Chapter Seventy Four

*Ivan*


Ariya threw her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly. I loved this. I loved her being close to me. She seemed to be warming up more to me but when we were younger this was the only time she was more affectionate with me. I think it was because I seemed so standoffish with her when I was human. When we were kids I basically looked like a puppy when I was in wolf form. My wolf was itching to be out and run. I couldn’t run though. I might be able to tonight, but I would need to reach out to Caleb at least. I needed to get used to shifting again. It was so hard to hold back since I’d remembered who I was. Shifting was something that we had to do at least once a month. But I hadn’t shifted for 14 years and apparently my wolf needed to make up for it. So anytime I realized I needed to shift it had to happen in the next 5 minutes. It was a good thing I couldn’t remember I was a wolf when Boss and them were around. But it made it harder because when I was around Ariya or the others my wolf would try to force its way out.
I leaned into Ariya hoping she would stay holding me. She giggled and sat down, bringing me with her. I lay down and rested my head in her lap. Shifting took a lot out of me for some reason. It zapped my energy, especially if I wasn’t about to run. I think it was from resisting but I couldn’t be sure. I laid there while she stroked my head. She loved messing with my ears. Who could blame her? They were usually the softest part of us. I loved how she just looked at me in awe. It made me happy.
As I laid there resting my head in her lap my eyes started to flutter closed. I wanted to freeze this moment in time as it was. I wanted to be able to fall asleep in her lap without worry.
“It’s ok, Ivan. I will keep watch. Sleep.” She said softly.
Feeling her hand on my head sent me straight to sleep within seconds. I knew she would keep an eye out. I would just need to make sure I moved quick enough if needed. But we were in a black dome, no one could see in. I didn’t want her to get punished for trying to protect me though. No one came in. Not even Boss. Not unless I brought him over. We should be fine.
- -
*The Shadows held me down as I squirmed to get free so I could get to Ariya. They dragged her down the alley out of my sight. I couldn’t lose her again. I had already lost her once tonight. I snapped my jaws at the Shadow’s heels and clamped down on one of them successfully. The other had a different idea and brought a knife down and buried it into my shoulder. I howled in pain and anger.
Ariya was getting further away from me. I growled and stopped when it felt like the rain was falling onto me. I looked up. It wasn’t raining. The Shadow that had just stabbed me had been impaled. I sniffed the air hoping to catch Drake’s scent. I couldn’t smell him but I could smell Ariya. She was still nearby. I tried to get up but fell over. My shoulder wasn’t usable in its current state. Something else wasn’t right. Why wasn’t Drake nearby? Who had impaled the Shadow? I looked around and my eyes widened. The other Shadows were impaled too. I caught a glimpse of Keo and saw the Shadows that had held him had been impaled. It was an energy manipulation ability that had impaled them but it was black. Keo started to fall to the ground. My body shivered as I shifted back quickly and ran over to catch him.
“Please be alive.” I whispered as I caught him.
I had to place Keo across my lap to be able to keep him steady. I wrapped my good hand around the blade to pull it from his chest.
“Keo.” A voice said followed by a thud.
I looked over to the sound and realized it was Ari. She had gotten away. My heart skipped a beat as I saw her and then stopped when she fell. I set Keo down gently and ran over to her.
“Ari! Come back to me!” I shouted at her as I lifted her up.
She lay there unresponsive. I started to panic as I felt her heart slowing.
“ARI!!!” I shouted, shaking her.
Still nothing.
“Somebody help me! Please!” My voice cracked as I screamed, desperate to save her.
My body shivered violently and I shifted back to my wolf form. I howled. The pain and fear coming through. I couldn’t communicate with anyone. Derek was dead. I had no idea where Caleb was. I had no idea where Drake was. Keo was probably dead and Ariya. The one person who I loved more than anything in this world. She was slipping away right in front of me. I howled something awful again, hoping that someone would come.
“Ivan?” A voice cracked behind me.
I whirled around. Caleb! I whined and nudged Ariya. Caleb’s eyes grew wide as he looked around. I tried to say something but I was still in wolf form so it came out as a mix between a whine and a bark. I was so scared and Ariya’s heart was slowing more, threatening to stop at any moment. My heart felt like it was being shattered. I couldn’t let her die. I screamed as much as anyone could scream in wolf form.
“Ivan…” Caleb cried out.
He knew. He knew that Ariya was dying and I couldn’t do anything about it. Caleb knew I was mated to her and that I would only wish to be dead if she was gone. I needed her. She couldn’t disappear. I wouldn’t be able to survive. I would burn the world to the ground if she died.
“Oh my God…” A voice breathed.
I knew it was Drake but I couldn’t focus on anything else. Nothing other than Ariya. Drake rushed over to us and put his hand at her throat checking her pulse. His eyes went wide as he realized her pulse was slowing more. He moved her to lay on her back.
“Caleb, get Keo and Derek over here please. I’m going to heal Ariya.” Drake instructed.
Drake put his right hand on Ariya’s head and his left over her chest. He closed his eyes as he focused on healing her. Caleb brought Keo over and laid him down on his back near Ariya. I whined, my eyes still locked on her. I needed her to be ok.
Drake removed his hands, “She’s ok. I think she used too much power.”
“What do you mean?” Caleb asked, confused.
“Look around Caleb. All the Shadows are dead.”
“I thought you did that.” Caleb said.
“Not even close. Besides, my energy manipulation isn’t black. But I’m guessing Ariya’s is.”
“But she’s only 9 and she’s never used her ability before. How would she be able to do all of this?”
“By the look of everything, I’m guessing she was really desperate.” Drake said.
Drake put his hand around Keo’s neck and his face fell. He did the same thing with Derek. I didn’t need to ask. I already knew.
“They’re dead, aren’t they?” Caleb asked.
Drake nodded sadly, “Yeah.”
Keo’s eyes flew open and he screamed, making all 3 of us jump.
“Maybe not!” Drake said, alarmed.*