Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future
Chapter 144

Chapter 12

"Kas? What's going on? Talk to me, Baby," I urge as her eyes flicker from black to purple to black.

She looks straight at me, eyes turning back again, and gives me an angry snarl. Her fangs and claws extend as the snarl turns into a deep growl. She crouches all fours with a pained expression.

"Lex? Lex, it's Bronx. What's wrong with Kas?" I put my hands up, reluctant to get too close to the angry wolf trying to take over Kas's body.

I watch as Kas struggles to take control, but itisa losing battle. Her flickering eyes look wild and out of control. I have never seen her like this. I'm not sure how to react.

"Delilah, get out of here!" James warns, as he puts himself between his mate and Kas.

Delilah is staring slack jawed at her best friend's internal battle when James's voice startles her out of her gawking. She grabs her bag and scurries out the door, closing it behind her.

"Lex, no!" Kas's yell turns into a howl. Before James or I can react, Kas begins to shift. Her clothes rip away from her body as she expands and grows. Black fur sprouts from her skin. Where Kas was just crouching on all fours, her giant black wolf is now standing, trying to get her footing on the hospital bed.

I look in awe at my wolf mate. I always forget how stunningly beautiful she is with her jet black fur and violet eyes. Even in wolf form, I can still smell Kas's fresh rain and lilac scent. It's strong, just a little muskier and completely intoxicating. As I admire my beautiful wolf mate, I can't deny the urge to be closer to her. I lean forward and slowly wrap my arms around her, burying my face into the thick fur around her neck. I feel her lean down and give the side of my neck a quick lick.

"She's so beautiful," Saint swoons.

"Tell me about it," I agree, getting lost in Lex's ebony coat.

"Alpha...you may want to back up...," I hear James warn behind me.

I look up just in time to see Lex's eyes flash red, then back to violet. That's a new one. I slowly unwrap myarms from around her and back up from the startling sight.

"Lex, are you okay? I-Is Kas okay?" I carefully back up with my hands out to the side, showing I mean her no harm until I am side by side with James.

Lex casually hops off the bed as if it's the most natural thing in the world and walks to the door. She nudges the handle for someone to open it for her. "You better give her a rabbit," Saint chimes in. 3

"Saint, be serious. A few hours ago, our mate just appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the pool. She almost drowned. And now her eyes just turned red. She needs to spend the night in the hospital wing, not go chasing after rabbits."

"Fine. Don't believe me," he huffs.

A deep growl rumbles, making the whole room shake. Lex is standing by the door impatiently, waiting for someone to open it. She nudges the handle with her nose and huffs at me. I look at James, who just shrugs.

"I guess open the door. What other choice do we have? Shift and try to fight her?"

He's got a point. I oblige by opening the door a crack. Lex doesn't need an invitation, she's the kind of lady who gets what she wants. As soon as it's open, she squeezes her way through, looks both ways down the hall, then takes off running like a bat out of Hell.

"ELEXIS! Where are you going?! Get back here now!" I yell, running after her. Trying to slip off my shoes and shirt as I go. James is hot on my heels doing the same. We are losing ground. We see people yelling and getting out of Lex's way as she barrels haphazardly through the packhouse toward the front entrance.

I mind link Milo, Reggie, and Marco, "Guys, we have a situation. Lex is loose in the packhouse."

"Lex? You mean Kas," Milo responds.

"No, I mean Lex. Get your asses downstairs."

James and I get to the main foyer of the packhouse to see Lex pacing by the door. Milo and Reggie make it to the landing of the stairs and look at us with shock.

Everyone on the main level is too scared to get close to Lex to open the door. She lets out a frustrated whine as she backs away from the door. James and I finish stripping down to our underwear just as Lex bursts through the glass of one of the front windows and is gone into the night.

"Again? What the fuck. Lex?" James mutters. It isn't the first time Lex has broken through a plate-glass window, but I sure hope it will be the last. We look at each other, knowing that we are in for a serious chase as we each shift. Saint and James's wolf, Reaper, leap through the window into the night after her. Ghost and Crusher are hot on our heels. We see Lex sprinting for the treeline into the thickest part of the woods. Up ahead, we see Marco's wolf, Clash, rushing to the treeline from a different direction.

"Careful guys, something's wrong," I mind link them as we bolt into the forest after Lex.

"you should have just given her a rabbit, dummy," Saint scolds. 2

"Not now, Saint. Just catch up to her before she hurts herself or someone else!"

Catching up to Lex is no easy feat. She is just as big as Saint, but in an all-out sprint, she can beat him almost every time. The five of us spread out wide so if we catch up to her, we can try to corral her and lead her back home.

We can't see Lex, but her scent is strong. She keeps zigzagging through the brush. At first, it seems erratic, but as we keep moving, we realize it is a very intentional pattern.

After what seems like hours, the metallic scent of blood tinges the air. I look at Ghost who looks back at me, clearly worried. In the distance, I can hear the rushing sounds of Blood River. Named for the color of the water, turned red by the high iron content turning to rust.

"Herd her toward the river. Maybe it will slow her down," I call out when I notice the smell of blood is thicker in the air now.

"Yes, Alpha," everyone replies in unison, making adjustments to their positions. The closer we get to the river, the slower Lex seems to get. We finally reach the tree line to see her laying in the grass with four dead rabbits laying on the grass next to her and another two mostly eaten close by.

"Stand back, guys. I will take it from here. If I can't get her to shift, maybe I can at least get her to come back to the packhouse with us." 1

The four wolves slowly back away as Saint approaches Lex.

"You see, rabbits!" Saint growls at me. 1

"Fine, you were right. Now let's convince her to go home."

Saint slowly approaches Lex, tail wagging, excited to see his mate. She thumps her tail on the ground and gladly allows him to sit next to her as she continues to happily munch on rabbit fresh bones. "Kas, are you there, Baby?" I ask hesitantly. No response.

Lex pushes a rabbit toward Saint so he can join her. Saint obliges and lies down next to his mate. Crossing his snow white paw over her inky black one.

"Look Bronx, I know you're worried about Kas, but maybe just give the adults a little alone time. I've got like eight hundred years of practice dealing with Lex. I will get her back to the packhouse," Saint tries to reassure me. 3

I think about it for a minute. If Kas is not able to communicate with me, I can at least give Saint a chance to get Lex back to the packhouse so we can figure out what is going on with her.

I look around and try to gauge the time. Probably close to eleven p.m., "Fine, send the guys home and get her back before sunrise."

"Yes, Sir," he snarks before cutting off our mind link.