As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw that everyone was already in my back yard and Alex was on his way.

In the yard, Jason and the group had shifted and were waiting for directions. Nate was still in human form but he was staring toward the south with a far off expression.

"I thought you were in a hurry?" Alex asked Nate as he stripped down to his boxers. Nate gave him a death glare and turned to me instead.

"I'm not sure I know how to shift intentionally" he said quietly.

It's a little strange. It helps me if I imagine myself as my panther and how each individual part of my body should look. Try that" I placed my hand on his arm comfortingly. He nodded and I turned to find everyone looking at Nate and I intently. With the exception of Alex, none of them had seen either of us in our animal forms. They were probably extremely curious and excited, but right now I didn't care. I just wanted to help Nate.

Although my powers clothe me after I shift back, they don't save the clothes I was wearing before I shifted. I felt uncomfortable with the prospect of stripping down to my skivvies but then again, I didn't want to destroy my clothes. The black bra and underwear I was wearing could be easily replaced, but my clothes had sentimental value.

I grabbed the hem of my shirt and quickly pulled it off my body. A very obvious growl erupted from Alex, his pitch black wolf looking very intimidating.

"What? I'm not losing my clothes" I said, giving him a look. I quickly took my jeans off before he could complain any longer and then stood up and closed my eyes, trying to shut out the world. I heard snarling faintly and then a sad whine, but I had distanced myself from the real world. I imagined myself with paws and a tail rather than hands and a body and soon I felt the familiar, satisfying pop of my transition. In a much shorter time that the last time I had changed, I was in my panther form.

I opened my eyes to find Nate's golden brown fur next to me, however his shoulder was at least a foot above my feline head, so I had to look up to see at his face. When I turned to examine the responses of the group, I found them all watching Brett and Alex intently. The two wolves were having a serious stare down. It looked like they were communicating or conversing with each other.

"Open your mind to the link dumb child"

Oh yeah.

I let the group conversation flood into my mind and but I came in at the very end of what apparently was a huge heated argument.

"...never happen again" Alex was finishing with a snarl. "Let's go, Winnie the Pooh. Lead the way" Alex sneered mentally to Nate.

Nate curled his bear lip in distaste at Alex, but took off running toward the south with Alex by his side. Jason and Sophie looked at me with as much concern as a wolf was capable of expressing, then followed suit. I cocked my head to the side and looked at Sienna and William, since they were the only two left looking at me. Brett was still standing where he had been when he and Alex had been arguing.

"What?" I sent to Sienna.

"I guess it's safe to assume that Alex is your mate?" she responded.

"Uhh yeah..." I replied guiltily. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Brett take off running. "Why?" I asked in confusion.

"Did you completely miss what just happened?" William asked me.

"Actually yes"

Sienna and William looked at each other then back at me.

"Alex went full Alpha on Brett. He attacked him and gave him an Alpha order and everything" William explained.

"Why?" I exclaimed in my head. I can't believe him. He was supposed to be working on his temper.

"Because...Terri, Brett technically crossed a line. He was staring at you and having... lustful... thoughts and Alex could hear them. You don't think things like that with another wolf's mate.... even though Brett didn't technically know that Alpha Alex was your mate. I am very upset that you didn't tell me" Sienna finally finished, but my mind was too stuck on the fact that Brett had been thinking things like that.

"Why?" I thought vaguely.

"Because we're friends, that's why!" Sienna thought forcefully.

"No, I mean, yes we are friends and I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I'm asking why was Brett thinking that?" I explained.

William scoffed mentally, "Please tell me you've noticed Brett's little crush?"

"What?! No! He doesn't have a 'crush' on me!" I felt like I was having a large panic attack.

"Well he did. I'm pretty sure he's done with those thoughts. I thought Alex was going to rip him in half" William thought, then nudged Sienna to take off and he followed suit.

"I can't believe this... I just want to be normal..."

"You are quite the popular lady aren't you?"

"Seriously?! How many times do I have to say 'shut up'!" I yelled in my head bitterly.







Alright guys, I love y'all and I am super excited for the next couple of chapters, so I'm going to go on a... "uploading frenzy" if you will. Expect a chapter every couple of hours for a short period of time lol