1. Adrianna

1

ADRIANNA

T he thundering of my pulse feels out of control. Not like my heart is racing twice as fast, but as if there are two; side by side, pounding out of time, each in tandem with the rage and terror warring within me. It's exhilarating and all-consuming at the same time.

Every breath ricochets in my chest as I remain rooted to the spot. I blink between Kenner, in the doorway of the public bathroom, and Cassian, who stands between us.

In one split second, my life has changed forever.

I was certain it would solve everything, and I'm pretty sure Cassian was too, but as I look at Kenner now, I know it was all for nothing. Maybe not nothing, per se, but we've willingly fallen into his trap. There's no time to acknowledge I have a fated mate or that it was Cassian all along, never mind the fact that I'm standing in a fucking public bathroom draped in fur in the form of a wolf.

Not just any wolf.

My wolf.

The pain that echoed through my limbs as I shifted quickly morphed into euphoria, but it was swiftly laced with dread the moment Kenner opened his fucking mouth.

"You did the job I wanted of you without even trying, son. And you, Adrianna, I knew you would seek out your wolf the moment you were told not to, just as I planned."

Those words linger in the air around us, the tight space growing thicker and thicker with tension as the sneer spreads across his lips, growing wider with every passing breath.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I can make mistakes, I can even fucking live with them, but when it's been orchestrated by Kenner? Fuck, I can't stand it.

He has to pay. He has to pay right the fuck now.

Anger vibrates through my bones, and even though I'm standing on wobbly paws, I still can't fight the urge to charge at him. I make it all of two steps before a flash of fur darts in front of me, beating me to the chase.

Cassian.

Just as he gets within an inch of his father, the man in question darts through the door and out into the hallway. I inch backward, tail brushing against the wall behind me as I count my breaths, willing myself to remain calm, despite the new senses now battering me from every angle.

Cassian's tormented gaze finds mine a beat later as we find our way back toward one another, sorrow and anger blurring his stare.

"Addi," he murmurs directly into my thoughts, a new skill I'm completely unprepared for, especially when the solemn tone of his one word matches the torment in his eyes.

He thinks he's at fault, his father's words solidifying it, but I know with raw certainty that whatever his bullshit of a father is hinting at, Cassian had no clue what he had planned.

Our stare-off is interrupted when the door swings open behind Cassian, sending a jolt of adrenaline through my body, but the panic subsides when I realize it's Brody. His eyes widen with surprise as he steps into the room, the door opening further behind him as Kryll and Raiden come into view.

"Holy fuck," Brody breathes, gaping between Cassian and me, and my vulnerability seems to shoot even higher.

A whimper parts my lips and I back up another step, my tail curling behind me as I lean into the wall. Cassian watches my every move, taking a tentative step toward me, attempting to come across as gentle as possible. Or that's what I'm hoping, based on the way his face lowers to the ground and his tail dips between his legs.

"It's okay, Addi. I've got you."

His words infiltrate my thoughts once again before he takes a step back and effortlessly shifts into his human form. I blink at him as a new sense of awe washes over me when he cracks his neck and appears dressed in his suit like nothing has happened.

I want to say it's magical, but the lingering effects from Kenner's presence sours the moment.

"It's okay, Alpha. Take a deep breath, settle your heart and allow your instincts to guide you," Cassian states, crouching beside me when he gets close. I frown at him, no longer sensing his thoughts in my head as I try to understand what he's explaining. He knows what I need when I can't even process the thought, nevermind the words, but that doesn't mean it makes it any easier for me. "You've got this, Alpha," he repeats, extending his hand to run his fingers over my white fur, and I lean into the touch.

He nods, just once, and I let my eyelids fall closed.

I can sense the others watching me, but I will sink under the pressure if I focus on that too much, a feeling I'm not familiar with, and despite this new addition to my magical being, I'm not about to start sinking now.

Paying close attention to myself, I take a long, deep breath, exhaling slowly as my heart rate starts to settle. Nothing happens for a beat, then two, but just as I'm about to blink my eyelids back open, my mind settles with a calmness I can't explain.

Serenity envelops me in it's sweet hold, where it almost feels like I'm floating, before pain burns through my bones. My legs give out at the same time as the back of my eyelids brighten from the excruciating pain before my world falls still.

"Adrianna?" Raiden's rasp vibrates through my chest, forcing me to pry my eyes open. It takes a few blinks before my gaze settles and I can properly take him in, but when I do, he blankets me with another sense of peace.

He reaches his hand out toward me and I nervously do the same, wiggling my outstretched fingers when my eyes settle on them.

I'm me again.

That doesn't sound right.

I was always me.

Wolf or human or fae.

Fuck. I don't know what I am.

My thoughts are paused as he pulls me to my feet, wrapping his arms around me and pinning me to his chest. I bask in his embrace, letting him ground me in the moment until a chest presses against my back, sending heat surging through me.

Kryll.

"What did Kenner want?" Brody asks, his voice muffled in my ears from the two men encasing me between them.

"You guys saw him and didn't stop him?" Cassian snarls, his tone a complete contrast to the one he used with me moments ago.

"He was taking off down the opposite end of the hall. What's going on?" Kryll asks, his chest vibrating against my back.

Cassian sighs. It's harsh and deep, a rumble of angst amid the uncertainty that we aren't prepared for going forward.

"I don't know, but he made it clear that it was his plan to have Addi find her wolf and shift," he admits, and I don't need to look to know his face is dipped, his chin pressed against his chest as a sense of defeat takes hold of him. I can feel it along my skin, deep in my bones, and in the air around me.

I've always had a good read on them, for the most part, but this feels different.

"Fuck," Raiden grimaces, pressing his lips to my temple.

"What do we do?" Brody asks, his question lingering in the space around us for a beat as I take a deep breath and step out of the warm embrace between Kryll and Raiden.

Four sets of eyes trail my movements as I run my hands over my black dress, standing tall as I stiffen my spine and try to rid the tension from my limbs. The words dance across my tongue, ready to lay claim to our path and solidify who we are and who we have always been.

As individuals and together.

Despite the unknown possibilities of our future, the clarity in our unity gives me a new-found strength that I didn't believe could be possible. But I know it is. It has to be.

Sweeping my gaze over each of them once more, I take a deep breath.

"We do what we always do. We fight."