Ifaced my soon-to-be father-in-law. “She’s a friend of the pack and the reasonyour daughter now has silver immunity. I’m second in command which means I’m incharge while Kai is away.” I loved him, but he could be a pain in the asssometimes.
Heshrugged. “I was unaware of the human friends you keep.”
Alexalooked at me, rubbing her wrists. “They found me, I barely got away. I can’tprotect myself like this. I’m sorry. I don’t see how there is any other way.”She gestured to her body. Her hands and voice shook.
Icould see her arm was bleeding at the shoulder. Bullet wound.
“Protectyourself like what? Get the pack doctor!” I shouted at Max, who took off running.Raj backed away a few steps and watched us from across the porch. Well, I guesshe was letting me handle it. Thanks for the help.
“Likea human. I want to be a werewolf. You offered me protection, but I want to bepack.” She held her chin high even though she looked terrified.
Mymouth dropped open in shock at her request. Raj answered before I could.
“Asa member of the werewolf council, I can assure you that you will never be pack.We don’t change humans for fun, like the vampires do. We only do it to save lives.That’s how it works.” His voice could cut glass.
Itwas true. It sucked for her, but it was true.
“It’strue, I’m sorry,” I told her.
Shenodded as her lip quivered. “I thought you might say that.” With one quick move,she reached underneath her shirt and brandished a small sharp kitchen knife.What was she doing? I tried to grab her arm, but she was too quick. She slashedat her throat making a four-inch gash across her neck that oozed blood.
“Saveme,” she gurgled.
Oh.My. God. I stood there in shock; my eyes wide, my hands frozen.
Rajspoke rapidly in Hindi and started shifting into his werewolf form.
“Ican’t change fast enough! She will bleed out.” Raj’s bones cracked. Oh My God. Therewas so much blood. I shook my head. I didn’t know the first thing about how tochange a human into a werewolf! I knew they needed to be near death and neededto be bit. I also knew that I could change my shape faster than Raj, fasterthan any wolf I knew, save for Kai. Without much thought or planning, I shiftedform and lunged for Alexa’s arm, biting down hard. She wailed and the blood inher throat gurgled.
“Again!”Raj yelled behind me.
Alexacollapsed and I bit her leg.
“Holdher leg in your mouth,” Raj told me. I did as he asked. My wolf had taken over.
“Changinga human isn’t just about the bite. It’s about the bond too. You must tie her toyou as an Alpha would tie a pack member. Find her essence, bind it to yours.Will her to live. Whether she lives or dies isn’t just up to her, it’s howstrong you are too. Be strong.”
Iheld her leg in my mouth. I tasted her coppery blood. I closed my eyes andimagined myself in the serene woods of my mind. A faint wispy light was snakingthrough the trees around me. Alexa. I lunged at the wispy light and clampeddown on it with my jaws. I imagined my light, bright and big and thick like arope. I imagined Alexa and my light braiding together, becoming pack. Where herlight was weak, I was strong. I gave her my strength.
“That’sit! You got it. She’s healing,” I heard Raj whisper.
Iopened my eyes and released her leg from my jaws. Her neck had sealed. She washorribly pale, white as a sheet, but she was breathing shallow, unconscious. Diya,Maya, and Jai were all in the doorway peering out.
Rajsighed. “You could be an Alpha one day, Aurora.”
‘What’swrong? What the hell is going on? I smell death.’Kai was close.
‘Alexatried to kill herself. I justchangedher.’
‘Youwhat? I’m coming.’
Rajlifted Alexa’s unconscious body and carried her into the house. I shifted andput on my clothes.
Maxcame running with the pack doctor.
Hesaw all of the blood on the porch and raised his eyebrows.
“Shetried to kill herself, Ichangedher.” I told them.
