Page 31 of The Alpha's Heir

The reaction of the others in the room is perplexing. They all look at me curiously and I start to feel paranoid. Have I shifted wrong? Am I a cat instead of a wolf? What if I can’t shift back? I needn’t have worried; my body transforms back and as I take my human form once more, a cloak is quickly placed around me.

“I shifted. I finally shifted!” I say, filled with excitement, but the look on their faces makes me reassess my joy. Why do they look at me like that? Maybe it's because Nikki escaped. “Where did she go? We can still catch her if we rush.” Preston catches me as I scramble to my feet to go after her until my legs give way and I fall almost to the ground.

“Eva, take it easy, she’s gone, we won't find her now. You need to rest… that was terrifying and intense.” Preston looks at me with concern, but there is something more there. Is it fear? Or intrigue?

“I don’t understand. Why do I need to rest? Did I do something wrong? Why are you all acting weird?” Panic rises within me. I have been concentrating so much on shifting and being able to complete the full mating ritual with Aiden, I never once thought there may be an issue once I actually did it.

“Luna. Eva. You did shift, but… you didn't become a wolf,” Max, my Gamma tells me gently. In shock, I try to process what he is telling me. If I am not a werewolf… What did I transform into? Did I really become a cat or a dog?

My father kneels down in front of me and takes my hand in his. “Evangelina… You have a Dire Wolf.”

What the hell is a Dire Wolf and why are they all acting like I am something that should be feared? Where did Nikki disappear to? What the hell is a Red-Mage?

I came here for answers and ended up with even more questions.

*** Aiden ***

An overpowering sense of foreboding fills me. Eva. Something is wrong with Eva. Roman challenges me for control, but I resist his arguments. I need to simply call and ask.

Amber rushes to me. “You felt that too, right? Something is wrong, Aidy. We need to head home. NOW.”

If Amber felt it too, then this is bigger than Eva. This is Preston. This is the pack.

“Get our car now, we need to leave right away and we will not be stopping. We need to get home as soon as possible,” I tell our guards who rush to do our bidding.

Both Amber and I keep trying for a signal on our phones so we can make contact with our mates. I alternate between feeling angry and then terrified.

The feeling doesn’t leave us. It is a dark and heavy feeling of no hope that seems to drain the life out of us both.

As we hit the border between Scotland and England, our phones spring to life. It has been over six hours since the incident happened.

I call Eva straight away. Please be safe, please be safe. I am relieved when she answers, but when I hear how upset she is, anxiety floods me once more.

“Aiden, please come home. Please come back as soon as possible.” As she cries down the phone, I try to work out what has happened.

“Lina is a Dire Wolf. I have a Dire Wolf.”

Holy shit. Dire Wolves are extremely rare. They are huge, powerful beasts that are harder to control. How the hell has Eva ended up with one?

“Shortie, please calm down. Everything is going to be okay.”

I say the words, but I am scared for my love. I am worried about the implications of her having a Dire Wolf instead of a regular wolf. They are so powerful that this could kill my little delicate mate.

I can’t let that happen. I need to go home and protect what is mine.

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