Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Five minutes of silence passed before the Elders continued on. It seemed as if she would be handling the transfusion fine. The Elders went to Ari and helped her to get on her feet. Then they helped the Elder up as well. His part was now done. 

The blood exchange was complete. When Ari locked eyes with me I could see the change already happening. Contrary to popular belief, a Wolf can change regardless of the full moon. This was our next step. 

She would be hearing her Wolf spirit soon, and my next job was to get her to shift. She had to shift for her first time before the ceremony tonight or the ritual would have been for nothing. 

The Elders motioned for her to start walking towards the door where I was standing. She ran straight into my arms and I could feel her shaking. She could feel the power of the Wolf spirit manifesting, and it was manifesting with a vengeance. 

This is the part where I coach her into accepting her Wolf spirit and letting her inside… And then the part I hated most. I had to hunt her, until she shifted out of fear. 

It was the only way for her to shift so soon, I had to put her life in danger, real danger. And I couldn’t tell her what I was doing. Her Wolf had to believe she was not safe or she wouldn’t be able to shift this soon. 

Shifting was a painful experience at first, and it was necessary for the next step of the ritual. I took her hand and we exited the hut. We walked back through the lineup of Hybrids, taking the same path as when we first came in. 

Once we were outside of the wooden gate I was able to talk to Ari. “How are you feeling?” I asked her. “I, I… Don't know. I have voices in my head, and I feel jittery… Like I had too much caffeine or something.” She explained. 

The voices were her Wolf spirit, and the jitter was the pure energy her Wolf spirit brings. “Listen, darlin. I need you to listen to the voices. Whatever they say, listen for them and let them in. That is your Wolf spirit trying to break through. This is the first process in your transformation. Your Wolf spirit will always be with you, it will be your guide, your friend, your protector.” I explained. 

“You have to let it in as soon as you possibly can. And I know it feels better to push the unknown away, but do not do that. Reach your hand in and grab the spirit and bring it forward. We need this to happen for the next part of the ritual preparation.” I said.

She nodded to me and closed her eyes. While she was reaching within, trying to coax her Wolf spirit out to the forefront of her mind, I noticed Haven wasn’t waiting for us. Thank god. I thought. I needed some time away from her, she was honestly driving me absolutely bonkers. I needed to find a damn way to get rid of her... 

That would be my first priority, after this ritual, of course. Why would I agree to a girlfriend?? I literally had everything I could ever want. Katrina, who was in essence my girlfriend, but without all the clinging and jealousy. 

I was free to do whatever and whoever I wanted, and Katrina was always ok with it. Hell, she joined in on occasion too! She knew she was my number one, and that's all she needed to be content. Why would I fuck that up by choosing another woman who definitely didn’t share the same values?

I was torn from my thoughts when Ari suddenly fell to her hands and knees. I rushed to her side, but I knew she was ok. She had accepted her Wolf spirit, and let it in. It takes a hold of you for your first time, and Humans have the worst reactions to it since they are not supernatural. 

Everything Ari was going through was a lot harder due to her being Human. The price you pay for immortality I suppose? Once she regained composure she stood from the ground and faced me. 

This is where shit starts to get real. Her Wolf spirit was telling her to run, because like all Wolves know, I am their enemy. Hell, a Reaver is the top of the food chain. We are everyone's enemy. I could see conflicting emotions racing through Ari’s face. 

On one hand, I had been here, had protected her and kept her safe this entire time. On the other hand, I had just told her that her Wolf spirit would be her protector. She was fighting between listening to her Wolf or trusting me.

“Your Wolf is telling you to run?” I asked with a devilish smirk. “Yes, she is, but you wont hurt me.” Ari said back with conviction. “I wouldn’t be so sure, little Human…” I said calmly, and then I let my Vampire fangs slowly elongate. Ari took a couple of steps back and I could see she was still fighting the urge not to run. 

“I would run if I were you.” I snarled and then I lept towards her, causing her to turn and run into the forest. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty. “ I snarled as I ran after Ari. I was faster than her… Stronger than her… And could have materialized to her location at any time. But I had to get her to shift, this was the only way. I had to pursue her, I had to make her think she was truly in danger... 

I mind linked her, which I'm sure startled her. It was easier for me to manipulate fear if I was in direct contact with her. “You can’t run from me. I’m faster than you, kitty.” I snarled through the mind link. 

“You can’t hide… All I have to do is materialize to your location. Face it, Ari. I am the apex predator, and you will not escape me.” I snarled. Then I closed the mind link. She hadn’t shifted yet, and I knew she was still fighting her urges. I had to resort to drastic measures. 

I stopped running and materialized directly in front of her. She ran full speed into my arms before she even realized I was there. My grip was deadly, there was no way she would be escaping. I made sure my fangs were still showing and I grabbed her by the throat forcing her back into the nearest tree.

“You know, the chase is funner than getting my prize.” I purred in a deadly tone. She was terrified, I had never seen a Human this scared. Why wasn’t she turning? 

“Please Ramses, don’t hurt me.” She whimpered and I could see a tear fall down her cheek. I was feeling extremely guilty, but I knew this is what had to be done. “I’m sorry kitty, but you didn’t think you could escape from me, did you?” I snapped. 

“You are my prize, and I think I’ll take you now.” I snarled. I then showed her my fangs again and just as I was about to sink them straight into her neck her entire body started convulsing. 

I let her go from the tree, and stumbled back a few feet. Finally, she was turning. I watched as she writhed in agony and pain while her bones broke and rearranged.

A shiny black coat of fur started to cover her body, and before I knew it a medium sized black Wolf was glaring at me, ready to charge. Now here was the fun part, trying to calm down her Wolf, who literally just thought I was about to kill them. 

“Hey, calm down, I wasn’t really going to hurt you. I needed you to shift early for the ceremony. This was the only way to shift early and you know it.” I calmly explained to the Wolf. I could see understanding replacing the anger that was previously flashing through the Wolf's icy blue eyes. 

She still growled at me, before turning and running off in the other direction. I, of course, chased her. I couldn’t let her out of my sight. Plus when she shifted back she would be naked. After what seemed like an hour, the Wolf finally stopped by a stream and took a drink of the cool icy water. 

The Wolf took note of me, knowing I had been following them. She looked in my direction and nodded her head and then started to shift back. The cracking of bones breaking and rearranging back to Human shape was deafening. 

The hair pulled back into where it came from, and slowly she became Human again. Once the shift was over I snapped to produce a fuzzy blanket and wrapped her fragile body inside. 

I sat at the base of a nearby tree holding Ari wrapped in the blanket until she came to. The first shift was always the hardest. She would be weak and sore when she awoke… Oh, and she definitely wouldn’t want to see my face. Not after how bad I terrified her… 

But I was in charge of her, and unfortunately, she had to endure me just a bit longer.