Dean's P.O.V
Tingles spread throughout my body as Imogen gives me a hug hello. I ignore the small feeling inside of me that's begging for her to come back. I can't have a crush on my friend, it's just not right. Ever since yesterday I haven't been able to stop myself from thinking about her. When she showed up at my house I was shocked to say the least. Comforting her made my wolf feel empowered and happy.
Imogen, Ally and I myself enter the school building. Imogen stops dead in her tracks as soon as she enters the hallway. I follow her gaze and find Zach at the end of it. I give her a look asking if she's okay. She responds with a slight nod. Ally and I walk on either side of Imogen, creating a human barricade. As we near Zach and his group of meat heads, Ally is approached by one, he traps her in conversation as Imogen and I continue down the hall. We are almost upon the douchebag squad when I am pulled away by one of Zach's minions, he pushes me up against a locker and starts ranting about something I tune out. I focus my hearing in on Imogen and Zach. I can hear Imogen's heart racing, yet her demeanour is calm. As she passes Zach he tries to slaps her ass again, Imogen instantly catches it, shocking Zach.
"Don't touch me jackass" Imogen says angrily. Zach laughs at her,
"I'll do whatever I want sweetheart" he replies, pulling her toward her forcibly and sloppily kissing her, all the while Imogen struggles against him, instead of myself helping her, this time she handles herself. Imogen pushes him away so hard that he hits the opposing lockers. Zach looks stunned. Imogen stalks forward, and tugs him up by the collar, pulling him out into the middle of the hallway, she raises her fist back. I rush forward to stop her but I'm too late, instead I cover Imogen by pushing her out of the way, standing where she once stood and acting as if I had just punched the bastard. Shell shocked, Imogen leans against a locker as the past few minutes sink in. A teacher bursts through the growing crowd of students, the small, angry women looks from me to the unconscious Zach on the ground, a trail of blood leaking from his probably broken nose.
"My office right now!" The principal screeches.
Imogen's P.O.V
I bounce my leg up and down as I wait out the front of the principals office. Dean took the blame for my loss of self control. He got suspended for a week but it could of been worse, they lightened the punishment because of the reason he was 'defending' me. Zach was also punished for assaulting me. The school told my parents what happened and I mind linked them what really happened. I am in so much trouble.
My parents walk out of the principals office, followed by Dean and his parents. They don't look very impressed. Silently we all walk out of the school. Once outside they stop to scowl at me.
"How dare you use your werewolf strength Imogen?!" My father whisper yells.
"Caleb, she was defending herself." My mother tells my father. He huffs like a little kid.
"You could of exposed us" he says, "you're lucky Dean was there to cover for you"
"I know" I reply. Dean and his parents approach us.
"Jace" my mother says hugging him.
"Hey Cora" Beta Jace replies.
Dad growls under his breath. Mum looks over to Dean,
"Thank you for helping Imogen" she says.
"No problem" he replies,
"I just hope she's okay"
"I'll be fine" I say.
"Good, so I'll see you tomorrow night?"
"What's tomorrow?"
My mother gasp,
"Imogen Sophia Rhyes, did you really forget your shifting ceremony?!" She says.
"Oops" I reply sarcastically.
"Get in the car" my dad says madly.
I roll my eyes and get in the back seat of the car and prepare for the lecture.
+++
The dreaded day arrives. The sun slowly creeps below the horizon, the afternoon sun burning away, colouring the sky in shades of orange and pink. Today's sun burns the sky to a black crisp, the cool moon washes over the sky, its bright, silvery light illuminates the forest as it slowly rises to its peak.
My white lacy dress shines in the moonlight like a pearl, it resembles that of my mothers shifting dress. A long white lacy, long sleeved dress with a low cut back steeping as low as my back dimples. My long black hair hangs down my bare back. The hem of my dress drags along the ground as I walk bare foot along the candle lit path and into the woods, my brothers arm linked with mine.
"It's going to hurt isn't it" I whisper to my brother.
"Like a bitch" he replies.
"What a great birthday present" My brother laughs.
I reach the crowd of pack members, my brother breaks away from me, leaving me facing my father, he begins the ceremony.
"Today is my beautiful daughters 16th birthday, which of course means today she will shift for the very first time and even possibly find her mate. So all you unmated males I'll be keeping my eye on you tonight, I'd also like to thank the surrounding packs for coming to this special event tonight"
A searing pain runs through my body, causing my eyes to glow a bright fluorescent green.
"Dad, you might wanna hurry it up a bit" I whisper to him through gritted teeth.
"Let us now all shift"
The wolves around me shift as the bones in my body begin to break and morph into that of a wolves. I clench my teeth together and try to hold my cries of pain in. The pack members who can shift watch on in wolf form as I suffer. I can no longer hold in my pain, I let out a scream and fall to my knees. The sound of material ripping fills my ears as the world around me fades into one big smudge of colour.