Page 26 of Gift from the Stone

Great, I’m getting worse.

Clearing my throat, trying to ignore the inappropriate thoughts at breakfast, I speak to break the building tension.

“Good morning.”

“Her other bonds are giving her trouble right now because they’re jealous, and she has pressure in her chest. You all need to make it better. Now,” Draken growls from behind me, surprising the other three. “Sorry, my bad. My dragon’s going crazy with her discomfort.”

All three of them instantly surround me, boxing me in the middle like a Primary sandwich. My chest does lessen slightly, but there’s still a raging pressure rippling through me.

“Are you okay?” Corentin asks, tilting my chin up to his concerned face.

“I’m okay. Maybe some coffee and just spending some time with you all will help.”

He nods and links our hands together, leading me to my seat, where my perfect sugary delight waits for me.

“How did last night go?” Draken asks the table as I take a large gulp of piping hot coffee. The burn does nothing to distract the pain that’s becoming overwhelming.

“Jamie can’t find any trace of anything on Jarod’s body, and since the rune burned through his chest, he isn’t able to study it. He’s going to run some blood test, see if anything comes up that could help, but it looks like we’ll get nothing from that. Lyker and his Nexus were a little harder to convince.

“With keeping Willow’s name out of it, we couldn’t tell him everything. So we just told him someone with a touch of the sight told us we had to tell him to enter the Alpha Trials. And he finally agreed. They’ll be leaving this morning.”

I barely focus on the words coming out of Corentin’s mouth. I’m too busy focusing on blocking Draken from sensing the pain I’m in and blocking some of the pain out for myself. It’s taking everything in me to stay put in my seat.

“Willow, there’s something important I need to tell you. I’ve been trying to discuss this with you for some time, but we get interrupted every time…”

“Corentin,” I slur, trying to get his attention. My voice barely flutters above a whisper.

“So I don’t want you to think I have been hiding this. The right time just hasn’t come up…”

“Corentin.”

“Will, what’s wrong?”

I hear Tillman’s voice, but I can’t speak as the pain’s unbearable.

Pain.

“Something’s wrong. She’s in pain. Draken, what happened?” Tillman yells.

Someone tries to touch me, but I sling them off as I fall from the table, landing on all fours, a scream tearing from my throat. Agony, pure agony takes hold. It feels as if every nerve ending is on fire, sending waves of searing heat ripping through my body.

One minute I’m on the floor, the next I’m landing gently on all fours outside on the back lawn and the cool wet grass soothes the burn slightly.

“Draken, you have to dominate her, just enough to calm her down,” Corentin orders.

He already dominated me, plenty.

I could be dominated again.

Whether it’s the transport or my inner dirty thoughts, it distracts me from the pain enough to open my eyes. All four of the guys are squatting in front of me, looking at me in concern and anticipation.

“What’s happening?” I pant out as I have a brief, pain-free moment.

“You’re about to shift, little wanderer. Corentin wants me to use my dominance to calm you down enough to shift, but I’ll never do that to you without your permission.” Draken has tears in his eyes as he grips my chin in a gentle but firm grasp.

“What do you mean shift? Like you do? I’m a shifter? Will it make the pain stop?” I ramble off. I can’t focus too much on the shifting part. I need this pain to stop so I can think clearly again.

“Yes, kitten, you’re apparently a shifter. And not completely. This first time will be painful no matter what, but it’ll end as soon as your animal takes over. It won’t hurt after this.”

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