“Come on, Sammy, now you.”
They each took a turn until Aden, the last, was done.
“So,” he said finally. “Are we feeling any different?”
“I'm still changing, look.” Shane pointed out his hair sprouting on his hands.
“Me too,” Sammy said, feeling her ears starting to grow.
“Maybe this isn't what we should do? We'll have to rethink. Get your water. Let's get in the truck. Maddy, you're driving us home.”
But she didn't reply. She just sat and stared. At what, he couldn't see.
“Maddy... Maddy... MADDY...” he shouted, shaking her. Her eyes had rolled back in her head and she wasn't there. He checked her heartbeat and her breathing. That was all fine. But what was the matter with her?
They all stared at each other in horror. Without Maddy they were going to massacre the townsfolk.
Before his change advanced any further, he picked her up and sat her on the seat of the truck, kissing her softly, and then reluctantly shutting the door. Hopefully it wouldn't be the last time he would be able to do that. His change came upon him harshly as the last rays of light ebbed away. His body transformed in a few short minutes and a low strangled howl arose from his throat. This was strange. He was actually feeling himself, his normal wolf-self that was. By now he was normally unaware at full moons. He didn't feel mad or obsessed with killing anything at all. He took a quick look around at his pack. Lucas stood up and nodded at him, growling... 'I'm okay, what about you?'...
'Same', he growled back. Cal and Mia walked up to his side, nodding their Okays to him. They all stood still for a while, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. They couldn't change back into their human form, but at least they weren't psychopaths anymore.
The curse seemed to have been lifted after all, but what the hell had that holy union done to Maddy?
He stood on his hind legs and peered into the truck, and what he saw shocked him to his core. There were two Maddys. One wolf and one human. Sitting side by side. The wolf-Maddy turned to face him through the window. Her eyes were the deepest red and more than evil... She rose up and disappeared like a mist.
“Maddy no!” he yelped in desperation. “Cal... She's left herself...”
“Nothin' you can do, man, nothin',” he growled.
They were all very aware of their wolf form and the need to hide themselves. After last night, they wouldn't be welcome in these parts. Aden jumped into the back of the truck and they all followed suit. They laid low and waited, and waited.
Several hours passed and they all fell asleep. Aden was suddenly awakened by a rumbling sound. He raised his head. The truck was travelling down the road and leaving Heart. He could see Maddy in the driver's seat. God knows where she'd been and what she'd done.
Her evil she-wolf.
He couldn't bear it. Not her. Not his lovely mate.
She was supposed to be an angel, not a demon.
They arrived back at the ranch and he watched Maddy get out of the cab and walk to the back of the truck.
“Out,” she commanded with blazing red eyes.
Where the hell had she been?
He tried to ask her.
“What happened?” he growled.
“The Mayor has no heart, and Heart has no Mayor. That's what happened. Amusing, isn't it?” she replied with an evil grin.
“Maddy, what have you done?” He growled in a low and worried voice.
“A necessary and long overdue errand. Now move inside, my brethren. Lie and sleep.” They were once more forced to do her bidding, although this time, thoroughly aware of it. They all trailed inside and sank onto the floor, falling back to sleep.
They woke from their full moon slumber as their transformation took place. They were all still sprawling on the floor in the main room with Maddy perched much more comfortably on the sofa. He forced himself through it hurriedly and arose, shaking her awake. He pulled her up and led her to his room.
“Baby, there's something I need to tell you.”
“What?” she asked sounding alarmed.
“That ceremony definitely worked for us, but I don't know what it did to you. I don't think you should have done it. I could kick myself right now.”
“What are you saying?” she asked cautiously.
“Maddy, you shifted last night. But differently. You shifted out of your body. Your wolf left you sitting on the seat in the truck. I saw it disappear above your head, like an apparition. Now I don't know for sure, but based on Cal's past experience, shifters can be the most deadly werewolves at full moon because they have no measure of time or space. You went somewhere Maddy. With no good intentions in your head.”
“No... That's just not possible.”
“I would have agreed with you, if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes.”