again."
"And the night after that."
"First shifters usually change every night during the full moon."
I looked down at the ground.
"I know."
"We'll help her."
Nicole hurried over to join us.
"Alex..."
"She's going to change again tonight."
"And probably every night until the full moon is over."
"How are we supposed to help her through that?"
"And what about her dad?"
"He's going to start wondering why she's spending every evening here."
She was right.
None of us had thought that far ahead.
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"I don't know."
"But we'll figure something out."
"I promised Jade she'd get through this."
"And I'm not going to let her face it alone."
The others nodded.
No matter how difficult the next few nights were going to be...
We were going to help Jade through every single one of them.
Together.