Saira~4

I scurried to my room and slammed the door, my heart pounding in my ears as I dashed into the bathroom. “Zaria, what’s happening?” I asked my wolf, barely suppressing the rising panic in my voice.

“I…I don’t know…” She whimpered, then yelped as another stab of pain shot through our body.

I gripped the sink, breathing hard, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

My eyes were red, glowing with an eerie light that was anything but good. It was a change that usually appeared when Zaria fought for control, when my control slipped and the beast inside me threatened to surface.

But the only thing was, Zaria wasn’t fighting to take over. No, whatever was happening at this moment was different from the past, and yet familiar at the same time. I couldn’t focus, couldn’t think. The pain of my features shifting and contorting clouded my senses.

“Saira, you need to get out of here! I feel…I feel we’re about to shift, and not into the pretty red wolf from the night of the Moon Dance!”

Bang!

I snapped to my senses, fear pushing me out of the bathroom and across the bedroom to the only window in the room. Without hesitation, I leaped out into the yard and flashed to the woods in a single fluid motion.

“Damn it! What the hell happened? Why am I about to shift into that beast?” It didn’t make any sense. I’d fully shifted on the night of the Moon Dance, and that thing had been clearly removed, or at least suppressed in some form, as I shifted into my full wolf form.

After Zaria and I accepted each other, I never felt its ominous presence again. I had assumed the beast, creature, or whatever monstrosity that had been slumbering in my core had vanished, erased from existence to be replaced by my wolf.

Feeling my skin tearing, my body stretching and expanding as iron fur and claws replaced flesh and nails, however, I could only gasp.

The beast. It hadn’t been erased. It had been lying dormant inside me without my awareness, and it was taking over my body.

“Like hell you will!” I roared, crunching on my fours, and fighting against the overwhelming force wrestling for control. I roared again and sunk my claws into the soil, biting my lips so hard I tasted blood in my mouth.

The dull pain and metallic taste cleared a little of the fog shrouding my mind. I clutched onto that bit of clarity, growling, snarling, trembling in place for what felt like forever, until the ominous force receded as suddenly as it appeared.

I slumped to the ground, drenched in sweat, drained beyond words. Never before in the last four years had I come so close to losing myself. The harrowing experience left a lingering fear in my heart, and I thanked Zaria for the timely warning.

If it hadn’t been for her, I might not have reacted in time.

“Saira, I think…we should distance ourselves from Idris Raed.”

“Idris Raed? Are you implying…”

“Yes. I think it has something to do with him.”

Goosebumps pebbled my skin. I couldn’t tell if the shiver skirting up my spine was from the biting draft of wind or the unexpected memory that surfaced to my mind.

The only day in my life when I contemplated choosing the Lycan Heir over the Lycan Commander, of abandoning my mission for a different life, a different mate, had been the day before the symptoms of the D15 began to show. That day I’d wavered in my purpose for the first time, and the resulting agony of my insides burning as if I had been lit on fire remained fresh on my mind.

The incident had reminded me of my situation, of the little option and choice I had in the direction of my fate. Einas Raed was my goal, my fate, my final destination. Everyone else was a mere distraction I needed to get rid of if I didn’t want to suffer.

“So that’s what happened.” The beast had never disappeared. It had been with me all along. It had shown its presence that day when I contemplated abandoning my mission for a different life with Idris Raed. But under the assault of pain, I'd failed to make the connection.

And today, my heart stirred. For Idris Raed.

So it showed its presence.

“The Moon Goddess is sure wicked.” I chuckled bitterly and pushed to my feet. My bones popped, creaking, snapping in place as I regained my original form. Stifling a groan of pain, I dusted off my skirt and trudged out of the woods.

I didn’t know where to go. Returning to the Commander’s mansion wasn’t an option since Idris Raed was there. But Einas Raed was also there, and I needed to stay close to him if I wanted to win his heart.

I never knew what an exhausting task it was to win a person’s heart. The movies and books had made it so easy that I overestimated myself, my abilities, and didn’t even consider the possibility of failing. Winning someone’s heart…was definitely an achievement worth a gold medal.

Releasing another deep sigh, I raised my head and looked at my surroundings. In my absentmindedness, my feet led me to the settlement of the clan members. I stopped to watch the kids running around, so happy and cheerful without a care in the world.

But for how long?

I didn’t want to think too deeply on that thought and lifted my foot to move on.

“Did you hear? The couple who set the Lycan Heir’s mansion on fire were found dead at the beach earlier.”

“Seriously? How did they die?”

“Don’t even ask. If you hear the condition their bodies were found in, you’ll empty the contents of your stomach.”

“That bad, huh? Who would do such a thing?”

“Do you need to ask? Aside from the Lycan Heir, they hadn’t offended anyone else recently.”

My heart skipped a beat. I retracted my foot and listened intently to the conversation of the clan members. Apparently, the couple who’s baby I failed to save had died a gruesome death with the bones in their bodies crushed, their limbs severed, their skin peeled, and their eyes plucked out. The description of their mangled corpses was so graphic, my heart trembled at every word that came out of the clan members’ mouths.

“He…he couldn’t have.” My voice shook, and I found myself racing towards the Lycan Commander’s mansion.

Though there was no evidence to support the clan members’ words, a voice inside my heart said otherwise. And try as I might, I couldn’t shake off the grim fingers of dread that gripped my heart.

“Idris Raed! Idris Raed! You bastard, come out this instant!” I hollered as I entered the mansion, sweeping my eyes across the dining and living hall in fury indignation.

“Saira? What’s wrong? Did something happen…” The Lycan Heir strode out from a study room adjacent to the living hall, looking confused, before turning worried.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” I spat and crossed the room to confront him. “Answer me with a yes or no. Did you see the couple that burned your mansion today?”

“Why are you asking about them?” He asked instead of answering, a wary look entering his eyes.

My heart sank. I recalled the scent of blood I caught on him earlier, and closed my eyes to take a deep breath. Already knowing the answer, but still wanting to hear it from him, I repeated, “Yes, or no?”

“Yes.” He admitted, holding my gaze. “I saw them.”

At that moment, my phone beeped. I pulled it out from my skirt pocket and answered it without looking at the caller ID. At that moment, I just needed to get away from him. To kick him out of my life.

But when I said, “hello?” What I heard turned my world upside down.

“Saira, something’s wrong! Return to the Evergreen Pack as soon as possible!”