Wildling

~~~Ember’s POV~~~

The pain was indescribable. It was worse than the times I’ve been whipped. Worse than all the broken bones I’ve had combined. I clawed at the floor, desperate to have something to latch onto. Wood embedded in my nails and I could vaguely hear Jaxson shouting my name. His voice a tortured whine as he struggled to comprehend what was happening.

My body was aflame, an immense burn that lit in my bones and blazed through my limbs. I was being incinerated from the inside out. I screamed out as my arm broke and began to contort. My skin began to burn, and I looked down to notice the hairs on my arm begin to grow thicker; denser. The color twisted and turned until a pure white form broke free.

What the fuck!

The only time I can remember something hurting like this bad is when I first shifted but that was much milder than this pain. I can’t be shifting. That’s impossible!

The rest of my bones began cracking, splintering as my limbs stretched and pulled to elongate. My nails grew out from my fingertips, growing into sharp, lethal claws. A tremendous ache began in my jaw. My teeth ripping through my gum line as they grew. Blood dripped from my mouth as I cut my tongue on one of my new, sharpened fangs.

“Holy shit. How is she shifting?” I heard someone’s astonished voice greet my ears. I was too far out of it to process who it was. This whole transformation feels like it has been taking hours.

I’m in agony. I felt a large burst of power shoot through my body before it all turned quiet. I was no longer in our room. I couldn’t see or hear Jax. I was suspended in a black abyss. No clue on what to do.

Was I dead?

A dim light appeared before me. Gradually growing brighter and brighter until I saw the outline of a wolf padding closer to me.

She came to stand directly in front of me. My heart skipped a beat and all my breath escaped me.

“Aoralia?” My voice almost inaudible in disbelief. How was she here? Where was here?

“My darling Ember.” Aoralia purred and nuzzled my face as she leaned forward. “I’ve missed you dearly.”

“How.....what....I don’t.” I sputtered out unsure of what was happening was real. Aoralia chuckled.

“We have a lot to discuss. I’m sure you have many questions.” I can’t believe this. My dear companion is standing in front of me, speaking to me. I can touch her and hold her; she isn’t just another form of me. She’s a separate being right now. I hesitantly reach my hand forward to brush her silky fur. My skin tingling at the contact.

“I’ve missed you so much.” I cried out, lunging forward and wrapping my arms around her large neck, burying my face in her scruff.

“As I have, you.” She gave my cheek as small lick. “You have been so brave, so strong. I’m sorry I had to leave you.”

“How are you even here right now? Am I dead?”

“No, Ember. You have shifted. We are together again.” She gave a wolfish smile as I struggled to grasp this reality. “I will tell you what you cannot understand. When our moon goddess Selene gave us soul mates, she split a piece of soul out from us, planting it in our other halves. That is how mates recognize one another. Your soul calls to its missing piece. So, in retrospect, I never fully died. A piece of me still sat within our mate. When Jaxson marked you, our soul was able to be reborn whole.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you to begin with. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to keep you alive.” My eyes cast down, hating the years we were forced apart.

“You did nothing wrong. You did everything in your power to keep us alive. Your cousin is a formidable opponent, and the battle fast approaches.”

“Battle? What do you mean? Surely him wanting me back wouldn’t mean war. He’d simply just kidnap me again.” Aoralia shook her large head.

“Our mate would not rest until we were returned. He would raise war on Dimitri and the rogues. He would not be able to survive losing us.” I gulped, knowing Jaxson’s feelings were strong but never grasping the full gravity. He would really do all that if he lost me? He seemed so angry earlier, or Ares at least. Aoralia heard my thought. Even in separate bodies right now, we are still connected.

“Not angry at you, Em. Angry at Dimitri. He is heartbroken and furious that we can no longer carry his pups. He would have loved our little pup as if it were his own. I can promise you that.”

My eyes welled up with tears. Words I hadn’t even known I needed to hear. He didn’t hate me for it, he wasn’t disgusted.

“We have a lot to do Ember. You need to be prepared for Dimitri. To avoid a futile war, Selene has imbued us with powers so that we may match Dimitri in every way. She has brought forth your ancestry of witch blood in your veins. I will teach you how to harness and control these powers.”

I couldn’t form any words. This all seems so much. I’m now responsible for beating back the war on our doorstep. I’m beyond elated that I have Aoralia back but I’m also nervous and scared for what comes next.

“It’s time to wake up Ember. Quickly. Our mate is about to go on a rampage, and I would very much like to meet him.”

Her solid wolf form seemed to melt away from her and she stood before me, an incorporeal spirit before I watched her essence drift into my body. My soul aflame as my eyes drifted shut.