chapter one:

My name is Nina Flare Haron, I am seventeen years old, and I will be eighteen tomorrow, I have black hair, with vivid blue eyes; my friends tell me I am unattainably gorgeous, if that makes any sense. My mother’s name is Marry; she has long brown hair, and these big chocolate brown eyes that could melt your heart if they weren’t so full of crazed anger all the time. My mother is mentally unstable, she knows it, and she has been trying to get help for over three years now to be a better parent for me. I know I am adopted, and I hope to meet my parents someday. But I love my mother, despite her abusive tendencies. She has hit me a bunch of times in a crazed rage, but she loses her mind sometimes, mentally unstable. I walked home from school, reading my textbook for tomorrow. As I came up to my house, I started to put my book back in my backpack. I walked in and went into the kitchen “mom! I’m home!” I called, fearing she may be angry since I got home a little late.
“Sweetie! I’m in the living room! Could you come in here please?” she asked, and I sighed in relief because she didn’t sound angry. I walked in to find her sitting with a few guests.
“Sweetheart, this is Drake and Jenna Meline, and Maria, and William Lamer” she introduced with a smile.
“Hi, it’s nice to meet you all” Meline, where had I heard that before?
“Sit down sweet pea, we need to speak with you” mom said softly. I sat down beside her and cocked my head to the side in curiosity, “what is it? Is there something wrong?” I asked, seeing the distressed look on moms face. She forced and smile and shook her head “No sweetheart, let me introduce you to your biological father and mother” she said, nodding towards Drake and Jenna. I looked at them, staring at how Jenna smiled brightly in pride at her, and how Drake put his arms around Jenna in clear affection. I just stared at them for a long time before I smiled “I always wondered what you looked like” I blurted, mostly to Jenna. I had to admit, they looked somewhat alike, other than the hair and the eyes; we had the same facial features. I looked over to Drake, who was watching me study them both with calculating eyes. My smile widened, “you must be father” I said casually, making him laugh. He nodded “yes, I am in fact your father, and this over here is Uncle William” he nodded toward William, who smiled at me.
“I have an uncle?” I almost screamed.
William laughed and nodded “and I am here to spoil you rotten, of course your grandmother has beaten me to that” he looked at Maria, who blushed. I looked at Maria with curious eyes “I send presents every birthday, with a letter to your mother that says to tell you it’s from her” she looked down in embarrassment.
“Oh…thank you” I couldn’t say anything else; it struck me that she cared enough to do that, even though they sent me to an orphanage as a baby. It made me wonder why they did it, but I held back, I’ll save those questions for later. “Now, the reason that we came” Drake said, growing serious. Jenna looked up at him with saddened eyes. “There is not easy way to explain this, and I bet my right arm that you will call me nuts, but you are what we call, a shifter, and so are we, we can change into only the fiercest of animals, you may be a panther, it wouldn’t surprise me, with your black hair and blue-“
“What?” I asked abruptly, snorting.
“Here it goes” William chuckled.
“You guys are nuts, now I see why you gave me to mom, you are completely insane!” I exclaimed getting up and throwing my arms in the air. I turned around and was about to go upstairs, but a defening roar stopped me in my tracks. I slowly turned around, to see a lion sitting there, way too close for comfort. I backed away, quickly, almost tripping on a chair as I tried to get away. “Mom! Mom!” I panicked as it walked closer to me. I didn’t take my eyes off of it; it shook out its long mane and sat on its haunches in front of me. I finally got the courage to look behind it, while still keeping tabs on it from the corner of my eye, everyone sat there as if nothing too horrible was happening, while I was close to hyperventilating. I noticed that Drake was gone, and that’s when I made the connection. I looked back at the lion with wide eyes. And suddenly, it was gone, Drake standing in its place. “Holy shit!” I blurted before I could stop myself. Drake coughed to hide a laugh, and I saw Jenna’s disapproving look “Nina!” Mom scolded. I blushed and covered my mouth with one hand “sorry” I apologized. I looked back up at Drake, who was still laughing “she is definitely like me, Jenna” Drake laughed, walking over and pulling me into an unexpected hug. I was still shocked about what just happened, and it shocked me that he would say that, so I didn’t really hug him back. “I agree” Jenna chuckled as He pulled away and walked back over, sitting down. I walked over to the couch slowly, sitting down next to mom. “Okay, so obviously I believe you now” I said flatly, gesturing for them to continue.
“You will change tomorrow night at midnight, on your birthday, and we have to get you in a confined space, because you will be in danger of not only hurting yourself, but everyone around you” Jenna explained.
“How so?” I asked.
“When you change, the instinct to kill, to... protect yourself is strong, overpowering, your inner animal takes over and you try and kill everything in sight, you will have to figure out how to control it, and we will have to lock you in a confined room until that happens” she explained seriously. I nodded and looked over at mom “you knew about all this?” I asked her. She nodded, looking down at her hands “they told me not to tell you before now, because it might cause a premature shift, and then we would all be screwed” she chuckled. I nodded and looked back over at William with a new curiosity “so what are you?” I asked.
“I’m a panther” he said with a smile.
“That’s sick; do you have like a special power or something?” I asked with an eager smile.
His smile faltered and I didn’t miss the wary look he gave Drake “ah, no” he said. I frowned, but let it go. I thought about it for a while, as the room became silent. I let it sink in that I was going to be locked in a room, changed into an animal and have no idea how to change back “how am I supposed to change back?” I asked finally.
“we’ll figure that out when we get there, our plane is waiting, and there is someone waiting on it” Jenna said, looking at her watch.
“I don’t even have anything packed!” I protested. Jenna and Drake looked at each other “Marry packed everything while you were gone” Drake explained. So I was leaving forever?
“How long will I be gone exactly?” I asked, taking moms hand in mine.
“you will take up a permanent residence at the sanctuary with your own kind” Drake said, studying my expression. Without thinking, I got up and ran upstairs, running into my room. I stopped short, all my posters and pictures were taken off the wall, and nothing was in this room except for my bags in the middle of it. Even my bed was gone. All that was left was the small dresser that was sitting across from my bed. “No, this isn’t happening, this is all just a stupid dream that I am going to wake up to in just a few minutes, my alarm for school is going to wake me up and I’ll go to school like nothing ever happened” I reasoned. I reached over and pinched my arm as hard as I could, but that only ended up giving me a red mark “owch!” I hissed. No, this wasn’t a dream. Then it really sunk in, I am going to change into this feral animal, and probably hurt myself in the process, then I’m going to try and kill everything on sight. “Just kill me now” I groaned. A knock sounded at the door, and I looked up sharply. “Yes?” I asked.
There was a pause on the other side of the door “It’s me…Jenna” Jenna’s soft spoken voice sounded worried.
“I’ll be out in a second” I called.
Another pause “can I speak with you for a second?”
“Come in” I said finally after a long pause. I was sitting beside my bags, playing with a zipper. Jenna sat beside me and sighed “you know I went through the same thing when I was your age, I had no idea I was adopted though, so when my mother told me that she wasn’t my mother, it hurt. I understand how you feel, but let me tell you this, if I could have, I would have never given you to your adoptive mother, I would have kept you forever, but you were in grave danger, and I couldn’t risk losing you” Jenna said softly, her eyes filling with tears. I looked away “you went through this?” I asked, gesturing to the empty room. She nodded, with a slight smile “it was quite a shock, my parents were in a battle with a man named Garrison, a lot of shifters like us were being kidnapped by Garrison, some joined him in the battle, and those who didn’t were tortured to make the army stronger, Garrison was an evil man, and I’m glad I got rid of him, he is still alive, he just does not have the power to shift anymore.
“That’s how I met your father actually; we met on the plane back to the sanctuary, he charmed his way into my life, he was supposed to be my protector, but ended up being my mate” she laughed softly. I smiled “you are a lot like him, I can already tell you have his stubborn attitude, you look like him, but every child of a shifter has the features of their inner animal” she said, reaching up and brushing my hair back from my face. I furrowed my eyebrow “what are you?” I asked curiously.
“I’m a lioness, I’m guessing you’re a panther” she shrugged. I smiled “cool!” I said. She grew serious “Nina, when you change, you’ll have your protector in there with you, I want you to do as he says, okay?” she asked me softly. I nodded. She sighed and smiled “we best go, the pilot might leave without us” she chuckled, helping me with my bags. We walked down stairs, and Drake was speaking seriously with Mom. When he saw us, his eyes met Jenna’s and he smiled. I took my bags from her and out to the car where William and Maria were standing. I put my things in the back and turned to mom. Even if she got angry sometimes, and lashed out at me, I still loved her. “Bye mom, keep going to the psychiatrist, she is helping, don’t give up mom, I know you are getting better, I love you, please don’t give up on yourself” I told her, hugging her so tight I wondered if she could breathe.
“Okay sweetheart, don’t worry, I’ll keep trying to get better, I promised myself that I wouldn’t hurt you again, even though I broke that promise, I hope you can forgive me” she whispered, hugging me just as tight.
“I forgive you mom, just remember what she told you, and keep your mind calm and rational” I said softly. She nodded and let me go; I kissed her cheek and got in the car, waving as we drove away.
“She hurt you?” Drake asked. I looked at him in shock, how the hell did he know? “Animal hearing” he explained, tapping his ear. I looked away out the window “only a few times, the rational part of her mind sometimes shuts off completely, and she can get angry over the simplest things, she doesn’t mean to do it, because she can’t rationalize what she is doing. She is doing better” I explained.
“How many times is “only a few times?”” he asked. I fidgeted with my hands as I answered “five or six” I whispered. I heard his distinctive growl, and looked up with defensive eyes “she feels terrible afterwards, because she has absolutely no control over what she is doing, much like when shifters first change, am I correct?” I asked, crossing my arms. I had him there, he didn’t answer. “She is a good mother, and has tried to be all her life, so I would very much appreciate it if you wouldn’t think of her badly” I muttered. For the rest of the ride, they were silent, and I was glad, I wasn’t sure I could take more criticism of my mother without snapping.

chapter two:

I gasped as we entered the tarmac and the privet plane came into view, I got out of the car and watched as a few men took the bags from the trunk and another man took the car. I grabbed my purse from the car and looked up, just in time to see the face of a woman and have arms wrap around me.
“Nina!! My little niece! I have missed you so much!” the girl squealed in my ear as I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her. I looked at Jenna with wide eyes “that’s your aunt Lamina” she said with a laugh. Lamina pulled back and held me at arm’s length, her eyes roaming over me “let me have a look at you! You have grown so much!” she exclaimed excitedly.
“Uh, so have you?” I said in confusion, though it sounded like a question.
She laughed and took my hand, leading me up the stairs and into the plane “I haven’t seen you in eighteen years dear, forgive me if I’m excited” she said with a smile.
I waved my free hand and shook my head “no, I understand” I said. I immediately liked Lamina, her bubbly attitude got to me. I noticed three more people standing by the counters. Lamina dragged me over to them, a boy about my age, a man who looked about fifty, and another man who also looked about fifty. When the third guy saw me he smiled and walked over, pulling me into a tight bear hug “little Nina! I’ve missed you!” he said. I gasped for air “I don’t…mean to be rude…but I can’t breathe!” I gasped. He laughed, a warm and comforting sound, and let me go. This was overwhelming; I had no idea that I had this kind of family, they all seemed so nice. “Nina, this is your grandfather, Laurence. And this is Bane, and his father Hank, Hank is your protector, Bane came with him because Hank doesn’t trust him by himself” Lamina said with a glare towards Bane.
“You know you love me” Bane teased. Hank held out his hand to me and I took it without hesitation “it’s nice to meet you” I smiled, shaking his hand.
“Likewise” he said in a gruff voice.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please take a seat as we begin our departure, fasten your seat belts and make sure any electronic devices are is completely off for the duration of the flight. In the event of a crash, please put the oxygen mask over your mouth and nose and breathe in and out deeply. We hope you enjoy the flight!” The flight attendant announced over the microphone. I took a deep breath and sat down at the first row, trying to calm my nerves. I’m terrified of heights, and flying. The first time I flew, we were in this huge storm, and the plane was shaking and turbulence hit every five minutes. It wasn’t a very comfortable flight. But as we circled the runway, gaining speed, my nerves became lessened as I watched the others, as relaxed as they conversed. Bane and Hank sat across from me, Bane rolling his eyes as Hank spoke to him in a low, but firm tone.
Bane apparently decided to ignore his father, because he turned and assessed me with curious eyes. “So, you are the famous Nina I have heard so much about” he said.
Shock hit me at his words “you mean they talk about me?” I asked softly, touched at how much they care about me, having not even known me.
“Of course, your mom is crazy about you, they had to pry you from her hands when she had to give you up, or, at least, that’s how I heard the story” Hank interjected.
I felt like crying, but I was very good at controlling my emotions and the expression on my face. It was so touching to have a family that you didn’t even know, love you as if they knew you all your life. “Oh” I whispered.
“You should have heard what she said whenever Drake showed her what we are Hank” William laughed. I blushed deep red and looked down. “What? What did she say?” it wasn’t hank who asked, it was Bane.
“She kind of freaked out for a second, then she stared at him after he shifted back, and she said “holy shit” I swear, she almost gave Maria a heart attack!” William snickered.
I grew impossibly darker, looking down at my hands “it was a knee jerk reaction!” I mumbled in defense.
Hank and Bale were laughing too hard to answer me, and Jenna had a disapproving look on her face. Maria’s look mirrored Jenna’s. Lamina dropped her head in her hands and started laughing too. Drake was shaking his head slowly, a small smile on his face. “A knee jerk reaction my butt!” Lamina laughed. Laurence seemed like he was trying not to laugh for the sake of his wife.
“Okay! Enough laughing at my mistake! It wasn’t that funny!” I said loudly, but it wasn’t quite a shout.
Bane sobered first - surprisingly - and went on studying my face, I could see a hint of curiosity still in his eyes, “so when is your birthday?” he asked, seeming like he didn’t want the answer.
“Tomorrow” I said after a moment of hesitation.
“Cool” he replied, his voice still bored.
I wondered why he asked me the question in the first place, if he didn’t want to know. But I just snorted quietly, shook my head, and looked out the window. He didn’t ask me questions after that, but I could feel his gaze on my face.
I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, Jenna had filled me in about the island that we were going to, and who we were up against. They had been at war with these creatures called Jaykoren for eighteen years now, and so far, none of them have made a move to try and take over the island, though, with how weak they have made the shifters, they could probably do it any time. It was a bit scary, going to an island under attack, but Jenna assured me that the sanctuary was very safe.
She told me about the Jaykoren, they are a huge clan of bear-like creatures, only twice as big, with grey and black streaks all along their bodies. They have claws that can grow to be three feet long, and paws that can crush you with one swipe, Jenna said that she has been able to keep them away from the sanctuary, I asked her how, and she got kind of… guarded, like William did. She told me that I would find out soon enough...
“Nina, wake up, we’re home” Drake’s voice woke me.
I opened my eyes, looking around, Drake and Jenna stood beside me, and Drake was leaned over with his hand on my shoulder. I grabbed my purse, standing up with the help of Jenna’s hand. “When we get home, you need to get some sleep; we don’t want you tired tomorrow when you meet the rest” Jenna said as we all piled into the car. I nodded as I laid my head back on the seat. I was asleep again before my head hit the head-rest.
I awoke in my bed, it was my actual bed. I sighed, a mix of relief and sadness going through me that it was a dream, sadness because I didn’t meet my parents and they were not really cool mythical creatures, and relief because I didn’t have to leave my mother. I looked around my room and froze, this wasn’t my room. The walls were olive green, and the floors were hardwood. This was not my room. I sat up a little too quickly, making my head spin “what…” I trailed off, memories from how I got here flowing through my head. I remembered waking up to someone carrying me, but I never opened my eyes to see who it was. All I knew was that whoever it was, it was definitely a guy. I sighed and rubbed my eyes. I decided I might as well explore my room. I jumped out of bed and walked over to a small door, I opened it to find an average size bathroom. The bathroom had a shower/bath in the far corner, and a deep-set sink across from it set in a granite countertop. I walked over to the shower and tried to figure out how to turn it on. The nob on the shower wasn’t that different from mine at home, so it wasn’t that hard to figure out. I turned it on hot and walked out to get an extra set of clothes and a towel while I waited for it to heat up. I jumped in the shower and was pleased to see that my shampoo, conditioner, and body wash had been packed too.
I lathered my hair in my jasmine scented shampoo, the smell seemed to fill the bathroom and it relaxed me. My body wash smelled like jasmine too, and it only seemed to intensify the smell that filled the bathroom. After standing in the hot water for longer than necessary, I turned it off and jumped out. I wrapped a towel around myself and rung my rather short black hair out. My hair went down a few inches below my chin, not quite reaching my shoulders. It was not something I did; it has always been this short, never grown longer. Brushed my teeth and then dressed in skinny jeans and a short sleeve white shirt with a black fancy looking ‘Muse’ printed on the front. I am a diehard Muse fan, ever since I heard their song ‘time is running out’ I have been in love with Muse.
I had just walked into my room, towel drying my hair, when a knock sounded at the door “who is it?” I asked.
“It’s Hank, when you’re ready, we need to go to the lunch room to meet everyone” Hank’s voice sounded.
“Okay! I’ll be right out!” I called.
There was no answer, so I quickly blow dried my hair and while slipping on my shoes. I quickly brushed out my hair and parted my bangs. When I was done, I opened the door to find Hank standing patiently against the wall across from me, beside his son, who seemed to be a mirror of him. Bane seemed to be a very young version of Hank in many ways, aside from Hank having dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Bane had the same black hair and blue eyes as me. But, other than that, I could tell that this was what Hank looked like when he was Bane’s age. Rugged and it seemed that he was a rebel as well. “Let’s go, your parents are gathering everyone to the lunch deck” Hank said, taking me arm and leading me down the hall.
Bane followed beside me, glancing down at me every once in a while. It made me uncomfortable, having his intense stare on me the entire time.

Chapter three:

I couldn’t help but glance at Nina for the entire long walk there. She intrigued me, even though I tried not to show it. Her beautiful face had these expressions of wonder and interest when we would speak of what we are, but when I spoke of her parents, her face would go smooth, expressionless, but her eyes portrayed how touched she was at the love her family felt for her. I glanced at her, and caught her staring at me. She didn’t look away, but blush colored her cheeks. I smirked slightly, and her eyes flashed down to my lips and back up to my eyes. “This is the lunch deck; Drake and Jenna should have everyone gathered by now” my dad said, snapping us out of our little silent communication.
I looked away when Nina did, smiling to myself. Yes, she was a very intriguing person. I stopped at the door “dad, I have to meet someone by the training yard” I said.
“Who?” he asked suspiciously, he knew everyone would be gathered here.
“Just a few friends, we want to test our strength” I lied smoothly.
“Alright, just don’t get into trouble, alright?” he said, narrowing his eyes at me.
I rolled my eyes at him and turned, walking away “don’t worry dad, you need to start trusting me” I replied without turning.
After I was out of his sight and hearing, I burst into a run, I was meeting a few friends at the training yard, but we weren’t going to train, we were going to find some Jaykoren. I ran at inhuman speed through the halls. The Jaykoren killed my mother, and they changed my father, so I was going to find them and get payback.
I ran down the stairs and out the entrance, running out into the forest by where the training yard was.
My three friends stood there, Mike, Carter, and Kim, she was Carters mate. They all looked around with excited eyes “let’s go!” I said, walking passed them.
I shifted into my panther form, as everyone else shifted into theirs. Carter was a cheetah, and so was Kim, and Mike was a Leopard. We ran deep into the forest, following the strong, but sweet, smell of the Jaykoren.
We stopped about two hundred yards away from the clearing where they rest. I walked as quiet as I could through the damp forest, stopping at the edge where the clearing starts. I watched as they all stood around in the clearing in their human forms, they were vulnerable.
“So I hear that the new headmaster is here, she seems…weak” I heard the one closest to me say, he had a wicked smile on his face.
I bared my teeth, but didn’t growl. I looked back at the others and nodded, they disappeared in three different directions into the forest to surround them, just as planned. I listened as they ran around, getting to their places, they stopped and three deafening roars filled the area. I lunged out at the Jaykoren closest to me, wrapping my legs around him and knocking him to the ground. I scraped my paws along his back, making a feral snarl rip from his clenched teeth. I grabbed him by the neck before he could change and snapped it. I ran at the other Jaykoren that he was talking to, but he changed into his form before I could kill him. A huge bear-like creature, probably the size of a van, came running headlong at me, baring it’s long sharp canines. I gave him an animalistic grin and jumped over him, landing on his back, I hit his soft spot, the point just above his shoulder-blade. He roared and rolled, making me jump off of him.
“Bane! The others!” Kim’s voice called. I didn’t look away from the Jaykoren as I listened; I could hear other animal footsteps, probably about fifteen.
“Damn it!” I snarled.
I jumped at the Jaykoren and landed on its back again, I slashed at its weak spot again, the reason that’s its weak spot is because it has one of its hearts right there. It roared, but I held on, digging my claws in as it bucked. I dug my claws in and pierced its heart. I jumped down and watched as it died, it roared, its yellow eyes turning crazed as it tried to survive. It fell on the ground, one last gurgled roar escaping its mouth before it closed its eyes. It has two hearts, but they connect to each other, so if one is pierced, the other can’t save it. I ran jumped over the dead Jaykoren and started for another, Kim, Mike and Carter were holding their own, and just as I was about to jump on the distracted Jaykoren’s back, my father’s bear form jumped in front of me. He glared at me
“Kim! Mike! Carter! And Bale!-” he said my name in a snarl “fall back!” he ordered.
I glared at him and backed away, looking at the others as they finished off what they started and backed away. I turned and ran into the forest, a snarl coming out of my mouth. Kim, Mike, Carter and dad came up to flank me. The other fourteen that were with him were running behind us.
We arrived back at the sanctuary and I shifted. “Are you insane? You could have gotten yourself killed!” dad yelled.
I ignored him and went inside, he grabbed my shoulder and turned me around “that was a stupid thing to do Bane! You not only put yourself in danger, but you put Mike, Kim and Carter in danger! What were you thinking?” he shouted.
“Drop it, okay? I had it under control!” I yelled finally.
I didn’t wait to see his reaction, I just walked away.

Author's note:

What do you think of the chapter? Please let me know! if there are any grammatical errors, or spelling errors that I should know about, then please let me know about that too, if you would like me to tell you when I update, friend me please, because its kind of hard to go to everyone who favorites the book and notify them. Thank you in advance!
Emily.

Chapter four:

I paced the floor of my room, it was getting close to the time that I would shift, they said it was exactly twelve, and it was eleven fifty. The door opened to reveal Jenna; she had a sympathetic look on her face as she studied the frightened look in my eyes. She held out her hand, and I took it, following her as she squeezed my hand gently “I had a premature change you know, it was the night before my birthday, I understand how scary it is, we all do” Jenna assured softly.
I smiled weakly “thanks…mom” I whispered.
I felt the hand that was wrapped around mine freeze for an instant, and she went rigid in shock, she looked down at the ground, an array of expressions flitting across her face at once.
“My pleasure sweetheart” she finally choked, a light laugh slipping from her lips.
I sighed as we walked down the stairs, she checked her watch “it’s almost time, we must hurry” she said gravely.
She pulled on my hand as we reached the bottom of the stairs, and we jogged down the hall. We reached a large reinforced door, and standing in front of it was Hank and Drake. I watched as they opened the huge door with no more effort than lifting a feather from the ground. The door creaked loudly and I looked inside, a concrete room, bare, empty. I looked at mom and dad with a new amount of fear
“Best get this over with” Hank muttered.
I almost backed away, but I knew that it wouldn’t change a thing, so I just nodded and walked carefully into the room.
“We have two minutes” Drake muttered. Hank walked into the room with me and nodded to mom and dad. They both nodded once and closed the door. I slid down the wall, staring ahead at the wall across from me “so what happens now?” I asked quietly.
He sighed, sitting against the door “we wait until you shift” he muttered.
I took in a deep breath and sat in silence. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I could almost feel the hands on an invisible clock turn, getting closer to twelve. It was the longest two minutes of my entire life, I couldn’t tell how long it had been, but it seemed like hours. The fear of what was about to happen sunk in, and I worked to keep my breathing even. I glanced at Hank, who was studying me with solemn eyes.
There was no warning, just an excruciating stabbing pain like a knife in my chest. I gasped and clutched my chest, the pain got worse and worse, and I let out a cry of pain. I wrenched myself up to my feet.
“Hank…what the hell is this?” I choked.
“You’re shifting” he explained, standing with me.
I let out a choked breath as I was forced onto my knees. Searing pain everywhere! A blood curdling scream ripped from my mouth as the pain got more intense.
Hair grew from my hands, and my nails got longer. I meant to scream, but all that came out was a feral roar. I opened my eyes, and tried to move, but I was not in control of my body, the pain was replaced with an overpowering urge to kill. I looked up at Hank, who had changed into a large bear. I roared at him and he bared his teeth at me.
‘No, stop, stop, stop!’ I screamed in my head as I lunged at him.
I ran into him, making his head hit the door and he was knocked out.
‘what have I done?’ I screamed again.
I was lunging at the door, I slamming my entire body into it. I could feel it opening. I knew this was wrong, but I couldn’t stop it, it wasn’t just the overpowering urge to kill, it was the overpowering urge to protect myself as well. I slammed the door open, and all I saw was a lion, and a lioness. I leaped over them and burst into a sprint, running at inhuman speeds. I clawed my way up the stairs, all the while I was trying to gain control of my body. I felt a claw scrape my side and roared in pain, but didn’t stop. My body only stopped when a panther stood in my way, the mind, thinking differently than my own, said that she knew this panther, yet she had never met him before. I struggled to find some way to gain control. The panther roared, and my body lunged.
‘No!’ I screamed.
Before I hit the panther, I finally got control, and I was able to land just in front of him. I looked up into the vivid blue eyes of the panther, and a new feeling washed through me, something that had never felt so powerful before. Love. “Nina, listen to me, don’t do this” the words, so unmistakably Bane’s, came from the panthers mouth.
By this time, I had lost control, and my body wasn’t mine anymore, I bared my teeth, and roared in his face “listen to me Nina, take control! You did it before, do it now!” Bane ordered, watching as I raised a paw, claws extended, to slash him. He made no move to protect himself.
I struggled, mentally closing my eyes, trying to take control; I could feel myself take control of my legs, one at a time, the raised paw lowered and I opened my eyes.
Then, suddenly, I was human, standing on two feet. I felt so weak that I stumbled; strong arms caught me before I could fall and I looked up to find Bane’s human face, and human eyes staring down at me.
I blacked out; the last thing I remembered was a stinging pain in my side.
I opened my eyes to a dark room, but I could see perfectly, as if it were daylight, I looked around, it seems I was in a hospital, I groaned. I hated hospitals.
I movement in the corner caught my eyes and ears; I looked over, my body suddenly tensing in fear. But I relaxed as soon as I realized it was just Bane…Bane…
The memories of last night…or was it two days ago? Three? Who knows, but they came flooding back to me, Bane, a large panther standing in front of me, I was ready to slash him, all these conflicting emotions were flowing through me, where’s Hank? I remembered knocking him out.
Guilt flowed through me at that memory; all the while I was thinking this, Bane was walking towards me.
“Hey, how do you feel?” he asked softly.
“Oh you know, like I just got a heavenly massage with a sledge hammer” I said sarcastically.
“well, you’re not the only one, my dad feels like he got one of those, except with five metal bats in the head” he chuckled.
There’s the guilt again “how is he? How bad did he hit his head?” I asked immediately, I was anxious.
“Relax, he’s fine, us shifters are tough” he assured.
I took a deep breath and then forced myself to relax.
“there now, you need your rest, I had to make Jenna and Drake go and get some rest in their own bed, and if she had known that you woke up right after she left, she would have killed me” he said, smiling teasingly now.
I smiled slightly “I’m not really tired anymore” I murmured.
He sighed and sat down beside me on a chair “how is your side?” he asked.
I cocked my head to the side in confusion “my side?” I asked.
He chuckled and lifted my shirt lightly; I looked down to find three long strips of gauze taped to my side. I raised an eyebrow and looked up at Bane “Drake feels really bad for doing it, but he couldn’t stop you” Bane explained.
That’s when I remembered feeling the claws hitting my side that night. “Oh, I don’t feel it anymore…how long have I been asleep?” I asked.
“Two days actually” he said, his vivid blue eyes flashing down to my hand and back, did I imagine the longing look in his eyes?
I nodded, looking away “so my parents have been here for two days?” I asked.
“Yeah, they’re crazy about you; I swear Drake wanted to cut his own hands off when he found out that he had left those scars on your side” he said, his eyes solemn now.
My forehead wrinkled and I wrung my hands together, all this was exhausting, and I found that I was tired after all. I sighed “tell him that I feel fine, dad doesn’t need to worry, anyway, what are you doing here?” I asked, laying on my side and cuddling into my pillow. I watched as his eyes softened, and he looked away.
I closed my eyes, and heard him murmur something, but I couldn’t make out what it was before I was asleep.

Chapter five:

I awoke to someone carrying me; it took me a little while to be able to open my eyes, and another few minutes to realize who was carrying me.
“Thank you for this, Bane, you know I can’t carry her, and Drake is so busy…” mom’s soft voice chimed.
“Nah, it’s no problem” Bane replied in a soft voice.
I closed my eyes again, not wanting to wake up yet, my side still hurt, despite what I told Bane
I hurt mom suck in a breath, but hesitate “you really like her don’t you?” she asked quietly after a moment.
Bane’s strong, but somehow soft, arms tightened around me as he cradled me to his chest “is it that obvious?” he asked, quieter than before.
“No, but that’s the way Drake looks at me…” she trailed off.
Bane heaved a sigh, I could feel it as his chest expanded, as well as hear it. “I don’t know what it is about her, other than the obvious, but I’m more…she interests me like…” he sighed, unable to finish.
A thrill went through me at his words.
“I know, it’s hard to understand at first, Drake and I had a few problems at first, I was cautious, because I didn’t know him. Nina, from what I have learned of her, is allot like Drake, but she has my…shy traits, I guess you could say, and I’m here to tell you, you hurt her, and I will personally use my full on power on you” her threat was a growl.
Bane didn’t tense, or even shudder from what I could feel, he was completely relaxed as he shifted me to his other arm and I heard a door knob turning “I would never, ever intentionally hurt her” Bane’s voice had a seal of promise in it.
I was so preoccupied with the conversation, that I didn’t even notice when he gently set me down on my bed and pulled the covers over me.
I heard the door shut quietly, and Bane and mom’s voices getting farther away. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling.
“He likes me?” I whispered.
I smiled widely to myself, the way his voice wrapped around the words he said about me in promise, I knew what he said was true. But how could that be? How could he like me already? We met four days ago.
And what was the obvious about me? What did he mean by ‘besides the obvious’?
My eyebrows lowered in frustration, why didn’t he just say it?
A random stinging pain in my side reminded me that I was not all the way healed. I groaned and clutched my side “stupid scratch” I complained.
I closed my eyes and started chanting “go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep” out loud in a groan.
I couldn’t though, so I sat up and ran my hand through my hair.
“Ugh!” I exclaimed.
I lifted my shirt, because the pain was intensifying, I could clearly see the redness under the gauze; I took the gauze off one of the scars and gasped. It was red and swollen, and it looked as if it were infected.
“What?” I asked, my voice going an octave higher with stress.
I gently touched the scar,
It hurt.
I sucked in a breath, tears welling in my eyes. What was going on? I started to get scared, my breathing getting heavier, almost hyperventilating.
I didn’t know what to do; the pain was scorching now, reminding me of when I shifted.
It was like my side was on fire, and I couldn’t figure out why!
A blood curdling scream ripped through my consciousness, and it took me a minute to realize it was mine. I couldn’t touch my side, I couldn’t even move, I just sat, screaming, with my hands hovering over the scars.
The door burst open, bane running in with mom and dad close behind him.
“Nina! What is going on?” Bane’s voice was in control, but still alarmed.
He lifted my shirt and the whole room broke into gasps, “what the hell?” Bane picked me up, careful not to jostle my side.
“We need to get her to the doctor, her scars are infected” Bane muttered, breaking into a run.
However fast he ran, I didn’t jostle, I buried my face in his chest, stifling my agonized groaning.
“Don’t worry, love, we’ll make it stop” he assured quietly.
I would have been thrilled that he called me Love, if my side wasn’t about to fall off. I grasped the front of his shirt in a vise as a new wave of pain washed over me.
“What’s going on?” an alarmed voice called as we entered the hospital room.
“Something happened” bane explained as he set me on the lumpy, uncomfortable bed.
He lifted my shirt once more, sucking in a sharp breath as he examined my scars.
The pain grew impossibly worse and I screamed in agony “make it stop! Please! Kill me or something! Just make the pain go away!” I begged.
The doctor looked up, alarmed, “we need to sedate her, she’ll hurt herself more” the doctor said.
I buried my head in the pillow and screamed, it hurt so bad “make it stop! Please make it stop!” I screamed.
I felt a slight sting in my arm, and then I started getting drowsy “make it stop…make it stop…” I trailed off, drifting off to sleep. The last thing I saw as I drifted was Bane’s pained face.

Author's note:

What do you think of the chapter? Please let me know! if there are any grammatical errors, or spelling errors that I should know about then please let me know about that too. if you would like me to tell you when I update, friend me please, because its kind of hard to go to everyone who favorites the book and notify them. Thank you in advance!
Emily.

chapter six:

“Headmaster Jenna, Drake, we found a traitor shifter in the forest, he seemed to have been having seizures, as soon as we captured him, he stopped having them, he smiled and told us “the new headmaster will never see the light in shifters eyes”” Vale, one of the protectors of the headmaster said.
Jenna gasped in outrage, and Drake growled. Rage built up in me at our own kind, how could they do this? Nina had done nothing wrong, and yet they try to kill her!
“We have him sedated as not to let him do anymore harm, we believe he is the cause of Miss Meline’s pain, check her scars” Vale said.
The doctor lifted her shirt and looked at her scars, they were no longer swollen and red, they looked normal, well, as normal as a scar can look. They were already slowly healing, if she could shift, they would heal faster.
So it was him.
I growled and walked passed her parents, my anger passed the boiling point “Bane, wait” Jenna’s hand caught my arm, and a wave of calm spread through me.
Jenna was powerful, able to control emotions, take away powers, see the past, present and future, and knock people out with a look. She was the most powerful shifter I had ever met.
“What?” I tried to stay angry, but it didn’t work.
“Remember Nina” was all she had to say.
I sighed and looked down at the ground “go rest, you need it, just think of what it would do to Nina if you did what you were going to do” she said earnestly.
She let my arm go and I nodded. Not saying another word, I walked out of the hospital room.
“What was that about?” I heard Drake say suspiciously.
“Jenna?” he asked after she said nothing.
I walked down the hall, not listening to the rest of the conversation. I slammed my door open and walked in, slamming it shut again.
I lay down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, I had painted an open sky on my ceiling and on my floor I had asked them to put green carpeting, like grass. Why? You may ask, it makes me feel free, like I’m outside instead of in the confines of my room. My inner animal doesn’t feel trapped, it is soothed. I painted a beach on the wall across from my bed, with the sun setting. And on the other wall I painted a rocky cliff, with the waves flowing off of it. I am a painter; no one knows that about me though, how do I keep it a secret with a room like this? Easy, no one ever comes into my room. The reason I keep this a secret is because I know it would ruin my reputation, ‘rebel bad boy is a closet painter’ I snorted at the thought.
I closed my eyes and sighed, trying to calm my inner animal’s turmoil. He didn’t want to give into the calm I felt, he wanted to get revenge for his mate. But I told him that would only upset Nina, for she was fragile, and sweet.
My entire room was empty except for my bed, to make it seem even more real…
A knock at my door startled me awake. I got up, groaning and rubbing my neck, I opened my door, my eyes squinting tiredly “what?” I asked groggily.
It was Nina, though she didn’t seem like herself, her irises were bright green and she was smiling wickedly, and yet it was a seductive smile.
“Hello Bane” she purred.
“Nina, snap out of it, Nina what is going on with you?” I asked, grabbing her wrists as she ran her hands along my chest.
She smiled, unfazed by my small rejection “come on Baney, you know you want me” she whispered.
I, again, grabbed her hands as they tried to push me back into my room “who are you? And what have you done with Nina?” I asked, studying her eyes.
She pouted “I am Nina” she said.
I looked deeper into her eyes, and saw fear there, she was still in there “let her go” I ordered.
No matter what Drake or Jenna told me, not to show Nina my powers, she was in danger now. I put my hand to the side of her head and closed my eyes; I channeled her energy through me, using mind control to the one controlling this body, for as long as they are connected, I can control this shifters mind.
A gasp of breath and me losing the connection with the shifter was my cue to let her go. I watched as her eyes went back to blue, catching her as she almost fell forward. “Nina, what happened?” I asked softly.
“I-I don’t know, it was like a dream, like when I first shifted, I could see you, but I couldn’t make myself stop” she whispered.
“This was a powerful shifter” I muttered.
“Powerful? And how did you do that? I could feel her leaving my body” she said, scrutinizing me with suspicious eyes.
“I guess it’s no secret anymore, but I’ll let your mom and dad explain” I said.
I helped her up, and let go of her hands for a second, but her legs gave out.
“Gah!” she gasped, “the drugs haven’t worn off completely yet” she explained, seeing my worried look.
I nodded and slipped my arm around her waist for support “can you walk with my help?” I asked softly.
She tried, but couldn’t seem to move her numb legs “they’ll come around, I’ll carry you” I said, picking her up before she could protest.
I carried her through the halls, and up the stairs, walking over to the headmaster’s quarters.
I knocked on the door and waited, hearing as they stirred awake. Nina leaned up and started whispering in my ear “please don’t tell them that the shifter tried to seduce you in my body” she breathed.
I laughed silently, but nodded. The door opened just a few minutes later, revealing two very tired looking shifters, Jenna and Drake were rubbing their eyes with tired expressions, and it almost made me tired.
“Jenna, Drake, she was attacked again” I said.
Drakes eyes widened and Jenna growled “bring her in” she said.
I brought her in and gently set her in a chair by a desk “what happened?” she asked Nina.
Nina looked at me, giving me the go ahead to explain “they were controlling her body, she could see and hear everything, and yet do nothing, she had knocked on my door, and had apparently been wandering around for a while, the only way I could tell that she was not Nina, was her eyes, they were bright green, and, as you can see, Nina’s eyes are not bright green” I explained.
“How did you stop her?” Drake asked.
I hesitated “I had to show her, in order to stop it” I said, knowing they would know what I meant.
Drake sighed and nodded “I suppose we have to explain” he said, looking at Nina.
Nina nodded, looking at him with stern eyes “yes” she said.
“Okay, remember when you asked William if he had powers, and I told you that you would find out how I kept the Jaykoren down and away from the sanctuary soon enough?” Jenna asked.
Nina nodded “you both got defensive” she said.
Jenna nodded too “we do have powers, but when a new shifter is here, we are not supposed to discuss powers with them until they show signs of developing, sometimes it only takes a few minutes, some times over a month. You never know” Jenna explained, scrutinizing Nina’s expression.
“And the reason we are not supposed to inform you about your powers is because it’s dangerous to your inner animal and you, if you know about your power, than your inner animal knows, and tries to rush it, we had it happen to a man twenty years back, his name was Garrison, he found out about others having powers too early, his inner animal rushed the development, and something went wrong, instead of turning into a power, it developed into another inner animal, that inner animal took over, and the power developing in that one turned into a third inner animal, they took over, brain washing his human form, and he turned into an evil, malevolent man” Drake explained.
I watched as Nina’s eyes widened and she shook her head slowly “so…if it happens to me?” she asked, a slight shaking in her voice.
“Then I will be forced to turn you human” Jenna whispered.
She gulped and glanced at me “I’ll try to keep her under control” she whispered, referring to her inner animal.
Jenna and Drake exchanged a glance, but nodded. She lifted her leg and rolled her ankle, sighing in relief “I’m tired, I’m going to go to bed” Nina muttered, standing up.
Jenna nodded and looked at me “thank you for bringing her here Bane” Jenna said with a warm smile.
I smiled back “your welcome, I’m going to head to bed to” I said, getting up and stretching tiredly.
I walked along side Nina, staring ahead at nothing “Bane, I have a question” Nina said, not looking at me.
I looked at her expectantly, but she blushed “never mind” she muttered.
I raised an eyebrow “no, tell me” I said.
She blushed deeper “never mind” she insisted.
I grabbed her by the hand and turned her around to face me. She didn’t meet my eyes, “please tell me?” I asked softly.
She sighed and finally met my eyes “when you were carrying me to the hospital room, you called me love” she said, crossing her arms and staring at me evenly.
‘Oh’ I thought ‘great, how am I going to explain?’

Chapter seven:

I stared at him as a blank look came into his eyes “oh, I…don’t remember that” he muttered.
I widened my eyes in disbelief and hurt, he doesn’t remember calling me a very specific name that was practically admitting his love without realizing it? He really doesn’t remember? His expression showed nothing, so he really didn’t remember. Hurt washed through me at that.
“Okay, well…I’m going to head to my room, don’t bother walking me” I said, my tone cold and inflectionless.
I started down the hall, but he grabbed my hand, whirling me around like a dancer. He pulled me into him, his arm wrapping around my waist “wait, I-I do remember” he said, searching my eyes.
“So you lied to me” I glared, crossing my arms again.
Yes-wait! No, I was just afraid” he said as I struggled out of his grasp.
I stopped struggling and looked at him in the eyes “why were you afraid?” I asked.
“I was afraid of what you would say, that you would reject me” he said, looking away, his cheeks going pink.
I sighed and put my hand on his cheek “is that all? Everyone is afraid of that, Bane, why in the world would I reject you? All you have been to me is sweet and gentle, Bane I-I love you” I whispered.
He smiled and, before I could react, smashed his lips onto mine, a fire exploded in me, and that same feeling that I felt the night I shifted came back, overpowering love. I wrapped my arms around his neck and melted into him, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, gripping one shoulder tightly. He ran his tongue along my bottom lip, asking for entrance. I opened my mouth and his tongue slipped in, moving in a passionate dance with mine. I moaned and wrapped my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss.
We pulled away, our breathing hard, and our faces inches apart “I love you too” he said, a grin creeping up onto his lips.
I grinned back, staring into his piercing blue eyes. “Really? I never would have-“ my sarcastic remark was cut off by his lips on mine again, our lips moving together in perfect sync. He pulled away and smiled at my dazed look “that sarcastic look you gave me was sexy, and I have wanted to kiss you since the day we met” he explained, still grinning.
I laughed, rolling my eyes.
“Okay, I need sleep, and you do too” I said, stroking his cheek with the back of my hand.
He closed his eyes at my touch, a quiet rumbling sound coming from his chest. I smiled and pecked his lips, I tried to get out of his arms, but he tightened his grip, opening his eyes, he pulled me closer “stay in my room” he said.
I rolled my eyes “Bane, what will my parents think if they see me coming out of your room in the morning?” I asked.
He shook his head “they won’t see you coming out of my room, I’ll wake you up early so you can sneak out” he said.
I chuckled and shook my head slowly “please?” he asked, his eyes pleading with mine.
He looked cute, his big blue eyes pleading with me like a little boy whose mother won’t give him what he wants, how could I say no to such beautiful, hypnotizing eyes?
I sighed “alright, but if my parents find out, it’s your head, and mine, I won’t kill you, but my parents will” I laughed.
He smiled brightly, not in the least bit phased by my warning; he pulled me to his room, almost skipping in happiness. He stopped at his room and opened the door, I gasped in amazement, it was like another world in his room, ceilings painted like skies, carpet green like grass, even the bathroom and closet doors were painted, the room was empty except for the bed against the right wall, a beach was painted on most of the walls, the wall with the bedroom door was the start of a forest, it was absolutely beautiful.
“Bane, who did all this?” I asked.
He blushed and looked down “uh, I did it” he muttered, as if embarrassed.
“Bane, this is amazing! This looks like another world, I wish my room back at home looked like this” I said, turning around and smiling.
He looked up in surprise “you like it?” he asked.
I nodded “of course, this room would be my dream room” I said, walking over to him and wrapping my arms around his neck, I stared into his eyes, he smiled, taking my breath away with how handsome he was. I pecked him on the lips, but he had other ideas, he put his hand on the back of my neck and smashed his lips on mine once more.
When we pulled away, he led me to the bed, letting me get in it first, he climbed in, wrapping his arms around my waist, and soon, we were both asleep.
I awoke to nothing in particular; my body seemed to think it was time to awake. I looked over to meet the eyes of Bane; his vivid blue eyes stared into mine for a while before he smiled. “Good morning, love” he whispered.
I smiled tiredly, stretching and yawning “good morning” I mumbled.
He chuckled as he pulled me closer, his arms tightening around my waist.
“Still tired?” he asked.
I shook my head, but leaned my head on his chest, closing my eyes once more. I felt his silent laugh shake the bed “sure, sure” he muttered.
“No, I’m not tired…just…relaxing” I mumbled.
I felt his lips on my forehead “okay, but you have to go to your own room, Nina, or we’ll get caught” he said softly, I shook my head profusely,
“I want to stay with you” I muttered.
He tightened his arms around me “I know, I do too, but your parents will find you here, and you know what will happen then” he said, lifting my chin.
I pouted as I stared into his eyes “I don’t want to though” I muttered, but I got up, sighing I ran a hand through my messy hair.
“Will you walk me to my room?” I asked him quietly.
He smiled and nodded, sitting up, he got up and walked over to his closet, opening the door, he grabbed a shirt and pants. He lifted his shirt over his head, getting ready to change.
I cleared my throat in a pointed way; he looked over his shoulder at me, grinning.
I rolled my eyes and got up, closing his closet door. I heard his chuckle through the door as I laid back down, closing my eyes.
A few minutes later, I felt his lips press against mine and smiled “are you ready?” his soft voice chimed.
I nodded, opening my eyes “yeah” I murmured.
I took his awaiting hand, getting up and peeking out of his door to make sure no one was around. We walked out as quietly as we could; it was probably only five in the morning, so no one was even stirring yet. Bane pulled me into his side as we walked, kissing my temple. I leaned into him, leaning my head on his shoulder “I love you” I sighed.
He chuckled softly “I love you too” he breathed.
He stopped in front of my door, turning me to face him; he gripped my chin and lifted my face up to his, pressing his lips to mine once more. He wrapped his arm around my waist, putting his hand on the back of my neck to deepen the kiss.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned up on my tip toes, smiling slightly under his lips “what the hell?” my dad’s voice boomed.
We broke apart and looked over, my dad looked protective and angry, and mom was standing there with a shocked look on her face. I blushed deep red “Bane, maybe you should come with me” mom said, putting restraining hand on dads arm.
Bane glanced at me, then nodded at mom, walking passed a rigid looking dad.
Dad and me had a moment of silence, I was waiting until he calmed down to speak, and he seemed to be trying to control his anger “Nina, can we talk?” he asked in a very controlled voice.
I didn’t answer, I just nodded. He took my arm and steered me down the hall, I glanced at him from the corner of my eye as he led me back toward his office, I had more of his features then moms, it was easy to see where I got my high cheekbones and perfect nose from, not that mom didn’t have a perfect nose, but my nose was the same shape as dads.
“Nina, how long have you two been together?” Drake asked, breaking the silence.
I opened my mouth, but he held up a hand “hold on, why was he carrying you last night?”
Again, I opened my mouth to speak, but he interrupted “now I understand why Jenna was saying that to him” he muttered.
“Dad, we just got together last night, he explained his feelings and I explained mine, he was carrying me because the drugs the doctor gave me hadn’t worn completely off, and what do you mean? What was mom saying to Bane?” I asked.
He waved his hand “it doesn’t matter, what does matter is that you know what you are getting into” dad said, staring ahead.
“What do you mean “know what I am getting into?”” I asked incredulously.
“Bane is not the best influence to you, he is…rebellious, I don’t trust him, your mother sees good in him, and I trust her, but I don’t trust him with you” he said, putting emphasis on “you”.
I crossed my arms, staring straight ahead “I don’t know what you mean” I muttered.
“I have seen him with some of the other girls, he is a major flirt, and a player, I’m just trying to protect you, sweetheart, if you trust him, then I’ll be supportive of your decision, but I can’t guarantee that I won’t kill him if he hurts you” he said, his eyes only showing concern for me.
I smiled and leaned up, kissing my father’s cheek “dad, don’t worry, I trust him, and I’ll probably let you kill him if he hurts me, but don’t worry, trust me on this, he won’t hurt me” I assured.
He sighed and nodded, pulling me into an affectionate bear hug “okay, I trust you sweetheart” he murmured.
I hugged him tightly back “now, you seem strong enough today that you can come to the training yard, let’s see if you have your mothers energy” he said, smiling brightly at my confused look.
“No one has been able to beat your mother’s record of under a minute, not even Bane” he said, wriggling his eyebrows.
It was as if he’d known me all my life, how did he know that I was extremely competitive? I smiled brightly “well, I do feel challenge deprived” I allowed.
He pulled me into another hug “that’s my girl!” he praised.
I laughed as he sat me down.
“Alright, now where is the training yard?” I asked.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me through the halls, into a beautiful music room he pulled me to a window that was huge, as big as the wall, and it looked out upon a clearing, with strange structures that looked like military training equipment. Two walls with rope, a big bulky wall with holes like Swiss cheese in it, a bunch of high jump stands on a track, and at the end was a mile per hour meter.
I cocked my head to the side, sizing up what seemed to be the training yard. “This is the training yard?” I asked hesitantly.
“What’s wrong, are you scared?” dad challenged teasingly.
I snorted “Me, scared? You don’t know me at all” I laughed.
He smiled and mussed my hair, “I know you better than you think” he said, almost in a reassuring way.
“What do you mean?” I asked curiously as he took my arm and steered me toward a large rectangle shaped opening, we walked through into a bright hallway, the ceiling going very high up.
“Your mother wasn’t about to lose all contact with you for eighteen years straight, she had pictures taken, every single birthday party was documented in every way possible, she sent you clothes, and had your mother explain every single trait about you, your personality, who you were most like, your adoptive mother thought the world of you” he wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
I chuckled “I remember my sixteenth birthday, she invited every single one of my friends – which wasn’t many by the way – and piled us all into a limousine, she gave us an IPod full of my favorite music and sent us off, I wondered why she didn’t come with us, the driver wouldn’t tell us where we were going” I paused to laugh “we thought they were kidnapping us, he stopped at a place called Laser ninja, this place was so cool, it was a laser tag place, my mom was standing inside with a bunch of the family, it was so fun” I finished, sighing.
Drake grinned “Jenna especially wanted that event recorded, she got every minute of it” he said softly.
I chuckled “thorough” I muttered.
We walked through two metal doors, and around the building.
Suddenly, mom and Bane appeared beside us.
“So you are going to try and break my record?” Jenna asked, elbowing me softly.
I smiled “no, I am going to break your record” I teased.
She laughed “well, you are my daughter, and you are like Drake, stubborn and very competitive, I bet you could do it” she said.

We stopped behind the sanctuary; I stared at the training yard, sizing up my “competition” so to speak.
“Okay, here, we have the rope walls, this tests your strength, after that, we have the arrow test, it shoots rubber tipped arrows at you, testing your senses, then we have high jump stands, to test your speed” Drake explained.
I nodded, taking a deep breath. ‘here we go’

Chapter eight:

I shifted, it was like second nature, I could feel my inner animal take control of my arms for a split second, and then I was in full control. I stretched my paws out in front of me, arching my back.
“Ready?” mom asked.
I looked back and nodded once.
“Okay, one…two…three… go!” she shouted.
I took off, running as fast as I could, it was no problem at all to dig my claws into the rope and climb, and I was over the two walls in less than a second. I took off toward the wall of arrows. I could hear them being shot, I had to jump over one that almost hit my stomach, and then, once I had landed, I had to duck as one barely grazed my ear.
Once through that challenge, I had to jump the stands, which was a synch; all I had to do was jump, and run, jump and run.
I ran as fast as I could down the track so it could test my speed, barely even out of breath. When I glanced at the speedometer, it read one hundred and six.
I skidded to a stop and looked over at mom, dad and Bane, they were staring at me with their mouths wide open.
I trotted over to them, growing confused as they kept staring at me “what-“ I cut myself off, shocked at myself, I was able to speak without shifting, how did that happen?
“You did that in fifteen seconds” dad muttered.
My eyes widened “are you sure?” I asked, shifting back to human form.
Mom nodded “I was timing it, look” she handed me the stop watch, stopped at precisely fifteen seconds.
I stared at the watch for a second “wow” was all I could say.
Dad started laughing “that’s my girl!” he exclaimed.
I smiled “well, you beat me ten times over!” mom said.
I glanced at Bane, who was smiling, clearly impressed. “Let’s go get something to eat, I’m hungry” dad muttered.
I chuckled as mom wrapped her arm around my shoulder and squeezed it softly. Bane caught my other hand and held it tightly in his own.
Mom let me go and walked over to dad, letting him wrap his arm around her shoulder as she leaned into him. They were two feet ahead of us, so they couldn’t see when Bane wrapped his arm around my shoulder and turned my face so he could kiss me.
The kiss was soft and sweet, but it only lasted a few seconds, making me want more.
I smiled at him and leaned into his side, leaning my head on his shoulder. I sighed in content as we walked, staring ahead at nothing in particular. He kissed the top of my head lightly, sighing also.
“I never thought I would feel this way about anyone” Bane admitted quietly.
I smiled “I didn’t either, to be honest with you” I whispered. He chuckled softly, tightening his hold on me.
“Bane, Hank has informed me this morning that he would like to speak with you, and Nina, your grandparents would like to have lunch with us, along with Lamina” mom informed us, not looking back as she stared into dads eyes.
They both still seemed like teenagers, despite being probably thirty now, the way they acted around each other – like now, dad said something to mom, and she blushed, looking down at her hands, it seemed like such a teenager thing to do, but hey, I don’t know how my adoptive mom would have acted with my dad, if she loved him as much as mom seemed to, but since he left when I was born – or so I thought – I guess I wouldn’t know. As I stared ahead, lost in thought, I hadn’t realized that Lamina had come up beside me and Bane until she started to pull me away from him “wait, what?” I asked, confused as to why this was happening.
“Come on, Nina! We have to go to lunch, weren’t you listening?” she asked incredulously.
I smiled sheepishly “I was lost in thought, sorry” I murmured.
“Oh, well follow me when you are done here” she said, watching as Bane pulled me out of her grasp.
I looked at her and smiled slightly in embarrassment “okay” I nodded.
I looked back at Bane when she walked ahead; he pulled my face to his and kissed me softly, his lips moving slowly with mine. I grabbed a fist full of his shirt and pulled him closer, wrapping my free arm around his neck.
When we both reluctantly pulled away, staring into his eyes “I have to go somewhere with my dad, I don’t want to go, but he is making me, I won’t be back for a week” he murmured sadly, staring into my eyes.
My eyebrows lowered “why?” I asked.
“My dad doesn’t trust me alone with you, and I’m not sure I trust myself either” he murmured, lowering his head to nuzzle my neck.
I sighed when he pulled away, pouting “I don’t want you to leave” I whined.
He stroked his finger down my temple, staring into my eyes “I know, love, I don’t want to leave you either, but my dad is making me, we’ll be together again soon, I promise!” He murmured.
I sighed “when are you leaving?” I asked.
“right now actually, before I watched you in the training yard, my dad talked to me, and told me of “our” plans, he said that he had packed my things, and they were already in the plane, I have to go” he said softly.
I pulled him closer burying my head in his chest “I’ll miss you” I mumbled.
He wrapped his arms tightly around me, burying his face in my hair “I know I’ll miss you too, love” he murmured.
I breathed in his smell of lilac and pine, a very nice smell, actually. I savored it, knowing that this would be the last time I would smell it for a week.
I looked up at him, staring into his eyes “I have to go, Nina” he murmured reluctantly.
I sighed and reluctantly let him go, he hesitated, and then leaned down, kissing me once more on the lips “I love you” he murmured against my lips.
I stared sadly into his eyes when he pulled away “I love you too” I whispered.
He stared into my eyes for a moment more, and then, with a touch to the cheek, walked passed me. I ran my hand along his arm as he passed “miss you already” I whispered.
He looked back with a saddened look “I love you!” he called again.
“I know! I love you too!” I called back.
And with that, he was gone, and I turned to walk down the hall, going to the lunch room, but my appetite was suddenly gone, I walked out onto the deck and sat down beside mom and dad “hi Nina, this is my mate, Joan Vail, Joan, this is Nina, Jenna and Drake’s daughter” Lamina introduced.
Laurence and Maria sat beside Lamina and Joan, I smiled slightly at Joan “nice to meet you” I murmured quietly.
“Is there something wrong, Nina?” mom asked.
I shook my head “no, nothing is wrong” I mumbled, playing with the food I was given.
Mom frowned, but didn’t press the subject. She turned to dad with a confused look, and from the corner of my eye, I saw him shrug. I sighed to myself as I thought of Bane, his devastating smile, his beautiful eyes; I missed him so much already.
I was suddenly not in the mood for company, I wanted to be alone. I looked up “I’m not all that hungry right now, in fact, I didn’t get much sleep last night, I’d rather take a nap” I murmured.
Mom stared at me in confusion, but nodded “okay sweetheart, I’ll see you in a few hours I guess” mom murmured after a while.
I nodded slightly and got up, smiling slightly at everyone. I strode away, running a hand through my hair. This is going to be a long week.


Author's note:

What do you think of the chapter? Please let me know! if there are any grammatical errors, or spelling errors that I should know about then please let me know about that too. if you would like me to tell you when I update, friend me please - I won't notify anyone who doesn't friend me, it's too hard - Thank you in advance!
Emily.

Chapter nine:

The next week was the hardest week of my life, since we were on an untraceable island in the middle of nowhere, I couldn’t call him, or even send a letter, it was like being cut off from my whole world, I missed him terribly. It has been exactly seven days since he left, and I was ecstatic to have him back with me again, my mood had changed dramatically in the past day, I had gone from depressed out of my mind, to joyful and happy. I had no way of knowing whether he was back yet, but the jet was gone, so that was a good sign…right?
“Nina, I was just informed that they were snowed in…and the plane will not be able to leave until the blizzard passes” mom murmured, making my heart sink to my feet.
“How long will it be?” I asked quietly.
She shook her head, watching as my face fell “there is no way to know, it could be a full day, and it could be less than an hour, these storms are unpredictable” she murmured.
I plopped down on the bench on the lunch deck, staring out at the forest and in the distance at the ocean, wondering how it could be so perfect here, and yet they could be in a place so cold that it would keep Bane from me.
“I’m sorry, Nina, He’ll be back soon, though, I promise” mom murmured, patting my shoulder.
I nodded, looking down at my hands “listen, I have to go and talk to your father, I’ll see you in a few, alright sweetheart?” she asked softly.
I nodded, unable to answer. I watched her leave, and then I turned to look out at the forest again, a new depression washing over me; it could be a full day before I saw him again!
I sighed, laying my head down on my arms and closing my eyes. Before I knew it, the tires of the day had gotten to me, and I fell into a deep sleep.

I awoke to familiar strong arms carrying me and snuggled into his chest, sighing in content. And then I realized, that I had been waiting for these strong arms for over a week now, my eyes snapped open and I lifted my head, Bane’s familiar blue eyes stared into mine. I gasped and threw my arms around his neck, forgetting that he was carrying me “oh, Bane! I missed you so much!” I buried my head in his neck, inhaling his scent.
He tightened his hold on me and chuckled “I missed you too love” he murmured softly.
I pulled back and put my hands on both sides of his face, kissing him softly “never. Ever. Ever. Ever leave without taking me with you again!” I said sternly in between kisses.
He smiled and pulled me into a longer, passionate kiss “I don’t plan on it” he murmured when he pulled away.
He set me down on my feet and pulled me back into his arms, wrapping them around my waist “I missed you so much, Nina, I couldn’t get you out of my mind, for the entire week” he murmured, stroking my cheek with the tips of his fingers.
I smiled and lifted myself up on my tip toes, kissing him softly on the lips. The kiss quickly elevated into a passionate one, he pushed me against the wall, gripping my shoulders to hold me there, I grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer, he growled when my hands roved down his chest to his stomach, going under his shirt. He pulled away, staring into my eyes, “I love you” he breathed.
I smiled “I love you too” I whispered back.
He suddenly hoisted me up in his arms, making me squeal, and he carried me to his room, he lowered his lips to mine as he walked into his room, laying me on the bed, and staring into my eyes once again.
He sighed, standing up straight “I have to go and take a shower, love” he murmured, as if sad to leave my side for even a few minutes.
I stared at him with a small smile “okay, I’ll be here” I promised.
He leaned down and kissed me once more, taking off his jacket and laying it on the bed, he walked into the bathroom, and a few minutes later, I heard the shower start.
I sat up and grabbed his jacket, lifting it to my face and smelling his sweet scent; I cuddled it to my chest, and heard something crackle in the pocket. I didn’t want to be nosy, but my curiosity got the best of me when I pulled the folded piece of paper out of his jacket pocket. I opened it, reading the
elegant scrawl:
Dear Bane,

I had so much fun last night, the best night I have had in a long time.
Come back soon and visit me, I look forward to the day you have another “job to do” again.
Your father seemed a little uptight, but I can’t say that you were the same, he kept reminding you of “the girl” it seemed strange, but anyway, here is my phone number: it’s on the bottom of the page.
Valery.

I stared at the small letter, who the hell is Valery?
I hadn’t realized how long I had been staring at the letter until bane came out, drying his hair with a towel.
“I can’t tell you how - Nina?” he asked, walking closer to me.
I pulled my hand away as he tried to grasp it in his, “who is Valery?” I asked.
Surprise entered his expression, but he hid it quickly “I don’t know who you’re talking about” he lied.
“Then what is this?” I asked, shoving the letter his way.
He read through the letter and his eyes widened a fraction of an inch, but with my new, much clearer eyes, I could see it. That confirmed my fears, I got up, walking passed his shocked self “where did you find this?” he asked, grabbing my elbow and spinning me around.
“Maybe you should make sure your little girlfriend doesn’t slip things in your pockets while you’re not looking!” I cried.
“Nina-“
“Don’t, don’t even try and explain this to me, Bane! I can’t believe that I fell for your tricks! You are nothing but a player! ‘I missed you so much, Nina, I couldn’t get you out of my mind, for the entire week.’ Ha! I bet you tried real hard didn’t you?” my voice raised an octave and became sarcastic.
Bane shook his head profusely, reaching out to touch my cheek; I slapped his hand away “Nina-!”
“No! I don’t want to hear it!” I insisted, ripping my arm from his grasp and throwing his door open. I walked at a fast pace, not paying attention to where I was going because my eyes were watering too badly to see.
I ran into something – or someone – and about fell over, but he caught me before I could fall. I looked up to find Joan, “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there!” my voice broke, making me look away.
“Nina, are you alright? You’re crying!” he sounded alarmed.
“I…I’m fine” I murmured.
He ignored my attempts to shrug it off “here, let’s go find Lamina” he murmured, gently grabbing my elbow,
“No!” I said too quickly, scrambling to find an excuse, “No, I’m really fine, I was just drinking a soda with a straw and me being the idiot I am, my mouth kind of missed the straw and I poked myself in the eye” I lied, though I was secretly scolding myself for being such an idiot and believing that Bane loved me.
It was a good lie right? Everyone pokes themselves in the eye with their straw at least once in their lives…right?
Joan didn’t seem to believe me, but he nodded after a moment’s hesitation. “Okay, well it’s after hours, you might want to go to bed” he said, studying me suspiciously.
I nodded and quickly walked passed him, I was about to tear apart at the seams. I quickly ran into my room, I had just shut the door when I lost it, I fell to my knees and put my head in my hands, muffling my sobs. I felt as if my heart was torn, and all I could think about was him, which was making it harder to stop crying.

The next morning I awoke in a fetal position on the floor, my back ached, and I was still exhausted. I must have been crying all night, and fell asleep where I fell on my knees last night.
I got up and stretched my sore muscles, I walked into my bathroom and turned the water on, it was scorching hot, just how I liked it. I stripped and jumped in, letting the water pound my back and relax my muscles.
I stepped out after washing myself off and grabbed a towel. Sighing to myself as I looked around at my bland room, wishing it was like- no! I will not think about him anymore! We may live in the same sanctuary, but that doesn’t mean I can’t avoid him like the plague.
I stormed out of my room after robotically getting ready, wearing shorts that ended mid-thigh and an off the shoulder blue and white striped shirt. I had my bag slung over my shoulder and was headed for the lunch deck, a new determination in my eyes. I sat in the far corner of the deck with a sandwich and pulled out what was in my bag, I had decided to pick up art again. I set out my pencils and pastels all along the table, letting myself relax against the seat as I remembered all that my mom taught me, I picked up a pencil with harder led, sketching out my design and letting my hand connect to my mind, letting my imagination flow onto the paper. Suddenly, I was caught in a vision, I could still see, but the image in my mind was clear.
Running, I was running at inhuman speed through the forest, I could almost feel the wind in my hair. I looked back, hearing peals of laughter that sounded like…mine! Bane’s laughing face appeared in my vision and I felt phantom arms wrap around my waist.
I was snapped out of my vision by a warm hand catching my wrist. I realized that I had been furiously drawing, using every pencil I had at my disposal. I looked at what I had done in shock. In one corner of the page was the scenery of when I was running, and then in another was bane’s laughing face.
“Nina” Bane’s soft voice murmured, prying my hands from their vise grip on the pencil, almost breaking it. I finally managed to open my fist and let the pencil drop onto the page “what did I just do?” it was only a whisper, a mere breath.
“I don’t know, when I came in, you were drawing so fast it was hard to see your hand move when you switched pencils, you were staring at the page blankly and when I said your name you acted as if you didn’t hear me” he explained, cocking his head to the side.
I looked back down at the drawing, tracing a tree with the tip of my finger “I think…I think I was having a vision of some kind” I mumbled.
I looked back up into Bane’s eyes and quickly regretted it; his piercing blue eyes were boring into mine, as if he could see into my soul. I quickly looked away and back at my drawing, closing my sketch book, I quickly gathered my things and tucked my book under my arm, “I’m going to talk to mom and dad about this” I whispered, but then stopped in my tracks, how am I supposed to tell them that I had a vision about Bane? It seemed a little embarrassing and not to mention the vision seemed too intimate.
“On second thought, I’ll just…go back to my room” I decided and started walking again.
“Nina-“ Bane sighed.
“Stop right there, there is nothing for us to talk about and I’m not sure – if there was something to talk about – that I want to talk to you right now anyway” I turned my head to the side, not really looking at Bane at all.
He was suddenly standing right behind me, his hands on my arms, and his lips at my ear, almost making me drop my things “you might not want to talk now, but we will talk later” he whispered fiercely into my ear. My knees were weak and my breathing was uneven as he let me go with a deep chuckle.
I stumbled through the halls, my mind in a daze. When I reached my room, I hesitated at the handle, my inner animal desperately wanted to be free from the confines of my room, I could feel the urge to run through the forest and let my wild side free.
So I opened my door, threw my drawing stuff onto the bed and took off down the hall, passing several people whom I had met the first day I was here before I shifted. They all smiled and waved as I waved back, running passed them.
I ran through the music room, though my intent was not to go to the training yard. I had a very sudden urge to run through the forests, free and without a care in the world. As soon as I left the doors of the sanctuary, I shifted, letting my inner animal stretch out her limbs and then took off through the forest at my fastest speed. The trees zipped by me as I ran, letting out a feral snarl that was meant to be a laugh, I pushed myself faster. Animals scurried passed me and hid, my hearing picked up the squealing of monkeys as they warned my approach, and I heard the sound of galloping; horses, maybe?
I skidded to a stop and cocked my head to the side, listening to the galloping sound once more. This didn’t sound like hooves; it sounded like…paws, very large paws. I could feel the ground beneath me shake as the paws came closer and quickly climbed up a tree, settling on a branch to hide from whatever this was. The leaves on the tree shook as the creature galloped closer, and suddenly, it broke through the trees with a crash “where is it?” it snarled, its voice was booming, and it made me shake with fear.
I held my breath as it stomped over to my tree, snarling. It looked like a bear on steroids, big, beefy arms and legs, and a head that could probably crush me with one blow. His paws alone were half the size of me, and his big, brown, furry body was the mass of a manatee. I heard the pounding of not one, but two hearts, pounding so hard it almost hurt my ears to listen, I looked around for the second creature, guessing that I was hearing two, but I saw and heard no other.
“I know you’re here somewhere! I can hear your heartbeat!” it growled menacingly.
My silent breath caught, and I wished somehow that I could stop my heart from beating so rapidly. “Your friend killed my brother. And I have half a mind to cut off your head, and send it flying through the window of “the sanctuary” but, that would be too quick a death” it was still looking around as it explained its plans, and my breath caught in my throat when it’s eyes landed on me. It gave me a gruesome grin, showing sharp jagged teeth like a shark “there you are!” it snarled.
I leaped over him, landing behind him and digging my claws into the ground. Not looking back, I started running, clawing my way through the forest at dangerous speeds. I wasn’t as careful as before; braches caught my fur and ripped, making me roar in pain. I could hear his booming footsteps as he galloped towards me and pushed myself faster. I could hear tree’s fall as he ripped his way through the forest, it was dense, which worked to my advantage and slowed him down. I suddenly broke out onto the beach, freezing for an instant, but that instant was all that the creature needed, it clawed at my foot and left jagged, swollen scars running down my right leg. I roared in agony but pushed through it, kicking him in the face as I started running, like a startled horse kicking his master as he walked behind him. Running through the sand slowed me down, made it hard to run as fast as before, but I managed to maintain a steady speed enough to stay away from the strange creature intent on taking my life…slowly.
I crashed into the forest, my breathing hard and my pulse pounding in my ears. I couldn’t die, not by this…this creature, this freak of nature!

And that’s when I got hit by something big, heavy and black.

Chapter Ten:

I struggled under the giant body, roaring in the creatures face. “This one’s a feisty one, Gabe” the creature, seeming to be female, snarled a laugh.
“She’s fast too, and strong, stronger than even our shifters” he panted, coming up beside the other one. His face was bloody where I kicked him, and his eye was clawed up and slowly healing.
“Get off me!” I snarled, snapping at the creatures face.
It snarled at me, showing sharp, jagged teeth. My paws were free from her heavy body, so I dug my claws into her shoulder and raked them down her chest. She roared a booming, sound that would have blown my hair back from my face if I weren’t a cat. She rolled off of me, and in the process, I heard the crack of one of my ribs, and roared in pain. I pushed through the pain and got up, pushing myself to run. The pain in my ribs was excruciating, but I could hear the cracked rib slowly healing, and pushed myself forward again.
I heard the roar of…not the creatures, but of…shifters! I could hear paws headed this way. The only question was, was it my family, or theirs?
I had stopped to listen, and I heard the galloping of the creature, it was close, and all the sudden, I felt claws rake down my side, I roared in agony as the blow through me into a tree, cracking the newly healed rib again. I panted and tried to get up, but all I could do was stumble and fall again, letting out a low growl.
“Now, you are mine!” the creature, Gabe snarled.
A deafening roar, shaking the forest, stopped him in his tracks as he stalked toward me. I was suddenly forced into my human form again, and so was the creature…wait, what? The once savage beast was now a big, beefy looking human.
“You!” he snarled, turning around.
I reached a hand out and grasped the dirt and grass, dragging myself away while he was preoccupied. Suddenly, excruciating pain hit my entire body and I screamed out, clutching my head as it felt like it was about to explode.
As quickly as the pain started, it ended. The only pain left was the pain in my side which, compared to the pain I just experienced, was like a scratch.
I dragged my body into the forest and turned to see who was fighting the beast. It was Bane! His bright blue eyes were half crazed with anger as he leaped at the now human beast. He tackled it to the ground and, without a single thought, snapped its neck. I gripped a tree and started dragging myself away, cries of pain coming from my mouth with every movement of my shredded side.
“Nina!” Bane was human again, running towards me.
He leaned down beside me, taking in my shredded, bloody shirt, and sucking in a shocked breath. He gently lifted my shirt, and his eyes became like ice. “Come on, let’s get you home” he said gently, though it face was set in a mask of rage, his voice was the complete opposite; he sounded completely calm.
I cried out as he tried to pick me up, and he quickly revised his plan. “Okay, I’m going to need you to shift, Nina. I’ll carry you on my back; you’ll heal faster if you shift”
I nodded, in too much pain to argue, I shifted, growling as he reached out a hand and gently touched the shredded skin. He quickly withdrew his hand with an apologetic look and shifted. He lay down and looked pointedly at me, then to his back.
With every movement, I roared in pain, but I managed to climb onto his back. My legs dragged the forest floor as I lay limp on his back, he ran at amazing speeds, glancing back to check on me every once in a while. It was a smooth ride, with only a few roars a protest from me. Soon the others caught up, I recognized dad, his animal was a lion, and I had only seen it once, but I knew his eyes. He and mom flanked Bane, while two bears and two tigers ran behind us.
“Wait!” moms voice made Bane skid to a stop, and we all listened.
Mom cocked her head to the side, and everyone looked at her. “Bane, get her to the sanctuary. We’ll meet you there! Go, now!” she urged as the sound of running, huge paws got louder.
Bane took off twice as fast, and I tensed, the pain getting worse with each paw-print he made in the dirt.
My roar of pain was followed by several whimpers. “Sorry, Nina. But we don’t have much time” he grunted, going faster.
I didn’t answer, my mind focused on the excruciating pain in my side. I knew it was healing, but it was only slowly healing. We finally broke out of the forest, and he kept running, the sanctuary was close, I could smell it. And before I knew it, he was pushing the door open with his face and running as fast as he could down the hall. I growled softly, my vision was blurring and I started to get dizzy. I stared at the ground and noticed that blood was trickling down my foot and trailing on the floor, I was losing too much. I closed my eyes, slowly getting too tired to keep them open. The last thing I heard was Drake’s plea for me to stay awake.

“Nina. Nina can you hear me? Wake up!” I knew that pleading voice, but I couldn’t put a name to it. It was someone important to me, someone who meant a lot to me, I knew that…so why couldn’t I remember his name?
“Nina. Please, if you can hear us, wake up” it was another voice, a softer, female voice, but I still couldn’t remember who it belonged to. I worked to open my eyes, but I couldn’t, it felt like my eyelids were too heavy.
“Nina, Love, Please, wake up” that voice brought my memory back, I knew that voice, my heart sped and tingles shot up my spine when I would hear that voice, that was Bane’s voice. I felt a soft touch to my face, brushing my hair back, and I longed to open my eyes and see the owner of that voice and those hands, but they were so heavy!
I worked with every ounce of strength I had to open my eyes, but I could only get them to flutter, not open. “She is waking up. I know how it feels though, it’s hard to regain control of your body after the poison of the Jaykoren wears off” someone else said, a deep male voice.
I tried, again, to open my eyes, working on tightening them first, and then relaxing them. After I finally got that down, I tried opening them again, and they weren’t as heavy as before. I slowly opened my eyes to stare into piercing blue ones, I knew those eyes.
“Nina” Bane sighed in relief, his thumb stroking my temple.
From the corner of my eye, I registered mom, tugging dad and the doctor out of the room, that’s who those voices belonged to. I stared up at Bane, the love that I had been denying flooding through me. I reached up with a shaky, heavy and hand touched his cheek, it was wet, “have you been crying?” I croaked.
He smiled slightly, his eyes taking in my face, as if he’d never seen it before “when I got you here…you’d lost a lot of blood and…the doctor didn’t think he would be able to save you. I could hear your heart slowing and I just…” he struggled with his emotions for a moment, his eyes filling with unshed tears “I couldn’t fathom losing you. You were dying and I couldn’t do a thing about it. And then…all of the sudden…your heart rate normalized and you started healing normally, the doctor couldn’t figure out what had happened, he suspects the poison from the jaykoren’s claws had passed through your body, and it was over, I can’t tell you how…relieved and…sorry I was to you. Nina, I never wanted to lie to you, ever” he leaned down and pressed his lips to my forehead, letting them linger.
“Then why did you?” I asked when he pulled back.
“I didn’t. I didn’t tell you about Valery because I didn’t want to upset you. She was our job. She was the one we were there for. Her power is…distracting men. She uses that… distraction against us, my father was immune, that’s his power, being immune to mental powers; powers that mess with the mind. He kept trying to get me to remember our job, and every time I would come to my senses, she would suck me back into her little…seduction” his face scrunched up in disgust “the only thing that broke me from her distraction and kept me from it was my father’s mention of…you. Your face was the only thought in my mind from then on. I’m ashamed of myself that I didn’t think of you before, and I don’t think I can forgive myself for even thinking of another woman. I love you, Nina, and no one else” he vowed, staring fiercely into my eyes.
I opened my mouth to speak, but he suddenly leaned down and captured my lips with his, my arms wrapped around his neck without my permission and they used my strength to pull him on top of me. A low growl came from deep in his chest, making me shiver. He straddled my hips and grinded into me, making me gasp and moan quietly. He slipped his tongue between my lips and explored my mouth with it. I had lost all train of thought, my mind was running on backup power now, and even that was too faulty to help.
I gripped the back of his shirt with both of my hands and leaned my head up as he tried to pull away. “Nina…I have to stop” he groaned as I wrapped my legs around his waist.
“Why?” I gasped between kisses.
“I don’t think you want me to take you on a hospital bed” he said breathlessly.
“Then take me to your room” I couldn’t help it, it slipped out before I could stop it.
He pulled back and stared into my eyes, measuring how serious I was about this. I stared bravely into his eyes, tracing circles on his back. “You really mean it” it wasn’t a question, he was stating a fact.
“Yes, I do” was all I could get out.
He picked me up without another word and started toward the door “wait! What if our parents are out there?” I panicked.
“They left to their rooms. It’s fine” he said.
I nodded as we practically ran toward his room. My excitement and nerves were getting to me as he threw open his door and threw me playfully on the bed. I giggled as he half fell on top of me and his lips met mine with a new passion. I was unsure of what to do, so I let him lead. I am a virgin, so I have never even been…down there. I gasped as his hands went under my shirt and he pulled back, staring into my eyes.
“Are you sure about this, Nina?” he asked me softly.
Was I sure? Was this just some spur-of-the-moment-I’ll-regret-this-tomorrow- thing? I was unsure. I stared into his eyes, they were concerned…for me. He didn’t care about anything else, he wasn’t going to force me. That is when I decided. I was sure, as sure as the sun rises.
I nodded, not having to speak. Without another word, he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine, his hands continuing their climb. My nerves were being overrun with passion; his hands left a burning trail up my stomach. Suddenly my hands worked on their own accord and flipped us over.

Chapter Eleven:

I lay awake staring at this exquisite creature. Nina lye asleep in my arms, her breathing even and her face peaceful. I stroked her cheek softly and she let out a content sigh in her sleep. How I loved her. There were no words for how wonderful it felt to make her mine in every way, to have her say my name. She was not experienced in that sort of thing, but she was ferocious as her inner animal. I leaned up on my elbow and played with her hair. It was short, but not too short, about shoulder length.
I couldn’t stop grinning as I stroked the tip of my finger down her cheek, loving the feel of her soft skin. She cuddled into my chest, making a small noise in her sleep. I wrapped my arm around her back and pulled her tighter against me, lying back down with her half on top of me. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled softly, letting her hands trail up my chest “good morning, Nina” I murmured in her ear.
Her smile widened slightly and she shifted so she was lying fully on top of me, resting her chin on her arms which were on my chest and straddling me with her legs.
“Good morning” she murmured softly.
I entwined my fingers with hers, lifting our hands to kiss hers “sleep well?” I asked her.
“I don’t know…how late were we…?” she asked, blushing deep red.
I chuckled deeply “we were up until about four” my grin widened.
She shifted and let out a light groan “I’m a little sore. But I slept fine” she murmured.
I nodded, giving her an apologetic look “it’s – regretfully – part of the first time” I sighed.
She groaned again and rolled off of me, bouncing slightly as she lay with her arms over her head. The blanket covered most of her, stopping just over her chest, but it was only a thin over-sheet, and it hugged her body tightly.
“I’m not going to say the cliché line that everyone says. I’m just going to ask, how was it for you?” she asked suddenly, making me chuckle “this was the best night of my life” I said immediately.
She was silent for a beat before she finally whispered, “really?”
I slid down to her level, leaning over her and staring into her eyes “really”
A slow, small smile spread across her luscious lips and she looked down at my chest “it was for me too”
I leaned down and captured her lips with mine, kissing her briefly before I got up. Her beautiful lips twisted up into a pout and she crossed her arms “we have to go, Nina. What would your parents think if they found you here?” I asked her on a sigh.
She groaned as she sat up, and just as her feet hit the ground, a scream echoed through the sanctuary. We both looked at each other for a mere second before running out my door. The whole place was in chaos; Jenna and Drake were shifted, along with Lamina and Joan. And I could just make out two bears, Laurence and Maria, fighting off two Jaykoren.
“Bane! Get these people to the ship! Your father is waiting. We’ll hold them off as long as we can and then meet you there. Go!” Jenna called.
I grabbed Nina’s hand and called for everyone in the sanctuary to follow me. I smelled smoke and realized that they had set the entire building on fire. We all shifted as we left the sanctuary and ran in the direction of the beach. As we barreled through the forest, behind the group, I listened for footsteps that didn’t sound like shifters. I didn’t hear any.
I looked at Nina and realized she was doing the same thing, I shook my head at her and she nodded once. We hit the sand, still running. The ship that we used for evacuation was idling off the shore. We shifted and piled into the smaller boats. I nodded to my dad who was in the other boat at the shore and we sailed off to the evacuation ship.
The ship was a mega yacht; easily big enough to hold us all. The trip by sea to our new sanctuary was three days, the island held a little village. The leader of that village of shifters feels the need for schools. So we’ll have to go, but I wasn’t thinking about that right now.
I grasped Nina’s hand in mine as we reached the boat. I pulled the boat around to the wet-room and jumped out, helping everyone off. I picked up a child whom hasn’t even shifted yet, she had to ride on her mother’s back, most of the children did. I lifted them all onto the boat and they ran to their fathers while they waited for their mothers.
Nina was leaning down on one knee in front of a woman with an infant, trying to convince her to let her go so she could get safely off the boat “I promise, she’ll be okay, let me hold her until you are safely off of the boat, and then she’ll be handed to you. Please.” Nina said softly, holding her arms out.
The mother stared into Nina’s eyes for a few seconds before quietly nodding and tentatively giving her the infant. She got up and took my outstretched hand, climbing carefully off. Nina cradled the child to her chest as she walked over to me, giving me the baby. Just as I was helping Nina out, Jenna, Drake, Lamina, Joan, Laurence and Maria sailed in and quickly jumped out.
We anchored the boats to the side of the yacht and Nina and I watched from the sundeck as the sanctuary went up in a plume of smoke.
“All of my things, my pictures, my clothes, they’re all gone” she whispered, staring out at the island as it slowly got farther away.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple “it’ll be alright. We’re still alive. Barely anyone was hurt, and those who were hurt are healing as we speak. Your things were just things; our lives are something we should be grateful for.” I tried to convince her.
I heard her hitch a breath and watched as a single tear fell down her cheek “I know. I’m sorry. But you can’t blame me for being sad.” She murmured.
“And I don’t. How could I ever blame you? Come on, love. I’ll show you your room.” I murmured softly.
We walked to the elevator, and she held tightly to me as if afraid I would walk away from her. I punched in the third floor and we started up. She looked up at me “where are we going now?”
“We’re going to another sanctuary. The headmaster is going to have us in school. College grade probably. It’s going to be a three day trip.” I explained. Her eyes were still filled with tears, and it killed me to see her this way. I wished that I could just go back in time and at least get some of her things. I understood how she felt, we all lost things most important to us.
I held her close to me as we stepped out of the elevator. I turned to her and pressed my lips to hers.
“We prepare for every new shifter in case of emergency. We have new clothes for you in your room, copies of pictures, and a few of your favorite posters. Sadly any picture frames or pieces of jewelry will be lost forever.
She paused mid-stride “I still have my pictures?” she asked softly.
I nodded “of course. And the clothing we give is set according to your style. My clothing is all black and green” I chuckled.
She smiled slightly “okay. I can handle it if I have all my pictures” she murmured.
We entered her room and she took a deep breath, examining the purple bedspread and dark mahogany bed-frame. This room was much bigger than her old room, with a small flat-screen TV in front of a purple sofa on the other side of the room. Her walls were painted a darker shade of purple, and the ceiling was regular white.
I watched as she walked over to a box sitting in front of her bed on the floor. She leaned down and, with a sigh of relief, picked up a picture.
“Your room will not be changed. We have copies of the pictures in that other box that you can use in your room at the sanctuary. The reason that we do this is because we feel that the inner animal is comforted by familiar sites. So too many new things don’t make you go…feral” I explained.
She smiled at me “I think we went pretty feral last night” she raised an eyebrow at me.
I grinned, yes we did.

Chapter twelve:

I got up and walked over to Bane. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled his head down and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up off the ground, crushing me to his chest. I smiled under his lips and tangled my hands in his hair.
The clearing of a throat made Bane and I break apart, he set me down and we looked behind him. Mom, dad, Lamina, Maria and Laurence all stood there, looking between Bane and I.
I blushed and hid behind Bane “there seems to be a pattern here” dad muttered.
“How long has this been going on?” Maria asked.
Bane wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me out from behind him. “We’ve been together for two weeks” I shrugged.
Dad and mom knew, and I’m pretty sure Lamina – if not knew already – suspected something. Bane wasn’t shy about it at all, he was grinning widely.
“Well I can see you two are happy about it” Maria smiled.
I glanced at Lamina, who was giving me a look that said we needed to talk about this.
I turned to Bane “I need to talk to Lamina. Go to your room and get settled” I murmured.
He nodded, kissed my cheek and, with a wistful smile, left.
Mom and dad raised an eyebrow, Laurence looked distrustful, Maria looked like she didn’t see anything wrong, and Lamina KNEW something was wrong.
“You guys go get settled. We need to talk in privet” Lamina ordered.
Everyone rolled their eyes, but separated. Lamina pulled me into my room and shut the door, ‘’tell me everything!” she exclaimed.
I laughed “well…we’re mates”
She let out a loud squeal and pulled me into a hug “I knew it, I knew it!” she jumped up and down with me in her arms.
“Has he told you he loves you yet? Are you guys…serious?” she asked me excitedly.
I laughed and nodded “yes, we’re pretty serious; I mean you saw me with him. He has told me he loves me, many times actually” I sat down on my bed and sighed dreamily “he’s so wonderful. He’s kind, sweet, charming. He is always gentle when he’s around me. I love him” I whispered.
Lamina sat beside me “that is nothing like the Bane I know. Bane is always so…full of disdain. I’ve never seen him act the way he does with you. That smile was a very unusual Bane smile. He’s usually got no smile at all, his mother’s death changed him.” She murmured sadly.
I looked down at my hands. I’d heard about his mother’s death. Poor Bane.
“Lamina…can I tell you something? I don’t want to share this with my parents because I know they’ll go ballistic. I’m trusting you with this secret and I want you to cross your heart – no matter what you think of this – that you won’t tell them.” I said fiercely.
Lamina immediately crossed her heart and acted as if she was sticking a pin in her eye; it surprised me that she didn’t jump to conclusion.
“Bane and I sort of… did the deed last night” I blushed deep red.
“What? Oh my God!” she screamed.
I shushed her, she didn’t seem upset, just completely surprised.
“You had sex with Bane?” she whispered loudly.
I smiled sheepishly “I hadn’t really thought about it in that…use of words, but yes…we did” I muttered.
Lamina did a strange squeal in the back of her throat and grabbed me by my shoulders “how was it?”
I stared at her in shock, how do I answer that? Honesty seemed the way to go.
“It was the best night of my life” I blushed again.
“Oh my gosh! I understand completely! Joan and I have been keeping it from Drake too, you know how protective Drake is of me…and now that you’ve told me your secret, I have to tell you mine. I’m pregnant.” She put her hand to her flat stomach as if to protect it.
I gaped at her, and then half screamed “seriously?”
“Shh! Drake doesn’t know. He would go berserk. But yes, I just found out two weeks ago. You know how Drake has been so protective of me? Well that is because Joan and I are planning our wedding” a tear slid from her eye “oh gosh, I’m so nervous and happy. I keep thinking, what if Joan thinks a baby is too much and leaves? Oh gosh” she said again.
I pulled her into a hug “hey. I’ve seen the way Joan looks at you. He’s going to stick around” I murmured.
She pulled back and smiled at me.
“You’re having a baby!” I squealed.
“I know! Joan has been so careful since we found out. It’s kind of cute watching him fuss over me.” She smiled.
Lamina patted my hand “I have to go. Joan is waiting for me on the sundeck. I’m so glad Bane treating you right” she said.
“I know. Me too. Okay I’ll see you later.” I said as she left.
I got up and walked over to a door by the purple love seat. I opened the door and about fell over. A huge bathroom sat before me, with a round bathtub, and an open shower with multiple shower heads. The mirror reminded me of a dressing room mirror, bright lights lined the top. A deep set, round sink sat in the counter in front of the mirror. The cream colored walls were set off nicely by the light.
A small light also hung over the bath tub.
“This is one of the best bedrooms on the yacht.” Bane’s voice startled me.
I turned around only to be face to face with him. He snaked his arms around me and pulled me close to him, leaning down to pull me into a hot, steamy kiss that I thought only happened in the movies.
“Shall we test that shower out?” he whispered in my ear.
I shivered and nodded weakly, how could I have said no?
He smashed his lips to mine and picked me up, shutting the bathroom door with his foot. He broke the kiss to start the shower, his other hand tracing circles on my back. As we waited for the shower to get warm enough, he pushed me against the wall and ripped my shirt off.

We lay tangled together in bed, staring into each other’s eyes.
I reached over and ran my fingers through his messy hair, still wet from the shower. Bane was grinning, much like he was this morning. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.
“We need to get dressed. Mom and dad will be looking for me soon” I whispered.
He sighed and nodded “okay. You know, when we get married I think we should live on the beach” he said abruptly.
I laughed softly. “oh really, and why is that?” I asked him softly.
He leaned up on one elbow, his face hovering over mine. “that way we could live in peace and quiet, that is until I get you in bed, then it won’t be so quiet” he leaned down and nuzzled my neck.
I blushed and slapped him playfully “okay Mr. Stalls-a-lot, we need to get dressed” I laughed.
He groaned and rolled off of me, literally rolling out of bed. I heard the thump as he hit the ground.
“Bane? Are you okay?” I laughed.
I crawled over to look and his hand grabbed mine, pulling me with him. I yelped and giggled as he pulled me on top of him. He pulled me up and dragged me over to my closet, opening it and playfully shoving me in.
“Hey! It’s not my fault my parents are nosy!” I laughed.
He grinned, his eyes enjoying the view of my naked body before shutting the door. I searched for something to wear and found a blue T-shirt with dark blue-jeans. I pulled on a pair of underwear and a bra.
When I was finished I came back into my room to find that Bane was gone. He must have gone to change. I blasted my hair with a blow dryer and used the straightener to style it. I brushed on some mascara and called it good.
A knock sounded at the door and I cracked it open. Mom and dad stood with arms crossed and raised eyebrows.
“Why did we just see Bane coming out of your room?” Uh-oh.
“He was helping me with the shower, I couldn’t figure out how to work it.” I explained.
Now they raised both eyebrows “I hope you both kept your clothes on” dad muttered.
Only for a very short time. “Of course we did! Come on guys! Have a little trust.” I moved out of the way so they could get by.
“Are you enjoying your room?” mom asked, elbowing dad with a stern look his way.
“Yeah. It’s really big! I didn’t know a room like this existed” I noticed Bane’s boxers on the floor by the bed and let out a squeak under my breath.
I walked over before they could turn around and face me and kicked the boxers under the bed. Dad turned just as I sat down and noticed the bed was a mess, shit!
“Did you take a nap?” he asked me.
I smiled, trying hard not to grimace instead “no, I was…jumping on the bed. I got so excited and it sounded…fun” Liar! My mind screamed at me.
Dad didn’t notice my inner turmoil and shrugged. “We’re having lunch soon. We just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing, and to also invite you to come with us. It’ll be about one when we go out” mom murmured.
I nodded with a few quick bobs of my head “okay, yeah sure. Sounds great” I smiled.
Mom raised an eyebrow but nodded “okay. Well we’ll be going now” she said slowly.
“Okay. Just call me when it’s time for lunch” I said, walking with them to the door.
“Okay. Love you” mom said.
“Love you too. Bye.” I said.
I waited until I heard their footsteps fade and then I leaned against the door, sliding down until I sat on the carpeted floor. I let out a whoosh of breath and fanned myself “that was close.” I whispered.
Another knock. I opened the door to find Bane grinning “sorry about the boxers. I heard your parents coming and left as quick as I could.”
“No problem. At least I noticed them before my parents could” I wiped the back of my hand along my forehead “that was a close one” I muttered.
Bane came in and shut the door behind him “we need to be more careful. Your parents are starting to suspect something.” Even as he said it, he pulled me into his arms and had me pressed against him.
Before he could press his lips to mine, a knock sounded at the door and I quickly shoved him into my closet. I walked over and cracked the door open, dad stood there with an apologetic smile “your mom forgot to tell you that she and Lamina have your textbooks for school. They’re going to give them to you when we arrive” he murmured.
I smiled “okay. Thanks dad” I said awkwardly.
He smiled a tight, awkward smile back, he suspected something.
He opened his mouth, but hesitated. “You would tell me if something was going on between you and Bane…right?” he asked me.
I waved my hand, my easy laugh coming out with a slight nervous edge “yeah. Of course, I mean…you’re my dad.” Lies, all lies, I thought to myself.
He let out a pent up breath and smiled “okay. I’m just worried about you, you know?” he said.
I smiled tightly “yeah…I know” I said.

After dad left I opened my closet door and smiled at Bane. He pulled me into the closet with him and pulled the door closed behind me. He pressed me against the door and pressed himself against me. I stared into his aqua blue eyes and felt my hands slip under his shirt, feeling his chiseled chest.
He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine, softly, at first, and then more demanding. He deepened the kiss and slipped his leg in between mine.
Before I could register what was happening, I was on the ground with my shirt off. I laughed. “You just can’t get enough, can you?” I asked.
“You’re too enticing for your own good.” He said huskily and then he pressed his lips to mine once more.

I let out a string of profanities, my mother was coming and Bane and I were still in my closet, with fewer clothes on then we had before. I pulled Bane up and we dressed at inhuman speed. Bane quickly kissed me on the lips before pushing me out of the closet, telling me he’d be up for lunch in a few minutes. My mother’s footsteps stopped outside the door and she hesitated before knocking.
I made sure my hair wasn’t crazy from Bane running his hands through it, and opened the door. I smiled out at mom. “You ready to go?” she asked me.
I nodded. “Yep. Let’s go.” I said quickly.
We walked in silence to the elevator, mom lost in her own thoughts, my thoughts dwelling on Bane. Mom pushed the button for the third floor and we started up. I couldn’t keep the smile from my face, no matter what I did. It was like it was stuck there. I would stop smiling, and it would slowly creep back up again.
We walked out of the elevators and into a dining room. Mom sat by Dad and I sat by Lamina, leaving a seat open for Bane. Lamina smiled at me and I smiled back.
“Nina! I hope you’ve been enjoying your stay on the yacht so far.” Joan said.
I smiled at him, oh yes I have.

Chapter Thirteen:

A knock came to the door, awaking both Bane and I from a deep sleep. I rolled out of bed accidentally and cursed under my breath as the door cracked open. Bane had hid behind the bed, where mom couldn’t see him. I, however was still naked. I grabbed my blanket and quickly covered myself with my blanket, glad that it was only mom and not dad.
“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t know you slept…naked.” Mom quickly closed the door behind her.
I blushed and sighed, there was no getting out of this; Bane wasn’t going to be able to hide. I slipped on my pajama pants and a shirt. “I don’t.” I said.
She cocked her head to the side and opened her mouth to speak, but Bane sat up with a resigned sigh. He had his jeans on, thank God, and he was slipping on his shirt.
Mom gasped in outrage. “Mom, now don’t get mad-“
“Don’t get mad? Don’t get mad? I’m not mad! I’m furious!” she yelled, interrupting me.
“Well you shouldn’t be! We both know what we’re doing! We don’t regret it. He’s my mate mom!” I said, trying to reason with her.
“That doesn’t change the fact that you’re only eighteen!” she yelled again.
Dad poked his head in, and mom crossed her arms as he walked in. They stared into each other’s eyes for a second and something seemed to communicate between them. His eyes turned fiery with anger and he looked at Bane. Without a word he started around the bed.
I was over the bed and in front of Bane at inhuman speed. “Dad, don’t you dare even think about taking this out on Bane! It was a mutual decision!” I said.
He turned his fiery gaze to me. “You lied to us, Nina!” he shouted.
“I only lied because I knew this would happen!” I yelled back.
Bane put his hand on my arm to calm me, and I relaxed immediately. “You are grounded, young lady! And you are not allowed to see Bane again!” Dad yelled.
Tears welled in my eyes. “You can’t-“
“I can and I will!” He said.
I was trying to think of something, anything to say to try and persuade him, but my mind was blank. I stared at dad with pleading eyes, but his remained angry. I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked at Bane. He stared at me sadly. “You have five minutes to say goodbye. We’ll be outside the door.” Mom said, dragging dad out with her.
As soon as the door shut I was in Bane’s arms, sobbing into his chest. “I don’t want you to leave!” I sobbed.
He stroked my hair, sighing. “I know Love. I’m so sorry.” He whispered.
“How can they do this?” I asked brokenly.
He tightened his arms around me and kissed my forehead. “I don’t know. We’ll see each other again, remember our plans? We were going to get married and have twenty children, and we were going to have a house on the beach where our children can play fetch with our dog Fido – for lack of a better name – and we were going to grow old together and have thirty grandchildren at our feet.” He chuckled.
I smiled and looked up at him. “That sounds nice. But we’d have to have quite a large beach to accommodate all of those children.” I said, wiping my eyes.
He smiled softly and nuzzled my neck. “I have to go, Nina.” He whispered sadly as a soft knock came to the door, signaling the end of our goodbyes.
I kissed him softly on the lips. “I love you.” I whispered.
“I love you too.” He whispered back.
He let me go, keeping ahold of my hand as if, when we let go of each other, the bond we had would be broken. “I love you.” He said once more before letting my hand go.
I stood in the middle of the room, watching as the door opened, and he slipped out with a saddened glance my way. I sank to my knees in the middle of the room and dropped my head in my hands. “Nina. I hope you understand that this is for your own good-“
“Will you please just…leave me alone?” I asked them, not looking up.
I felt them both pause, and then I heard their footsteps going out of the room. A few minutes later, I heard a soft knock at the door. I tried to compose my voice a little before asking softly, “who is it?” my voice was still thick with tears.
“It’s Lamina, sweetheart.” She said softly.
I wiped my eyes and got up, walking over, I opened the door and pulled Lamina in. I shut the door behind her and sat down on the bed beside her. Lamina studied me in silence for a full minute, and without having to say a word, I burst into tears.
“Oh, sweetheart! I know it’s hard, I’m so sorry!” she said, pulling me into a tight hug.
I hugged her back, needing her comfort more than anything. “They just tore us apart, not a word of understanding from either of them!” I cried.
She pat my back comfortingly. “I know sweetheart. And that’s why I don’t want to tell Drake I’m pregnant until after the wedding. He’ll go berserk. Joan wanted to tell them early, but I decided against it. Though, I suppose, I am almost twenty nine, and he needs to get over his overprotectiveness. But you are his daughter, and he’s most protective of you because he just got you back.” Lamina said.
I nodded, but I still didn’t understand how he could be so cold. He was like Bane when he was young, he also had a mate, and he knew the pull Bane and I had to each other. “I can’t just…not see Bane again! We’re connected to each other! We’re mates! Why don’t they understand that?” I asked her.
Lamina sighed. “They do understand…when they’re not being so stubborn. Just give them time to think, they’ll come around.” Lamina promised.
I nodded. “Okay. I’m a little hungry, let’s go get something to eat.” I said, wiping my eyes.
Lamina smiled. “Girl, you read my mind.”
I pulled my short hair back into a small bob, since I didn’t know what else to do with it, and we rode the elevator to the dining room. Dad and Mom sat at the end of the table, and I went silent. Lamina and I sat far away from them, more from my preference then hers. Joan walked in a few minutes later and sat beside us just as we got our food. I had a chicken salad sandwich, Lamina had some chicken nuggets with fries and a side of corn, and Joan had a strange concoction of mashed potatoes, corn, peas, and chicken all mixed together. I had to laugh at his creativeness.
“This is his favorite meal. He eats it every chance he gets.” Lamina rolled her eyes at me.
Joan smiled but didn’t look up from his meal. “That actually looks kind of good.” I said, shrugging.
Lamina laughed and mussed my hair, making me glare at her playfully. Though I was trying to be happy, to make Lamina feel better, I felt hollow without Bane beside me. I missed him, more than I missed the old sanctuary.
A girl who looked my age, maybe a little older than me scooted into the seat next to mine. She had strange black spots in her hair and the rest was a tan-orange color. “Hi, I’m Velody, but you can call me Vel, everyone does. I’m sorry to bother you, but I just need to say, you are extremely powerful.” She said.
I looked at her and cocked my head to the side. “I’m Nina. What makes you say that?”
“My power is to sense others powers, I know their power before they do. You can read people’s minds, but you have to have a pencil and a pad of paper, you can also look into the future that way. But you have a second power that hasn’t fully developed yet…I’m not sure…but it seems extremely powerful, like your mother’s. It’s not developed enough to know what it is just yet.” She murmured.
I smiled at her. “Thank you; I wondered what was happening when I’d try drawing. Do you know if there is any way to control it?” I asked.
She nodded. “Of course, it just takes practice. All you have to do is focus your mind on any one person, or object, and choose what you’d like to do, if you’d like to see their future, or if you’d like to read their minds.” She said.
“Thank you very much. You have a very unique power, what is your inner animal?” I asked her.
“Me? Oh I’m a cheetah, only I can run for hours, regular cheetah’s and only run in short bursts.” She said.
Lamina and Joan were listening intently, and I suspected mom and dad were too, with how they weren’t moving, but they kept their heads down, looking at their food.
“Is it natural to have more than one power?” I asked her curiously.
“It is rare to develop two powers without developing two inner animals, but it can happen, and I don’t sense another inner animal developing in you, only power. If you did develop an inner animal, they’d fight for dominance and eventually, they’d take over your mind so they’d both have room for each other. It’s a vicious cycle, but it has happened.” She said, her face twisting up in a grimace.
We both knew to whom. Garrison.
Velody turned her eyes to Lamina and they twinkled with delight. “Your child will be special. She’s going to be a fierce Clouded leopard, I can already feel the inner animal developing inside her.” She saw Lamina’s worried expression and tried to calm her. “Do not worry, she is in no danger. She will be premature, by quite a few years actually.”
“What?” dads booming voice echoed through the room, making me wince.
Velody’s eyes widened with understanding and she grimaced in apology. I pat her hand to tell her it wasn’t her fault. Lamina sighed. “It’s okay Velody, they were going to find out anyway.” She said softly.
“Lamina…I want to speak to you…alone.” Dad said through clenched teeth.
Lamina rolled her eyes and stood up, following Bane out of the room. “I am so sorry! I had no idea-“
“Don’t worry, Velody, you couldn’t have known.” I told her soothingly.
Joan sat with his hands clenched in front of him, staring intently at his plate. “Come, Velody, I want to test my power.” I told her, seeing that she was still brooding over her mistake.
“Okay.” She whispered.
As we took the elevator to get to my room, I noticed there were tears rolling down her cheeks. “Velody, you couldn’t have known-“
“I felt his inner animal’s anger at me. I can sense powers, and inner animals, and that means I can also sense the emotions of inner animals. He was angry at me.” She said.
“He wasn’t angry at you. No one is. I promise you, my dad is just going to speak with Lamina, and then she is going to set him straight, he can’t interfere with their relationship, she’s a grown woman. No one is angry at you at all.” I told her.
Velody broke down as the elevator doors opened. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her to my room. “I always mess things up. I’m such a pathetic excuse for a shifter.” She said in between sobs.
I pulled her into my room, trying to comfort her as best I could. “You are not. How long have you been a shifter?” I asked her.
She sniffed and looked at me. “Three weeks.”
“It’s taken me much longer to even comprehend my power, if anything; you are one of the best shifters I’ve met. When we get to the island tomorrow, we’ll go to school and meet so many other shifters. I promise you, you are not a pathetic excuse for a shifter.” I said sternly.
She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “You really think so?” Valery asked me softly.
I nodded. “Of course.”
She smiled through her tears. “You are a good person, Nina.”
I smiled back. “Thank you, now I’m going to get a pad, some paper, and a pencil, and we’re going to try this out.” I said.
I went into my closet, searching for the pad that I knew was in the box. I finally found it on the shelf in the far corner. I grabbed it and the colored pencils that sat on top of it and plopped down beside Velody on the floor by the bed. “Nina…I didn’t want to say this in front of your parents…but your inner animal seems to be in emotional pain.” She said.
I sighed. I’d felt that too. “Yes. We both are. My parents have forcefully separated me from my mate. I don’t blame them, I just wish they’d understand why Bane and I…never mind. Let’s start the experiment.” I waved my hand.
“I understand.” She whispered.
“Okay. Does the person have to be in the same room, or is it just…any one I think of?” I asked her.
“It can be anyone within a mile from here that you’ve seen or know the name of.”
I nodded and closed my eyes, before I realized what was happening, my mind strayed to Bane, and I started drawing. In my mind flashed a face, my face. The emotions I felt weren’t…mine. I could sense that they were coming from his mind. Love, sadness, guilt, anger, all jumbled up with the picture of my face. The picture suddenly switched to my parents, they were sitting in front of him, on the sundeck.
I caught what they were saying as well. They were asking him if they could trust him with me. I felt hopefulness sprout, and I knew it was from both Bane and I, this time.
“I promise” echoed in Bane’s thoughts.
That’s when a touch to my arm made my eyes snap open. I looked at Velody. “I didn’t want to bother you, but I think I’ll have to. The captain just had someone inform us that we arrived ahead of schedule. We’re here.” She said and I felt my eyes widen.

Chapter fourteen:

As one of the headmasters led me to my dorm, I wrung my hands with nerves. I knew all the material, but going to college is always nerve wracking. The brief hope I’d felt while listening to my parents conversation with Bane was crushed as he wouldn’t even look at me when we got off the boat. The headmaster stopped beside the door and pulled out a key, opening it.
My room was much like the old one. Accept that the walls were purple. My old bed was lost in the fire, but a new bed was set in the middle of the room, against the wall. Two large windows sat behind it. The floor was hardwood, and there was a ceiling fan in the middle of the room.
“You’ll have a box of things sent up to your room along with your schedule for Monday.” The headmaster informed, unsmiling, and unkind.
I nodded, and he handed me the key and left. I could feel my eyes brimming with tears as I closed the door behind him. Sniffing, I rubbed my arms as a dark coldness made goose bumps trail the length of them. I missed Bane’s warmth, he would make the cold go away.
But we screwed up, and he wasn’t even allowed to look at me now.
I curled up at the head of the bed and closed my eyes, letting the tears fall. A new sanctuary, a new start. This didn’t feel like a sanctuary, though, this felt like prison, without Bane here. At least I wasn’t being mercilessly attacked by Jaykoren anymore, I would have probably died, if I hadn’t left.
I lay down and let myself drift off, my thoughts dwelling heavily on Bane.

I awoke to a knock at the door, sitting up, I groggily rolled out of bed and gradually made my way to the door. “I’m coming, I’m coming.” I muttered, rubbing my eyes.
I opened the door, looking up to meet familiar blue eyes. Before he could say a word, I flew into his arms, wrapping mine around his neck and burying my head into his chest. “Bane!”
He clutched me tightly for a moment, his nose buried in my hair. “Nina.” He whispered softly.
“Bane, I’m so sorry.” I said, my breath catching as I cried.
“Don’t be sorry, love. I’m the one who should be sorry. You’re parents have made a deal with me. I’m to be your protector, if I can keep away from you…physically. Meaning I can’t be with you, Nina. I can be around you all day; we just can’t touch…at all.” He told me.
I pulled my head back to look at him. “But-“
“Shh, it’ll be alright.” He assured softly. “I’m hoping that if I do this, they’ll see that we’re both responsible, and let us be together again, but for now, I’m just going to have to content myself with having you around me.” He said, lifting his hand to stroke my temple.
I removed my arms from his neck, a little embarrassed at myself. “I guess I kind of made you break your promise, huh?” I asked him, taking a step back.
He chuckled. “Don’t worry. It’s just one minor slip up.”
I sighed, looking away from him. “I…I’m sorry, Bane this is all my fault. If I had never…never let this happen, then we would still be together, and my parents wouldn’t hate us both.” I whispered.
“Hey.” He whispered, lifting my chin so I would look at him. “Don’t say that. They’ll come around. I mean they can’t keep us apart forever. Just remember the plan.” He said, a small smile on his lips.
I smiled back. “Live on the beach with Fido, have twenty kids, have thirty grandchildren.” I relayed.
He chuckled. “Right.”
I took a deep breath. “You’re right. They can’t keep us apart forever. So let’s deal with this the way we should, like adults.” I said.
“That’s my girl.” He approved.
“There you are, Nina.” Mom called from the end of the hall.
“Hey, Mom.” I said, glancing at Bane, whose mouth tightened into a thin line. They were watching us.
She smiled at me. “I was just passing by and wanted to see how you were settled in.” She said, but I could see the lie in her eyes.
“Sure.” I muttered, having to keep from rolling my eyes. “I’m all settled in.” I told her, gesturing to the open door.
“Good!” Her eyes flickered between Bane and I, and she cleared her throat. “I should go find your father. He wanted to let your Aunt Lamina know where to find us in case of emergency.” She said, backing away.
“You do that.” I told her.
After she was gone, I looked at Bane, rolling my eyes. “They think they’re going to catch us having sex in the hall.” I said sarcastically.
Bane let out a bark of laughter and leaned against the opposite wall. “Nope. We haven’t tried that area yet.” He said, looking around as if considering.
I let out a giggle and punched him in the arm. “You’re an animal.”
He grinned rakishly at me for a moment, but as his eyes flickered down to my lips, then my hands, his smile dimmed. “I miss you already.”
I sighed softly. “I know.”
We sat in silence for a few seconds, before Bane let out a deep breath and smiled slightly at me. “I’m going to help unload the yacht…I’ll see you Monday.” He said, eyes tightening.
As I watched him walk down the hall, his words echoed in my head. ‘I’ll see you Monday.’ No ‘I love you.’ Just…’I’ll see you Monday.’
And he said Monday. He didn’t plan on seeing me any sooner…just Monday. My heart lurched, but I squared my shoulders and marched back into my room. I did this, so I was going to have to deal with it.

Imprint

Text: I own this book! And I do not appreciate those who would try to steal it!
Images: Google Images.
Editing: Me.
Translation: Me.
Publication Date: 04-26-2012

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