Chapter 43: King

The past two days have been hell. It's one thing to watch a teenaged young man going through his first change but it's very different for it to happen to my mate. Marinah's a trouper and she's handling this much better than many Warriors do.

Things happened quickly after Axel and I realized what was taking place. We've handled it many times before, though under entirely different circumstances. Usually a Warrior brings their teenage son to me and I assign them a Shadow until they are able to control themselves. They'll live with their Shadow if the mother and father prefer. If younger children are present in the house, it's a must. A new Warrior will not intentionally harm someone they love, but accidents involving unaccustomed strength, claws, and teeth happen.

The most important thing is to limit mood fluctuations and stress. Tonight, just forty-eight hours after her first shift, I'm taking Marinah into a situation that ticks all the wrong boxes. Axel thinks it's a mistake and I'm