4

(Willow's POV)

It wasn't anything like what I watched in the movies. All my life, I thought shifting was just like magic. That's what they made us believe but the pain is absolutely unbearable. Like my soul was ripped out of my body.

But I still wasn't able to shift.

Jordan looked down on me pathetically and after an ear full of my pleas, he gave me back the necklace.

He left angry and I knew it. He is an ass but I felt like I failed him.

No matter how hard I try, I can't shift.

I parked my car in the driveway and walked into my house.

My mother was sipping coffee and was lost in her thoughts.

"Sweetie!" She gave me a huge hug.

"I'm only here to ask about my father and the necessary information I need because I'm still not able to shift," I stated.

"I have little knowledge about shifting sweetheart. How can I possibly know how it's done? Maybe a little patience" She smiled.

"I took off the necklace, but nothing happened. I thought I'll be able to shift immediately. Jordan tried his best too but he said it is left to me and I have no idea what to do" I sadly said to her.

"Oh sweetie"

"All I feel is pain. I want to be like dad because he needs to know that the person he was will never fade away. No matter what I have to do, I'll never give up and that is with or without you" I walked out.

All I wanted her to do was to reach out and hold me. She should have tried to make me stay.

Give into my emotional blackmail and agree to everything I say but she just stood there, watched me walk away.

Just when I needed her, I felt alone. And she doesn't give a shit.

Even if she is hurting, she should consider how I felt after finding out the truth about my identity.

I laid in Iris's bed and allowed the darkness to consume me but I couldn't sleep.

I became desperate. I needed to prove to myself that I'm capable of doing it.

Without thinking, I grabbed my phone and hoodie.

It's either I do this or accept that I'm a complete failure.

I stared at myself in the calm water. 

The river was peaceful and quiet until I heard footsteps. It sounded creepy and I was scared.

What exactly was I thinking coming out here alone? I should have called Jordan or better still, stayed with Iris.

I don't even have his number!

"Hello? Who's there?" I whispered. It was like a horror movie. The girl in the forest screaming and running for her dear life.

Maybe it is Jordan. He is a douchebag but can he pull such a stunt just to scare me?

One thing I learned from the horror movies I watch is never to scream and run so I backed away and tried to be in the shade because the moon was up and bright.

I don't want to be spotted or watched by who may or may not be my predator.

"Jordan?" I'm now scared for real. I felt watched and about to be devoured.

"Hey princess!" A man jumped out of the bushes and leaped at me.

I thought my heart was gonna jump out of me but then I saw Jordan's figure.

"Jordan!" I laughed and lightly hit him but he didn't budge.

"Haha…" He deeply laughed and caressed my face.

Oh well, guess he isn't Jordan. He looked smaller and I couldn't see his face.

"Let go of me!" I shouted but he pinned my hands to the grass.

"I see Jordan has a new little pet and he is not sharing" The disgusting man licked my face.

"Get off me!" I shouted again.

I watched him bring out his claws and scratched me across the face. I felt blood dripping down my neck.

"Ouch!" I cried.

"If you promise to be a good girl, I won't hurt you," he laughed.

"You're a psychopathic maniac! Let me go!" I screamed and before I knew it, I saw him fly and hit a tree.

I quickly got to my feet and Jordan was standing right in front of me. He ignored me and went to pick up the other guy.

"I warned you to stay off my territory!" Jordan angrily stabbed him with a knife that made him screeched as his body slumped to the ground.

I ran and hugged him but he peeled me off him.

"What the hell are you doing here!? Don't you own a goddamn watch!?" He angrily held my arm.

"I couldn't sleep and…"

"Take sleeping pills! Don't you ever come out here at this time again, alone" He warned. "I'll take you home"

"You just killed someone"

"Not the first nor the last"

"Is that like a werewolf kinda thing? Because I won't be able to forgive myself if I kill anybody" I smiled but the look on his face wasn't amusing.

"You're bleeding" He pointed at my face and that was when the pain kicked in. I wiped the blood but I could still feel the wounds. "Take off your necklace" He ordered.

"But why?"

"I hate it when I'm questioned. Just do what I say"

Well, I might as well learn to listen to him since he obviously knows everything and not to mention he saved my ass.

The moment I took it off, I felt my face go numb and when I felt it with my hand, the wounds were gone like I never had them.

"Can you also do that?" I happily asked. Now I understand how I healed quickly from the accident.

"No. You should understand that everything is not as it seems. You are being watched every minute. You can be attacked any moment. Not everywhere is safe, you should know that and a place like this is not a place for you"

"But I'm one of you," I replied. It was sad that he outed me.

"You are not one of us! You can't even protect yourself. You can't even shift so what gave you the temerity to call yourself a werewolf?" He angrily spat.

"I don't have to shift…"

"Then what good are you? You're just another pathetic human"

"I have werewolf blood flowing through me!"

"You can't call a spring a river now can you?"

"I'll prove it to you" I tried to take the necklace off again but he roughly held my hand.

"I am sick of your pathetic attempts" He growled.

"I know I can do this" I felt liquid flowing down my cheeks.

"Get a life Willow. Go back to your mother, get a job and live like every other human. There's nothing for you out here. You don't belong to the wild because there are a lot of animals here waiting to devour you and there's nothing you can do to shield yourself"

"Just let me try again. I promise…"

"You are coming with me!" He threw me over his shoulder and walked away from the river.

Jordan took me back to Stella's house.

His words kept ringing in my head prompting me to want to be a full werewolf. 

I have to show him I can do it.

I need to know the way of the howl.