Christian’s p.o.v. I can’t believe I blurted it out like that! I would face-palm myself were it not for the fact that my wolf took over and I now I’m back on four paws, “thanks buddy, now I don’t have any clothes to put on when we shift back.” I say as sarcastically as possible. My wolf huffs in my head, “our pup wanted answers and you were taking too long” he grumbles. “stupid impatient mutt”“can you at least ask her for some shorts or something? You know I can’t link her as long as she hasn’t accepted her beast yet.” “Beasts” he interrupts me, emphasizing the S… “two” and I’m taken aback,.. “You mean she has two spirits right? One beast, one human” …”No, three spirits, two beasts.”I’m not entirely sure what that means or what the consequences of that might be for her, I’ve never heard of a shifter with a double animal spirit before. After bickering back and forth for what feels like an eternity, my wolf finally concedes and asks Tara, who is still looking at us like she just sa
Tara’s p.o.v. Riding on the back of a wolf, who could ever imagine something like that? He’s fast and agile, his movements are the epitome of a well skilled hunter, a beast made to chase prey through any kind of terrain, which makes feeling his bones sticking through his skin all the more concerning. I knew he was too skinny, not just the wolf, but the man as well and it makes me wonder if maybe they’re sick.With my body practically glued to the animals back, I can feel each and every ripple of muscle, there is no doubt in my mind he is strong, so why are they that thin? He’s been running for what feels like hours when the realization hits me that I never offered him any food, not when I thought he was an injured dog, and not when he turned out to be the man who fathered me. Oh my god I’m an awful person!! I scold myself when we suddenly come to a stop. I let myself glide off his back and look around, I’m not sure where we are, or why, but it is beautiful here. The cold nose nudging
*** Somewhere behind the barrier *** The air feels thick with humidity tonight, the sky is filled with dark heavy clouds that seem to stretch endlessly across the horizon, creating a sense of anticipation I can’t quite place.As the night settles in and the full moon rises to its peak, the wind begins to pick up, rustling through leaves and branches creating a haunting melody. The temperature starts to drop slightly but the air remains heavy with warmth. A sudden gust of wind sweeps through, causing the leaves to dance and twirl, as if in a frenzy.from the distance a storm draws near, flashes of lightning illuminate the sky, momentarily turning night into day. Lightning bolts zigzag across the heavens, followed closely by the low grumble of thunder. Rain starts to drip down into my enclosure, at first in gentle droplets but turning into a torrential downpour within seconds.The muddy streets become slick with water, reflecting the glow of a single lantern in the distance. The occasio
Christian’s P.o.v. FCK FCK FCK!!! I should have taken into account that it’s a full moon tonight, and not only that, midnight means my little girl will be twenty-seven years old.A full moon, on her birthday and what do I do? I take her to the damn origins well! The second I took her out of the cave I knew I messed up, the heavens clouded over and all hell broke loose. She’s been screaming for what feels like hours, it’s obvious her animal spirits are trying to force a shift. By the looks of it, all 3 of her spirits are fighting for dominance, she’s not fully shifting into anything, it’s hard to make out what’s what with the way she contorts and doesn’t hold a single shape. I’ve tried to mindlink Austin, he’s one of the few still running free in the territory, maybe he can use his family link to reach Linda, but all I get is static, almost like a radio that’s not on the frequency, just my luck!So far the storm has been a blessing in disguise, I haven’t detected a single Sullivan p
Tara’s p.o.v. After the agony subsides, I feel strong and powerful, the voices have settled down and seem to be in agreement that domination closely resembles oppression. Something I absolutely despise, almost as much as the I despise my mother,… no,.. I should stop calling her that,… Elizabeth!The need for revenge still burns hot in my veins, but I do recognize that however vile and evil that woman might be, she was and opportunist. I might not know her reasoning but she took advantage of a situation she herself didn’t directly cause. The way she treated me though, that’s all on her!Looking down on my father I realize how large I actually am. I understood that I would be bigger in my shifted form, but I never expected such a drastic difference, my paw is nearly as tall as my father’s entire body in human form.I take a small step, testing out these new extremities when I feel my shoulder scraping against a tree branch, how big am I anyway? But as I look over my shoulders my mind g
Tara’s P.o.v. I try to cover up as much as possible, with my arm across my chest and a hand covering my privates, I race towards my door, bursting through and stumble as fast as I can into the bedroom. Quickly throw on my fluffy pink robe and start rummaging through my chest of drawers for the biggest t-shirt I own for my father to wear.This changing into a completely different being is cool and all, but I really need to think of a way to cover up as soon as change back into little ol’me, walking around in my birthday suit isn’t exactly my thing. I hand the baby blue shirt to my father who’s standing awkwardly in the hallway with both hands covering his junk as I make my way towards the kitchen. “would you like some coffee?” I ask in passing, but don’t wait for an answer and just start making two cups. The last couple of oatmeal cookies will have to do for now, I’ll fix us some real breakfast later.Walking out of the kitchen I see he has taken up the same spot on the sofa again, so
Christian’s P.o.v.:I can feel the emotions run through my little girl, the pain of growing up the way she did and all I want to do is hold her and let her know she’ll be alright, that she has me now and that I will never let her down but the words seem to elude me so I just hold her tight and hope she can sense the love I have for her.The incredibly soft shirt she handed me earlier is soaked in her tears by the time her sobs quiet down, in the quiet hours just before dawn I feel as though our bond has strengthened. My wolf softly rumbles a gratified purr, feeling the most content he has in years. Just holding our pup, even if she’s crying, is all he ever wanted. The burning rage we have held on to for decades seems to fade into the background.I lift her face towards me and wipe the last of her tears away with my thumbs, kissing the top of her head I whisper “happy birthday little one” She looks at me questioningly for a second before the realization sets in. I Kiss her forehead so
Linda’s P.o.v.There’s an unease in the air, thick and suffocating, I can almost see it vibrating, much like the rising heat that’s visible above the asphalted roads on a hot summers-day. Although I have never been able to shift, the wolf gene that’s encoded deep within my blood feels as if it’s bristled, hackles raised and ready to attack.I have tried every single ritual I can think of, from breathing exercises to full on spell work, just to get a premonition on what’s about to happen, but to no avail.Frustrated I throw the bowl of moon water against the wall, shattering the intricate glasswork into a thousand little colorful pieces, sunlight peeking through the old wooden shutters hits the shards and creates a kaleidoscope of miniature rainbows on the cream colored walls of my little personal shrine.I would’ve called it a beautiful sight had I not been so incredibly on edge.Just as I reluctantly grab my broom to clean up the mess I made, the door to my sanctuary is flung open a
Linda’s P.o.v. I look at Tara standing at the edge of the clearing, her breath visible in the crisp morning air. Before her, Sam pacing like the restless predator he is, that boy has never been one to stay in one place for too long, what kept him here till now.. I’m guessing it’s fate and this moment right here. No one can prepare our dear Tara for what’s to come the way he can. I’m not entirely sure what his life looked like in the years after the raid, but from what little snippets the Goddess has shown me, it was a hard life. His gaze is sharp and assessing. Watching from the shadows, I breathe deeply. I saw the fire flash in her eyes again during yesterday’s training, the images that came to me during the night burned just as bright, I finally understand why her family tree has missing pieces, why no one ever wrote down exactly who started her bloodline from both sides of the family. Folding my hands neatly in front of me I try to calm my demeanor to hide the weight of my r
The first rays of dawn spilled over the horizon, casting a golden light on the clearing behind the cottage. Sam stood in the middle, his arms crossed, a no-nonsense expression on his face and I am stood opposite him, sweat already dampening my clothes despite the cool morning air.“This isn’t going to be easy,” Sam said, his voice hard. “If you want to save your father, you’re going to have to push past every limit you think you have. Your strength, your endurance, your mind—it all has to sharpen. The bastards that have Christian won’t go easy on you, and neither will I.”I clenched my fists, I had been in a brawl or two in high school, I knew how to throw a punch. “I’m ready.” I said determined.He smirked, the scar on his face creating a hauntingly eerie grimace, the fact that the smile didn’t reach his eyes adding to the overall menacing look. “We’ll see.”The first exercise was deceptively simple: running. But not just any running. Sam led me up steep hills, through dense forests,
Tara’s p.o.v:I sat down cross-legged on the floor, I don’t know what the hell is going on but there’s no way I’m sitting within an arms-reach of any of them.The morning sun streaming through the open windows. A soft breeze rustling the leaves outside, carrying with it the scent of fresh earth and blooming flowers. It should have been peaceful, but the weight of uncertainty has me on edge.Sam looks down at me on the ground, his usual gruff demeanor softened slightly. From the inside pocket of his black jacket he pulls out an old leather-bound notebook, its cover cracked and faded from time and crouches down beside me, his intense eyes boring into mine.“Tara,” he begins, his voice low, “it’s time you knew the truth. About you. About the boundary.”My brows furrowed. “The boundary? What do you mean? You’re guys crossed every single personal boundary barging in here, what the hell do you mean boundaries?” I snap back frustrated.Sam’s lips quirked, though there was no humor in it. “If
Christian’s P.O.V.A sharp pinch in my neck baffled me for a second but the moment my limbs refused to obey me, I knew I’d underestimated them. The tranquilizer burned through my veins, a cruel mockery of the power I once wielded. Everything blurred—the trees, the stars overhead, the forest floor rushing up to meet me. They’d been waiting, watching, and I’d walked right into their trap.The first thing I noticed upon waking was the cold. The chill seeped through the rough stone beneath me, biting even through my clothes. My wrists and ankles were bound with silver chains, their malevolent energy sapping my strength and keeping my wolf suppressed. The room smelled of damp stone, mildew, and faintly of iron. A dungeon. Of course, they’d put me in a dungeon."He’s awake," a gravelly voice remarked, somewhere in the shadows. Footsteps approached, heavy and deliberate. When the figure finally emerged into the dim light of the single flickering bulb above me, I recognized him immediately. J
Christian’s p.o.v.Pain sears through my paw, the bite of metal on bone excruciating, I know pulling will only make it worse, but my animal side is in full panic mode and no matter how hard I try, I can’t get him to submit.Having hands would sure make this a whole lot easier, but shifting now will definitely cause more damage, I’d probably lose my hand entirely in the process.The crunch of boots on fallen leaves takes my animals terror up another notch, he’s snarling, biting at our paw and the clamp that’s tightly closed around it, blood gushes from the wound, but the adrenaline seems to be blocking out most of the pain for now, from the corner of my eye I can see the gleam of weapons, probably silver and I’m certain my luck has run out, fear grips my heart as the reality sets in, I’ve been captured.Big rough hands grab the scruff of my neck, pushing my nose deep into the mud.All I can smell is blood and damp earth, but judging by the size of the hands and the strength he’s using
Linda’s P.o.v.There’s an unease in the air, thick and suffocating, I can almost see it vibrating, much like the rising heat that’s visible above the asphalted roads on a hot summers-day. Although I have never been able to shift, the wolf gene that’s encoded deep within my blood feels as if it’s bristled, hackles raised and ready to attack.I have tried every single ritual I can think of, from breathing exercises to full on spell work, just to get a premonition on what’s about to happen, but to no avail.Frustrated I throw the bowl of moon water against the wall, shattering the intricate glasswork into a thousand little colorful pieces, sunlight peeking through the old wooden shutters hits the shards and creates a kaleidoscope of miniature rainbows on the cream colored walls of my little personal shrine.I would’ve called it a beautiful sight had I not been so incredibly on edge.Just as I reluctantly grab my broom to clean up the mess I made, the door to my sanctuary is flung open a
Christian’s P.o.v.:I can feel the emotions run through my little girl, the pain of growing up the way she did and all I want to do is hold her and let her know she’ll be alright, that she has me now and that I will never let her down but the words seem to elude me so I just hold her tight and hope she can sense the love I have for her.The incredibly soft shirt she handed me earlier is soaked in her tears by the time her sobs quiet down, in the quiet hours just before dawn I feel as though our bond has strengthened. My wolf softly rumbles a gratified purr, feeling the most content he has in years. Just holding our pup, even if she’s crying, is all he ever wanted. The burning rage we have held on to for decades seems to fade into the background.I lift her face towards me and wipe the last of her tears away with my thumbs, kissing the top of her head I whisper “happy birthday little one” She looks at me questioningly for a second before the realization sets in. I Kiss her forehead so
Tara’s P.o.v. I try to cover up as much as possible, with my arm across my chest and a hand covering my privates, I race towards my door, bursting through and stumble as fast as I can into the bedroom. Quickly throw on my fluffy pink robe and start rummaging through my chest of drawers for the biggest t-shirt I own for my father to wear.This changing into a completely different being is cool and all, but I really need to think of a way to cover up as soon as change back into little ol’me, walking around in my birthday suit isn’t exactly my thing. I hand the baby blue shirt to my father who’s standing awkwardly in the hallway with both hands covering his junk as I make my way towards the kitchen. “would you like some coffee?” I ask in passing, but don’t wait for an answer and just start making two cups. The last couple of oatmeal cookies will have to do for now, I’ll fix us some real breakfast later.Walking out of the kitchen I see he has taken up the same spot on the sofa again, so
Tara’s p.o.v. After the agony subsides, I feel strong and powerful, the voices have settled down and seem to be in agreement that domination closely resembles oppression. Something I absolutely despise, almost as much as the I despise my mother,… no,.. I should stop calling her that,… Elizabeth!The need for revenge still burns hot in my veins, but I do recognize that however vile and evil that woman might be, she was and opportunist. I might not know her reasoning but she took advantage of a situation she herself didn’t directly cause. The way she treated me though, that’s all on her!Looking down on my father I realize how large I actually am. I understood that I would be bigger in my shifted form, but I never expected such a drastic difference, my paw is nearly as tall as my father’s entire body in human form.I take a small step, testing out these new extremities when I feel my shoulder scraping against a tree branch, how big am I anyway? But as I look over my shoulders my mind g