Chapter Nineteen.

Logan Wilson.

I watched from where I stood in the corner of the room, slouched against the wall with my tense arms folded across my chest, my feet over one another at my ankles.

I stared at the unconscious figure lying still on the infirmary bed. She was too still, her body hadn't moved by itself in so long as those that I had allowed to visit her had often held her hand and placed it down for her. Her mother bathed her fragile body twice a day for the past week ever since she had lost consciousness after I had marked her.

A frown made its way onto my face as I recalled that Esme had woken up complaining about how hot she was after I had marked her. My wolf and I had been ecstatic that Esme had allowed us to claim her as our own and our mark still sat proudly on her neck, the once red marks had now faded into a pale pink that would stay there forever.

Doctor Luke as well as everyone else didn't know why Esme had suddenly broken out in a fever. We had spent our time in the past week reading books belonging to both humans and werewolves to look for something that could give us an answer as to why Esme was lying in the infirmary unconscious. The books were no help as a half human, half werewolf had never been heard of before especially one being the mate of an Alpha. The only thing that we could do was make sure that her temperature was monitored and she was made comfortable.

Her mum sat at her side, Esme's pale hand lay limp on the bed as Kerry ran a cold, damp cloth over her sweaty forehead in an attempted to help her as well as making her feel more comfortable. Jason and Oliver sat on the hospital bed besides her staring at nothing in particular as silence filled the room.

My eyes never strayed from where Esme lay. I watched as her face would contort with pain every now and then, a grimace appearing on her pale face, breathless gasps would sometimes fill the quiet room from where Esme was silently suffering. My wolf lay whimpering inside of me at the sight of our mate. It was killing us both not knowing what was wrong with Esme as well as realizing that there was nothing that we could do apart from stand at her side and watch.

The pack felt that there was something wrong with their young Luna as their wolves had felt the connection that had formed as soon as she stepped onto my territory waver and become weak. Sam who sat with Doctor Luke, both of them hunched over the paper covered desk as they looked for something to help us. Sam had gotten here the night that I had brought Esme in and had also been answering the door to many of the concerned pack members who had brought flowers and cards that the children had made wishing Esme well. It was a heart-warming gesture that I appreciated wholeheartedly.

Susan, Luke's wife took care those in the medical room within the pack house so that the infirmary could be kept empty apart from Esme and those that visited, which was kept to the minimum.

"Eurgh," Sam cried out in anger as my eyes flicked towards him. Sam angrily ran his hands through his messy hair as he glared at the papers in front of him. My Beta was fond of my mate is the sense that he saw her as the little sister that he had never had.

"Any luck?" Oliver asked just as he always had whenever Sam or Luke made a noise of frustration even though the answer was always the same.

Sam shot Oliver a glare as he growled out, "no."

I tried to ignore the stab of disappointment that struck through the center of my heart. We were no closer to finding what was wrong with Esme as we were knowing how to treat her. It didn't appear that she was going to get any better any time soon as we were all clueless as to what was wrong with her.

The room fell silent once again. All that could be heard was Kerry dipping the cloth into a bowl of cold water on the bedside table before ringing it out and damping it across Esme forehead and neck. Her temperature was impossibly high for a human and it was a wonder that her condition wasn't worse but it didn't make the situation any better.

I pushed myself off of the wall and made my way over towards the bed where she lay. My little mate was in nothing but her underwear underneath the thin sheet that covered her body from those in the room. Luke had suggested that she wear nothing but her underwear as it would make her more comfortable as well as help keep her temperature down. At first I was against the idea of having other male's possibly see my mate in nothing but her underwear but after a day of watching her sweat uncomfortably in one of my t-shirts I gave in.

As I reached her side I gently took her small hand in mine, her skin felt as warm as my own, only as a human I knew it should be a lot cooler. My eyes widened as the tingles that I usually felt whenever we touched seemed to have intensified, the buzz of electricity pulsing through my arm was heightened. I narrowed my eyes as I brought her hand up to my face and gently placed my lips to the back of her hand.

I stilled as I breathed in her scent noticing that it had changed. I was familiar with the scent of jasmine that lingered in the air wherever Esme had been as well as filling the infirmary. I hadn't left the room since I had brought her here and so that was why I hadn't noticed the change. The jasmine was mixed with the smell of earth and rain, one that I was familiar with as I was surrounded by others with the same scent as earth and rain. I had the sudden realization that Esme's scent had changed into that of a werewolf.

"Can you smell that?" I asked to no one in particular.

I could hear the sound of those in the room breathing in deeply before releasing their breaths. It was the only sound that could be heard as it was repeated over and over again. The sound of a chair scraping against the marble floor filled the room as I turned my head to look over my shoulder at Sam who was making his way towards us, his expression unreadable.

"Impossible." He uttered under his breath. I watched as he breathed in deeply, blinking in disbelief.

"What?" Kerry asked. Her human sense of smell not able to pick up the change in her daughters scent.

I opened my mouth to reply only to be silenced by the distinctive sound of a bone cracking. It pierced through the infirmary as everyone cringed away from the sound and where it came from. Esme's face had contorted with pain, her eyes now tightly closed and her nose scrunched up. A tear escaped from behind her tightly closed eyes. Luke was at Esme's side within seconds, his hand gently cradling her's as he examined her index finger that was now bent at an odd angle.

"It looks like she's..." Luke began but was quickly interrupted.

"Shifting." Kerry interjected as she backed up away from the bed, releasing Esme' hand that she had been holding in the process.

"We need to get her outside now." Luke instructed forcefully. At any other time I would have growled from the lack of respect but I knew that Luke was speaking with a desperate sense of urgency.

I didn't need to be told twice as I stepped forward letting go of Esme's hand that I had been cradling. I gently tucked the sheet around Esme's body before I slid my arms under the back of her knees and her now arched back. I was careful as I gently lifted her body up from the bed making sure that her body was covered the entire time before heading quickly towards the door that was being held open by a worried Oliver and Jason.

My wolf was on edge, suddenly coming to life within me. He could sense the wolf awakening within Esme. I knew what was about to happen and although the thought of Esme ever shifting had never occurred to me it now made sense as to why she had suddenly developed a fever. When I had marked Esme, my saliva had entered her bloodstream and somehow awakened the dormant werewolf gene within her which had caused her collapse and unconscious state while her body adjusted. I didn't know if I was right or not but it seemed to be the only logical explanation that I could think of.

I remembered what it was like when I had first shifted as did every werewolf. The process was excruciating. I had spent hours on the grass in the back garden withering in pain as my wolf came forward, breaking most of my bones in the process before they had been mended and shaped into that of my wolf. I had been prepared for my shift my entire life running up to my sixteenth birthday and I had still found it unbearable. I was worried that it would be too much for Esme.

I ran though the infirmary until I reached the double doors that lead out to the back garden. Kerry had run on ahead and opened them both, her face showing nothing but worry and concern for her daughter.

The air was cool outside as it blew around us, the sky a dark grey and clouds blocking the sun's light. I placed Esme on the ground and gently took her hand in my own. Her body hidden by the sheet as she lay there once again still and unmoving.

A crowd had gathered a few feet back and they shielded us both from the sudden harsh wind. The pack was beginning to gather to help support Esme through this first experience. It would help calm her wolf as it would sense the pack close and offer comfort and security.

"Is she going to be okay?" Kerry asked from somewhere behind me. I wanted to turn around and reassure her that her daughter would be fine as I was sure that it would not only help Kerry but myself and the rest of the pack. I didn't move my head as my eyes were trained to Esme's face that had once again scrunched up in pain and her lower lips started to quiver.

"She will be." Sam muttered back to Kerry. I could hear the determination in his voice as if he wasn't going to let anything happen to her no matter what.

Esme suddenly screamed the sound so loud that everyone cringed back. The birds that had been nesting in the trees that made up the forest scattered and flew up into the sky and away from the sound. The grip I had on her hand tightened. I was helpless. I couldn't help Esme whose back had now arched and nails were digging into whatever they could get a hold of. My wolf whimpered from both the sight and sound of Esme's arms breaking.

I watched on knowing that I would forever be haunted by the memory of Esme's first shift. Her right arms began to bend at an awkward angle without her being able to stop it. The sound of Esme's arm breaking echoed through the garden as many intakes of breath could be heard shortly after.

The process of Esme's first shift was slow and painful with the next few hours being spent in silence apart from Esme's screams and the sound of her bones breaking. Kerry had started crying after Esme's left arm had broken first but had since calmed down knowing that the pain would go away as soon as Esme's wolf came forth and she would shift.

I would often find myself whispering soothing words to Esme not knowing if she could hear me or not but it made me feel better rather than sitting next to her and feeling useless.

I slumped where I sat over Esme's shaking body, my eyes never leaving her even if I was torturing both myself and my wolf as we watched our mate suffer with the pain alone. If it was possible I would take the pain for her or as much of it as I could if it meant that she wouldn't have to suffer.

Esme's hand twitched in my own as I looked down to see that brown fur was slowly beginning to sprout through her pores. The agonising hours that she had been put through with her bones breaking slowly would all come to an end within a matter of moments. It wouldn't take long for fur to appear all over her body and for her wolf to take over.

I stood from where I had been kneeling so that I could crouch down, knowing that I would soon have to shift to help Esme with her wolf and encourage her through the remainder of her shift. Her wolf would be able to feel the pull towards her mate and knowing that I was close by would make the transition smoother.

"Come on Esme," I whispered as I reached up and brushed a few strands of hair that had fallen into her face away and tucked it behind her ear.

I watched as the fur started to sprout further up her arm. The dark brown fur began to appear fuller and thicker as it now covered her entire arm and I knew that it was time that I shifted. I quickly brought her hand up to my lips and kissed the back of it before placing it at her side and standing to my feet. I grabbed the hem of my t-shirt and pulled it over my head before dropping it to my feet. I made quick work of undoing my trousers and pulled them down before stepping out of them.

It wasn't uncommon for werewolves to see each other in their underwear or less as it was a common occurrence that happened more than once a day that everyone was used to by now. I quickly shifted into my wolf, shredding my boxers in the process and landing on the floor on all fours. I shook out my fur, already adjusted to my other form.

I dipped my head and gently touched my nose to Esme's tear stained cheek. A wine left my muzzle so quiet that only me and Esme would be able to hear it. Esme's body was now shaking furiously, the change only seconds away. My head lowered so that it was resting in the crock of her neck. I was momentarily overpowered by my wolf and the instincts running through me as my tongue darted out and gently ran over my mark on Esme's slender neck.

The gesture seemed to speed everything up as a shudder ran through Esme's body before she suddenly exploded out of her human skin and into the body of her wolf. She lay on the ground; the white sheet that had been covering her body had fallen off during her shift and now lay behind us. I could hear the gasps behind me as well as the sighs of relief. The hardest part was over and Esme would no doubt be alright as soon as she opened her eyes.

I stared at Esme in her wolf form. She was beautiful. She was smaller than all the other wolves within the pack but that was to be expected as Esme wasn't a full blooded werewolf. Her fur the colour of melted chocolate, thick and glossy with the only other colour being the white spot behind her left ear. She had yet to open her eyes but I had no doubt that they would be a striking green colour.

I pressed my nose to her cheek once again and pushed my way into her mind through the link that had established between the two of us as we were mates and she wore my mark. I could feel her distress and confusion as well as the natural instincts of her wolf clouding her judgement, "Esme?"

It took a moment for Esme to reply. Her reply was weak, no doubt exhausted from her shift and finally being able to regain consciousness, "Logan?"

"I'm right here." I replied instantly.

My wolf and I could finally relax after so long. Esme was fine and no longer suffering. She had shifted the same just like everyone else. It was still unclear as to how Esme was able to shift but it had happened and she had survived that was all that mattered.

"Is she okay?" I heard Kerry's worried voice whispered to someone behind me. Everyone else was on edge waiting for a reply.

"Is she?" Sam's equally worried voice appeared inside my head.

"She's responding." I flittered into the minds of every pack member, feeling their relief for the safety of their young Luna.

I focused my attention back on Esme whose eyelids were rapidly moving and I knew that she was trying to open her eyes. It would be difficult for her to adjust to her new form, especially as she hadn't been prepared for the change whereas most, if not all werewolves had.

"Relax," I whispered into Esme's head, watching as her eyelids stopped moving. "Let your wolf guide you."

"Wolf?" Esme's voice was panicking and I silently swore knowing that instead of comforting her I had made it worse, "Logan what's happened? Why can't I open my eyes?"

"Everything's okay Esme," I soothed as I nuzzled her cheek with my snout, "just relax."

I watched Esme's chest rise and fall as she took deep breaths; her wolf was beginning to calm down as she felt the presence of my own wolf close by.

"What's going on?" Esme asked quietly as if she was afraid of the answer.

"You gained your wolf and have shifted," I summarised before quickly adding as I felt her begin to panic again, "just relax and let your instinct take over."

"I don't know how." She whimpered, the sound escaping her muzzle causing myself and everyone else to tense.

"It's okay," I soothed again, "just calm down and imagine opening your eyes."

I could sense Esme's sudden calm state and I knew that she listening to me. It was silent around us as everyone eagerly awaited for some change in Esme's state. I saw movement and looked down to see that her left paw twitched and I knew that she was there.

I resumed watching her face seeing her eyelids flutter open before her piercing green eyes locked with my own.