C3 Chapter 3 Accepting my destiny

Part 1 The werewolf’s fight

" How do I shift?" I asked hoping to build some courage "and why am I kept naked?" I continued.

Mei chuckled and kept looking at my whole naked body.

"The first question is important. You just have to shed your skin by accepting your wolf allowing him to take control first. The rest is up to the wolf. This is difficult only just for the first time. The following shift would be easier and less painful as the skin and bones adjust to the change. The second question has two answers. First, if you shed your skin and change into wolf form, you end up tearing the only set of clothes you have and..... secondly, I like watching you naked anyway. Those tattoos make you look good," she winked and shrugged her shoulders in a seductive way.

She was trying to fix the situation she brought me into. Oh, what is she doing to me? She was putting me under her spell each time I looked at her. It felt like I needed her. A stranger that I only knew for a day or two.

"I do have one more question," I said watching her raise her eyebrows.

"Tell me why I feel like I need you so much when I have only known you for a few hours? I feel like I trust you and I feel so confident around you."

She smiled and looked straight into my eyes.

"You are my mate which means that our wolf chose each other as partners."

I stared right into her deep blue eyes frowning, trying to understand.

"Mates?"

I kept staring at her as she kept smiling at me.

"Mates," she repeated with a nod.

"Are you ready for the first shift Alpha?" She asked enthusiastically. I realised how much my skin was pulling and I felt ready now but I didn't know how to do it.

Suddenly I felt a jolt of pain in my hands and nails, and as I screamed with the pain I looked down at them and saw my skin peeling off like an onion. My nails turned grey and started to get longer. My fingers got wider and fur was coming out from them.

I gasped with shock and screamed again not sure if it was out of fear or out of pain. Mei walked further back and watched from afar trying to encourage me. I could feel my eyes burning and fell to the ground feeling pain in my back like it was growing in size.

I noticed there was a puddle of water just below me and its reflection revealed the red colour around my pupils. I started to breathe heavily as the pain was unbearable. I could now hear the wolf inside me groan and growl as it was releasing itself. Both my wolf and I screamed and growled at the same time and I automatically scratched off the skin on my body revealing my wolf's full white skin. Mei stared at my wolf with her eyes and mouth wide open.

"You are a pure breed Alpha. Impossible.. how can this be?"

I looked at myself in the puddle again with my grey eyes and saw a white wolf looking back at me. My wolf howled and wagged its tail and I could feel its excitement inside my chest. I noticed that my eyes changed from grey to red as I looked at Mei.

She started to take off her clothes and put them aside before she started releasing her wolf too. I noticed that her blue eyes were turning yellow, then as soon as she was turned completely, her eyes changed back into her usual colour, blue. She was beautiful beyond compare. Her fur was whitish-grey and it looked so silky, it made me want to touch it.

My wolf walked closer to her wolf, observing it's fur and scenting it. Mei stretched her neck to lick my face and my wolf returned one to her in acceptance.

I noticed that I was released from the chains as during the transformation my body broke them into pieces. Mei started to howl raising her head high. My wolf joined in and then they both sprinted outside and into the deep forest.

We chased each other feeling the wind blow against our furs and then as we reached the small pond Mei's wolf decided to halt. I stopped right next to her noticing that she was looking at different spots like she heard a sound. I twitched my nose as I smelled a really strong scent of something wet.

Mei's wolf lowered herself as close as possible to the ground. I sensed that someone was going to attack soon and my wolf felt it too. It started growling as my eyes twitched from left to right trying to find the intruder.

Mei's POV

It was the first night to run the forest in a very long time. The danger that you can face in the forest keeps me from going alone. But now I am running alongside my mate and that gave me the courage to face anything that comes my way.

Nala my wolf was overjoyed that she has a partner to spend her life with, but fun was cut short as she could smell and sense another werewolf. The smell was strong enough for her to know that whatever was here, was close and ready to attack. She sensed the tension of the other werewolf in the air. Nala looked at Luka's wolf and watched as his eyes turned red and growled with dominance.

The moon was bright in the sky almost full which meant that soon the werewolves would become stronger than usual and therefore would make more effort to go hunting. We were right in the middle of their hunt and they didn't like it so sure enough we were going to get attacked.

We could suddenly hear a low growl and a pair of eyes came towards us walking slowly and its front feet lowered down. Luka's wolf growled loudly to show the werewolf that he was an alpha and he should back up but the werewolf kept moving forward. He had wet brown fur and dark black eyes which indicated that he was a wild werewolf with no weak emotions. It must have been in wolf form for a very long time and his human side was gone.

My wolf started to walk close to her mate and moved slowly not to draw attention. She needed to let Luka know that he meant trouble and mind linked him.

"We need backup. You still need to learn how to fight," I told him.

Luka's wolf was surprised to hear my voice in his head and slightly twitched his eyes at me for a second.

Then without a warning, the other werewolf jumped on us and tried to bite Luka but Luka's wolf escaped on time and once the werewolf was on the ground, Luka's wolf jumped on the beast and bit his neck with such strength that he killed it immediately. As soon as Luka's wolf turned his head, he exposed the other wolf's blood all over his mouth. His eyes were as red as fire and I could smell the pride and dominance coming from his wolf. I could feel how he felt. That freedom that he longed for, for a very long time. I stared at him in awe.

Luka was a strong Alpha but I had no idea how he could already have this type of strength when he has just turned for the very first time. There must be something behind it all. A new werewolf couldn't have all these successions without training, without learning and also impossible to be an alpha without being born from a family of alphas. I didn't know anything about him yet and though I had a lot of questions, I was sure he didn't have a clue about his past life as a wolf.

It took me days of pain and agony until I managed to adapt to my wolf, but it seemed like he was ok so far. I now wondered what else he can do.

Luka's POV

I was staring straight at Mei's wolf not believing what I just did when suddenly I felt my brain sting and I heard my wolf cry with pain. My body started to shift back into human form and as I was fully human again all I remember before passing out was my hands holding my head, then I fell on the cold soil under the moonlight.

I had a vision of myself as a baby wolf. My father picked me up and put me in the cot asking me to shift as his eyes turned red.

"You don't want me to ask again," he insisted with a soft voice, yet he raised his eyebrows to show me he means business. That is when I shifted back into a human baby.

"There, there now. One day when I am old and weak you will be taking my place. But for now, you are my responsibility and I will take good care of you, I promise you, my son."

I could feel Mei has shifted back into human form and held my head on her arms.

"Luka, Luka wakes up, Luka please, Come on," She screamed out in my face.

I started to get my vision back but slowly.

"What happened?" I asked weakly still hearing a squeaking sound in my ears.

"You fainted," she said. "Are you ok?" I groaned as I sat down slowly holding my head.

"I felt great pain in my head and lost my vision," I told her.

She showed signs of concern on her face and I could sense that she wanted us to go back inside.

As soon as I felt better we stood up and I took her hand. We both walked back slowly as I was still a little dizzy holding one hand on Mei's shoulder into her house naked under the moonlight.

Part 2 The day after the first shift

I felt like I had woken up from a whole night of boxing against Floyd Mayweather. My body felt all bruised. I could barely touch my chest and not feel pain. I sat down on the bedside of Mei's bed rubbing my still closed eyes. Trying to wake up I opened my eyes wide to stretch them for a few seconds and then relaxed my face again.

Last night before we went to bed Mei grabbed one of Jake's pyjamas for me.

"You can sleep in my bed tonight. I need to know that you are doing fine," she said whilst watching me change.

I smiled at her as I put on the v neck shirt slowly over my head.

"I'm fine," I lied to her, but I was the kind of person that wanted to feel in control all the time.

I laid on the bed under the covers and Mei followed me in. I looked out of the skylight gazing at the bright stars in the sky as I always loved to watch them quietly whilst they gleam softly and listen to my father's voice in my head. He always had a way with wording. I could never forget those father and son moments we used to have.

My eyes closed and I could feel Mei shift her head over mine.

"What are you thinking?" She asked, realizing she could sense my feelings.

I opened my eyes slowly, still maintaining my face straight at the ceiling for a while longer, then I turned my eyes towards her.

"Well, since you are asking, I am dwelling on the past," I started. "Look at the sky above. Do you see that star over there?"

I turned to look out of the skylight as I pointed at the stars.

"It reminds me of my old man. He was wise and strong and he always had a good sense of speech. I miss his wisdom and his way of making me feel like I was his special son. I mean, I was his only one after my sister passed away, so, I guess I was special to him. I feel like those stars are my father and extended family looking down over me," I explained with a soft tone.

I breathed in and out feeling a sense of peacefulness now that I have illustrated my thoughts and feelings to her.

"So, how old was she when she...?" Mei looked into my eyes, but stopped her question half way.

I sighed, feeling like I had an answer, but it was not the right one. Like something was blocking the truth from me. So all I did was shrug my shoulders.

"I," I said, holding my reply for a moment. "I don't remember," I frowned, knowing it was a very stupid and inappropriate answer.

Mei must have thought I was crazy not to remember such an event.

Instead she leaned in to kiss my lips gently then laid on my chest gazing up at the sky until we both fell asleep.

I turned my back to look at Mei that was still fully slumbered with the sheet still wrapped around her like she was a present. Her hair was resting on the pillow gracefully and I felt the need to touch it as it looked silky. I leaned over so I would be able to look at her sleeping peacefully for a while. She was so gorgeous! Her smile made my heart thump strongly against my rib cage.

How could my life change so abruptly in just a few hours I thought! I stood up and changed into the trousers and shirt I had the first day I came here. I walked into the kitchen to find a pen and a paper and left her a note on the table. Grabbing an apple, I swing open the door and left with the photo my boss gave me to start my investigation.

Mei's POV

I woke up as soon as I heard the front door open and close. Luka was not here anymore. Where did he go? My eyes gazed where he was sleeping last night and I could still smell his scent of the freshness of the forest.

I closed my eyes as I sniffed his pillow deeply. I stood up and went to the kitchen wearing a blue crop top and shorts and noticed a note on the table.

"Be back later. Went to work on the photo".

My heart started to race as I knew that if he finds out, he might get into deep trouble even though he was the strongest Alpha I have ever met. I was deeply falling in love with him and I didn't want to lose him.

I looked at the fruit bowl and grabbed the last apple that was left and rushed for the car keys in the hopes of finding Luka before he ends up in deep shit.

I drove my Lamborghini Aventador S roadster as fast as I possibly could, racing down the road. Surely he was not too far away and I knew the address of the place since it was written at the back of the photo. Just before I was turning to my right I notice a black old school car driving slowly and Luka's breathtaking scent hit my nostrils.

"There you are," I spoke to myself then hit the gas to reach him.

"Luka, hey," I screamed out from the window trying to get his attention.

With his windows closed, he didn't pay any attention so I pressed the horn three times. He looked at my direction and opened his eyes wide.

As he rolled down the window he leaned a bit forward "what are you doing Mei?"

I motioned for him to stop on the next side road and parked my car.

"What are you doing?" He asked as he closed the car door.

"Luka, don't go there. There is nothing important for you there," I tried to convince him.

Luka crossed his hands close to his chest and glared at me.

"What are you not telling me? I have a job to do you know?" he said frowning.

"Look go tell your boss to go himself there. Now let's go back," I insisted.

"No. This is my job. You are either going to tell me what is there so scary that you wouldn't dare tell, or I would find out by myself," he blurted out, now raising his voice.

I laughed trying to ease out the tension "You know mate? This is our first argument. Don't yell at me. I am only trying to save your sorry a**."

I grabbed my left arm and leaned my body on my car. He stared at me for a while not knowing what to say, then he huffed and placed the photo back on the passenger's seat.

"Look, Mei, it has been already three days since I was asked to check that place out and make a story out of it. My boss is waiting surely impatiently for my return. I have a job to do."

He walked towards me and placed both hands on my shoulders as he raised his eyebrows innocently trying to convince me. I looked down on the ground and moved my foot from left to right forming a circle on the soil that was beneath our feet.

"Look Luka," I sighed. "There are things that you do not need to know yet. I don't wish to tell you. Please don't force me to tell you," I pleaded.

He released his arms off me and swung them as he paced from left to right, then lifted his strong arms on his head trying to think it through.

"What will I say to my boss?" he said with a concerned face. "Hey boss, I have no story to tell. I have found nothing. My boss is going to get angry and without a doubt, he will give me a warning for not being able to do my job or worse, get fired and end up jobless."

My eyes rolled and pushed myself away from my car.

"Look, we will find a good reason together. Ok? Just....please, I beg you," I waited for his reply for a moment, fidgeting with my fingers.

"Fine, Mei, fine. I'll leave it for now. But you do have to explain yourself one day," he insisted as he leaned in for a hug. "Maybe an interview would do nicely, you seem to have a pretty good idea," he suggested releasing himself from me.

I shook my head holding a straight face "you mustn't know until I am sure you can defend yourself."

We remained silent for a while and the only thing I heard was Luka's heavy breathing and some birds chirping up a tree.

"Well, since there is nothing here for me, might a swell we test our driving skills," he said jokingly.

He brought a smile on my face feeling adventurous.

"You know that I would win right?" I said whilst rushing to my car.

I waited for him to do get in his lotus as we started our engines and revved.

"Three, two, one," he shouted.

Him being cheeky he took off a second before me but me being a dominant, I was determined to win. I pressed the gas pedal, as I leaned myself closer to the steering wheel and managed to race back home as a winner.