10. Ben

10

BEN

I pulled over onto the side of the road in the exact spot I’d parked my truck when I saw Sienna shift into her fox. Being back here felt like a dream. Well, maybe in this situation it would be a nightmare.

I wasn’t sure yet.

There was an unnatural stillness to this place that amped up my nerves.

“You okay?” Sienna asked, her eyes on me as if she could sense my unease.

Maybe she could being what she was while also being my mate. I wasn’t going to pretend to know how any of this worked.

“Just taking it all in. This place has a creepy vibe to it, you know?”

“Yeah, but don’t let it get in your head. We’ve got this.”

She was so certain. I liked that. It was what I needed to hear.

“Right,” I muttered, slipping the syringe into my coat pocket.

The weight of it felt heavier than it should. Maybe it was because this wasn’t just about sedating a raven—it was about stopping something darker and much larger than I fully understood.

Together, we climbed out of my truck. I made my way to the bed, grabbing the cage I’d snagged from the clinic, while Sienna headed to where the others had gathered near the edge of the woods. As I walked toward them, I scanned them all. Dean stood tall with his arms crossed, while Waylen casually leaned against a tree trunk. Astrid stood near Lyra, her sharp gaze alert as she scanned the tree line.

Rachel strode toward me.

“Ready for this?” she asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

She nodded. “Is this your first time seeing someone shift?”

“I saw Sienna—by accident,” I replied.

“Well, seeing them all shift is wild at first,” she said, her tone light. “But you’ll get used to it. Just keep in mind that it’s still them, no matter what form they take.”

“That’s oddly comforting,” I admitted, meaning it.

Sienna caught my eye and stepped closer, her presence grounding me in a way I hadn’t anticipated. She leaned in and brushed her lips against mine in a brief but electric kiss.

“For luck,” she whispered, then headed back to where the others were.

When they all began to undress, I averted my eyes, even though none of them seemed to care about privacy.

Shifters must be okay with nudity.

More so than humans, at least.

Once they’d shed their clothes, the same energy that had filled the air when I saw Sienna shift into her fox could be felt. Dean was the first to shift. His form rippled and bent while he sprouted fur until a massive wolf stood in his place. Astrid followed next, her slender frame giving way to sleek black feathers and sharp eyes as she transformed into a raven. Waylen’s shift was quick, and the eagle that emerged carried a commanding presence as it took to the sky. Lyra gave way to become a beautiful owl half a second later, her feathers stark against the night sky while she flew after him. Ellis shifted next, becoming a lithe bobcat in what felt like under a minute. And then Sienna gave way to her fox. The process was as seamless and graceful as I remembered. Once she was finished, her fox stepped closer to me and I gathered she was observing if I was okay with what I’d just witnessed.

I was.

The sound of cracking bones and rustling feathers among them all should have unsettled me, but instead, it had seemed strangely unified—almost like watching pieces of a puzzle fall into place one by one. These weren’t just people—they were a team, a crew, and each instinctively knew their role tonight.

They were the Misfit Shifters, and I was honored to be in their presence.

Sienna’s fox stayed close to my side as we moved into the woods, following the others. I tightened my grip on the cage and pulled in a steadying breath.

Just as we were about to reach Lucius’s, the air seemed to thicken. It grew heavy with an energy I couldn’t quite describe. There was a palpable presence of darkness lurking here. I scanned the treetops, searching for any sign of him, but saw nothing.

However, the moment we reached the grave, he appeared.

Xander’s raven swooped down in a blur of black feathers, landing on the grave in a swift and graceful motion. Moonlight caught his feathers, making them shimmer like oil on water. Everyone sprang into action, their animal forms moving with a precision that left me awestruck and momentarily stunned.

Dean’s wolf prowled closer to Xander’s raven, his eyes locked on him like prey, while Ellis’s bobcat came in from the side, his steps silent and calculated. Sienna’s fox stiffened, and a deep, threatening growl rumbled low in her throat while Astrid’s raven released a sharp caw that cut through the night. Lyra’s owl circled from above along with Waylen’s eagle, both poised and ready to strike.

It was a coordinated effort unlike anything I’d ever witnessed in the animal kingdom.

Each of them moved instinctively, no words needed, their trust in one another apparent. My heart pounded as I stood at the edge of their formation, my hands gripping the cage like it was the last lifeline I had in this surreal moment.

Then it happened.

Xander’s raven cocked his head, his beady black eyes gleaming with an unnatural intelligence, and a split second later, the energy in the air shifted. I could feel it—the invasive force of his mental attack rippled through the air, charging it with such darkness that was nearly suffocating even to me.

Everyone faltered, but my focus was fixated on Sienna’s fox.

She was thrown off balance by the sudden onslaught. She shook her head, trying to shake off the raven’s grip, but it didn’t seem to be working.

“Sienna,” I breathed.

Every instinct in me screamed to protect her, but I knew better than to charge in recklessly. Still, seeing her like that—fighting something I couldn’t see, couldn’t touch—was unbearable. Even so, I knew my part.

I knew exactly what I needed to do.

My gaze snapped to Rachel. She nodded, letting me know she was ready to make her move. I shifted my weight, steadying myself, knowing it would be my turn next.

Rachel raised her hands, and then suddenly Xander’s raven jerked into the air, high into the sky. His wings flailed as he was yanked down half a second later by an invisible force and slammed into the ground.

The impact was thunderous.

My breath caught at the sheer power Rachel wielded, and for a moment, I was stunned. But then I remembered it was my turn to take this evil down. I sprinted forward, the adrenaline pumping through my veins heavy and thick, drowning out every other thought. As the raven showed signs of recovering, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the syringe. Plunging the needle into the muscle at the base of one of his wings, I released the sedative into his bloodstream. He gave a sharp caw as his body twisted in my grasp, but I held firm.

“Come on,” I muttered, hoping I’d dosed him heavily enough.

When his wings drooped and his head sagged, I exhaled a breath of relief and then placed him inside the cage.

Falling back on my heels, I stared at him. His black eyes fluttered shut, and for the first time since we’d arrived at this section of the woods the air here felt lighter. The trees themselves felt as though they could breathe again.

“He’s asleep,” I said to the others, my voice steadier than I’d expected with adrenaline pumping through me.

The others moved in closer, their animal forms circling the cage as if to confirm the danger was contained for themselves. My gaze focused on Sienna’s fox. Her sharp eyes locked with mine and I swore I saw something that resembled pride flicker through them.

“Not bad for a vet, huh?” I asked, flashing her a crooked grin.

Sienna’s fox nudged my leg gently, and I smoothed a hand over her head.

“You’re incredible, you know that?” I whispered. She let out a noise that I could’ve sworn was her fox’s version of a chuckle.

Dean, in his wolf form still, garnered everyone’s attention with a grumble and then we headed back to our vehicles. I carried the cage with Xander’s raven, staying close to Sienna’s fox as I walked.

When we reached where we’d parked, everyone shifted back into their human forms. I turned away, focusing on the trees and starlit sky while they dressed. Once everyone was decent, Sienna made her way to me.

“I don’t know how this would’ve gone without you,” she said. “Thanks.”

“I’m glad I could help,” I replied, loading the cage into the back of my truck. “But we should get going. The sedative should last about an hour, but that’s an estimate. I’m not sure if his shifter metabolism will burn through it faster than a normal raven’s would.”

“Good point,” Sienna said.

Dean nodded. “Let’s go.”

As we pulled back onto the road, the convoy moved in a steady line toward Maribel’s. I kept glancing in the rearview mirror, my eyes on the cage in the bed, making sure the raven was still out cold.

Sienna sat in the passenger seat, her hands tucked beneath her thighs, staring straight ahead. Tension radiated off her.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she said, though her tone didn’t sound convincing. “Just thinking.”

“About the ritual? Or Xander?”

“Both,” she admitted, letting out a soft sigh. “We’ve been chasing this for so long. Now that we’re here, I’m just…” She trailed off.

“You’re wondering what happens next.” I glanced at her briefly, noticing the faint smile she gave didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Something like that,” she said.

“Well, no matter what happens, I think I’ve officially maxed out my weird meter tonight.” I chuckled. “A cage with a raven shifter? Check. Helping a team of animal shifters wrangle him? Double-check. Seeing a woman lift a raven into the air and then slam him to the ground with her mind? Triple-check.”

That earned me a small laugh, and I felt a flicker of relief at the sound.

“Welcome to my world,” she said dryly.

“It’s not boring, I’ll give you that,” I said, glancing her way again. “You’re not boring.”

Her eyes softened. “Thanks.”

The silence that followed wasn’t heavy like before. It was comfortable, but my thoughts still raced. The woods grew denser, and I hoped we were close to Maribel’s place. This road seemed to be narrowing.

“What’s Maribel like?” I asked, breaking the quiet, my nerves about what was to come getting the best of me.

“She’s kind of a legend. Ellis says she’s this mysterious force of nature—wise and powerful, but with an eccentric-ness about her. People whisper around town about her. They say she talks to the wind. I’ve never met her, but honestly, I kind of hope all the stories I’ve heard are true.”

I raised an eyebrow, a grin tugging at the corner of my mouth. “A wise and powerful woman who talks to the wind? Sounds like she could either solve all our problems or send us on a quest for magic mushrooms. I’m game either way.”

“Something tells me you’d take it in stride if she did.”

I laughed. “Well, I guess I spoke too soon about maxing out my weird meter for the night.”

“Definitely.” She chuckled.

The sound of my tires crunching on gravel filled the space between us. While I didn’t know what the rest of the night would hold, I was certain about one thing—I was here for it.