*Jo's POV*My whole body felt numb as Nikko walked up and wrapped his arms around me. He said something, and I heard him, but my brain didn't seem to comprehend what the words meant. A wave of nausea came over me, causing me to hunch over and vomit all over the grass beside us.I wiped my face after I was done and felt the tears that covered my cheeks as well. Hm, I hadn't realized that I was crying. Before I knew what to do, Nikko swung me up into his arms and carried me inside of the house.He didn't stop until he got me up into the bathroom. He set me down on the toilet and laid a towel down on the shower floor before picking me back up and laying me down on said towel. Then, he sat down on the floor next to me and slid under my legs, elevating them.I watched dazedly as his lips moved, but still didn't understand what he was saying. As I laid on the towel, I started to notice the feeling coming back into my fingertips. I realized that I was breathing pretty rapidly, so I focuse

*Jo's POV*I jumped off the bed as I felt like I was about to lose control. I took a deep breath as I stood there and felt the urge to shift diminish slightly, but my body was still radiating energy. Nikko snored in the background, so exhausted from the day's activities that he hadn't noticed me move."Maybe it would help if we worked some of it out," Cressa suggested, feeling just as antsy."Anything's worth a shot."I walked into the closet and found a loose summer dress to throw on. The dress would be perfect for if I chose to shift. Easy to take off and put on. And my skin was on fire, so I wasn't worried about getting cold. Not even bothering to put on shoes, either, I walked out of the cabin.The fresh air helped take the edge off, but it was still there. After a seconds deliberation, I turned and walked down the trail that would lead me to the creek. The cold water would help clear my head as well.I took off at a brisk pace. Cressa wanted me to shift, but I wasn't sure if

*Nikko's POV*"Nikko, wake up!"I started as I felt Byron roughly shaking my shoulders. I sat up quickly, disoriented. I was still laying in my bed in the cabin."What is it? What's going on?" I instantly noticed what was missing. "Where is Jo?""I don't know," Byron admitted, and I instantly focused."What do you mean you don't know?" I asked quietly. "She was just here."It was near dark outside of the window now, I must have been asleep for a couple of hours."No. When she mind-linked me, she said she was going out to go for a swim in the creek, but asked if I could bring the car for you two to get back to the packhouse. She also asked me to grab the binder about her family history for her, because she forgot it," Byron explained rapidly."Oh, alright," I said. I wish she would have told me, but there was nothing wrong with that."No, you don't understand, Nikko!" Byron still sounded frantic, which got me worked up again. "I was still busy getting those two rogue bodies tak

*Nikko's POV*Byron and Ava returned to the packhouse from the cabin and the creek and I showed them the note from Frilla that I had found. Byron let out a ferocious growl, but I knew that he had grown close with Jo while training her the last couple weeks, so I understood where he was coming from.Ash was still growling inside of my head, but I was trying to block him out and focus on what to do.Jo. I need to save Jo."Did you guys find anything that could help?" I asked desperately.Byron handed me the binder with Jo's information in it, and Ava pulled out the maps and laid them over my desk."It did look like there was a vehicle involved, but it stopped making tracks once it hit the highway. So, I can't be certain of which direction it headed." Ava said, pointing to the map as she spoke. "I can't tell how far away they would be either. Though it did look like a large van, and with limited gas stations in this part of the mountains, I am hoping that it's not too far."I looke

*Jo's POV*I stared as Frilla's black wolf slowly inched towards me. Cressa was itching to get out, but I convinced her that we should wait a minute longer. The surprise attack could be useful here, just as it was before.Watching her wolf move was like watching water move; she flowed smoothly and effortlessly. I knew now why she was the best female wolf fighter in the pack. Agility could beat strength 9 times out of 10. You can't kill something you can't catch.The purple faced Sean backed up as she got closer, and he smiled. He was confident that Frilla was going to end me as well. I could tell in the relaxed stance of his body.I continued to stand there, watching her closely as she prowled around me. The wolves from outside were all starting to gather around now, to see what all of the commotion was about. Some of them lost color in their face as they saw me, and I recognized them as pack members.Frilla used my distraction to her advantage and swiped a paw out at me. I yelled