chapter 25

With dusk turning into dawn and back again, Alexis has been at the same routine for countless days now, feeling like months with the occasional contact with Mathias, they're no closer to finding her.

*Mathias! Will you ever find me?*

*We've been searching Love, we can't find anything no matter how hard we try*

"Come on child, concentrate!"

"I'm trying but you keeping me here is getting pretty old!"

"A change in scenery perhaps?" And with a flick of wrist the stoned room dissolves into a waterfall scene. An illusion and Alexis knows. She knows she's still stuck inside the wretched stoned room.

"Well child, make the water bubble!" The vampire says scolding Alexis like she was a small child. He had made Alexis practice enough with fire, wind and earth  and now was practicing with water. Alexis kept staring at the bucket of liquid she wished she could throw it in his face and run away, but knew the probability of running away was minimal at this point. 

"I am trying but I'm tired, pissed that I'm still here, missing my Mate and hungry, don't expect fucking miracles" Alexis says getting rather livid 

"You don't have a Mate, child, you have a Lord... Me." Dimitry says in a sultry tone making Alexis' shudder.

"Ugh! No thank you!"

"You will see the truth eventually that you belong here with me as my Queen"

"Never Asshole!" As the rage builds inside of Alexis' small frame and thinking about everything that's happened to her in her life that went wrong,  the water in the bucket begins to twirl like a tornado and steam started to rise.

"Now I'm starting to see how you work child" The vampire's voice coming through breaking her concentration and the water stops moving

"Whatever dude. I want to go home" Alexis' voice now sounding defeated since it's already been a few days of her kidnapping with no help in sight so far. She gets up on her feet and attempts to walk away from her kidnapper but gets stopped in her tracks like blocks of cement stuck to her feet.

"Your mother was a high ranking witch and so are you but you my dear are special and don't even know it. You possess something she never mastered. Elemental magic. You know know how to control the elements around you and because of that you belong here as my Queen and rule the castle by my side and you'll learn that the mutt you call Mate was never yours!"

"He is my Mate, he will always be my Mate, and forever will be my Mate. So get that through your thick, stupid, self-centered skull that I.WILL. NEVER. BE. YOURS! And I know for a fact that Mathias is looking for me!"

"Don't you think he'd have come for you by now child?" Dimitry asks

With these words, Alexis' blood freezes in her veins. What if he's right? Alexis thought. What if he gave up looking for me? The what ifs going through her heads at rapid fire speed. With her heart beating so loud in her ears, she turns on her heels, marches towards the vampire to face him. her eyes glowing purple, so bright almost blinding the vampire 

"HE IS COMING FOR ME. HE IS NOT A MUTT. YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A SELFISH, ARROGANT ASSHOLE THAT THINKS HE'S ENTITLED TO WHATEVER YOU DAMN WANT BUT LET'S MAKE THIS CLEAR, I AM GETTING OUT OF HERE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!" 

Alexis feels the Bond with Mathias strong in her heart, she feels him close, her skin prickling with anticipation and ready to fight with the vampire with every cell her body has although she knows he's stronger than her she's ready.

*Mathias I know you're close, but please don't give up on me*

*I will never give up on you baby, never!*

Alexis' rage build up, her body becoming more and more restless. The blood in her veins twirling and boiling, her eyes a dangerous shade of bright purple, her skin in goosebumps. She suddenly feels her canines growing longer and thicker, her usually short nails stretching the skin around her cuticles, her body slowly morphing into something she's forgotten for so many years. He bones popping and snapping making a sickening sound that would make anyone lose their stomach contents. The only thing the vampire Lord can do is watch in horror and at the same time amazement at the transformation before him. Now standing before him a half human, half wolf twice his size standing on hind legs, with an incomplete shift with patches of silver fur covering Alexis' body, but soon reverts to human form with the same snapping and popping sounds as before. 

"What the hell??" Alexis asks surprised at herself 

"Ah, it seems I've threatened the part of you, you forgot even existed"

"I want her back so I can tear you to shreds and get the fuck out of here!"

No sooner as Alexis finishes her sentence a loud boom coming from outside the castle that could make anyone deaf. The bubble that had kept the castle out of view had been shattered like a snow globe falling on ceramic tiles.

"What is going on?" Dimitry asks his guards 

"We're under attack my Lord! We shall keep you safe!" 

"Under attack? That's impossible!"

"Go to you chambers My Lord!"

With the chaos surrounding the castle, screams can be heard outside as Dimitry hauls Alexis by the arm and up to his room to stay protected but Alexis holds back as she rips her arm from Dimitry's grip.

"We need to go! We need to protect you!" He says

"I'm already protected" A blank, bright purple stare in Dimitry's deep red eyes.

"No you are not child! You need to come with me!"

"I'm done! I'm not going anywhere. I'm not moving anymore" With that sentence said, Alexis' body starts to violently shake and tremble. Her teeth growing larger and thicker, her nails growing into claws, long and sharp. Her body contorts and shifts, a scream so loud coming from her lungs burning as it past her lips. The popping and snapping of bones loud enough can almost be heard from outside the castle walls and barricades. Her skin prickling and tickling as patches of beautiful silver fur cover her body. Pretty soon her body covered and stretching on all fours trying to get used to her new form. The only thing missing, her wings.

"No! No it can't be.... Your first full shift" Says Dimitry with disbelief in his tone and shock on his face. A low growl crawling in her lungs, staring Dimitry down. With Alexis' wolf finally out, not scared anymore, fed up with being hidden, encouraged to be strong. The thick silver fur shimmering in the faded lights of the castle as Alexis makes her way to Dimitry like stalking her prey. He soon realizes he's looking at death in the eyes. As Alexis' wolf circles the vampire that has held her captive all this time like a shark in the water, he tries to find a way out, his magical disappearing act out of mind, a quick jump and Alexis has her front paws pinning Dimitry down on the cold floor, saliva dripping down her chin, her eyes never leaving his

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry child, I just wanted you to be and see your full potential, to know what you are fully capable of doing with the right training!"

Suddenly a loud huff coming from the doorway and massive black wolf appears looking straight at Alexis. A nudge of his head indicates her to move and she does. As she walks closer to the big, midnight black wolf, sniffs his head and gently licks his face.

*You should go, this isn't going to be a pretty sight, Jax and your brother are waiting for you just outside*

*I knew you'd come for me*

*I'll tell you everything when this is all done, now go!*

As Alexis runs out with many twists and turns down long, dark hallways, she has no problem maneuvering around wall corners in her new and powerful form. Getting to the front doors of what's been her prison for a long time stops in her tracks and sees two large wolves, slightly smaller than Mathias' wolf, but still the strong muscles can be seen beneath the fur, runs towards them. Her instincts knowing well it's Jax and Eric, she runs for them and jumps with her tail wagging behind her.

*Now's not the time to be excited,  we need to go, but you won't like what you see out there* Jax's wolf tells Alexis 

*I dont care, I want to go home*

As they head out of the castle doors, all Alexis sees are battles everywhere between vampires and wolves who are there to bring her back home, to defend her and fight for her. Her heart swells in her chest with pride and infinite love for her family. But what she sees besides that is a bloodbath, the castle walls covered in blood, surrounding trees and the earth's floor painted red like canvas, the copper smell of blood hitting her snout like the back of a butcher shop making her stomach turn but keeps following Eric and Jax.

Soon far away from her castle prison, she stops running and looks back and sees glowing eyes, the ones she's come to know too well. With his fur matted in thick, red liquid a sharp contrast to his diamond like eyes.

*Mathias, Trip...?*

*Precious...?*

*Meet Casey*

Trip *I knew you'd be precious for a reason, but never in a million years I'd believe you were the most beautiful wolf I'd ever see*

*Thank you Trip* And licks his face

As all four run in the direction of the cabin, a howl being heard miles away as soon Alexis answers back with a fierce howl of her own followed by a sharp and loud bark. 

Mathias mind-links his pack still fighting at the castle.

*She's out, stop fighting and come home*

Strings of howls in different tones are being heard from different directions indicating they're almost done and will soon be on their way as well.

Getting to the cabin wasn't far of a run. When they reach the cabin stairs, Ivy followed by Beth, run out and see the new addition of the massive silver wolf with purple eyes.

"Alexis?" Ivy slowly approaching 

Tail wags and stands on her back legs.

"You're so... Wow..!" Beth says letting her hands touch Alexis' fur.

Alexis runs behind the cabin and shifts again in human form, feeling like a new person inside and out, complete.

"That felt AMAZING!" With her hands smoothing out her hair, failing to realize she's still naked from her shift.

"GET HER CLOTHES OR A BLANKET OR SOMETHING!" Eric yells out with his palms covering his eyes while everyone else laughs.

"OH! SHIT! I forgot that happens, I should've clicked seeing Mathias shift!" Alexis laughs as Ivy grabs a blanket from inside the cabin.

"Here you go" Ivy wraps the blanket around Alexis' shoulders. Soon enough Mathias does the same behind a massive tree and stands next to Alexis with patches of blood still on his skin.

"I think we need showers after that!" Mathias says trying to cuddle Alexis while she gently nudges him away

"Yes! You do!" She laughs pointing at the bloody mess 

"You're coming with me since we have alot to talk about precious!" Bringing Alexis in the cabin with him by the hand. And they disappear into the doorway.

As Alexis shrugs off the blanket, Mathias goes to the bathroom and starts the shower.

"So....." Mathias says with the question balancing in the air

"I don't know what happened Mathias, I don't know how IT happened" Alexis says confused but happy 

"Casey, huh?" Mathias says getting under the warm spray of the water and Alexis follows.

"Yeah"

"Trip won't shut up" He chuckles 

"Casey won't either" Alexis giggles 

Alexis grabs a washcloth and drops some of Mathias' soap on it and starts scrubbing away at the blood as it washes away in drain mixed with water. As the water washes over both their bodies, Alexis starts to relax and take in the fact that she's back home, where she's always supposed to be.