Bryan's POV:
After a long and eventful shower, we change into comfortable lounge wear before heading down to dinner. James decided we needed to unwind with a pizza and movie night. With all of our emotions in turmoil, I had to agree with him.
We make our way down to the theater room and settle in. The group debates on which movie to watch, but we settle on an action flick. After scarfing down the pizza, Whitney brings us a large array of snacks, drinks, and plenty of popcorn. James starts the movie and we all relax.
About half way through the movie, I notice silent tears falling down Mandy's face. I look back at the movie to see if the scene was a sad one, but it's just a fight scene.
Baby, what's wrong? I say through mindlink not wanting to disturb or alert the others. She doesn't look at me.
"I miss them. I want them back." she whispers. I realize I've never taught her how to mindlink and I know exactly who she's referring to. Sam and Luke have been held prisoner for over a month now.
Our best trackers found out where they were being held, but they are heavily guarded and we can't get to them without a full-on war starting. We have to wait for Marcus to make the first move. It totally sucks, but we have no choice. I know, deep down, their absence is killing her and she is working hard so she can help be a part of the rescue mission. I wrap my arm around her and pull her into my lap. She continues to cry softly into my chest. I rub circles on her back until I feel her relax into me. It doesn't take long before she's asleep in my arms.
I stand up and nod to everyone goodnight and make my way to our room. I lay her on the bed and wrap the covers around her. I feel Max stirring in my head, he is restless and ready to end this. I also know he's anxious about tomorrow night. She will turn and he will have his mate, not that he doesn't love Amanda, but it's different.
I step out onto the balcony and stare up at the moon. I say a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess, hoping I've done enough to win this war. I feel the tiredness of the day finally settle into my mind and I make my way to our bed and snuggle up close to my already snoring mate. Tomorrow, her world changes... again.
I wake to the early morning rays of the sun flooding our bedroom. The curtains are open wide and I see Mandy cross-legged on the balcony. I roll out of bed and stand at the balcony door behind her.
"What are you doing?" I ask confused.
"Sssshhh!! I'm meditating! Cora says it's great for controlling my emotions and, since I seem to be a little emotional with everything going on, I decided to add it to my morning routine." She remains still and her eyes closed.
"Ah! Makes sense." I sit and watch her.
"Are you just going to stand there and stare? Cause that's not creepy at all! Even if you are my mate." I see the mischievous smirk on her face.
"Oh really?! Creepy, am I?" I decide the best punishment is to tickle her. She burst out in laughter and shrills for me to halt the attack. I stop when I have her pinned to the floor. I gaze at her beautiful features. "Are you excited for tonight?"
"I'm excited about meeting my wolf, yes. I'm not excited about the pain." she admits honestly. I nod in understanding. I lean down and kiss her soft lips.
"You will be fine, I promise. You will be surrounded by people who love you and will help you through it. Warriors will be stationed around the training center, so you will be protected during your shift. And I will be with you every step of the way. I love you, Amanda." I smile knowing my words have reassured her. "Now, shifting takes A LOT of energy so we need to fill that belly up with lots of carbs! Let's go!" I lift her from the floor and we quickly brush our teeth and get dressed.
We walk hand in hand downstairs to the dining hall. The scent of breakfast fills our noses and I hear Mandy's stomach growling loudly in anticipation. She giggles and holds her free hand over her stomach. She looks so cute. "See! I told you so!" Which only makes her laugh harder. I could listen to that sound all day.
We sit down at the table with several full plates of food. Since we are not training today in preparation for Mandy's shift, the main goal is to make sure she's eaten enough to sustain her during the shift and takes it easy so her body is relaxed. I know her emotions are on edge, but the meditation must be working as there's been no change in the weather. We eat in a comfortable silence until Amanda sighs in contentment.
"Phew! Oh my god! I've never eaten so much in my life!" as she leans back in her seat and rubs her full belly.
"Just wait until you have pups!" former Luna Rachel enters the dining hall with her own plate of food. The mention of children sparks my imagination. Seeing Amanda with a pregnant belly and glowing. Her beauty enhanced by the fact that she's carrying my child.
"What is that goofy look on your face?" Amanda smirks while staring at me.
"Uh...nothing." I try to cover, but know I'm busted.
"Mhm...it doesn't look like nothing." she stares more intently. I lean down so I can whisper in her ear.
"I was just imagining how amazing you would look, glowing and pregnant with our child." I kiss her earlobe and hear her gasp. She turns to look at me with blushed cheeks and a hand over her shocked mouth. "What can I say? You looked fucking hot in my head! I can't help how much I love you!" Her blush deepens. "Come on, let's go for a walk." she takes my hand and follows me out of the pack house. It's been a while since we just strolled around the territory and talked.
After several hours, I know we need to get back and rest before tonight. We enter the pack house in time to eat lunch. The house is relatively quiet so we decide to watch a few shows on TV; however, we are interrupted by our friends entering the living room.
"So, we were thinking of ways to pass the time without using a ton of energy and we thought we could have a game night!" Whitney exclaims, obviously very excited. "We thought we'd play several rounds, boys versus girls."
"I'm in!" Mandy says with a burst of energy. "Oooohhhh, you're going down, baby!" I chuckle at how competitive she is, even if it's silly games.
"Pfft, I ain't scared of you!" I retort.
The next several hours are spent filled with charades, Pictionary, name that tune, heads up, and who am I? I have to applaud Whitney's idea as it really has been a great distraction. Mandy is laughing and enjoying the moment with friends. A bit of normalcy. The calm before the storm.
As the sun begins to set, we decide it's best to eat dinner, then take a quick nap before heading to the clearing behind the training center. Her shift would happen at midnight, so we need to be in place before then. After dinner, we enter our room so we can rest. Mandy curls into my side and sighs deeply. I feel her emotions and try to counter them with my own: love, reassurance, confidence, and strength. I hear her heartbeat slow and her pulse steady. She's asleep.
A few hours pass with her sleeping on my chest, when I hear a knock on the door. I feel James' Alpha aura before he states it's time to go behind the closed door. I lean down and kiss my mate's head, gently shaking her awake. I watch as her eyes flutter open and she stretches.
"It's time babygirl." I whisper into her hair. I watch as her eyes go wide with the realization of what's about to happen and she sits up in our bed.
"Bryan?"
"Yes, baby?" eyeing her curiously.
"Will you still love me if something goes horrible wrong and I'm permanently disfigured or become half wolf, half woman?" I almost laugh, but realize how serious she is. I sit up and wrap my arms around her.
"Nothing. And I mean nothing will ever stop my love. You are mine as I am yours, always." I coo into her ear and kiss the side of her head. I see her visibly relax and a small smile decorates her face. I slowly rise from the bed and retrieve the present I've hidden in our closet. When I re-enter our bedroom, I hear her gasp.
"What is this? You didn't have to buy me anything!" she exclaims.
"I know I didn't, but I wanted your first shift to be special so I got you something to use tonight. Open it!" I watch as she unties the bow and lifts the lid. She takes out the white linen gown. "These are called shifting gowns. When people shift for the first time, there is usually a crowd, so instead of stripping nude, some people prefer to wear a shifting gown. Yes, it will shred as you shift, but they are relatively inexpensive, so it doesn't really matter. I want to make sure you feel completely comfortable." I see the tears well up in her eyes. "Plus, as a Beta, I'm just as possessive as an Alpha and won't allow you to strip in front of any males regardless if they're my best friends." She chuckles at my words. "Now, go change! Max is excited about meeting his mate!" She smiles and I can now feel only excitement through our bond.
Once she's changed, we travel downstairs and out the back door to the training center. As we open the door to the back of the center and position ourselves in the clearing, we see our friends gather to patiently wait. Candles adorn the ring. Everyone is full of excitement and sending my mate positive vibes and words of encouragement.
Whitney and Claudia come up to give her some last-minute reminders of her training, such as breathing and allowing the change to happen. Before taking her place in the middle of the clearing, Amelia embraces her daughter and whispers something in her ear. I see her hand go straight to her pendant, so it must have something to do with her dad. Which reminds me.
"Baby? You need to give me your pendant if you don't want it broken during your shift." She looks down sadly, but nods. She takes it off and clasps it around my neck. She looks slightly disappointed. "You can have it back afterwards." She gives me a relieved smile. I lean down and give her a quick kiss before stepping back. She takes her place in the center of the clearing and waits. Only her concentrated breathing can be heard.
We see the moon reach high overhead and know midnight is only minutes away. The anticipation has everyone on high alert, including my mate. That's when we hear it. The first crack. Then another. Then another. The sound of bones popping in and out of place fills the once serene forest.
Whitney and Claudia jump into action and begin coaching Amanda through it. I rush to her side so she can feel and hear me. Bones begin cracking left and right and her screams of anguish fill the clearing. Her face begins to elongate and fur begins to rise out of her skin. She falls to the ground writhing in pain as her body is transformed. It only takes a minute, but it feels like an eternity.
Suddenly, everything is quiet except a few small whimpers from my mate. What was once the beautiful woman known as my mate now stood a tall and proud white wolf. Only this white wolf's fur wasn't just white. Intricately woven throughout its fur are translucent shades of blue, green, and teal. All of the wondrous arrays of colors found in water.
The crowd remains silent, giving Amanda's wolf time to adjust. I, alone, move closer. Her wolf turns to me and sniffs. Her tail begins to wag as a clear sign she understands who I am. I still precede with caution because the first shift is always so unpredictable. As I get closer, I allow her wolf to sniff my hand. She sniffs and then licks my hand. I chuckle at the memory of Max doing the same to Mandy. I make my way to her snout, then her head, and down her back. She shakes her fur at my touch. I smile at her beauty.
"You're beautiful beyond measure." I whisper into her ear. Amanda's wolf yips with glee. Baby? Can you hear me? The wolf nods yes. Shit! I still forgot to teach her how to mindlink! I have to think of yes or no questions so she can respond. Do you want to go for a run? With me and Max? Again, she nods yes and excitedly jumps up and circles. The crowd is still in awe of her. I quickly go behind a tree and strip out of my clothes and shift. I trot over to her and Max is instantly in love. He runs his grey fur against her white fur. She reciprocates the action. I walk in front of her, motioning for her to follow. She understands, but is a little clumsy. Walking on four feet instead of two can take some getting used to, but she's not doing too badly. We enter the treeline and I begin to pick up the pace. She mimics my motions and matches my speed. I sit back and allow Max and his mate to have some bonding time. My only wish was if I could talk to Mandy while in wolf form. I will have to rectify this situation immediately. I chuckle to myself.
After frolicking through the woods for a few, I know it's best to turn back. As we make our way back, I hear low growls coming from the eastern border. Rogues! I send Mandy and the rest of our group that message before taking my defensive stance. Mandy's wolf follows suit. Although I don't want her in this fight, I know she won't leave me. Her wolf's natural instincts are also to stay and fight, with or without training. This will be her first chance to show off her fighting skills. My fear is she hasn't trained as a wolf, only as a human and elemental. I pray her wolf's confidence echoes into Amanda.
The putrid smell fills the air as the mangy mutts make their appearance in the treeline. I growl in warning, as does my mate. She's so hot when she's mad! I lower my body into a crouch, readying for an attack. The rogues charge and, without hesitation, I pounce on the nearest one. It doesn't take long before I hear that familiar crunch. I turn as I see my mate taking on another rogue. She's circling him and he's sizing her up. She waits and anticipates the attack. She's being patient like I've taught her. The rogue rushes in and she immediately takes it down and stomps full force on its neck. Damn baby! So fucking hot! Her wolf stands tall when I notice another rogue sprinting toward her. I leap to intercept, barreling into its side before he can lay a claw on her. I take him down easily as I notice more wolves have joined our fight. It takes less than ten minutes for the enemy to be defeated.
Everyone begins to shift back and grab clothes from our hidden stashes. I pull on my shorts, but notice Mandy is still in wolf form. She doesn't know how to shift back. Whitney, Claudia, James, and Nick flank both of my sides as they understand the predicament.
"Okay Mandy, just like we talked about. Visualize yourself back in human form. Allow your wolf to regress back into your mind. Remember to breathe!" Whitney instructs.
"We have a robe for you to cover up with, so no need to worry about being naked." Claudia adds.
I watch as Amanda slowly transforms back into her human form. I sigh in relief as they drape the robe around her and she stands back on her own two feet. I walk towards her in both awe and pride. She looks up at me with so many thoughts circling her pretty little head.
"I'm so fucking proud of you! Damn! You not only successfully shifted, but you fought as your wolf with no training!" I smash my lips into hers. She wraps her arms around my neck and I release our lips, resting my forehead against hers.
As we catch our breath, there's a round of applause coming from our circle of friends. We both stand, side by side, with pride and appreciation for the night. Realizing she still hasn't said a word, I look at her questioningly. "Baby? Are you okay? How are you feeling?" Without hesitation, she says one thing.
"I need you to teach me how to mindlink because not being able to communicate sucks!" She says, exasperated. The group erupts with laughter and I nod in agreement.