Chapter 31 Thirty-One
The moon rose, just as Danica had expected it to, and with it came her body's need to change into its wolf state.
The process had already begun, and Danica was doing her best to try to remain strong.
Beside her, Mason watched in horror, knowing that there was nothing he could do to help her through this except just be there as support.
"Can you knock me out?" Danica panted as a new wave of pain surged through her. "Please."
"I'm sorry," Mason said, shaking his head. "I don't know if that is a good idea."
Danica bit back a scream as her bones snapped and twisted, only to not reshape and instead to continue doing it again and again.
Sweat had begun to break out on her skin as she used her hands to claw the mattress below her, trying desperately to cling to something.
"It hurts." Danica cried out as another wave of agony overtook her. "Mason, it hurts."
Tears had begun to spring up in her eyes and fall down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry." Mason's voice shook as he spoke. "We will break this curse, I promise."
Nodding, Danica squeezed her eyes shut as the pain she was experiencing intensified. To her, the pain she was feeling this time around was so much more than what she felt the first time.
"Medicine," Danica panted as her body began to convulse.
"It isn't time yet," Mason responded apologetically. "Another hour, and then you can take more."
The first round of medicine had helped alleviate the splitting headache that Danica had, but it had quickly worn off.
"I want to file a complaint," Danica huffed as her muscles began trying to elongate into those of a wolf. "Tell the maker that they're horrible and don't know what they are doing."
Danica was aware it wasn't time for humor, but she had to try to distract herself somehow. With each attempted change, her pain was increasing, and it was beginning to border on unbearable.
Like that, for the next two hours, Danica's body continued to try to go through the change again and again with no hope.
"How are you feeling?" Mason asked as Danica lay breathing heavily as the last bit of pain slowly dissipated.
"Better," Danica murmured exhaustedly. "When can we head to the darklands?"
After having to go through the effects of the curse a second time, Danica wasn't really sure she would be able to handle it a third time.
"As soon as quaruntine is over," Mason responded with a sigh.
Looking over, Danica realized that Mason's face was extremely pale and had a green hue to it. It seemed that having to watch her go through all of that had shaken him.
"Are you okay?" She asked, reaching out a hand and placing it on his. "You look like you're going to be sick."
"I just...." Mason stammered while staring at Danica. "It just... it is a lot watching you go through that."
Danica could feel her heart tug at Mason's words. To have him care that much about her well-being meant a lot to her.
"Hopefully, this will be the last time," Danica offered, trying to smile.
"Yeah..." Mason didn't sound convinced as he spoke.
At the moment, Danica didn't want to think about what would happen if they didn't manage to find the sorcerer who had cursed her. All she wanted to focus on was finding him and getting her curse broken so that she could finally become a full-fledged wolf. After that, she would focus on everything else.
"Positivity." Danica sighed. "If I can be positive, then you can too."
Mason sucked in a breath as Danica spoke; it seemed that he hadn't realized his bad mood.
"Sorry," he muttered meekly. "I know we will find the sorcerer, I will make sure of it."
"Thank you," Danica said smiling. "Could I ask you a favor?"
"What?" Mason asked curiously.
"Would you mind just lying here with me for a while?" Danica asked hesitantly.
She knew that her question would catch Mason off guard, especially with as much as she had been denying him, but all she wanted right now was to feel the comfort and warmth of another being and relax.
"If it is too much..." Danica began.
"No, it isn't too much," Mason said quickly, smiling. "It would be my pleasure."
Moving slowly, Mason lowered himself from sitting to lying beside Danica. Being gentle, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
"Is this okay?" Mason asked as he gently squeezed Danica.
"Yeah," Danica breathed, feeling a surge of warmth run through her. "This is perfect."
After three hours of pain and not knowing how long it would last, feeling Mason's protective warmth engulf her made her tired and aching body feel refreshed.
"You know..." Mason began breaking through Danica's drifting thoughts. "You're slowly but surely accepting me."
"Where did that come from?" Danica asked, nuzzling closer to Mason.
A soft chuckle rumbled through Mason's chest.
"I'm just pointing out the obvious."
"If you say so."
Feeling at ease, Danica allowed herself to start drifting in and out of sleep while listening to the sound of Mason's heartbeat.
"Why don't you try to sleep?" Mason murmured against Danica's hair. "You seem to be really exhausted."
"Mmmmmhhhmmmm," Danica responded, already beginning to drift.
A loud knock on Mason's door jerked Danica awake.
"What was that?" Danica asked, beginning to sit up.
"Don't know," Mason responded, furrowing his brow. "Wait here."
Getting up, Mason let out a low growl as he disappeared from the room.
Danica could hear the sound of people talking in the living room, indicating that someone had definitely arrived at Mason's dorm.
Curiousity flaring, Danica got up from bed and began making her way to the living room to see what was going on.
".....Attack." Came the voice of Chris.
Attack? Was Chris saying that there was an attack? Heart-dropping Danica picked up her pace and barged into the living room.
Mason and Chris both turned their weary expressions toward Danica as she entered. Feeling her anxiety beginning to grow, she braced herself for whatever they were about to say.