Dating

10:41 AM

C

Chapter 145

[Liam’s POV]

It was that inhuman snarl that caused my entire body to freeze on the spot. The insurmountable anger that I felt from listening to what Arthur’s mother had to say to Ella was enough to make me see red. And then to see Arthur show an ounce of human decency to her was what truly caused me to snap.

I didn’t care how much trouble I would end up getting in with the school board–I wanted to tear the bastard to shreds. I savored every swing and hit that I managed to get in before the very air around me went still.

Whatever thoughts and feelings were coursing through my body mere seconds ago had utterly vanished when I caught sight of Ella falling to the ground.

My heart slammed violently within my chest as I rushed back to her side. I carefully reached my hands out to soothe away the horrible tremble that broke out over her body.

“Ella! Can you hear me? It’s alright.”

I could tell that Ella had lost nearly all connection to most of her senses. Her breathing was so labored, I was amazed she hadn’t passed out from sheer light–headedness. Another horrifying scream tore from her throat when she stared down at her forearms.

I couldn’t believe it. Her hands and nails had grown out into large wolfish claws. Had I not recalled waking up this morning, I would have sworn that I was dreaming.

Ella was presently undergoing a shift.

“You’re not human,” I said numbly.

There was no longer a question nor a doubt in my mind that she could possibly have ever been more than that. She was a wolf. A beautiful, opal–colored wolf whose fur glistened in the sunlight with every push of the wind.

Ella was still shaking uncontrollably and for good reason. The poor girl had no idea what was happening–a victim of her own genetics that had been, unknowingly, buried for years.

Anyone could see how utterly petrified she was from the wide, frantic look in her eyes. A sharp, whining cry broke through the air. My heart ached madly in my chest, knowing that I couldn’t do anything to help her.

“Oh my God,” Arthur breathed. “I knew it.”

I turned my head only to catch a glimpse at the guy I’d been fighting just minutes prior. Arthur looked as astonished and worried as I did. Calmly, he tried to approach her other side.

I had half a mind to stop him from moving any closer because I was too afraid of scaring Ella any further. I didn’t want her feeling trapped any more than she already did.

But, amazingly enough, her constant shaking eased. Instead of fear, her eyes had shifted to curiosity. Ella cautiously inched closer to me and tilted her head to the left and the right before nudging my hand with the tip of her nose.

She let out another noise, proving that she finally recognized who I was.

This feels so much more than that… It’s like she can feel the actual mate bond that’s between us.

And I was thoroughly convinced that she could. Ella’s features, even in this specific physical state, lit up with excitement.

My heart swelled with a joy I never knew I could experience.

However, that joy was too short–lived when Ella ever–so–slightly turned her head to see Arthur. I watched her entire form go stiff. Her eyes went unblinking as if she were waiting for him to make the first move.

Arthur glanced at me with uncertainty before turning his full attention back to Ella. He held out his hand and allowed her to get used to him the same she did with me. Much to my horror, Ella gave him the same once–over as she had with me.

And her reaction ended up being the same. She was eased and somewhat elated by his presence which felt like a jab to my

chest.

1/2

0

10:41 AM &

Chapter 145

Why was her wolf acting this way? From what I could recall, Ella was not happy with Arthur for his scheming and manipulation. Yet, her wolf was seeing Arthur in a different light all of a sudden and it didn’t make an ounce of sense–Unless…

“No, that’s impossible,” I muttered under my breath, angrily.

Ella’s wolf let out a sharp whine and suddenly backed away from both of us. Her stance was unsteady and she was becoming too self–aware. Her breathing became hectic once more. Before either Arthur or myself could do anything to try and calm her, Ella took off. She made a mad dash towards the woods behind the campus.

“Shit!” we both snarled.

Arthur and I took over after Ella to make sure she didn’t end up hurting herself. We both withheld from shifting ourselves. The last thing we needed was to draw any more unwanted attention to the situation. However, something was already telling me that it was far too late for that.

[Ella’s POV]

Oh my God. Oh my God. OH MY GOD! Somebody help me!

My vision was far too blurry to comprehend my surroundings properly. All I knew was that I was still moving. I couldn’t stop.

It was so freeing yet terrifying. It was as though my body had a mind of its own and I was merely being dragged along for the ride.

My heart was hammering inside of my chest while my skin felt like it was burning down to my bones. The only sounds that I could easily make out were those of an animal. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought that I was being hunted by something. But no.

These sounds…They’re coming from me!

For the first time, I wasn’t the helpless prey. I’d become part of a world that I realized how little I understood.

At some point, I managed to stop running. Feeling utterly disoriented beyond belief, I stumbled and swayed over everything that got in my path. When I finally stopped beside a large oak tree, more of my clarity started to come back.

The inner workings of my body began to move around once again. Soon, all the features I had newly acquired were gradually receding. I desperately held on to an old tree limb for support as the last of my transformation wore off.

“Ella!”

Two familiar voices called out for her in the near distance. I slowly turned my head to find Liam and Arthur rushing toward me with matching looks of concern. My stomach turned as my gaze raked over Arthur in particular.

I couldn’t remember much after my blackout. But what I did recall was the strong attachment I felt when I had leaned into Arthur’s hand. It was strong, warm, and caring. It felt like Liam whenever we were together.

Now, all of a sudden, I was experiencing that same feeling with Arthur.

But that can’t be true…Wolves can only have one true–fated mate.

For the first time ever, I had felt that fated–mate connection with Liam the way that any other she–wolf would have. It was beautiful and full of undeniable tenderness.

The problem was that I also felt it with Arthur.

I tried to let go of the branch and turn to face them. But my balance was still too unstable. My head was spinning and my vision was blurring once more.

“H–Help me,” I gasped.

What little strength I had left had finally run out and yet again I slipped into a state of unconsciousness.

色

SEND GIFT

0

COMMENT

2/2