Chapter 14

Dawn

As Tom and Shannon watched, Jana picked herself up from where she'd face-planted in the dirt after her transformation. Dan helped Emma up as Rhydian also staggered to his feet.

"Is everyone alright?" Dan asked.

"Where's Maddy?" Rhydian looked around frantically. Shannon was the one to spot her. She was by the coal hatch to the den. She was writhing on the floor and convulsing. Everyone raced over and crowded around her.

"What's happening?" Tom looked over at Dan and Emma.

"She's resisting the transformation!" Emma gently rested a hand on Maddy's shoulder. "Come on, cub. It's over now. Just let it go." Maddy's red eyes glared up at her. Her wolf was refusing to give up control and wouldn't let the blood moon's energy go. It seemed to relish the power and freedom it had felt that night. Rhydian gently moved in next to Emma. He placed one hand on her cheek and rested his forehead on hers.

"Let go, Maddy." Without warning, Maddy's head snapped upwards, her jaws inches from his throat. He didn't even flinch. Maddy's head flopped back and hit the ground hard. As they watched, her eyes slowly returned to their yellow colour. Her fur receded into what was quickly becoming Maddy's soft human skin. Her eyes closed as her shape morphed back into her full human form. Everyone visibly relaxed.

"Well done, Rhydian." Dan clapped Rhydian on the back, a stark contrast from throwing him out just twelve hours ago.

"We're so sorry about what happened, pet." Emma said, wrapping him in a brief hug.

"Wait... What happened?" Jana sat back looking dazed.

"What do you mean?" Shannon couldn't believe what she'd just heard.

"Don't worry, Shan." Dan said as he made his way over to where Jana was looking around and seeming very confused. "One of the few things we know about the blood moon is that it can cause some Wolfbloods to lose all memory of what happened that night. What little we know has been passed down for generations."

"Yeah, I think we're all feeling dizzy." Emma tried to get up from where she was crouched next to Maddy and promptly fell backwards. Dan helped her up again.

"Come on. Everyone inside and I'll make bacon sandwiches." He turned to go inside when Tom started talking.

"I do have one small confession to make: Shannon and I were so exhausted after last night that we already got bacon sandwiches earlier. Sorry, but we were so hungry we were about to go over on the spot."

"Yeah; and why is Kyle in a heap on the floor?" Rhydian asked. "He's bleeding too. Is he..." Rhydian's eyes widened in realisation as he turned pale.

"We'll tell you everything." Shannon told him. "For now, we need to get inside and call an ambulance. Just trust us."

"We do trust you, Shan." Emma nodded seriously. "But we expect the full story and it had better be bulletproof."

"Maddy's not waking up!" Everyone looked over at the sound of Rhydian's frantic voice. They rushed back over to see him trying to shake Maddy awake.

"Pinch her nose shut." Tom suggested. "That's what my mum does when I won't get up in the morning." Rhydian tried it. Maddy just started breathing through her mouth.

"Well, that didn't work." Rhydian rolled his eyes.

"Wow. I've been missing a trick there." Tom couldn't believe it.

"Get her inside and then we'll figure out what to do." Dan helped Emma while Tom and Shannon saw Jana inside. Rhydian picked Maddy up bridal style and carried her, trailing behind the rest of them and taking a moment to temporarily feel relieved that he was by her side again. He carried her into the house and gently made sure he didn't catch her head on the doorframe.

"Get her upstairs, Rhydian." Emma instructed. "We'll work this out once we've had some breakfast. She probably just used too much energy resisting the transformation. She might just need to sleep it off."

"I hope you're right." Rhydian looked as Maddy sleeping like a baby in his arms. "Have you ever seen this before?"

"I've never heard of it happening in my life." Emma shook her head. "Still, we shouldn't panic until we have to. Get her upstairs and we'll watch the situation as it develops." Rhydian nodded and carried Maddy upstairs. He laid her on her bed and gently pulled the covers over her. Try as he might, he couldn't help cursing the blood moon.