‘He needs to stop shifting. What if one of these shifts kills him?’ Mother cries as I come down the stairs.
‘Mum, please, I had no control over the shift. My wolf wouldn’t even listen to me, even after we shifted.’
‘You realise if you have no control over your wolf and you are shifting against your own will and your wolf’s only plan is to kill people, the council will demand you be locked up in the dungeon. Not only that, you may lose your rank as Alpha, and they would then give it to Flint.’ My father says in a severe tone. ‘They have already summoned me to see them today, probably because you almost attacked school students yesterday.’ He says, slamming his fist on the table. He falls back into his chair and rests his forehead in his hand in frustration.
‘But I didn’t attack anyone. No one got hurt.’
‘You were going to attack someone, though. Students stated you were trying to break down a door to get into a classroom. You terrified everyone at the school. If it weren’t for Nina, you would have hurt or, even worse, killed someone and would already be in the dungeon as we speak. And how Nina could calm your wolf without being your fated mate is an absolute mystery. People are spreading rumours that she must be delving into witchery or magic to tame and ride your wolf. I told them Nina is into no such thing and not spread misinformation about her, but I fear the rumours will spread, anyway.’
‘What do we do?’ I ask.
‘I think you and Nina can stay at home and school here for the next couple of weeks until the rumours stop spreading.’
Seth set up two desks for Nina and me in the packhouse. Dad thought Seth would be best at being our teacher. Unfortunately, he was the most boring teacher and would drag on for hours, talking about the same topics. I scrunched up a roll of paper and threw it at the back of his head. Nina and I laughed but stopped when he turned around, unimpressed.
‘Which one of you threw that?’ Nina and I both shrugged and tried to hold in our laughter.
Later on, we made paper airplanes and threw them in the air. They flew and crashed into the whiteboard.
‘Are you two going to listen to the lesson and learn something or not? This is the last semester of the year until you both graduate.’ He huffed.
Almost two weeks after Seth’s gruelling home-schooling goes by. It’s now the weekend of Zak’s wolf ceremony.
‘I think it will be okay for you to return to school on Monday,’ Dad says.
‘Thank goodness, Dad. I don’t think I could handle any more lessons from Seth.’ I laugh.
‘Me either.’ Nina says. ‘I’ll see you at the ceremony tonight.’
‘Wait, where are you going?’ I ask.
‘I um… I’m going to see Moss.’
‘What! But why?’
‘We haven’t spoken to each other ever since your ceremony. I was going to talk to Moss at school that day about some things, but you ended up shifting, and we haven’t been back at school since. Moss wants to speak to me, and I want to talk to him before seeing him at the ceremony tonight.’
‘Do you want me to come with you?’
Nina bursts into laughter.
‘Because that would go down so well, wouldn’t it?’
‘Fine, I’ll see you at the ceremony tonight.’
She hugs me goodbye. I decide to hang out with Josie, Flint, and Zak.
‘I can’t believe it’s my first shift tonight!’
‘You must be thrilled. I still have to wait another year.’ Flint mumbles.
‘At least you don’t have to wait two years like me.’ Josie pouts.
‘That’s true.’ Flint replies.
‘Zak, are you okay if I invite my friend Pipsqueak to attend the ceremony?’
‘Sure, although I don’t know who that is.’
‘Cool, thanks.’ I say.
It’s time for the ceremony. Pipsqueak is running late, and I haven’t seen Nina yet.
The banquet is ready, and we all take our seats.
‘Mum, Dad, have you seen Nina?’
‘Not since around lunchtime.’ Dad says.
‘No, I’ve been busy helping prepare the ceremony all day.’ Mum says.
Leon and Amelia join us at the table.
‘Is Nina on her way?’ I ask them.
They give each other a morbid look.
‘No, we thought she was here with you already?’ Amelia says.
‘She was with me at lunch and said she would meet up with Moss to talk things out, and then she would be here for the ceremony.’
‘Maybe they are busy making out?’ May jokes as she sits next to her mum. Everyone gives her the ‘really?’ look. ‘What, I’m serious. They were pretty friendly when I saw them at the park earlier today?’
‘What do you mean?’ I ask.
‘They were sitting at the park bench talking, and Moss had his arm over the back of the seat where Nina sat.’ I didn’t stop to chat, though. I figured Nina would accuse me of spying on her, and she still hasn’t been talking to me, anyway.’ Nina frowns.
‘We will give her a little more time then until we send out warriors to search for her then.’ Leon says.
We have finished eating and are becoming worried. Zak takes his spot under the moon’s light and begins his shift.
His shift is much quicker and smoother than mine was. He is in his wolf form within a few minutes and lets out a howl. Seth and Mia shift and race through the woods. Pippa finally arrives, panting and struggling for breath. I quickly catch her before she falls.
‘Nina, gone, taken, tried to help her, got here soon as could.’
‘What?’ Leon and I say in unison.
‘Did you say Nina’s been kidnapped?’ Leon asks.
She pushes her glasses up towards her eyes, nodding.
‘Yes, Moss took her.’
The colour from Leon’s face drains.
Zak returns from the run, sniffing the air and wagging his tail. He shifts instantly into human form and runs up to Pipsqueak, panting for air, lifting her, and holding her tight against his chest.
‘Mate!’ he says, squeezing her so tight she whimpers, and her glasses fall.
‘Zak, I need to speak with Pipsqueak urgently.’ I tell him.
‘Mine!’ he snarls, holding her tight.
‘Pipsqueak? Josie says. ‘That’s Pippa, you idiot.’
‘Whatever, we don’t have times for name games. Moss has kidnapped Nina, and we need to know which way they have gone.’
‘S-south.’ Pipsqueak manages to say.
Zak kisses her face and neck a hundred times, causing her to blush as red as a beetroot.
‘T-that T-tickles.’ She laughs at him.
Leon and I both run from the ceremony hall, then stop to brief each other.
‘You can’t shift into your wolf, Magnus. I suggest we go south by car. Otherwise, you won’t be able to keep up.’
He is right. I nod, and we run towards the packhouse.
Seth, mind links the pack warriors to head south and begin tracking Nina.
While I jump into the passenger seat of his car, he speeds off into the distance. We can see the warriors in the distance in their wolf forms spread out.
‘If he lays one finger on my sister, I’ll kill him.’ May growls in the back seat.
Leon slams on the brakes.
‘May, what are you doing here? Go back to the packhouse.’
‘No, I’ve never been there for Nina when she has needed me. I’ve been a terrible sister to her, to the point she doesn’t even talk to me anymore. But she needs me now more than ever, and I’m going to help save her whether I come with you or go on my own.’ She growls at her dad, Leon.
‘You better buckle up then.’ Leon says and speeds ahead.
