The car parked in an old lot by the beach, at the tip of Florida. It was almost midnight, the winter solstice would be starting soon. The salty air of the ocean chilled the steel of the vehicles and caused the Lobains to shiver with excitement.
The Pelisian's were last this year, usually Serius was last. Anthony cursed under his breath, angered by letting the enemy pack beat him this year. Now he would have to be last to present at the convention, and he knew what was going to happen when his daughter pranced around the stage to boast her coming of age.
He had tried many times during the drive to warn her, but a look from Bernese told him it wasn't the right time, not while Amarie was sitting next to her. It would be best if he told her when they were alone, so she could grieve quietly to herself, and understand why such an engagement was so crucial.
Adam appeared next to him, adjusting his winter jacket and glancing to the rest of the pack. He looked into Anthony's eyes and knew that Kayla was still uninformed. He sighed in understanding, and searched for his son.
"Raul?" he called.
"Yeah Dad?"
"Stay close to Kayla", He whispered. "I have a very strong feeling that things are not going to go well tonight." Anthony nodded in agreement.
Raul could feel the urgency in his Dad's voice, and see the worry on his uncle's face. He propped himself next to the Pelisian heir dutifully, not mentioning that he was on bodyguard duty. He would've been protecting her anyways, he'd grown up feeling protective of his cousin. The fact that they told him to stay close only let him know to be on high alert.
The pack, once ready, made their way into a secluded cove where all the other packs were gathered. They were bickering amongst each other, as was the custom, but as soon as the Serius Pack caught sight of the Pelisian pack, a huge uproar started. They snarled, bouncing threats off the rocky walls to join the myriad battle cries of the past. The cove was stained with the rivalry, claw marks and blood streaks were scars of past years when the situation was too uncontrollable. The moon began to redden and swell above them as midnight stroked. The waves rolled faster and crashed into the rocks with thunderous power.
It was time.
Each Lobain ran into the water and swam straight into the waves. Some chanted for Troy and Leslie to guide them back to Bermuda, others cried for Bermuda to welcome them with open arms. Kayla started running when it was her turn, behind her father. This was the worst part of the trip, the water tossed each Lobain around like clothes in a washer during the spin cycle. She hated it. Troy and Leslie, the immortal spirits in the sea, defending Bermuda, guarded it's entrance fiercely from the humans, but they made it difficult for the Lobains to enter as well. In fact, it was almost painful.
The salty ocean water stung her throat as it forced it's way in, she shook her head as it clogged up her nose and chilled her bones. A large wave swelled in front of her, it turned it's watery face onto her and smirked in a malicious way. It would enjoy dragging the Pelisian princess under. Her amber eyes shut tight as she braced for the attack, sucking immense amounts of oxygen in. Raul was still by her side, he grinned back at the wave, his fangs sharpening in anticipation to shift into wolf form.
Then the wave swallowed them.
She could feel herself spinning violently. The water constricted around her, into a tight, freezing hug. She twirled through this tight tunnel like a screw, the gravity shifted, and she oscillated upward instead of downward. Her teeth dug into her lip, which blackened and thinned. Her jaw lengthened into a snout, her shoulders arched forward, her legs buckled back, her spine cracked into a new shape. From her tingling, cold, skin, sprouted soft fur, waving in the twisting water. Her face folded in and stretched, and her ears became pointed. The water exploded around her, she panted in the sweet warm air of Bermuda and flailed her paws in front of her to swim to the grassy shore. Then clawed and dragged herself up, shaking the sparkling droplets out of her fur. It was a gentle peach color, that faded to pure white on her stomach and paws. It shined in good health, with a softness that put puppies to shame.
YOU ARE READING
Shifters
Werewolf"Love me or hate me, both are in my favor..." Kayla was 9 days old when her father promised her to Damian, who was 18 months old when his father promised he'd be a suitable husband. The problem with this engagement: The natural right to find a mate...
