Another Forever
Chapter 5

Pain.

It hit my body like a tidal wave, crashing and rolling around inside until I lost all feeling in my body.

My knees buckled under me and sent me crashing to the hard ground. I couldn't even cushion the fall. Tears poured from my eyes like a waterfall, drenching my cheeks and shirt in salty tears.

My body refused to let me breathe and I clawed at my chest, willing my lungs to function properly. I could hear muffled shouts but couldn't make out what they were saying.

A loud snapping sound brought me the pain back tenfold. A blood curdling scream rang in the air around me before another loud snap was heard.

A pair of firm hands gripped my face, forcing me to try and focus on who they belonged to.

I can see the terror in Jake's grey eyes as his mouth moves frantically. I want to tell him I can't understand him and beg him to make the pain stop, but when I open my mouth nothing comes out. Not even air.

How am I still alive if I'm not breathing?

"Hailey! Breathe!" The frantic shouts of my brother were muffled but I could just barely make the words out.

More pain ricocheted through my body and I felt myself trying to wiggle out of Jakes grasp. It's like my body is moving on its own free will.

I do my best to contain the pain and the movements but the more I close my eyes to focus, the more clearly I see Cade in Mason's arms.

My body feels like I'm on fire and no matter how hard I try to scream, nothing comes out.

"Hailey! You have to relax! You're shifting!" Jakes' face appeared in my vision, tears blurring his own eyes as he begs me to understand.

He doesn't understand that I can't relax. It hurts, everything hurts.

Black spots filled my vision and I could feel myself losing consciousness. The last thing I remember is a muffled cry that sounded like it was in my head.

~*~

I can feel myself slowly starting to wake up and wince at the soreness my body feels. I try to move but it's like I'm made of lead.

I groan but it sounds more like a growl, which surprises me. Someone is at my side in an instant moving their hand gently on my head.

My eyes slowly open as my mom calls my name. If I could, I would have gasped at how different everyting looks.

The colors are more vibrant and everything is so clear. I had a pretty good sense before but looking at everything now, it's like I was watching the world on a low-quality television and now everything is in Hi-definition.

My mom's face came into view and she gives me a soft smile before stroking my hair again.

"Shift back, babycakes," She whispered gently.

I look at her confused before glancing down at myself. Light grey fur covered my entire body and paws.

I shifted!

I shifted?

I whimper as I remember the pain and Cade. The sight of Sam clinging to bloodied Cade as she cries flashes to my mind and a big tear rolls down my fur.

My mom wipes it gently away before wiping her own tears from her cheek.

"Your dad says just to imagine how you are in human form." With one last kiss on my wolf forehead, she backs up a few feet giving me space.

I close my eyes, hesitant to shift back because I remember the pain, but I have to. I allow thoughts of my human self to flow through my head.

I can feel my bones moving but to my joy, there was no pain. My mom wraps a black fluffy robe around me, before pulling me into a hug.

Her scent engulfed me and it was comforting. She gently tucked my hair behind my ear, her hand lingering on my cheek.

"Do you remember what happened?" She asks softly, reaching for a water bottle on the nightstand.

I nod slowly as tears pool in my eyes again. My chest thuds painfully and I press my hand to it.

A knock sounds on the door and I jump at how loud it is. Slowly, my dad's head pops in, followed by my brother.

I try to calm my breathing, but it hurts. The memories, my body, everything just hurts. Jake moves quickly to sit next to me, pulling me into his arms.

The only sound that fills the silence is my sobs, but I'm not the only one crying. No one spoke until my sobs turned to hiccups and Jakes' shirt was soaked from my tears.

"The doctor has a theory on why you shifted." My dad clears his throat before wiping my moms' tears away.

"He thinks that when Hailey saw Ca-" his voice cracks and he has to clear his throat again, but he can't hide the emotions in his eyes.

"He thinks the heartache, shock, and pain triggered her wolf. The wolf then forcibly shifted."

My mind feels like a thunderstorm as I try to process everything. I have a wolf now just like I always wanted. But I lost my mate.

Would I always feel this hollow?

My wolf howls sadly in my head and I feel my heart breaking all over again. Every ounce of pain that I feel for the loss of Cade can only be a fraction of what Sam and Mason are feeling for the loss of their son.

"How are they?" I can't bring myself to say their names, knowing that it will bring the tears again.

"They're mourning. Arrangements are being made for sundown along with the others," my eyes snap to my dad.

"Others?" my voice breaks at the word.

My dad nods softly, lifting his head the way a leader would do.

"We loss four," I can't hold back the tears this time.