The pain radiated around my body, working its way through every recess and ligament. It didn’t stop at my hands, moments later every bone in my body felt as if it were breaking and repairing itself, and then repeating the process again. I could feel each and ever joint moving in and out of its socket, rearranging the very fabric of my skeleton.
Falling to the floor with the sheer agony of repeat breakages, there was nothing for me to do to try and ease the pain. My body convulsed as an ear piercing scream ripped through me, too loud even for my own ears.
I barely even noticed the sound of the bathroom door opening once more and the shuffling of feet outside my stall. Nor did I register the kindly face of a woman hanging over me as she pulled me out of the cubicle and over to the basin.
She splashed water onto my face which did little to cool. In fact, it did nothing at all. As soon as the water touched my skin, it had already evaporated.
Time seemed to stand still, turning ever second into excruciating pain, just waiting for it to be over. I didn’t have time to think, or even come to terms with what was happening. I was blinded.
Eventually the pain subsides. A relief to be sure, but it also felt wrong. I no longer felt like myself.
I opened my eyes to find myself on all fours, looking into the eyes of a very worried looking girl, not much older than I was. She too was dressed in nothing but a flimsy piece of cloth. I open my mouth to thank her for her help, but instead of words, only came a long drawn out growl.
Shifting back, surprising myself, I look down at my hands. And there, in place of my own fingers were two furry black paws.
Shaking my head in disbelief, I turn to look into the mirror only to find an oversized shaggy dog staring back at me. Two bright amber orbs staring out at me.
I try to scream and move away from the beast, only to realise that the animal stood in front of me seemed as frighted of me as I was it.
It mirrored my every move. Flinching when I flinch. Turning as I do. I knew it was not possible, yet how could I deny the truth that was before my very eyes? The dog was me. Yet I was a human, not an animal? How could it be that I had turned into a mutt in the bathroom of a nightclub?
“Its OK,” the girl called out to me, her hands held out before her in a reassuring way, “there is no need to be afraid. I know what you are.”
I look at her, my head cocked to one side and my ears pricked up in curiosity. How was it possible for a complete stranger to know what I was, yet I had no idea what was even going on.
“I’m a werewolf too.” She continued. I look at her in utter confusion. She wasn’t serious right? I mean werewolves… had I fallen into some teenage fantasy drama? Werewolves were next to vampires… they weren’t real!
I try to laugh, only to find a growl coming out of my mouth in its place. Telling myself that I had drunk far too much, and that I was going to wake in the morning with one hell of a hangover.
Deciding that at this point, my hallucination was really getting out of hand, I try to stand, only to find that I was completely unsteady on my hands and knees, let alone trying to stand to my full height.
“I guess this is your first time, huh?” The girl carried on rabbiting along as if all of this was completely normal. “How is that even possible? Alpha Mason doesn’t allow pups into Howler’s until they are at least 17.”
“Look! I have no idea who you are or what you are talking about. Go take your crazy somewhere else.” I try to say, keeping my words as clear as I possibly could so that there was no way they could get lost in translation. It obviously worked; the girl actually had the decency to look slightly worried for a minute.
Just as she opened her mouth to speak again, the bathroom door opened behind me. Taking it as my que to leave, I lunged for the door. There was no grace with how I went. Attempting to walk on my feet once more, only to find myself flat on my face.
How much had I had to drink?
“Hay wait!” The girl called from behind me. But it was too late. I had managed to break free of her. I walked back out into the packed nightclub, desperately searching for my friend so that I could go home and sleep off my drunkenness.
I barely took two steps when the first scream came from somewhere to the left of me. I look it surprise in the direction of where the noise had come from, only to be faced with several paling faces all look on at me in horror.
“It’s a bear!” One of the on lookers screamed, before the whole club shifted into panic mode.
The majority of the club seemed to decide it was time to flee. I look about, wondering what the girl had seen to make her think that there was a bear in the club.
Quickly realising that the point of interest was in fact me as soon as a man easily twice my side lunged for me, holding me down against the floor.
Squirming beneath him, I attempted to break free.
“Get off of me, your arsehole!” I shout at him. The room had erupted into screams and wails of clubbers trying to escape through any exit available.
“What the hell do you think you are doing, shifting in the middle of a nightclub full of humans?” The man whisper yells above me.
By this point I am completely confused as to what the hell was going on. Tired, and just wanting to get home to my own bed. What was this guys problem? Looking over to the reflective surface of the floor to ceiling glass wall that occupied one side of the dance floor, I could believe what I was seeing. The same shaggy black dog from the bathroom was reflected back at me.
After a few moments of trying to piece together what had happened, I realised that I was the dog. It wasn’t just my alcohol fuelled mind, nor was a trick of the eye, it was actually me.
Using every inch of force that I could muster, I push the man off of me, and bolt for the nearest door I could see. The sea of men and women before me parted, each trying to get as far away from me as possible, that I managed to leave without issue.
I pounced forward, and as quickly as I could I ran. My furry paws hitting the ground with long strides as I flee from the club. Never once looking back as the sound of frighted people could still be heard from behind me.
I didn’t slow when the sound of police sirens could be heard making their way to the site. Nor did I slow when the sound of padded feet could be heard racing to catch up to me. I just ran. Too scared to face what was happening. All in the hopes that I would soon wake up form the nightmare that I found myself in.
I pumped my legs as fast as I could, ducking into a small alley way between two apartment blocks and disappeared into the shadows.I had hoped that by getting off of the beaten track, it would mean I would lose my pursuers. But even as I raced down the dark passage, I could still here the pounding of feet behind me.The police sirens were still whirring away in the distance. And I knew that I couldn’t turn back now.So, I just kept running. Until I found myself at a dead end.“Finally you stop.” A masculine voice called from behind me. It was more than masculine. The voice verged on dangerous and held a note of power to it. Without looking at him, I already knew that he was not a man to cross. But with the voice came that same sweet smell from the club. Pinecones.“Turn around and face me.” He spoke with authority.I don’t know what possessed me. I was hardly one for taking orders. Ever. But I felt compelled to do as he asks. And so, with little resistance, I turn and face the man.“G
Setting me down next to a blacked out SUV, he begins to unbutton his shirt before handing me the garment.“Put this on.” He instructs.I did as he asks, if nothing else, because I was cold and naked. The fact it smelt like him was just a bonus.“Do you know what you are?” His question surprised me. So much so that my hand still as I did the buttons up, allowing just a little too much cleavage to be on display before him. But I was no longer thinking about my modesty. Just the two hazel eyes gazing down at me, willing me to answer his question.I mull over his question. I didn’t. Honestly, I had no idea what I was. Or how I came to be what I am. But the girl from before had told me. And based off of everything had happened afterwards, there was no reason to disagree with what she had said. So, taking a deep breath, I say; “A werewolf.” The words seem to stick in my throat as I speak them.“Tonight, it was you first shift?” He asks, his voice had returned to being soft, and I could tell
I had no idea what a mate was. But the moment he said the little word, something within me roared to life.“What’s a mate?” I ask, doing my best to not look directly at the god sitting next to me with his shirt off. I could feel myself swaying forward, like two halves of a magnet. Mason remained still allowing me to come as near to him as I wanted. He made no comment or move to push me away. “As in a friend?”“No,” he chuckles, “As in husband and wife.”I still for a moment, before rocking back as I far as I reasonably could. “Your what now?”“It’s not as bad as it sounds. There is a lot that you need to learn about our kind. I guess it’s something I take for granted. I was brought up in it, so it is the norm for me. But I guess I can understand why your feel a bit shocked by it all.” I couldn’t help but notice the endearing blush that had crept over his neck and cheeks whilst he rambled. “Werewolves are given a mate. The one person that is meant to complete them and make them whole.
“Ours, hopefully.”The moment he uttered those words, panic rose from my stomach, burning through my oesophagus and into my mouth.I pulled open the door and tumbled out onto the sidewalk and threw up everything that I had consumed not hours before.It was too much. All of this was far too much.“I can’t be here.” I mumbled more to myself than anything. But it was loud enough for Mason to have heard it.As if my body was controlling itself, my feet shuffle forward. I had no idea where I was, or even how to get back to the orphanage from here. All I knew was that I needed to get away.Get away from Mason.Get away from the stifling confines of the car.Get away from the nightmare I seemed to be living.My feet moved forward blindly. I barely noticed the direction I was travelling, much less where.I barely noticed the sound of the car door opening and then slamming shut. I took no note of the gentle tug on my hand, or the strong arms that came to stop me from wondering further than I h
Mason Being an Alpha to a pack is not the easiest of tasks.It was a position that I had been born for, yes. But it was not the position I wanted.I had always considered myself a lone wolf.And even after years of being pushed by my parents to find my mate… or at the very least, to claim one, I had resisted. I had no plan to shackle myself to another. The freedom of doing as I pleased was far too desirable to ever want that for myself.Had I underestimated the power of the bond?Oh, without a doubt I had.The moment I set eyes of the scared little black wolf; I knew that I was in trouble. Her scent alone was enough to bring me to my knees. But the scared expression that was plastered onto her face and into her stance, that was enough to make me want to protect her with my own life.And I knew in that moment that it didn’t matter than I knew nothing about her, of even know what she looked like in her human form, I would step into the path of anyone or anything, even if it meant insta
“Si!” A girl shouts from somewhere down the hall. The sound of the front door slamming shut, and then hurried footsteps running up the stairs following shortly afterwards. “Iv got them Si!” The bedroom door is thrown open to reveal a very bedraggled and out of breath Chantelle puffing in the doorway.Chantelle, or Elle as we called her in the orphanage, had been my friend for as long as I could remember. We had both arrived at Blue Valley orphanage around the same time, both a similar age, and both completely unaware of where we came from. She was like the sister I never knew if I had, we were a bit like chalk and cheese in every way you can be. Not just in looks, but personality as well. I guess its true what they say, two opposites attract. Her outward, fun personality made up for my inwardly quiet one. Together we brought out the best in each other, and more times than not, Elle had my back, while I simply encouraged her to not let anyone bring her down.Elle was beautiful and con
Friday night came around far quicker that I hoped it would. And as soon as I got home from work, I was thrust into a shower and then primmed and made up until I looked like a barbie doll staring back at me in the mirror.Elle had pulled my hair back into a high ponytail at the top of my head. My straight hair swinging down my back like a thick rope. She had accentuated my high cheek bones with some well placed contour, and finished the look off with a smoky eye. Happy enough at the reflection, and at least she hadn’t made me look like a drag queen, I nodded my approval and moved onto the outfit that she had picked out for me.Just as I had feared, the outfit was far too short, and showed way more than I felt comfortable in showing. The highly sequined backless number was nothing but a scarp of fabric covering my arse and chest. It fastened around my neck in a halter style, the front sweeping down exposing my cleavage. The back stopped a mere few centimetres from the top of my arse. It