Page 67 of Chained By the Alpha (Claimed Duet #1)

I feel like shit, it still doesn’t change the fact he killed Deacon.

Still won’t change the situation I’m in, even if I wished his words could.

As I head back with my dress, I replay Zayn’s words in my mind.

The conflicting emotions swirl inside me, leaving me feeling torn and confused.

The entire drive home, all I can think about, is the angry look on his face and my impending shift.

Once home, I am relieved to find Lydia and Linda still not home, and I sneak off up to my room.

My mind is still reeling from Zayn’s confession and his anger toward me.

It’s like a war inside me, with one side trying to justify his actions while the other side screams he killed Deacon.

I sit on my bed, staring at nothing in particular, as tears continue to run down my cheeks when I groan, knowing I need to hang my dress.

I place it on the hanger, lost in my thoughts, surprised by a knock on my door.

Startled, I turn around to see my father standing there with a small smile on his face.

“Hey, sweetie,” he says as he comes inside and leans against the doorframe. “Are you excited about getting your wolf tonight?”

I nod, trying to muster up some enthusiasm. The truth is, I am excited about finally shifting and discovering my wolf form. At the same time, I’m anxious and scared about the whole process.

My father notices my lack of excitement and sits next to me on the bed.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“I don’t know. I’m just nervous about shifting by myself,” I mumble, avoiding eye contact.

My mother always said when I was little she would be there for me when I shifted for the first time. That I wouldn’t have to suffer in silence like she did. Now that she’s gone, all I’ve been doing is suffering in silence. And tonight will be no different.

“It’s normal to be nervous,” my dad reassures me. “Just remember, you are not alone. Your wolf is a part of you and will guide you through this.”

As the time for my shift draws closer, my anxiety rises.

My father offers to stay with me instead of attending the meeting with Samuel, but I refuse.

I don’t want him to see me naked and vulnerable during such a moment.

Plus, I know his presence would be a constant reminder of the marriage treaty hanging over me.

“No, I’ll be fine,” I assure him, trying to put on a brave face. “I’m going down by the river, where Mom originally told me she would take me.”

My father nods understandingly, there’s a sadness in his eyes that mirrors my own. We both miss my mother dearly and wish she could be here for this important moment in my life.

“I’ll see you when you get back,” he says before giving me a hug.

I nod before heading out toward the river. Walking, my mind is filled with conflicting emotions - excitement about finally shifting and fear of what might happen.

When I reach the quiet and secluded spot by the riverbank.

The cool air brushes against my bare skin.

I close my eyes and take deep breaths, trying to calm myself; I sit on a rock, wondering how long it will take.

I’ve heard horror stories of people being stuck in the shift for hours, and others of it being really quick.

As the moon rises, I find myself growing more anxious.

I check my phone. What if I don’t have a wolf?

That thought scares me more than the idea of shifting.

Glancing at my phone, I see the time is nearly 8 PM.

I am about to turn my phone off when I get a text from Zayn.

Zayn: How is the birthday girl?

I chew my lip, debating if I should reply. When I don’t, my phone rings in my hand, and I sigh before answering it.

“If you are calling to scold me, don’t,” I tell Zayn.

“That’s not why I am calling; I saw you read my message and didn’t reply. I take it you haven’t shifted yet?”

I hesitate for a moment before answering Zayn’s question truthfully. I know he would be able to tell if I lied, anyway.

“No, I haven’t shifted yet,” I admit, my voice trembling slightly.

Zayn lets out a sigh on the other end of the line.

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as the weight of everything—my mother’s absence, the pressure of shifting, and the looming marriage treaty—becomes too much.

“I just want my mom,” I whisper, feeling foolish. Zayn is quiet for a second.

“Your father isn’t there?”

I sniffle. “No, he has a meeting with Samuel. Besides, I don’t want him to see me naked.” I admit, wiping my face on the sleeve of my shirt.

“Where are you?”

“By the pack border on the river.” I rest my head against the boulder I’m leaning on.

“I’ll be there soon,” he tells me. And I sit up.

“You can’t come here, Zayn; you can’t cross the borders. My father will lose it,” I tell him.

“Like he can stop me. You shouldn’t be shifting alone. I’ll see you soon,” he tells me before hanging up. I stare at my phone screen.

“Shit,” I mutter under my breath.

Ugh, men. He never listens to me. I sigh, though I am glad he is coming.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity I feel a presence behind me and open my eyes to see Zayn in human form, panting slightly as he catches his breath. He quickly scans the area before giving me a reassuring smile.

“Hey,” he says softly, crouching down in front of me and taking my trembling hand in his larger one. “You’re not alone.”

“How did you get here so quickly?” I ask as he nears cautiously, like he is waiting for me to tell him to leave.

Zayn’s silver eyes pierce through the darkness, his messy hair falling effortlessly over his forehead.

He stands tall and muscular, his presence commanding yet comforting.

As he watches me, I can see the concern etched on his face, like he’s observing a caged animal, careful not to startle it but ready to protect it at any moment.

He doesn’t make any sudden movements, though I know from Lydia’s shifting she was rabid in the hours before.

We are dangerous before a shift; all instincts and emotions emerge, then the pain.

Everyone reacts differently. However, I don’t feel any different.

“You were never alone, Cleo.” He points to the mountain through the trees.

“I was watching.” I let out a breath, and he steps closer, opening his arms. “Get over here; I am warmer than that rock,” he tells me, and before I realize I am even moving, I crash against him.

He wraps his arms around me and pulls me closer.

I sink into him, my breathing slowing as I feel his warmth.

He whispers in my ear, “You’ll never have to be alone with me. ”

He gently wipes the tears off my cheeks with his thumbs before cupping my face in his hands. I close my eyes, seeking comfort in his warmth and scent. He kisses my forehead. “Everything will be alright,” he tells me. I take a deep breath and nod, trusting in his words.

“It’s alright to be scared,” he whispers soothingly. “Everyone’s first shift is terrifying.”

“I know it’s just… I don’t want to be a disappointment,” I admit, staring down at our joined hands.

He smiles, understanding and reassuring me. “You’ll be fine,” he says. “You could never be a disappointment to me.”

Another wave of heat washes over me as our gazes lock, and I feel a tingling sensation between my thighs as our eyes meet. He seems to notice my discomfort and clears his throat, standing and helping me to my feet.

“Let’s keep moving. I’m sure your wolf is just as anxious as you are to come out,” he says, leading me into the clearing where the full moonlight shines brightly.

The cool breeze brushes against my bare skin, and I shiver slightly, goosebumps forming on my arms. The combination of the moonlight and the river’s calming sounds helps me relax enough that when the shift finally hits me, it catches me off guard.

A sudden pain lances through my abdomen as if someone has plunged a dagger into me, doubling me over.

My bones crack and shift beneath my skin as fur sprouts all over my body.

I let out a pained moan as my body contorts and grows, my limbs becoming longer and my snout more pointed.

My vision blurs as my body transforms, and I can feel my senses becoming sharper.

Zayn tugs at my clothes, trying to help remove them as my body twists and morphs.

“Breathe, you’re fine. It will end,” he assures me as I scream. “I’m right here, Cleo. Right here.”

The excruciating pain washes over me, its intensity sharp enough to make the world blur. My vision tunnels as I clutch at my abdomen, the bones reshaping beneath my skin with a chorus of unsettling cracks. Zayn, steady and strong, holds me, his arms a comforting prison as I transform.

As the shift completes, the pain subsides into a dull ache, replaced by a surge of primal energy that courses through my new form.

I’m on all fours, the world around me exploding into vibrant colors and smells that tug at the corners of my consciousness.

My wolf, whom I instinctively know is named Luna, emerges to the forefront, her presence overwhelming yet exhilarating as my vision warps like it’s refocusing my eyes, gazing through lenses in a sense as my vision merges with hers.

Luna is giddy, her new senses tingling, and when she catches Zayn’s scent, his fingers rake through her fur, and to me it’s like running fingers through moving water.

Feeling touch in my wolf form is far different from feeling touch in human form.

The moment his fingers do touch us, it’s like a spark igniting.

Heat runs across our skin, tingling, like an alarm being set off in our body that has her jumping and growling.