Killing the Wolf

19. Metamorphosis

Needless to say, Shawn Cage was not pleased to see his sister and his brother's mate walking out of the forest accompanied by no other than the tribal female wolf he had nearly ripped apart months ago. An unbelievable twist of fate had made Shawn find Evelyn in the same town Maxine Kaye-Skeet lived. The same woman who had helped Fay disappear and crush Seth'd heart, had helped Evelyn run and get shelter from Fay. Shawn wasn't spiritual nor believed in destiny, but he had to admit, all this was a pretty big coincidence. Never the less, seeing Maxine, made him agitated. She had the nerve to show up here on his pack's lands - unannounced and without an invitation. Shawn searched the forest with his eyes. Was her mate there? He did not appear. Good.

Evelyn sensed his emotions. She placed her palm on his upper back.

"Calm down," she spoke into his mind. 

Shawn stopped himself from shrugging her hand off of him. It wasn't Evelyn's fault Maxine was there.

"What is she doing here?" he asked avoiding eye contact with the woman. 

"Alpha," the woman spoke before Fay nor Serafina had time to answer. She lowered her head to greet him with respect. But Shawn noticed it was not submission. Just a learned gesture.

"I come in peace," she said. Her hand quickly brushed her neck as if to remind both of them what had happened between them; Shawn had nearly strangled her for not telling where Evelyn was. She was also reminding him, what would happen if he attacked her again. Her mate would kill him this time.

"Why are you here?" Shawn asked. He matched her audacious behavior with a stern look.

"I'm here to help my sisters."

"And to save your ass," Serafina blurted out but shut her mouth realizing it was not a time nor place to joke around. "Sorry," she mumbled. And hid behind Fay and Max, who were biting their cheeks to keep laughter away.

"How?" Shawn ignored his sister. 

"Finnigan will attack. Tribes will turn a blind eye. You will lose. But... If I'm here, Dex will come. So will my father. And many other tribes will follow them. There will be more of us, so we'll win if we'll have to fight. But I have a feeling his allies will not join him if it's a hopeless cause." 

"Huh," was Shawn's only reply. "Keep her out of my sight. She will not stay in our house."  

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Fay sat on the guest bedroom's floor with shreds of her pajama around her. The sun had just started to paint the dark night sky with delicate soft colors.  Seth's voice had woke her up. He had been in pain. Fay's body had transformed into its wolf form. Her body had not needed her mind's permission. It just happened. 

The wolf in her was willing to fight every obstacle separating her from Seth. It needed to protect him. In her wolf form, she had paced around the room disoriented but ready to attack. It had taken time for the adrenaline rush to disappear and give her human mind a chance to realize she was in the bedroom far away from Seth. 

As she sat on the floor naked, Fay couldn't help but wonder why the shift happened without her forcing it when it came to Seth, but earlier in the forest she couldn't have done it. It was painful with Seth, but the pain in the forest had been too much to overcome.

"I'm not the same," she whispered acknowledging that there was something different about her wolf side compared to the time before the serum was injected into her. 

She tried to figure out what was different, but all she could come up with was the shift. Before she had been able to control it and do it without pain whenever she wanted. Now she couldn't control it. When Seth was in pain or was calling for her, the shift happened. But when purposefully decided to shift, she couldn't. 

"Shit," she mumbled. How could she ever be around humans now? 

"Seth? Are you still there?" she tried to contact her mate. 

No answer. 

Fay sighed. Seth hardly ever answered. He kept falling into unconsciousness and when he came back, he was in intense pain. 

Though it was gut-wrenching, Fay was glad Seth didn't have to face this alone. She was there for him, soothing and calming him. She kept telling him how much she loved him and he would survive this. 

"Seth," she whispered. Oh, how she longed for him and his arms around her. She imagined him there. With eyes closed, Fay could almost feel his warmth and arms around her.

"Everything will be okay," he would say. And Fay would believe him. 

"Don't worry, darling. I think your wolf-side will be even more bad-ass than before."

Fay's giggles filled the room. Oh, how she loved him.

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Serafina's phone vibrated. She picked it up from the night stand. She hesitated before answering. But there was no ignoring this - him.

"Hello?" her voice was raspy since the call had woken her up.

"Good morning," his velvety voice filled her mind.

"It's really early," Serafina groaned and with her free hand, she massaged her temples. 

"You're not a morning person."

"What do you want?"

"Ok, straight to the point. Tell the acting alpha, you can have Seth today."

Serafina's eyes widened and she had to sit up.

"What?" she asked. This has to be a trick. It can't be this easy.

"And I will help with Finnigan."

Hah! She was right. It was trick.

"You're up to something," she said. "You're not just going to hand my brother over to us and help us with the Western packs."

"I'm not?"

"No! Just... say what you want!"

"Tell the acting alpha, you will have Seth, you'll have help with Finnigan... if you accept my condition."

"Your condition?" Serafina repeated. 

"Yes, Serafina. Tell him that."

The line went silent. 

Serafina dropped the phone and covered her face. That bird was infuriating with his riddles and arrogance!

The phone vibrated, but this time Henry Trinh sent her a message.

A plane awaits for you. Only you. Fly here after you talk to the acting alpha.