Chapter 41: Chapter Forty-One - Jessica

Liam shifted next to me on the couch. He’d been on the verge of sleep for the past hour.

Every so often he would catch himself and straighten.

I smiled at the TV. The movie hadn’t turned out to be as exciting as I wanted, which was the reason neither of us was doing a good job staying awake.

Blinking, I pushed back the sleep. I wanted to stay awake until midnight, at least. I didn’t know how long it would take the pack to get back, but making sure they were okay would help me sleep tonight.

“He totally did it,” Liam mumbled, his palm holding up his head. “He’s been stalking her this entire time.”

I chuckled. “It can’t be him. It’s too early. They’re playing with our emotions.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “Why does it keep playing ads as soon as we find out something good? This is terrible. It’s why I don’t watch TV too often.”

I shifted, bringing my knees up to my chin. “They have to make money somehow, Liam.”

He snorted, while I felt a heavy pressure on my chest. I rubbed my knuckles against my bones. Liam looked over at me with a lifted eyebrow. “Are you okay?”

I nodded and cleared my throat. “Uh, yeah. Yeah. I’m okay. I think I just need some water.”

I stood up, feeling Liam watch me as I walked toward the kitchen. Grabbing a glass from the cabinet, I cleared my throat and filled it up under the faucet. My

throat grew parched the more I drank, so I poured myself another glass.

I downed three glasses and put the cup into the sink. The heat began to hit me from head to toe. I turned and leaned against the cabinet. It felt like a sauna in there.

“Are you hot, Liam?”

“I’ve been told that once or twice.”

I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? Is it warm in here to you?”

He stood up and walked toward the kitchen doorway. The concerned look on his face told me I was the only one hot at the moment. “No, are you okay? What’s going on?”

I shrugged and rubbed my palms against my face. “I don’t know. I’m hot and my chest hurts.”

Liam furrowed his brows. “Maybe you should try to sleep.”

“Maybe,” I said, nibbling my bottom lip.

Sliding my palms through my hair, Liam made a noise. I glanced over and he pointed toward his eyes. “Your eyes again.”

I blinked, but this time a feeling of doom twisted in my stomach. My fingers found the edge of the counter and tightened around the edge. “I need to…”

I stumbled forward, a feeling of losing control took over me.

Get to him, someone said in my head.

I gasped, covering my mouth with my palm. “Someone is talking to me,” I whispered.

“Oh, no,” Liam said, looking off into the distance. I heard him say the words and his mouth never moved. “Her wolf is here.”

“My wolf is here?” I asked him.

Liam gaped at me. “You heard that?”

“You said it didn’t you?” I asked.

Go to him. He’s hurt, she said again.

I shook my head. “She says Mason is hurt. I have to go.”

I moved toward the kitchen door to pass Liam, but he put his arm out to stop me. “I promised Mason, I wouldn’t let you leave, Jessica. You know you can’t go out there.”

“I know,” I said, nodding.

But my body didn’t stop. She pushed me forward, knocking Mason’s arm down and jumping toward the door.

Laim caught my ankle and I slammed against the hardwood. “Oomph,” I groaned, hitting my chin and smashing my boobs. “Liam!”

“Just stop. Fight her. You can’t go out with all of those lycans.” He tugged, pulling me back toward the kitchen.

My wolf growled, vibrating my chest and turning me over on the floor. Liam’s eyes widened as I reached out and kicked him straight in the stomach.

Liam stepped back, holding his stomach as his eyes turned golden. “Jessica,” he warned, his voice deeper as if his wolf was talking. “Don’t…” he warned.

I didn’t listen apparently. I scurried over to my knees and crawled toward the door. She needed to get to Mason for whatever reason. I felt it in my stomach.

Something was wrong.

Liam tackled me this time, making my wolf really pissed. She turned and pushed him so hard he flew against the kitchen door.

It cracked the wood, making Liam howl in pain. She didn’t stick around, she leaped to her feet, and grabbed the door handle.

The feeling of the night soothed her as I pulled the door open. Humid air brushed against our skin. Each step I took felt like I was a puppet and she was the puppet master.

Was this what it felt like to have a wolf? Mason always seemed so in control. I was not at this point. I was going to find Mason because she wanted to. I didn’t want to leave this house because I was scared. She wasn’t. She was ready to fight.

My spine tightened as she jumped off the porch and landed on all fours. A deep-rooted pain seared through my body and rippled through me like invisible waves.

Liam ran over, dropped to his knees and placed his palms on my skin. The feeling lit me on fire…not in a good way. “Don’t. Touch. Me,” I growled, feeling like some demon summoned from Hell.

Liam retracted his hands. I could feel his panic.

“She’s shifting. Help me,” he said. “I don’t know what to do.”

My body arched and I shifted my back to the ground. The dirt and grass felt like an extension of me. The moon called to me. It was like a song sung by a siren.

Calling me out of my body.

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. I needed something that I couldn’t grasp. They told me my first shift would hurt and it was hurting. Invisible fire lingered against my skin.

My bones were moving inside of me. A loud cry ripped from the middle of my chest. I tangled my fingers into the blades of grass, dirt and debris littering my palms.

“Help me,” I whispered into the air.

Liam’s worried eyes seared into mine. He tried to touch me again but it burned my skin. I could tell the reason why was because he wasn’t my mate. “Mason,” I whispered.

We’re on our way, I heard Jacob’s voice in my head.

Liam met my gaze, knowing I’d heard what he did. I was linked with the pack. Part of me, my wolf, was proud. The human part of me felt scared. Restless.

My back arched again, more bones shifted, and I turned to all fours again. My gaze shifted toward the driveway. One by one, the pack members raced down the road. Jacob had Mason tossed over his shoulder. I could see the marks on his back from the distance. My wolf cried and pawed at my insides.

He was hurt. Would he heal? I had no idea. I couldn’t think straight. My dad dropped to his knees beside me but didn’t touch. “You’re going to be okay,” he reassured me. But I didn’t feel like I would be okay. I felt like I was going to die.

Jacob stopped feet away from me as Mason tore from him. “You’re hurt…” Jacob called after him.

But he didn’t stop. Mason walked over and placed his palms on my cheeks. A soothing blast of energy surged through me. My wolf called out to his and Mason’s eyes filled with uncontrollable tears.

The moonlight hit my skin, pulling her through.

My body warmed, and my thoughts drifted away. It felt like falling into a deep hole, knowing you’d be okay.

She pushed through and when I opened my eyes, I was big. Bigger than I ever imagined. My senses were sharp. I glanced down at two giant white paws digging into the dirt.

“She’s huge,” someone said.

Mason’s smile made me proud until he stumbled toward the ground and Jacob caught him.

My wolf howled into the night, drawing out anger and vengeance that I didn’t know rested inside of me.

She wanted blood.

She wanted to kill whatever did that to Mason.

A deep warning hit my mind.

Don’t you dare, Jacob said.

Lowering my head, I submitted to him in a way that the human me didn’t like, but I understood.

I was part of the pack.