Chapter 27: Turned

DELILAH

I sat quietly on the bed for several moments with my hands clasped.

So much had happened in the last few days, I didn’t even know what day it was anymore.

Sunday? Thursday? Was it June yet?

My eyes wandered to the window, staring at the trees moving softly in the wind outside.

I knew I needed to turn into a wolf, but I was reluctant to do so.

Most likely Seth and Cole were just as afraid—shifting for the first time was a painful process that some people didn’t survive.

The only urge to have them bite me came from the spell, and that knowledge alone was enough to make me never want to agree to the change, as much as I burned for it.

Wolves weren’t immortal, but sometimes they could live double the lifespan of a witch if they continued to shift and didn’t die by other means.

They still aged very slowly, much like witches, but were less susceptible to injuries or illness.

It made sense to be turned, but would I really be myself anymore?

There would be a wolf in my head. Would I even like her?

Doing this would close the chapter on my life as being just a witch; doing this would be making a conscious choice to accept whatever destiny the Fae had thrust upon me.

I would do this knowing it meant I might be facing a war.

It was then I saw two young kids playing in the yard—a little girl with brown hair and a boy with black hair, wrestling in the grass and laughing.

Cubs.

I had held two babies in that picture. And as much as I wondered if they symbolized Cole and Seth, part of me was certain it wasn’t symbolism.

Children? My hand wandered to my stomach. Even now it was possible.

I needed to complete my first shift before I began to show, otherwise it would be too late.

Time was up. I had to make a choice. That’s why the little gothic clairvoyant had come to visit me.

I couldn’t just ignore that she had taken the time to visit me. And this was one of those moments where I felt I should take her advice very, very seriously.

I left the room. Cole was waiting outside, freshly showered, with his arms crossed.

He looked at me, glancing back at the bedroom, at the door left wide open. “Well, what did she have to say?”

“She’s gone. Once Seth is done, I need to talk to you both,” I croaked, swallowing hard.

Cole looked at me in concern and jerked his head as if to say “Follow me.”

He led me to a room right next to his. Inside, Seth was throwing on a shirt, his hair dripping wet.

“What’s going on?” he asked, adjusting the bottom of the tee.

Cole just glanced at me and I sighed, looking down for a moment before lifting my head to look at them both. “I need you both to turn me.”

“No,” Seth snapped.

“Absolutely not,” Cole agreed with a growl.

I put up both my hands. “No, please hear me out. I know it’s dangerous.”

“It’s incredibly dangerous!” Cole said in a scolding tone, furrowing his brows.

“I’m going to die if you don’t,” I said firmly.

Silence.

Both of them looked at one another, then at me, trying to decide what to say.

“That witch told you this?” Seth asked gruffly, crossing his arms.

“She was a clairvoyant, and yes, we take that very, very seriously.”

“We haven’t even had a full day of rest since that spell was done, and now you want us to turn you while you’re tired and weak? Out of the question,” Cole said, shaking his head.

I balled up my fists. Both of them were giving me disapproving looks.

“Fine,” I said. “If you won’t, I will have someone else do it.”

That sparked a reaction. Both of them looked at me with predatory eyes. Just to hit home, I turned on my heel to walk out of the room.

I didn’t get far.

Cole spun me around to face him as Seth’s hands dug into my ass with his claws.

Cole grabbed my jaw. “You think for a moment we’d let anyone else touch what’s ours?”

“To let anyone else taste your flesh?” Seth chimed in, running his mouth along my neck, his stubble scraping me.

I trembled despite trying not to. These two were a lethal combination, and it made my knees weak. There was no way I could fight them off.

“Please, turn me,” I begged, feeling my magic rise up. This time, I put my will behind it—my need.

Despite their resistance, I could feel the magic clouding Cole’s gaze, and it was likely doing the same to Seth as his mouth began to move on my neck in small bites.

My lips parted and I looked up at Cole desperately. His resolve was starting to crack, making him curse as he let go of my jaw and looked away from me.

When he looked back, I could see the wolf in his eyes.

His head sinking down, he ran his teeth over my neck as well, pulling me close against his body.

Both of them pulsed against me; one pressed to my back, the other against my stomach.

I felt both of their heads rise in unison, and then sink down on my neck as their teeth buried in me.

This wasn’t pleasant. I felt pain and fire begin to shoot down my limbs.

As soon as their teeth had sunk all the way in me, they both retracted. One of them picked me up, laying me down on the bed as I continued to cry out in pain.

It was as if they had both shot burning lava into my veins that was now starting to spread.

I moaned, feeling blood fall into the sheets, squeezing my eyes shut, panting. My body began thrashing, making both of them pin me down.

This lasted for a while—though I couldn’t say for how long.

Finally, I lay there, my head foggy and wandering.

I could hear Cole and Seth murmuring with concern, but I knew that that had been the easy part. Now, I had to find my wolf.

It was the first part of turning into a wolf, letting the magic spread in your body, finding your wolf in your mind.

If you didn’t find it—if it didn’t accept you—then no one would expect you to survive the shift.

If you did find them, well, at least it gave you a chance of making it through the shift.

White fog filled my mind as I wandered. I could feel myself calling for her, but I was so lost…

~Well, that took you long enough.~

An inner sigh of relief. She was here with me all this time. I had known her all along.

~Well, of course, idiot. I’ve been here the whole time. I’m just a bit louder now.~

I laughed, opening my eyes. Both Cole and Seth looked down at me, concerned.

My eyes reflected my wolf as I looked up at them, and I could feel her howl with joy, seeing them for the first time through my eyes.

Our mates.

~We will protect them.~

On that, we agreed perfectly.

A war was coming, and we planned to face it head-on.

Together.

^End of Book One^