Alpha - Forever #1 (Complete)

Chapter 20 - Part 2

I shifted over and held the comforter open and patted the empty spot next to me. He smiled at me as he got up and got into the bed next to me. Still sitting up, he pulled me against his chest and hugged me. I reveled in the feel of him holding me so close. I closed my eyes for a moment and breathed him in.

For a few moments we sat in silence, both lost in our own thoughts.

"I need to get up and shower," I said as I pulled away and looked up to him.

"I'll start the shower for you," he offered as he pulled away from me and got out of the bed. He disappeared into the bathroom and a few moments later I could hear the water running.

It was then that I remembered what they'd said about the pain of the first shift.

Cade walked out of the bathroom.

"If that's what childbirth is like, you're getting fixed," I told him, crossing my arms over my chest as I glared at him. There was no way I was ever going through that type of pain willingly.

He actually laughed at me and I felt my temper rise. He pressed his lips together to smother any further laughter. It must have been my glare that made him mask any further amusement because he knew his life depended on it.

"No, childbirth is not that bad. Normally the first shift is painful, but it's not usually as bad as what you experienced."

"Why was mine that bad?" I asked, feeling it was a little unfair that mine was worse than what most werewolves experienced.

"Only werewolves with alpha-blood experience a first shift like you did," he explained.

Firstly, it physically made my heart hurt to think he'd experienced that pain and then a moment later I realized what he was saying.

"I've got alpha blood?" I asked, needing confirmation of my thought.

Cade held my gaze and nodded. I'd never even suspected that.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means that your father or mother belonged to an alpha bloodline," he answered. My forehead creased as I began to process that thought.

"Come on, your shower is ready. We can talk about this when you're done," he said, pulling me out of the bed by my hands.

In the shower under the constant stream, I thought about the ordeal I'd just gone through. It had been the most intense thing I'd ever experienced and I was so relieved it was over.

I don't know if it was because I was thinking about my first shift or not, but I suddenly wanted to go into the forest and shift into my wolf for the first time. Or maybe it was something stronger that made me get out of the shower and dry myself off. I got changed quickly and then I strode out of the bathroom toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Cade asked from behind me. I'd been so focused on what I needed to do that I'd completely forgotten about him.

I stopped and turned.

"I need to...go outside," I tried to explain the need that was growing inside of me.

"Okay, Scar," he said and took my hand in his.

It took us a few minutes to get to the gates in front of the compound.

"Open the gates," he ordered to someone.

I wrestled with the growing need to shift into my wolf. Nothing else around me mattered.

The gates opened and I walked into the forest with Cade and a few others behind me. In the forest, with trees around me, I dropped to my knees. The need in me was so strong, but I had no idea how I was supposed to shift.

"Just let it happen," Cade whispered from beside me.

I closed my eyes and gave in to the need. It took a few moments, but then I felt my body change. It was painful, but I could handle it as my human form shifted into my wolf. The pain was nowhere near what I'd just experienced earlier.

This time when I opened my eyes, I was a wolf.

"You're beautiful," said Cade in awe as he stood in front of me.

I cocked my head at him and he smiled at me. My heart warmed at his words.

I looked down to my front legs and paws. I had soft midnight-black fur covering me.

In a moment, Cade changed into his wolf and he stood beside me, magnificently powerful. The color of his fur matched mine. He walked closer and nuzzled me with his wet snout. I loved the feeling of his fur against mine.

The two of us stood side-by-side, facing the forest.

I felt alive and I closed my eyes for a second to adjust to the intensity of my senses before I ran for the first time in my wolf form through the forest.