46: Ada's POV

Phoenix did not join me in the stream. In fact, he barely looked at me let alone spoke to me. I bathed quickly and queitly in the icy stream and stepped out to dry off. Luckily, my werewolf heat was fully returning so the water practically turned into steam and evaporated from my skin. Phoenix was keeping his distance as I dressed and then soundlessly started back through the forest toward Nik the moment I'd finished lacing up my boot. Nik was waiting, a gentle yet uneasy smile on his face as we approached.

In his hand was what looked like a granola bar and a banana. I took both from him and scarfed them down, nodding toward the stream, "I heard you say we're going east. Toward the mountains?"

Nik nodded, "It's the most likely place your father would keep major weaponry and armies," he ran a hand through his black hair, "They'd experience more difficult and rigorous training and be more well hidden," a small sigh, "It's normally the last place we would scope out."

"That's because it's dangerous," Phoenix pulled on his pack, "I really think we need to reconsider traveling unshifted if we're going to the mountains."

The two of them looked to me. I knew what they were asking. I tugged on the silver bond in my mind, trying to awaken her. My hand mentally extended, *Sahara. Please. Are you there?*

Minutes passed and I was just about to give up and tell them there was no chance when I heard it. Faintly, in the very back of my mind, Sahara stirred. She huffed out a breath, then her voice carried to me, *I need more rest, Addy. Leave me be.*

*Sahara?* tears pricked my eyes and I looked between the two princes in surprise.

A small chuckle, *The seasons may have changed several times over, my dear Addy, but your persistence has not.*

I spoke aloud, my voice barely a whisper, "She's speaking to me."

It came out more choked than I had intended for it to be. Nik gave a small nod, a faint smile playing on his lips. Phoenix's eyes widened and he ran to me, grabbing me and spinning me fully, "Ada, this is wonderful."

"I know," tears spilled from my eyes, "She says she needs more rest."

*It isn't actually that,* she spoke, her voice becoming more clear, *You were so overwhelmed with the last time we connectd that you blocked me. Are you sure you're ready to accept me and all that comes with me?*

I froze. The last time? Was she referring to the claws in the hallway with Darius, or my shift when I was thirteen? I hugged Phoenix tightly as he spun me once more, *I'm ready. You've been sending me bits and pieces of you haven't you?*

*I have,* she replied.

It was like a brick wall slammed into me. A scream erupted from my mouth, a shrill shriek of agonizing pain. Phoenix set me down, pale. Nik rushed forward as I careened backward. I fell roughly in the dirt on my ass, a burning sensation rushing through my veins. Nik was speaking to me, but I couldn't hear him. The only noise was a rushing, whipping noise in my ears. My entire body was pulsating to the beat of my heart, which was racing. I looked down at my skin and my eyes went wide. My skin was bright red and bubbling up, blistering.

Sahara's voice broke through the white noise of my own mind, *You have to let it out. Channel it, Ada.*

*Moon Goddess above,* I whimpered internally, trying to focus all of the white hot energy somewhere-- anywhere. I worked to move it toward my hands, amazed when my concentration managed to remove the blistering heat. It traveled down my arms to my hands... and flames erupted from my palms. Nik jumped out of the way of the fire as Phoenix began working to stomp out any of the brush the flames lit. My wolf rushed forward once more and I felt a thick icy sludge pump through my veins. I let out another cry as knives seemed to race through my bloodstream. Sahara didn't need to repeat herself. I kept the fiery energy focused with my right hand, and forced the icy energy down my left arm. Ice shoots shot out, ripping through the bark of trees and severing limbs from several nearby.

My eyes widened. Sahara rushed forward one more time, this time bringing a blanket of darkness down around me. This time, it erupted from the center of my chest. *Wield it,* she barked the command at me. Shadows, slicker and more full than any that came from Nik, sunk near my ankles. Everything it touched died instantaneously. *Wield it, Ada,* she commaded once more as the shadows grew nearer and nearer to Nik and Phoenix.

The two princes were standing still, watching with two very different expressions. Phoenix was pale, eyes wide, and sweat dripping from his brow. He stood still but there was a slight shake to his knees. Nik was simply observing, face flat and eyes narrowed on the ever-nearing puddle of darkness. I focused on the puddle, working to pull it back toward me. It crept forward slightly and I gritted my teeth, digging my heels into the ground. It slid back an inch, then two. Then all at once, the thick, inky puddle sucked back into me.

Sahara paced in my mind, her presence fully there. I reigned in the ice and fire flying from my hands, standing quietly. I gave her my command quietly, externally, "Shift."

It was painless, which was very different from my experience at thirteen. My hands extended into claws first then paws, my limbs becoming long as my body simultaneously contorted and lengthened. My nose and mouth grew into a snout, a viscious growl erupting from my chest-- *Sahara's* chest. We landed on all fours and my vision wasn't my own but hers. My sense of smell wasn't my own, but *hers.* Whatever piece of me that had always felt like a fraud or out of place seemed to click into place.

Nik and Phoenix shifted, their scents wafting over to us. Sahara whined, *Mates. But where is our third?*

And that was when I felt it. All three bonds clicked into place -- a dark inky one with Nik, a fiery red one with Phoenix and an icy, oceanic blue one with Darius. For a moment, it was beautiful and felt so right. But then I felt something else, something that made Sahara whimper and stumble in the dirt. I heard Nik's voice in my head, *What is it, Ada? What's wrong with your wolf?*

*It's Darius,* I wept, feeling the pain twice over while I was in Sahara's form, *It feels like... like he's with someone right now.*