Devi: Matefinder Book 2 (17 page)

                Raj lifted Alexa’s unconscious body and carried her into the house. I shifted and put on my clothes.

                Max came running with the pack doctor.

                He saw all of the blood on the porch and raised his eyebrows.

                “She tried to kill herself, I
changed
her.” I told them.

                Max looked shocked. “Will she survive?”

                I shrugged. I could feel her life force energy, beating alongside me.

                “I think so. I don’t know. I’ve never done this before.”

                Kai ran at us from the thick bushes. He was human and wearing a pair of sweatpants and no shirt. He slowed his pace when he saw Max.

                “Did you find Tara?” Max asked him.

                Kai looked at me with confusion. No doubt he was wondering why Max was back and concerned about Tara.

                “No, but Shamus says she is close by. He can feel it.”

                Max shifted and ran off into the woods.

                Kai looked at me.

                “I found him at Melissa’s grave. He is at peace with things now.” Or at least I think he is.

                Kai sighed. “I’m sorry I got upset with you.”

                I nodded. “It’s okay. I’m sorry I pushed the truth on Max.”

                He pulled me in for a hug but saw that I was covered in sticky blood so he kissed my forehead instead. “How in the hell did you change Alexa?” he asked.

                I shrugged. “Your dad helped me.”

                He looked at the blood surrounding the porch. “She’s smart. She knew what had to be done for us to agree to change her. Let’s hope she survives.”

                “Her neck has already begun healing,” I added.

                He nodded. “That is just the lycanthrope virus’ beginning effects. Her body will now attempt to destroy the virus, destroying itself in the process. She will have to fight to live, just like you did.”

                I sighed. “Not exactly how I envisioned the day before my wedding going.” I gestured to the blood.

                Kai rolled his head side to side, stretching his neck. He looked stressed and exhausted.

                “You bound her energy to you, like an Alpha would,” he commented. “I can feel it.”

                I didn’t know what to say. “Is that bad?”

                Kai smirked. “No, it’s not bad. It’s interesting. We are quite the pair.” He pulled me close to him.

                “Now, go and shower and let’s get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.” He told me and I laughed.

                ‘If your parents weren’t here, I would invite you in with me. You know, to save water.’
I winked.

                His eyes roamed over my body.
‘Mine.’

                I rolled my eyes and walked inside to shower. Tomorrow, I became Kai’s wife.

                I awoke to a note on my pillow.

                Good morning, my bride-to-be,

                Emma has pulled me from my own bed and told me I can’t see you the entire day. Not until the wedding. She’s pregnant, so I don’t want to piss her off. Call me if you need me. I will be at Devon’s. Alexa survived and is doing well. She is resting at Anna’s, but I was wondering if you wanted to help her with her first shift? You changed her and her wolf will feel more comfortable with you there, not me. We can establish her place in the pack and go for a pack run tomorrow.

Love,

Me

                Alexa! I had almost forgotten. I searched the pack bonds and smiled when I felt her energy there. She was good, she was pack. She survived.

                A knock came at the door.

                “Are you up?” It was Emma.

                “Yep.”

                She came in and pulled a strange face. “Did you fall asleep with wet hair? It looks awful.”

                My hands flew to my hair which was matted on one side. “Oh, yeah.”

                Emma raised one eyebrow.

                I laughed. “Shut up. Let me shower, then I need to see Alexa and then you can make me over or whatever.”

                Emma nodded. “We will all be waiting when you get back.”

                After I showered, I headed over to Anna’s. She and Jake had settled in well on the mountain. It was crazy to see Anna and remember how she was when I met her. The cancer had eaten away at her body. She was hairless and frail and barely with life. Over time, she had become lean and strong and had a nickname within the pack. Hulk. Anna’s gift had manifested after her
change
. She was super strong, like lift a car with one hand strong. It didn’t matter if she was in human or wolf form. She was badass.

                I knocked at the door. It slowly opened. Alexa stood there, a faint red mark shown on her neck where she had cut herself. Her head was down, eyes on my feet. She looked vulnerable.

                “Alexa.” I remembered that feeling. Not knowing what to do, where you stood, how you were going to live this life.

                She made eye contact with me for a moment and I saw guilt there. Then she quickly looked at my nose. She knew the rules.

                “I’m sorry, Aurora, I didn’t know any other way. I shouldn’t have put you through that. The day before your wedding. I’m so sorry.” Her lip shook. We were bonded. More so than anyone else in the pack. Save for Kai. I could feel her emotions, hear her thoughts. She had no other option, desperate to survive, she had chosen hastily. RAIDOS was bigger and more powerful than I had originally thought. Sifting through her thoughts, I saw that they had private and government investors, they had done science experiments that had been going on for decades.

                I embraced her. “Alexa, you’re pack now. Family. Kai and I wanted that the second we met you at the waterfall. I’m sorry it had to happen in a bloody and freaky way, but I’m glad to have you. What you did was smart. I would have done the same.”

                The instinct to become strong and survive drove humans to great lengths. We could all relate to that.

                She smiled. “Thank you.”

                I nodded. “Now, first things first. Where were you born?” I did not want another showdown with some Alpha fighting for Alexa on my wedding day.

                “Japan. Military brat. Why?”

                I sighed in relief. “Long story.”

                ‘I wonder if I have a mate. I wonder if she knows who it is.’

               
Whoa. I was hearing her thoughts, just like Kai heard mine in the beginning.

                She cleared her throat.

                “Sorry. I’m going to teach you to keep me out of your every thought. It’s the one thing I wished Kai would have taught me right away.” Everyone deserved privacy.

                I walked her through the guided imagery, she buried our strong connection, just beneath the surface. I could still feel her a little more strongly than the rest of the pack, but not her every thought. I guess because I was the one who changed her, we were closer than the others. Interesting.

                “And for the record, I don’t know who your mate is, but if I do you will be the first to know.” I smiled.

                She laughed and her cheeks reddened. “Thanks.”

                Anna peeked her head around the corner. “Are you going to help her shift? Can I come?”

                The color suddenly fell from Alexa’s face and I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

                “Yes, Anna, you may come. You might need to catch Alexa if she faints.”

                We laughed.

                We all stood in Anna’s backyard, stark naked.

                Alexa had her arms covering her breasts, legs crossed.

                “All right,” I began, “first things first. We are always naked and it’s not a big deal. I have seen everyone in this pack naked and they have seen me. So you will just need to get over it. We either look at the ground while shifting or at their face. Got it?”

                Alexa laughed and dropped her arms, looking at my face.

                “Got it.”

                Next, I described how to shift. It came easier to me than others because of the gift I shared with Kai.

                “So, when you are ready, just take in a deep breath and let your wolf out.”

                I had also explained that because she was a changed wolf, when she shifted, her power would manifest as well. Either right away or sometime soon.

                Alexa swallowed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her fingers shifted first. I could hear the bones cracking. Red hot pain shot through our pack bond.

                “Ow,” she said.

                I winced. “Yeah, first time is the worst.”

                Then her arms, torso, and legs shifted. She dropped on all fours, panting, until lastly her face turned into a beautiful wolf. She was grey with a unique pattern of white spots. Her belly lurched and I knew what was coming. Akash had warned me that most wolves threw up after their first shift.

                After throwing up, she looked up at me. I shifted instantly and met her eyes.

                ‘We can all talk while in wolf form,’
I told her.

                She gave me a wolfish grin.
‘Cool.’

                ‘You feel okay?’
I asked.

                She nodded.

                Anna shifted beside us and nudged my shoulder.
‘Tag, you’re it!’
She took off running. I decided to be nice and took off after her at half of my fastest speed. I turned back and saw that Alexa was hot on my trail. I let out a yip and Alexa returned it with a big wolf howl. Anna howled back.

                I led the girls to a small path that went to our house. I had promised Emma that I wouldn’t look at the back yard she was decorating, so we went around the front. A bunch of electrical DJ equipment had been unloaded and lay on the front porch. Kai assured me everyone involved with wedding set up was a wolf or apart of the supernatural community, so I wasn’t worried about being spotted by humans. As we neared the equipment and made our way to the front door, Alexa’s paws started glowing blue.

                ‘What the?’
She looked at me scared. The DJ equipment suddenly boomed to life! It was deafening. I whined. Alexa’s paws stopped glowing and the noise stopped.

                Anna looked at the speakers and approached me.
‘It’s not plugged in.’

                I nodded. I could see that.

                Alexa was shaking and whining.

                ‘It’s okay,’
I told her.
‘It’s your gift, just calm down.’

                ‘Try to control it.’
Anna indicated the speakers and turntables.

Alexa closed her eyes and steadied her breathing. Her paws glowed and the music

blared out again.

               
‘Softer,’
I told her, wincing.

                She breathed deeply and the music quieted to a manageable sound.

                ‘That’s awesome,’
Anna commented.

                I gave a wolfish grin.
‘Well, I’m not gonna lie, that’s a pretty damn cool power. I’m jealous.’

                Alexa looked shocked.
‘This will take some getting used to.’

                Emma poked her head out the front door. “What’s all this noise? Aurora, we’re waiting for you! Come on, girls, quit messing around. It’s wedding day!” She shrieked. Then she looked at Alexa. “Oh, Alexa, welcome to the pack. Your wolf is beautiful. Now come on!” I wasn’t sure how I felt about pregnant Emma. She was kind of all over the place and intense.

                Emma left the door open and I looked at Anna and Alexa indicating they should follow.

                All of the pack females from India, Seattle, and our pack, were in the house. There was a henna artist and she was doing designs on the women’s hands. I had told Kai’s mother I wanted to be married in a red sari. I was excited to be honoring his culture. I was getting a traditional henna party!

                I weaved in and out of the crowd to my room and quickly changed. After I came out I spotted Tara. She waved. I waved back. She seemed okay, she was chatting with another one of the Indian pack girls. I was glad to see she had been found. I also spotted Sadie, Kai’s ex-girlfriend, who was now in the Seattle pack. Awkward.

                “Welcome to your Mehndi party.” Maya gestured opening her arms. She was dressed in full Indian garb. She stuck a bindi on my forehead and gave me a hug.