Zeus

• XIX •

Caitlyn wordlessly nods her head, and Ryder immediately swoops his mate into his arms bridle style. I watch him lovingly cuddle her to his chest. Ryder pecks Caitlyn tear stained cheek before asking Zeus what's next.

Zeus doesn't hesitant. He states that she'll need to be outside immediately to help relieve some of the pain Caitlyn is in. Zeus then turns to me. "Find my mother; she'll know what to do."

Ryder doesn't waste any time and rushes out of the bedroom. Zeus begins to follow him, but I grab his forearm, pulling him back so he won't go anywhere before looking at me.

"What is going on?" I ask in desperation. A sigh escapes Zeus then everything around us seems to slow down. Zeus gently pecks my forehead. A wave of peace washes over me but ends when Zeus pulls his lips away.

"When Caitlyn was marked, the bite must have started her changing. There may be some wolf linage in her ancestors, or Ryder's bite was that powerful. I don't know, but I'll figure it all out when I have the time."

I find myself nodding my head at his words. Zeus squeezes my hands before rushing out of Ryder and Caitlyn's bedroom. It felt like forever ago we all were having Thanksgiving dinner, but in actuality is was only thirty minutes ago.

I then run downstairs to the kitchen, knowing Rebecca must be cleaning up and putting away all the Thanksgiving dishes. When I enter into the doorway, Rebecca is watching me, her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

"I heard the screams, but Zeus told me to stay down stairs." Is what she says to me.

"Zeus told me to find you. Caitlyn is changing." I pant out from how fast I ran from the bedroom to the kitchen.

Rebecca's brown eyes widen in surprise and the copper pan in her hand clatters to the kitchen floor. She then covers her heart. "Caitlyn? But-but that shouldn't be possible—"

"Ryder was saying the same thing, Rebecca. We need to hurry. Caitlyn is getting worse by the minute."

Rebecca seems to snap into control, because she then begins opening kitchen cabinet doors and pulling out blankets, candles, matches, water, and a knife. I furrow my eyebrows. Why is she getting candles and a knife, I think, especially from a kitchen?

I follow behind Zeus' mother as she ignores me and shoves on boots and a coat in the entryway. I mimic her, asking what all the items are for and putting on my own boots and coat. Rebecca pushes open the front door, and a strong gust of wind slaps me in the face, making my hair a tangled mess and my gray eyes.

Rebecca steps into the cold, and together we walk through the beginning of a snow storm. I don't know where we're supposed to go, but Rebecca knows where. I can barely hear Rebecca over the call of the wind, but I can hear slight mumbles escaping her as she pushes through the gusting wind.

"We're almost there!" I hear Rebecca yelling as she turns to look at me over her shoulder.

I try to look at my surroundings but fail because the falling snow and wind makes it impossible. The wind is so biting that it stings everywhere my body isn't covered. The cold already creates shivers down my spine and my teeth to chatter.

One second, Rebecca and I are trudging through the rough wind; but the next second, I see Caitlyn on her hands and knees on the snow covered ground. The wind and cold can't be good for her since she's only wearing her Thanksgiving dress she wore for dinner.

Zeus is on his knees beside her, telling her something I can't make out. Standing and watching, Ryder gives us a worried look. Rebecca hands Ryder a blanket, and I then notice I was led to the lining of one of the many forests the pack owns.