Chapter 5

Time went by so fast, by the time I knew it it was Monday. I was sitting in my English class waiting for class to start. Before you say anything I was so not waiting for Atlas to walk through the doors. Okay maybe I was, but please don't assume that it's my fault I can't help it. The professor walks in with Atlas following right behind him. I can't express how excited I was to see his face. For the first time since my parents passed away, I felt safe, protected, and content with him around me. 

With him sitting next to me it felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. And for some reason, it felt like something was trying to escape from the deep dark space inside my soul. It's like Atlas knew that I had become uncounterable in my skin. with just his touch on my body, I start to feel relaxed and I can breathe without panic. 

It was time for our presentation I start to feel this urge to run and hide. I don't know what's going on with me but I've never felt like this in my whole 19 years of living.  My Birthday is a week away now and to be honest, something feels different about my upcoming birthday. As I stand in front of the classroom I am at the point of crying and running out as if my life depended on it. The art project that I did with Atlas's face as the outline and words that describe him was drawn throughout the painting. Atlas went first with the poem that he wrote. 

"I have seen the dark side of life."

"I have seen love but I have also seen pain"

"I had everything...Then I lost everything."

"The walls that I have built are to protect me from the dreams of the world."

"I have become strong with the things that I survived over the years."

"This darkness that surrounds me could have drowned me."

"Now that I know I can survive...It's time to let in some of the light."

When it was my turn I started to hyperventilate as I felt like I had so many eyes watching me. I had this urge to bury myself under something just to get away. Atlas wraps his strong arms around my body. I need him more than I thought as I felt my body calming down the more I breathed in his smell. 

20 minutes later this dreadful class was over and I felt like I can finally breathe. The rest of the day went slowly and all that I can think about was being back in Atlas's arms. God, there is something very wrong with me. But as usual, he was already waiting for me in my dorm room. My roommate always lets him in after I told her not to let him be alone in our room without one of us there with him. She drives me crazy but we have a sisterly bond that I have always wanted. 

                                                 TWO WEEKS LATER 

Today is my 20th birthday and I feel like ass. I think I caught the flu or something my body is in so much pain, I have a high fever. I haven't been able to move from the position that I am currently laying in for the moment for the past five hours. The pain is getting worse and I don't know what to do. I need Atlas right now I reached for my phone and pressed his name. He answers on the second ring. "Hey, gorgeous where have you been all day?"

"A-Atlas something is wrong..." I let out a small cry as I try to finish my thought. "I need you to help me."

"Okay, where are you, babe?"

"My room."

A few minutes later he walks into my room walking slowly toward me. He slowly reached out to touch me as I let out a painful cry. He looked at me with tears in his eyes like he can feel my pain.

"Baby you will be fine this will be over soon. I can explain what is happening but I need to keep an open mind about everything that I am going to tell you."

"Okay!" is all that I replied. 

"You are receiving your wolf that's why you are in so much pain right now. You are a werewolf just like I am. You are getting ready to shift for the first time and I am going to help you through this as much as I can. You are also my mate and that's why you feel this deep connection with me. I can explain more to you but I need to get you outside and into the woods for your shift."

He comes over to me and picks me up into his strong arms. I whimper with the sudden movements. He placed his lips on my forehead with a small kiss as he whispers converting words to me. Once we were outside I felt a little better exhausted but better. He placed me on his lap under a big tree as he softly rubs circles on my lower back.

"Now this is going to get worse before it gets better. You are going to fill your bones move and break. Your skin is going to stretch out to your new shape. Don't hold anything in scream if you have to."

After he explains this to me it starts to happen just like he said it in words. I had to let out the pain before it eats me alive. Before I know it I am on all fours and covered in fur.

"Hello, Tamara I am your wolf. I have been waiting for this moment awhile, my name is Venus. I am happy that we don't have to wait for our mate."

After she was done talking to me in my head, which by the way is an uncomterbale feeling. Atla stripped down and shifted. Venus was over the moon to have her mate through out this new adventure.