Chapter Nine Xeraphina

XERAPHINA

The excruciating agony pulses through every fiber of my being, intensifying with each piercing scream and howl that escapes my throat. My hands revert to their original state, only to twist and shatter once more. I feel like at any moment my heart will go into shock and I’ll die. It would be nice if I died, so this excruciating pain would end.

As my door swings open, a captivating aroma fills the room, surpassing any scent I have ever encountered. It’s an incredible blend of salty ocean air, juicy watermelon, and a hint of rich chocolate. For a moment, I find solace from the torment that consumes me, but it fades as the searing pain resumes its merciless assault. It feels as though every nerve, cell, and bone in my body is being torn apart, creating an unbearable and unrelenting sensation. Even my internal organs seem to undergo a disturbing transformation, and I could throw up at any moment. However, the thought of vomiting is impossible since I haven’t eaten since yesterday morning.

Powerful arms envelop me, cradling me against a broad chest while his comforting scent fills the air, soothing the pain. I realize I am being carried by none other than my mate Cassius. In my first transformation, his scent has changed, no longer just that of the ocean. If only I possessed the strength to break free from his grasp, I would escape without hesitation. Despite the temporary solace our bond provides, I want nothing to do with him. I would rather endure the pain than remain in his presence. He has absolutely no right to be here with me, none whatsoever.

When he refers to me as “baby girl” and warns me against shifting into my wolf while being held in his arms, my first instinct is to do it, anyway. We haven’t marked each other yet, so the thought of shifting and using my claws to castrate him crosses my mind. Wouldn’t that be satisfying? I wish I could say, “No babies for you, asshole.” But I can’t say any words right now. Despite the excruciating pain I’m in, I try my best to display my anger towards him. I writhe in his arms, hoping he can sense my fury. ‘Goddess, Cassius! Can’t you move any faster?!’ I think to myself. I want him to put me down and distance himself from me as far as possible.

All I want to do is turn around and knock the shit out of him when he lays me down in the soothing cool damp with dew grass and embraces me from behind. The asshole just keeps on running his mouth and won’t leave me the hell alone. ‘Goddess, I swear I’m about to kill him if he doesn’t leave me alone.’ This man is infuriating, and I can’t concentrate with him talking nonstop.

Thank the moon goddess up above that my mother shows up and commands for Cassius to leave. It couldn’t have been more than a couple of minutes. Cassius talking non-stop, but it felt like hours were droning on.

As soon as my mother coaxes me, offering the same advice as Cassius, my transformation became much smoother. I found myself able to relax and delve deep into my mind, and able to connect with my wolf.

After a few minutes of exploring my mind, I hear a gentle and melodious voice from within. ‘Xeraphina?’

‘Yes! It’s me, Xeraphina! I’m so excited to be here with you! You have no clue how long I’ve been dreaming of this moment.’

‘My name is Xariah. Relax and let me take over. Transforming won’t take long and it won’t be as painful as before. We’ll talk more after.’

After surrendering myself to Xariah it took mere moments for me to be standing on four paws. And guess who first came into view? None other than Cassius himself. Standing there with a mixture of awe and pleading stretching his features. Freaking a cheating dimwit can plead all he wants. He’s not getting anything from me. Cassius has tons of women he can turn to. I refuse to be added to his list of escapades.

‘That fine specimen is our mate,’ Xariah says, wagging her tail. ‘Maybe he will shift so we can run together?’

Rolling my eyes, I launch into a detailed account of everything that has transpired in the past two years. I make it crystal clear that there is no way in hell I am going to accept the mate bond with Cassius. Once I’ve finished recounting the entire story, she agrees with me. However, she urges caution and suggests that we should first talk to his wolf to get his perspective before reaching any final decisions. She takes a few steps forward, circling around Cassius to observe and evaluate him.

‘If he wasn’t such a womanizer who has hurt you so much, I would be all over that. He is scrumptious,’ Xariah says as she sits back on her hind legs, growling at him with contempt. 

‘I know, but it's not worth the headache. If he were human, he would have many diseases, Xariah.’

She growls at Cassius once again, then reaches out to Talon.

We realized Cassius held complete accountability for every misdeed he had committed. Despite Talon’s threat to leave Cassius if he married Charity, Cassius did it anyway. Talon claims to have confronted Cassius each time he brought another woman to his bed and even claims to have fought with him. However, Cassius always ignored him. Talon promises to make Cassius change his ways, but he understands if we choose to reject them. Xariah whimpers and apologizes to Talon. 

After Xariah and Talon are done with their back-and-forth conversation, Xariah stands, turns around and bolts towards the tree line. She and I are both upset and need to be as far away from Cassius as possible. Mother and father shift into their wolves as well, following us for a run through the woods.