Jason's POV
The sound of glass breaking echoes through the kitchen. Before I can register what's happening, I hear Cassandra scream. I feel a sharp pain on my chest and I place my hand over it as I gasp for breath.
When I turn to her, I see that the glass she had been previously holding was shattered on the ground spilling its content. She stood there wide eyed as her arms trembled and she tried to gasp for breath. She looked even paler than usual and absolutely terrified.
I move towards her just as her legs give out, almost making her land on the broken glass pieces but I catch her before she does.
"Cassandra, are you okay. What's happening?" I rush out in a panic. Her silver eyes start to glow as she stares at me wide eyed. Her once innocent features turn vicious within seconds and she snarls at me. "Don't touch me", her voice sounds dry and pained.
Before I could process what the hell was happening, a wave of pain runs throw my chest to my whole body. It felt like my entire body had been put ablaze. I gasp for breath and put one hand on my chest while using the other to gently push Cassandra on the part of the floor that isn't covered in broken glass.
Her breaths are rugged and shallow and I felt myself getting worried without even realizing it. I felt another wave of pain and I groan just before she lets out a loud scream and starts panting.
Her body starts convulsing, as if having a seizure. What's going on? "Cassandra-" I trail off just as another wave of pain hits me and I fall to the ground on one knee.
I squeeze my eyes shot as my brain starts to cloud. I only barely hear the sounds of rushed footsteps in out direction. "Cassandra? Jason?" I hear what I think is Natalie's voice. I feel hands grip my shoulders firmly.
I open my eyes to see Preston looking at me with a worried and panicked expression. "Jason,Can you hear me?" He asked as if trying to pull me back into reality.
"Mate", I mutter without thinking. "Can't breath. Mate!" I yell out and fall over to a crouching position when another wave of pain hits me again. My claws elongate and from the corner of my eyes, I see Cassandra's do the same before retracting.
Preston looks down at my claws and then looks in Cassandra's direction before saying, "this has something to do with the mate bond".
Natalie crouched down beside me and rubs my back soothingly. "What? He's mated? To who?" she asked in confusion and shock. Drake and Anna look questionably at Preston waiting for an answer.
Preston doesn't answer them and doesn't look away from me for even a second. "Jason, I need you to take deep breaths".
"Mate!" I growl out before groaning in pain almost immediately after. "This isn't good" I hear Caroline mumble from her place beside the convulsing vampire . She, Drake and Anna were checking on her, trying to find out what's going on.
"I think she's having her first shift", Drake announces. Why is her first shift happening so late of age? "Maybe Jason is feeling it too because of the mate bond", I hear Preston tell the others.
"Did you just say mate bond?" Drake's surprised voice seems to echo in my head making my ears ring. Anna and Natalie look between me and Cassandra in shock and their eyes widen from the news but I couldn't care less at the moment.
"MATE!" I yell and Cassandra's body starts to jerk with even more force. "Shit, do something!" Someone yells and I assume it's Caroline.
I feel a grip on shoulders again and I lunge at the person without thinking. Preston is promptly pulled out of my way by Natalie and I feel relief wash through me since I didn't bite his arm off.
I don't know what I'm feeling but it's intense and painful, taking away my ability to think straight. The fact that I can even hear their conversation and still process what's going on around me is a miracle.The only thought running through my mind is that Cassandra is in pain and I should do something about it. My thought process annoys me but at this point I have no control over it.
"Guys, the convulsions are getting worse" Natalie's voice sounds like a haze in my brain. Drake moves over to Cassandra's body and dares to touch her.
I let out a thunderous growl which made everyone step back a few steps. "MATE!" I growl out again as I glare at Drake who just stares at me frozen in place. I feel suddenly protective of her not wanting anyone else but me to get near her.
"Has he gone psycho?" Caroline asks as she inspects me with wide eyes. I growl at her threateningly. Preston reaches over and puts his palm over her mouth to keep her quiet while slowly pushing her away from me. "Don't annoy him, babe", He quickly retracts his hand from her mouth with a pained look and a glare in her direction. Judging by the grin Caroline held, I'll say she bit him.
Anna crouched down in front of me but leaves enough space that makes it possible to escape if I try to maul her although I don't plan to do such. "I need you to take deep breaths Jay". She gives me a pleading look hoping I'll listen.
Thankfully I get enough control over my body to do so. I take deep steady breaths and slowly the fog in my brain begins to clear.
"That's it. Good boy", Anna says as she pats my head and I let out a growl of approval before for getting to my feet.
"Can I do that too?" Drake asks curiously as he lifts his hand to pat my head. I snap my teeth at it. "So... no?"
I ignore him and move over to my mate. Can't even think about that with a straight face. Her jerking has reduced but she is still convulsing a bit. I reach my hand up to her neck to check her temperature and the girl's burning up like a goddamn oven.
"Let's get her to the infirmary", I say as I pick her up. I stay still for a moment to make sure I can indeed walk without stumbling because if I do it wouldn't just be Cassandra at the infirmary.
When it's clear that I wasn't going to collapse,I begin to walk up the numerous stairs in this building. I take her into the infirmary and place her on one of the beds.
A doctor and a nurse were ready and waiting since Preston had already mind linked them earlier. Most of the medical team were attending to the soldiers that got hurt earlier.They start to examine her and politely tell us to leave.
We wait outside the room and everyone seems completely deep in thought. "Okay I'm very confused can someone tell me what the hell is going on? Starting from why the fuck Cassandra is in the pack house", Natalie finally asks as she looses her patience.
"Yeah, we have questions too", Anna says and I nod indicating I also have loads of questions like what the hell just happened and how does she know Drake, Anna and Natalie.
"Me too", Caroline announces. "Am I the only one here who doesn't give a shit?" Preston asked but the response he gets is a poker face from everyone in the waiting room. "Apparently", he scoffs.
"Oh by the way, Cassandra's here 'cause Jason had the smart ass idea to shelter a vampire he almost killed".
Wow. Throw me under the bus why don't you.
Natalie, Anna and Drake turn to me with a look of pure shock that clearly said, 'why would you want to kill such an innocent and harmless creature?' If only they knew.
I raise my hand up in surrender, "I thought she was an intruder". Anna and Drake gives Natalie a look and she rubs her neck sheepishly, "geez I said I was sorry".
"You punched me!"'Drake says exasperated. "I didn't know it was you back then!" Natalie yelled back.
"Okay calm down kids", Anna says in an exhausted tone and goes to get herself a bottle of water.
"Hold up. Is Cassandra your mate or something?" Drake asks with disbelief in his voice. I cringe at the word but nod either way.
Anna immediately chokes on her cup of water, Natalie chokes on her saliva and for Drake, he looks like he was going to faint any second.
"The hell? Is that even possible?" Anna asked as she looks over at me with shock. "I've been asking myself the same thing", Preston says as he walked in with Caroline tailing him, holding a plate filled with chicken. I didn't even realize they left.
Everyone gives Caroline questioning gazes as they look at her full plate. "I eat when I'm stressed", she shrugs as she grabs a huge piece of chicken and shoved it in her mouth. "You eat all the time", Preston counters as he takes a sit on one of the couches and invites Caroline to take a seat on his lap.
"Anyway, you two said you were here to find someone. Who is it?" I ask the siblings trying desperately to change the subject which Preston noticed by the look he gave me but didn't say anything . Anna and Drake simply turn their heads towards the infirmary door. I should have known that.
"How do you know her?"
Anna immediately goes tense and gives Drake a look to which he replies with his own. It looked as if they were talking with their eyes.
"A vampire in our territory turned her", Drake tells me. Something tells me there was something he wasn't telling me but I don't push it." She didn't have anywhere to go so we took her in", Anna adds.
"Wait, she was human?" Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed that.
"Yeah she was", Natalie speaks up surprising everybody. "I didn't notice that she was turned till the episode in the kitchen. I guess I was just too excited to see her to try to notice the signs".
"How'd you know her?" Preston asks as his curiosity gets the best of him. "I met Cassandra and her brothers during my mission in the human town.They basically saved my life and even gave me shelter then one day they were just gone", Natalie explains with a sad faraway expression. She looked like a person who had just lost a very valuable loved one.
"Her brothers?" I knew she probably didn't know about what Cassandra told me so I decide to tell her. She deserves to know. "They were... kidnapped" I tell her hesitantly.
"What?" She stands up abruptly her eyes swirling with emotion. Her eyes started to brim with tears and she starts to shake her head in denial and just runs out. I don't go after her considering that she may need some time to herself. She must have had a really close relationship with them.
"Natalie", Caroline makes to go after her but is held back by Preston. "Just give her sometime", he says as he places a reassuring kiss on her forehead.
"Cassandra's been grieving about it for a while now", Drake mutters and I see his fingers play with something I hadn't previously noticed.
"Is that a plushie?" I ask as my brows raise. I lean forward to inspect the grey rabbit plush toy he was currently holding. It was small enough to fit in his coat pocket.
He chuckled softly but pain flashes in his eyes, "It's Cassandra's". He smiles as recalling a good memory. "She's terrible with a claw machine", he says and chuckles softly to himself and I smile.
"I got her this when she was mourning about her brothers".
"How long have they been missing?" I ask. He takes a moment to think before responding, "a little over a month".
I made up my mind at that moment to do everything in my power to find them. Even if I didn't like Cassandra no one deserves to go through that and seeing how much it affected Natalie broke my heart as well.
"So how do you all know each other?" Caroline asks and I'm sure it's to change the subject.
"As you already know, Preston and I are cousins and Natalie is our childhood best friend" she nods indicating that she already knows this. "Drake and Anna practically raised us at some point", I tell her and she looks at all of us in astonishment. I send a grateful look to the siblings who are wearing proud smiles on their faces. The kind a parent would have after seeing their child succeed.
"For real?" Caroline gasps. "Yeah, that asshole is probably the only vampire I would ever respect in my entire life", Preston tells her while giving Drake a pointed look prompting him to do a two finger salute with a smug grin plastered on his face, causing Caroline to giggle.
The door opens and the nurse steps out informing us that we could go in to see the patient. I mind link Natalie in case she was ready to come.
Cassandra lies there, her skin paler than normal and her eyes closed shut. "After our examinations it's clear that the vampire is undergoing her first shift and it's known to be an extremely painful process".
I nod and thank the doctor before asking him to leave. "Why hasn't she undergone the shift since she got turned?" I ask the siblings. They do that talking with their eyes thing again before Anna finally answers. "Do any of you feel something off about her?" She asks.
Just then Natalie enters the room with her hands in her pocket, a downcast look on her face and her eyes red from crying. She tries to hide it though. "Yeah I feel it". Preston, Caroline and I nod in agreement. "I feel her vampire side but feel something else? I can't really place it though, it's a bit off putting", Caroline says.
I nod in agreement. I've noticed it as well and it's very strange. The fact that I can't pinpoint half of her supernatural identity is pretty off putting.
"Maybe it has something to do with it her late shift",Drake reasons. "Do you guys know what that off feeling is?" Natalie asks as she looks at the siblings. Anna glances at Drake and he gives her a sign with his eyes. She then shakes her head, a no. They're definitely hiding something they don't want us to know but I decide not to push it.
Just then we hear a sickening crack and when we look over, Cassandra's hands and legs are twisted in very unusual angles. Cassandra lets out a scream as her eyes fly open and glow a bright silver.
"Oh my goddess", Caroline screams as she grabs Preston's arm. Before I can process what I'm doing, I'm at her bedside. "Deep breaths Cassandra", I repeat the advice that I was given earlier as I try to fight the effects of the mate bond that were slowly trying to take over my body again.
I felt a small ache in my chest as Cassandra's body starts to bend in unusual angles. "Can someone call in the doctor" I call out behind me.
"No. This is something she has to go through on her own", I hear Drake say from behind me. Her body continues to twitch and then I swear her bones start shrinking. What the hell? Vampire shifts seem to be a lot more painful than werewolf shifts.
Her body then starts to transform and feathers begin to appear. Within minutes, an average sized raven is laying on the bed with its eyes closed shot. The hawk had a golden locket round it's neck with the letter 'C' embedded in it. Cassandra always seems to be wearing that locket and I think it must have some kind of sentimental value.
The bird's eyes opened again to reveal silver beady eyes. The bird stood up and tried to move and the moment it noticed it's legs, it starts to squawk in panic. It flaps it wings in a terrified manner and kept flying into objects in the room.
When she's about to fly into a wall, Drake jumps up and grabs her. "Woah girl. Calm down".
She seems to calm down a bit and lean into Drake. "You just shifted". The bird's eyes glow a bright silver as she looks at Drake and his eyes equally start to glow green.
"It's supposed to hurt", Drake tells her and my guess is that they are communicating through telepathy.
"Can you guys here each other in your heads or something?" Caroline asked while watching the two with interest.
"Yep, and Cassandra is being really stupid. She doesn't know that a shift is supposed to hurt", Drake got a bird peck on his head for that.
"Wow, that's so cool!" Caroline exclaims and the rest of us agree. It's kinda the same as werewolves in the same pack. We are able to communicate with telepathy through pack bond".
"Ok, shift back before feathers get everywhere", Drake says and drops her on the bed. Her beady eyes glow silver again and Drake's eyes equally glow.
"Just sit still and take deep breaths. Just imagine yourself in human form" Drake tells her and I guess she must have asked how to shift back.
In a matter of seconds, Cassandra is back to her human form and falls back on the bed while breathing heavily. I notice the locket that's still round her neck. I want to ask about it but I don't since it's none of my business.
"Why didn't anyone warn me about this?" She asked still out of breath. "Sorry about that" Anna apologizes with a look of relief.
Natalie looks sadly at Cassandra and I can tell she's feeling so many emotions. "Get some rest Cassie", she says softly and leaves the room.
"How you feeling?" I ask Cassandra but I make my way towards the door to follow Natalie. "Ugh, you asking me that is just weird. Do me a favor, get out and go find Natalie"she tells me. "She seems sad", she said with a worried look.
"Whatever. Make sure you clean up your stupid feathers later though" I tell her as I make my way out the door. "How about no?" She asks and I choose to ignore her childish answer while closing the door behind me.
I walk outside to where I assume she would be. She likes to be out in nature whenever she feels downcast. The cold breeze hits me in waves despite my jacket but I ignore it. The sky is dark but is eliminated by the moonlight. It should be around midnight right now.
I see Natalie a few feet ahead looking up at the dark sky and at the full moon that eliminated the lawn. "Goddess why?" She mutters and more tears slip.
"Natalie", I call to her and she jumps back startled. I'm surprised she didn't here me approaching. She must have been really deep in thought."Oh, Jason. What are you doing out here?" She asks.
"Checking on you", I move and stand beside her and equally look at the full moon.
"They aren't dead", I say softly as I look at the starry skies. They remind me of something but I immediately shake my head to remove the thoughts of Cassandra's eyes that were starting to invade my mind.
"How'd you know?"
"I just do", I tell her in a sure tone "you'll see them again".
I don't know how I know this but I do. I know that her and Cassandra would see those boys again. I don't know much about them or what their relationship was like but I can tell that they were very special to her and that gives me more motivation to find them. I would do anything to make my best friend happy.
"I'll help. I promise", I say assuringly to her. "Thanks Jay" she whispers and leans into me as we both look up at the dark night sky above us.
I'll find them.
Vote | Comment | Share