Chapter 18 - Collateral

Sera’s P.O.V

Emma and I were enjoying watching the television in our room, we were watching what was called ‘infomercials’ which was highly entertaining. Both of us kept cackling with laughter as the paid actors seemed to go overboard with their products. It was nice. Just enjoying Emma’s company like nothing had happened. I looked at my little sister, as her eyes widened in panic. She gripped her nose as if she could smell something disgusting. I was about to ask what was wrong before I screamed. The cold fire started to lick my flesh. The pain was horrendous, I scratched my skin thinking if only I could get it open the fire would stop. I could feel the flames licking further up my arms and legs before they reached the base of my neck. I felt a flood of voices enter my mind, I could not distinguish them from each other. It was just loud white noise. I gripped my hair before trying to pull it out from the pain, I looked at Emma’s terrified eyes as she lifted a hand towards me before the pain stopped abruptly. The voices vanished as the room began to fade away.

I watched in terror as Emma turned into a black shadow with glowing red eyes, I backed away from her. Surprised I turned to see I was somehow in a darkened forest. For a moment I stood in shock, where was I?

I felt something soft pass my left leg and as I looked down I saw a brown fox, yet it had an aura around it making it almost ghost-like. It ran past me deeper into the forest as I heard a low growl from behind me. I turned to see a giant but beautiful silver wolf standing tall and proud. Its eyes looking into mine with cation, a blue that matched mine and my mother's. Part of me thought she was familiar somehow, but another part of me begged me to run. The wolf approached me slowly, sniffing the air before I felt her mind connect to my own.

“Finally, you have come.”

Her voice was magical, musical even. The most wonderful voice I had ever heard.

“I’m sorry… what?”

“I am you. You are me. We are one of the same”

Her voice giggled in my mind like I should know who she is or what was going on. I stared at her as it hit me, she was my wolf. She smiled at me showing her large canines before bumping my hand with her head.

“I’ve been waiting for so long I was starting to think you had forsaken me.”

I felt her pain in my own heart, I hugged her large face tightly as I felt tears and emotions I did not think I had. It overwhelmed me and yet, I felt at peace. Like I had finally found myself.

“Star.”

I whispered as she pushed against my chest. I felt it in my heart that was to be her name. I felt this world I was in start to fade as Star begin melting into my very being. Her spirit becoming one with my own. I felt joy as her mind joined with mine. A feeling of loneliness I had always somehow hidden from myself disappearing.

My joy was short-lived though, as Star and I returned to the cold fire pain that was still emitting from my being. We both screamed in pain before I could feel every single bone in my body break. The snaps I assumed made Emma shriek as I felt fur erupt from my skin. Suddenly everything was over. I opened my eyes and looked down at Emma, she was passed out on the floor. Her skin looked different, she had always been pale but she seemed even whiter at this moment. I reached out a hand to comfort her before I stopped in disbelief. I was looking at a silver paw.

“I’m sorry Sera, I couldn’t stop the change.”

I heard Star’s soft comforting voice inside my mind.

“Your mother’s gifts were too much for me to withstand, we will wait for the power to take hold in my form. We are stronger.”

She seemed so sure of herself, I believed her. I could still feel pangs of cold fire but nothing like it was before. I decided to take this moment to adjust to our wolf form. I could feel Star look through my mind, all my memories, dreams, regrets, and pain. Like she was catching up on what she missed.

“I’m sorry that you have been alone for so long Sera. I couldn’t find you.”

Her voice was thick with regret and shared pain.

“Don’t be Star, you are here now.”

I stretched out my new back, kicking my legs with the intent to also stretch their muscles but I had knocked over the bookshelf that was next to the lounge. Both Star and I jumped at the noise before laughing to ourselves. I looked over at the large French doored window that Emma had opened earlier, wondering if we could make a jump down. Star snickered and rolled her eyes before pushing our form forward. The surprise hit me as we jumped and landed on the ground with no pain. Like it was a simple step. Grinning we both ran towards to forest. I took a back seat and let Star enjoy herself as I tried to get accustomed to all the new smells, noises, and sights. It was amazing. All my senses had been increased 10 fold. I smelt a deer nearby as Star growled excitedly for a hunt.

The deer had not even heard us coming, I had always been rather good at sneaking but now. Now it was like breathing. I was as silent as a shadow, I felt my new canines tear into its hot flesh as Star ravenously ate our kill. I felt her joy, finally after who knows how long she was able to enjoy being corporal. After she had finished I enjoyed the sensations as we licked our fur clean, before Emma’s collapsed body came back into my mind. Star felt my fear as we quickly bonded back to our room, mid-jump I caught a scent. A sickly sweet scent that burned my airways. Fear was shared between us as I broke the glass doors in my haste. Emma was still, laying on the ground where we left her. I looked around our room searching for danger as the scent was stronger here. The realization hit me as I reached Emma, smelling her hurt. It burned my airways as Star flinched with the pain.

“Why does she smell like that?”

“I do not know, I have been in the spirit world since your birth and many memories I had have gone”

Star’s voice was concerned and I could tell she did not like having unanswered questions. Part of me smirked knowing I too shared that frustration. I sat by Emma, not really knowing what else to do. Star suggested we relax and wait for her to wake up before searching for our mother. Surely she would know? Neither of us wanted to seek out our father.

The door to our room swung open, the earthly scents of other wolves filled my lungs as we whipped our head to see who was approaching. I did not recognize any of them but one stood out. He had a similar colored hair to Damon’s, Star purred at his name. Before I could ask her what that was about the men that had entered about 5 of them all growled in anger. I watched as their eyes changed from normal coloring to black. I felt Star take over control as she stood over Emma protectively growling back louder. The men stopped for a moment looking at me confused.

“Alpha Erik? Why are you protecting one of THEM?”

The one with dark hair asked looking at Emma with disgust. I was taken aback for a moment before again realization hit me. Star’s fur reflected my own hair, my father too had silver hair… I growled in anger knowing my father’s wolf would look like Star as Star raised her hackles sharing my emotions. The man took a step back with his hands raised in an attempt to show he was no threat. His eyebrows furrowed as I felt something like a knock on my brain. We growled again in frustration, I wanted to open the door so to speak but had no idea how. The man sniffed the air before gawking at me.

“Wait…. You’re not Alpha Erik…”

He mumbled before a scent so amazing and pure smacked against my face. Wild honey with a dab of cinnamon. I felt Star purr again as the stunning Damon walked into our room. He looked at me, his eyes wide with a primal need. Star longed to go to him, to meet his wolf, and to become one. I heard her in our mind screaming about how perfect our mate was, re-playing our previous meetings with utter joy.

“We do not need him.”

I said to her trying to control her urges. She whimpered as I felt her start I protest I reminded her of our promise to Emma. She nodded looking back at the man that had spoken.

“Sera?? Are you okay? Did this thing hurt you??”

Damon was beside himself with worry? Weird. I thought as I watched him approach us, the way he said things disturbed me. He spoke like Emma was a monster. She was not. We were the monsters. Star protested as the anger took charge and we growled menacingly at him. He did not stop and bend down to touch Emma, a look of hatred on his face. I lost it. I pushed him hard with my head. I did not want to hurt him but NO one touches Emma. No one would ever, Hurt. Emma. Everyone in the room looked at me shocked. Like what I had done was unimaginable. Star and I were trying to plan how to protect Emma as best we could in such a small room as a loud powerful growl erupted from the doorway. I watched as all the men but the first one buckled and kneeled. Curious I looked to see my father. His expression could only be described as pissed off as Star remarked that I had inherited his anger. I frowned at her in my mind before leaning onto Emma, trying my best to hide her.