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Jacin's POV:

Not Supposed to Happen

I lean against the bars of the cage, studying the restlessly pacing wolf inside. "How are you feeling?"

The wolf turns its sharp, green gaze towards me. I fight back a cringe at the familiar clicks of rearranging bones as the beast finally speaks. "Do you actually care?"

I narrow my eyes. "For the last time, I didn't have much of a choice when I tried to force you to become a guard. Will you stop holding it over my head already?"

Wolf snorts. "Sure, stop holding the fact that you basically tried to force me into becoming a slave over your head. No problem."

I sigh. "Look, just tell me how you're doing so I can report back to Winter."

"Ah, so that's why you're checking on me."

"Just answer the damn question!"

Wolf huffed and cocked his head to one side as he thought, dried paint flaking off strands of fur with the motion. Looks like he's due for a repaint.

I always find it a bit disconcerting seeing him in this state; with his too-thin middle, shaky legs and limp white fur, he couldn't look more different from the wolf that had tried to bite off the hand of the vampire queen. This creature standing before me, is nothing but an unusually large skeleton with skin. Which I suppose is for the best. There's absolutely no way that someone will see this creature and think that he's the Alpha Intended.

I know that the semblance of weakness and malnourishment isn't real, just the appearance of partially merging a human and wolf skeleton. But if anything that knowledge concerns me more. It's not supposed to be that easy to merge forms like he's doing, certainly not for that long. And I seriously doubt Wolf's been practicing shapeshifting in his spare time in Earth. So how is he able to do such a difficult shift so easily?

"I'm doing alright I guess." Wolf says, snapping me back to the conversation at hand.

"No-one's suspicious of you?" I ask.

Wolf shakes his head. "No, everyone just thinks I'm a regular wolf. It's a bit annoying actually. The visitors are pretty disrespectful."

I shrug. "Most of them are nobles. What do you expect?"

"Can't argue with that."

I scowl at him through the bars. "Seriously though, is everything okay? If there is Winter will give me a huge telling-off."

Wolf bares his teeth in something that looks suspiciously like a teasing grin. "I didn't peg you for the type to be afraid of a scolding."

"Winter's reprimands are long. They're annoying and a waste of time and something I'd really rather not deal with." I say firmly.

He shrugs his shoulders, but his smile doesn't fade. "If you say so."

I growl quietly. "Is there anything wrong or not?"

"Well, I'm still struggling to maintain a constant shape." Wolf admits, "But I'm sure the issue will resolve itself soon."

"It's probably due to the fact that your form's not completely wolf or human." I reason.

But to my surprise, he shakes his head. "No, that's got nothing to do with it. I'm always shifting, even when I've fully shifted. But I don't think it's anything to worry about. It's probably just a side effect from not shifting for so long."

"Sir Clay!"

I jump slightly and stand to attention as a guard makes his way over to me.

"The Queen wants to see you." He tells me, "She said she has an assignment for you. She's waiting for you in the Throne Room."

I nod sharply. "Thank you. I'll be right there."

He makes a grunt of approval and turns sharply on his heel as he heads back into the palace. I cast one last look at Wolf before following.

On the way to the Throne Room, I think about what Wolf told me. Struggling to remain in one shape… that sounds like… but that's impossible! He's in Luna now, he can't be suffering from that still! Bioelectric sickness only takes affect when you're in the wrong dimension, and now he's in the right one. It makes no sense. Maybe Wolf's right, maybe it's just his form wanting to shift after staying in one shape for so long. Maybe.

When I reach the Throne Room, some guards are there to open the doors for me. And they do. They open them wide. Guess the Queen doesn't want her visitors to be discreet.

I stride in, not too fast, not too slow. I can't be too assertive, but I can't be too timid. It's a delicate balance, but just like every other guard, I've learned to hold it like an expert.

Levana hasn't bothered with a glamour. I suppose, after the fiasco with Wolf, she just wants to hide. Not that she'd let anyone in on that though. Hiding is weakness, and Levana knows that better than anyone. It's why she's perfected the art of hiding and appearing to be completely visible.

It's a bit infuriating, how good she is at hiding.

I stop in front of her throne and give her a low bow. "You wanted to see me, Your Highness?"

"Yes Sir Clay." She says, a blanket of calm smothering her voice. "I have an assignment for you, concerning our little… "Selene" problem."

I allow my face an irritated twitch before raising my head. "Would you like me to go to Earth and dispose of her, My Queen?"

Levana gently tilts her head, and her voice is practically a purr when she speaks. "Dispose of her, yes. But you aren't required to go to Earth to do it."

"My Queen?"

"I have received word that a vampire is interfering with guard activities in a small, werewolf village, not too far from our great city, Artemisia. As my only soldier that has had any contact with this girl who has the audacity to assume the identity of my late niece, I want you to dispose of her. You, better than anyone under my command, know how she thinks, how she acts. Off all my soldiers, you are the most qualified for this particular job. Do you accept?"

As if I have a choice. I think bitterly. Out loud, I say, "When do I head out?"

I can feel Levana smiling at me from behind that wretched veil. "In an hour. Transport will be provided. I expect weekly updates." Her tone hardens. "Don't disappoint me Sir Clay."

A/N: Jacin will be reuniting with the gang soon! But what he will do next is a mystery.

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