Sherman Blackstone was just about to prepare his midnight snack of French fries and ice cream when he someone tried to break his door down. Sighing he got up and went to open it. These days a keeper just couldn't get any peace and quiet without someone trying to up his maintenance bills. He wasn't of course expecting to see the bad boy of the pack with a screaming girl in his arms. He didn't realize who it was until the writhing figure turned to face his with pleading honey brown eyes.
"You better come in and put her on the bed. I'll call Matt Donner. It's going to be a long night and she's gonna need all the support that she can get."
Luke gently placed Sophia on the large bed and ran his fingers through his hair trying to think how he could ease her pain. Although sex was the best way to help the flip happen faster and effortlessly, it was too late. Sophia was already in the last stages.
Slowly, he stripped off her clothes, which were already torn from her clawing. She had ugly bleeding scratches all over her chest and body.
Kneeling by her side he took hold of her hands, trying to keep her from tearing off her own flesh and in the same time trying to soothe her. Lucas Cates had never asked for anything in his life from the higher powers but tonight he was praying with all he had that Sophia make it through the flip.
Matt Donner couldn't believe his ears when Sherman told him that his baby girl had begun the flip.
"How could she possibly be flipping? I haven't noticed any of the symptoms and as far as I know she's been fine right up until today."
He strode through the cabin to the bedroom and saw red when he noticed the kneeling form of Lucas Cates. He lunged straight for the boy who had slowly risen from his knees.
"You! This is all your fault. What have you done to her? I'll kill you if anything happens to my baby."
Sherman struggled to pull Matt off Luke.
"Matt, it's not Luke's fault. Sophia has already showed the signs of change for sometime now. You just chose not to acknowledge it. Frankly, I'm surprised that she has fought it off for so long. But Matt you have to convince her that it is okay to let the wolf reign free. As you can see, she is still fighting it and she may die fighting."
Matt closed his eyes and tried to think things through. He couldn't stand his little girl in this much pain. He had promised Marie that he would protect her from all of this and he had failed.
He sat by Sophia's side and looked at her. Her eyes were glowing amber but it couldn't conceal the pain in them. Her hands were curled into claws and her body contorted as she screamed hoarsely. Tears were running down her cheeks.
He shuddered as he remembered the other teenagers who he had seen when Willard was called to do his duty. His daughter could not end up like they did. If she did, it would all be his fault, and he knew he could not live with that.
"Baby, I know that I've discouraged the wolf side from day one. But I did it because I promised your mother. I lied for her sake. But I only wanted to protect you both if you turned out to be an ungulate. Let the wolf escape Sophia, it isn't as bad as I made it out to be. Please baby, I can't lose you too. You know that you've made me so proud all this time and I'll still be proud of you once you embrace what is naturally in you."
Matt glanced up when Sherman placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Matt, you and I both know that only the young un' over there can help her overcome this. Although they haven't realized it yet, they've both chosen each other as their mates. Come on, we'll go wait in the den. Hopefully he'll have enough strength to get her through."
"Lucas, you know what you must do. There is no other choice, she is fighting the wolf too hard, and you know what that means. Sophia will die if you do not have the guts to do this. It's all up to you now."
Luke knew that doing what he was about to do was dangerous. If he didn't succeed, he could probably end up losing his own life as well. But he knew that losing Sophia wasn't an option either.
Besides, Matt Donner would have his head hanging if anything happened to Sophia. Drawing a deep breath, he focused his entire mind and thoughts on helping Sophia get out of this mess and with a last prayer, placed his palm on her forehead.
Sophia could subconsciously hear voices from her surroundings. She could barely make it out as her body protested against the crackling of bones as it fought to change. It felt as if a million nails were being drummed into her spine. She couldn't stand it anymore; she just wanted it to stop.
But there it was, the thread of hope. The voices of her father, Sherman and Luke. She wanted to call out to them, but her throat was too dry.
She could feel Luke's soothing voice and hands. She could feel his hand on her forehead and suddenly she saw this bright shining light. It was as if Luke had somehow found a way to get into this dark place with her! He was actually risking his life for her. Luke's hands wrapped around her waist and his lips lightly brushed against her neck. He was trying to whisper something and she concentrated on what it was.
But the darkness was slowly and surely pulling her away. Gathering on the last amount of strength she had, she fought to surge forward and grab hold of the words coming from him.
"Soph, you have to stop fighting this. The wolf has always been a part of you. Changing only means that you physically embrace the wolf. You've already done so mentally. No matter what your dad has said, being a skinwalker has it's advantages. I know you've already felt some of those advantages like a better eyesight and sensitive hearing. Sophia, I'm begging you. Let the wolf roam free. I love you and I can't bear to lose you."
Suddenly it was as if everything made sense. The dreams, the feelings... everything. Sophia knew that Luke truly meant what he had said. She was his mate, now and forever. She realized that the currents pulling her down had ceased. The darkness was still.
She heard the padding of paws and out of the darkness a snowy pure white wolf walked out. It stared at her straight on. This time she wasn't scared. She instinctively knew that this was her inner wolf. It had been there in her core soul all this time. Slowly, Sophia reached out to touch the wolf and felt the blinding white light as she connected pushing her upwards.
Sherman and Matt rushed into the room when they heard the howling. The relief on their faces turned into surprise when they saw the pure white wolf lying on the bed. Luke was on the floor having passed out from the exhaustion caused by the mental link with Sophia. Matt let out a sigh of relief as the wolf shifted back and Sophia looked up at him. "I did it dad."
"Well, Sophia has certainly sprung up a little surprise on us. Who would have thought that a second white would be born in this century. Sophia, I'm going to have to ask you to keep your pelt color a secret from the rest of the pack, even Luke, for the time being. At least until I figure this out. We wouldn't want the pack getting worried and put you in danger. Now you might want to get some rest. Matt if you could lend me a hand, we'll try to transfer Luke onto the couch. You wouldn't want the savior of your daughter's life all sore in the morning now, do you?"
When Sophia awoke in the morning, the first thing she realized was the aching pain all over her body. Her head was throbbing as if she was going through a major hangover. Groaning, she dragged herself out of the large bed, surveying the strange room. Padding out into the living room, her breath caught when she saw the sleeping form on the couch.
So Luke really had helped her get through this. A smile formed on her lips as she noticed how angelic he looked when he was sleeping. Slowly, she dropped down to study his features closer.
Luke opened his eyes to catch a pair of honey brown eyes staring back at him. Relief flooded him and before he realized it he had grabbed Sophia into a strangling hug.
"Hey, you shouldn't try to kill me so fast after saving my life last night. A flipped girl has to breath too you know!" Sophia said laughingly.
Reluctantly Luke released her. He surveyed her from top to toe. She hadn't realized it yet, but she was as naked as the day she was born. Flipping had only added the allure to her. She didn't need her glasses anymore and her cheeks had a healthy flush to it. Her body seemed firmer than before.
Sophia felt a flush creeping into her cheeks when she became aware at just what Luke was staring at. Her eyes rounding, she pulled on the throw that lay across his abdomen to try and cover herself.
Regretting her action immediately when it became apparent that Luke was not wearing a stitch under it. Laughing, Luke pulled the blushing Sophia to sit beside him.
"I must have left my jeans in the forest when I made the mad dash with a screaming chick in my arms."
His voice became serious when he turned to face her.
"Soph, you realize that everything I said to you was true. You're my mate now."
Slowly, he drew his face closer to her until it was only inches away.
"Accept me Sophia Donner," he pleaded before capturing her lips in a sweet kiss.
To his surprise, Sophia shoved him off the couch.
"Get your playboy lips off me Cates. I'm just grateful that you weren't selfish for once and decided to save my life and not to mention the agony I was in. That doesn't me I automatically join the line of bitches waiting for you to stick your tongue and dick in them!"
"Sophia, what?! I told you I loved you didn't I."
"Yes, you did. And I may even love you too. But I still haven't forgotten what and who you have been going around and doing. Now if you excuse me, I'm starving and I need some breakfast. If your waiting for a thank you, you can have it. But don't expect anything more."