Nebraska's heart stopped for a moment, the place, where before her daughter was all alone. The omega stood up in alarm looking around but there was only the bundle of clothes on the ground and nothing else. One of the reasons she was worried about her daughter was that her peculiar scent was not easily detectable, it left no trace, so she could not know where she had gone.
Nebraska panicked. It couldn't be. There were small wolf marks in the grass. She crouched down and ran her fingertips over them, her eyes widening in surprise.
Priscilla had turned into a wolf.
That was not good news. She wasn't in time yet. Her body didn't have the strength to do it or so they had thought. She was in half time. Besides the first transformation was the most dangerous. It was always advisable for a parent to be with the cub.
In the first transformation one lost track of everything, so much so that the younger ones could run for miles without measuring their strength. The emotions were too strong and if one was not careful, the puppy could perish from exhaustion.
Panic rose within her until the warmth of the bond with Hades enveloped her being able to breathe again. In the last few years it had grown so strong that he could know precisely how she felt and comfort her. Even their thoughts were intertwined if they were close. After losing her powers she thought this trait, the bridge she had created especially for her husband, had been lost but it had only weakened.
-What's wrong?- his voice sounded worried, -It's not normal for you to be this upset,- she said.
-Pris, Pris, she...- Nebraska was already taking off her clothes to transform but a familiar smell reached her and her hands stopped. Was it...
A small she-wolf was running rampant through the forest looking for that sweet scent she so longed to be near despite all her family's warnings. She had caught it long before anyone else and her body only reacted by reflex. But now he could not locate it, everything around him was intense and at times he lost track of what he was doing, where he had to go, what he had to do.
Besides, his speed was not constant. For very slight periods of time his paws were as if they did not touch the ground and everything passed at an immense speed around him. He could not say it was a pleasant sensation. Every time this happened his paws would touch the ground, sore all at once and it would take him minutes to regain direction.
Plus her senses were so attentive it was overwhelming. She could smell many things that stunned her, the fresh moss, the earth, the different flowers she couldn't see. Her ears were throbbing, even the slightest movement of ants on tree trunks were like direct hits to her brain.
She ran, she ran like crazy, she didn't know where, she just wanted to be close to that anchor that kept her sane within the storm of new sensations inside her. Everything became a blur again passing by her until she came to a sudden stop with a log in her path, which made her stagger backwards and fall down sitting on her buttocks.
She groaned in pain. Blood was dripping from her muzzle, which splashed over her eyes as well. She tried to brush it off with her front paws, the smell of the viscous liquid was too intense and repulsive and flooded her whole nose.
She whimpered again, she wanted her father, she wanted her mother, her siblings where was she? She didn't want to be alone. And yet her body wanted to keep running even though in her head she only longed to be with her family. The pain now allowed her consciousness to be back even if it was only a little, but enough to stop in place even though it caused intense pain in her legs from the tension.
From her throat came a pitiful whimper, she was just a mere puppy.
-Calm down, don't cry,- a pair of boots stopped in front of her. Priscilla couldn't tell who it was, her nose was full of blood clogging her nostrils.
That person knelt down in front of her and licked the tip of her nose carefully. Then the pain was history. As if by magic, Priscilla stood very still. She kept her eyes closed as the blood would not allow her to open them but she made an effort.
Soon, with a handkerchief, the blood was removed from her skin and at last she could see and smell again only to be invaded by that delicious fragrance. The scent of an alpha male, of her wolf. She wagged her tail in exasperation. He had come and stood precisely in front of her.
-Someone is happy to see me, let's see who the little puppy is,- the man stroked her head, he could only feel a soft flowery fragrance coming from the totally different puppy.
Wrong action, a burning and demanding heat ran down his arm that made him step back and stare at the seated she-wolf who seemed attentive to him forgetting everything around him.
-Priscilla,- Hades' voice echoed loudly near them almost like a growl.
His image was projected so fast that it seemed to blur. He had used his ability in a moment of desperation upon receiving the mental message from Nebraska that her daughter was missing. But he was in for a big surprise at what he found.
-Layan?- Hades resumed his human image as soon as he arrived- Priscilla?- he then looked at the she-wolf and there was no doubt, his daughter had a distinctive scent. He approached her and carried her in his arms, the she-wolf licked her cheek with enthusiasm.
-That's Priscilla,- Layan's voice sounded surprised, -Are you playing with me Hades? We haven't seen each other in 7 years, what did I miss?
The wolf looked over his shoulder.
-I didn't miss you either Layan- he noticed that his daughter was looking at the other alpha intently wanting to go with him I'll explain later- he started to walk but stopped And don't come near my daughter-.
Layan raised an eyebrow.
-I don't think it's me you need to tell that to,- the red-haired man shoved his hands into his pants pockets.
Hades grunted and then turned his attention to his daughter now that the adrenaline was wearing off. Priscilla was in her wolf form, too young for that to happen but Caesar had warned him the last time he had consulted him, it was to be years before it happened but there was no turning back now. And what worried him most was that she hadn't exactly asked for conscience as was the case with the other puppies. She was so attentive to the wolf walking on her back that it was scary.
-Pris, transform,- Hades ordered her, settling her in his arms.
The she-wolf raised her ears and turned her head to one side. Hades was alarmed to see traces of blood staining her fur but he found no wounds.
-Come on, precious, if your mother sees you like this, she will worry if she sees you in that state,- he kissed her muzzle.
This seemed to have an effect on the puppy and she nodded her head as if she understood and closed her eyes. Little by little her body grew in size, her fur thinning, her toes forming, her head filling with dark hair in slings that fell over her face, and all without showing the slightest expression of pain. As if that was really easy for her, something totally atypical, always the first transformation was like hell but she just did it smoothly.
Once in her human form Priscilla wrapped her arms around her father's neck and rested her chin on his shoulder looking back. Layan was so shocked by what had happened in the last 5 minutes that he could barely speak.
A bead of sweat ran down his temple. The girl was focusing on him so intently with those huge silver orbs that his body felt heavy. The last time he had seen her was when she had been born, so small she fit in his arms but still too powerful. Now, years later avoiding visiting Nebraska or meetings with Hades just to avoid crossing paths with her, precisely their paths had intersected meeting not with a mere puppy, but with a girl who looked older than she was.
Yes, Hades had a lot of explaining to do.