Chapter 231
That night, strange dreams plagued my sleep. Dark, formless shapes moved at the edges of my vision, just beyond my reach. A voice, familiar yet distorted, called to me through the darkness.
“Elowen. Elowen, I need your help.”
I tried to respond, to move toward the voice, but my limbs felt heavy unresponsive. The darkness pressed in, suffocating, until-
I woke with a gasp, sunlight streaming through the windows, My heart raced, the dream already fading from memory though its unsettling effect lingered. My wrist throbbed with a dull pain. Glancing down, I was startled to see a thin line of red encircling it, as if something had been tied too tightly around it.
Before I could examine it further, Frost’s voice broke through my confusion.
“Rise and shine, sunshine. You’ve been sleeping for a really, really long time. I’m bored.” He leaned against the doorframe, his ice- blue eyes bright with mischief.
I sat up, quickly pulling the sleeve of my nightgown down to cover the mark. “I don’t know why I feel so… tired
“Too bad. I was hoping we could go for a run in the woods, but I guess I’ll be going solo.” He pushed off from the doorframe, turning as if to leave.
Don’t you dare think about leaving me behind on this one. Give me a few minutes to wash up and get dressed.” Despite my lingering unease from the dream and the mysterious mark, the thought of running through the forest in wolf form was appealing.
He grinned, pleased with my response. “I’ll be waiting.”
In the bathroom, I pulled off my nightgown to shower, freezing at the sight that greeted me in the mirror. Thin scratches marked my skin–across my ribs, down my back, along my thighs. They looked like claw marks, but shallow, as if someone had dragged their nails across my skin while I slept.
“Are you alright in there?” Frost called, concern edging into his voice
I quickly stepped into the shower, letting the water wash away any dried blood. “Yes, I am fine.” I called back, determined not to worry him until I understood what was happening.
When I emerged from the bathroom, dressed in clothes that would be easy to remove for shifting, Frost was waiting impatiently.
“I’m ready, I announced, pushing thoughts of the mysterious marks aside.
We walked to the edge of the forest, where Frost began unbuttoning his shirt. “Hand me your clothes; I’ll keep them safe for our
return.”
I started undressing, careful to keep my back to him. As I handed him my clothes, I caught him staring. “We don’t want to go butt naked into the pack, do we?”
“I was checking you out, sorry.” His grin was unrepentant.
“Nothing you haven’t already seen.” I couldn’t help smiling back, despite my unease.
Now came the familiar part–the shift. I closed my eyes, reaching for my wolf. The process had become easier since I’d embraced what I was, the transformation smoother, less painful. I waited for the familiar sensation of bones rearranging, fur sprouting from skin, senses sharpening.
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Chapter 231.
Nothing happened.
I concentrated harder, focusing on the wolf inside me. Still nothing. Panic began to rise in my chest.
“I can’t… I can’t transform.” The admission tore from me, fear making my voice shake.
Frost, already shifted, changed back immediately, concern etched across his features. “What do you mean, you can’t transform?”
“I mean I can’t. I’m trying, but nothing’s happening.” I tried again, reaching for that inner connection to my wolf. It was as if I was grasping at empty air where once there had been a solid presence.
“Let’s go back to the room,” he suggested, quickly dressing and handing me my clothes.
Back in my room, I sat on the edge of the bed, trembling slightly despite the warmth.
“Elowen, what is wrong?” Frost knelt before me, his ice–blue eyes searching mine.
“It’s the… ritual,” I said, the realization dawning as I spoke. “No, it won’t work; I couldn’t reach her; not even Kaius can compel me to transform this time. I’ve lost it, Frost.”
“The sorceress warned me. She said my wolf could be overcomed; It had been a possibility, not a fact, and it slipped my mind; I hadn’t thought to try until today.” My words tumbled out, panic making them almost incoherent.
Frøst took my hands in his, his touch grounding. “Elowen, you’ve lived the most of your life without your wolf; you would be fine.”
“But this changes everything, Frost; Not having my wolf makes me feel different, and I don’t want that. I made a lot of stupid decisions; I don’t know what exactly I was thinking.” The fear of what I’d done–the blood ritual, the transformation into a Turned One–suddenly felt overwhelming.
“Your wolf part might be dormant, but it’s not gone; I would know if you aren’t a werewolf.” His confidence was reassuring, until his gaze dropped to my wrist, where my sleeve had ridden up. “Are you hurt?”
I pulled my arm back quickly. “No, I’m fine.”
“How did that happen?” He gestured to the mark, his expression growing concerned.
“It had been a clumsy accident.” The lie tasted bitter, but I couldn’t explain what I didn’t understand.
Before he could press further, his head snapped up, eyes widening slightly, “Something is wrong with Kaius; I feel his fury, He’s angry at something.”
“We need to find him.” I stood, grateful for the distraction despite my concern.
“It is not him in danger,” Frost added, already moving toward the door.
We didn’t have to go far. Kaius appeared in the doorway, his expression thunderous. “Frost, I need to talk to you.”
“No, you would talk to us both,” I insisted, stepping forward to stand beside Frost.
Kaius’s jaw tightened, but he nodded once, acknowledging my demand. “Thalia had escaped.”
2/3
The Alpha’s Borrowed Luna
