Chapter Fourteen : Into the woods - Part 1

"Shush," Alex hushed us with a wave.

The cave opened in the woods on the other side. Just above the tunnel that we were using, the war was going on. The force above was making the ceiling of the cave to shake violently.

After going for a while we found thick bushes covering the exit of the tunnel. Alex started to move them on the side quickly.

Edward and I helped him to make it quick. As far as I could fathom, we were just outside the pack wall that was destroyed already.

We came out. The sky was covered with dark clouds. The moon wasn’t visible making it even darker.

We looked back. The sea of blood and the corpses lied on the ground were making it look like a scene from a horror film.

"You need to leave," Alex said. I nodded. "Take care of her," he looked at Edward and said.

"Thank you so much," Edward said. "Without you it wouldn’t be possible."

"Now, hurry up," Alex said.

We ran towards the woods as fast as we could. I was still in my human form. I needed to shift. But I didn’t want to catch the attention back there.

After running for a while and making sure that our voices wouldn’t reach the battle field I tried to shift. I knew my wolf was again awakened inside me. She was in a dilemma. I was responsible for it. I made her chose between Alex and Edward. With a human she didn’t need the bond. But Alex had marked me again. And she was feeling it terribly. She accepted Edward very well. And she went to that eternal sleep to keep me safe. So that I wouldn’t suffer because of my wolf side.

I tried to connect with her in my mind. She was quite for a while, then she responded.

"Lexa," I called my wolf in my mind.

"It is nice to be back again, Ella," she replied calmly.

"I'm so sorry, Lexa. I am sorry for doing this to you. For making you to choose," I said to her.

"It's not your fault, Ella," Lexa replied calmly. "We are not different entities, Ella. Whatever you desire, I desire. My ultimate goal is to protect you. It is your happiness that makes me act, Ella. If I feel pain, that is because your mind is not happy with the outcome. You choose Edward, Ella. Now he is mine as well. Alex's wolf has connected itself with me. But it is your desires that will make me act," she said.

I wasn’t assured that she wasn’t hurting because of the newly formed mate bond. Because I was feeling it. But I decided to keep the thoughts away.

"Lexa, help me to transform," I ordered her.

"I will, Ella. But I can't do something that will have any injurious effect in your body. You are still not suitable for carrying me Ella. Not when you are pregnant. It may hurt the baby," she warned me about the shifting.

"But if I don't shift, they will catch up to us soon," I said worryingly.

"I suggest you not to shift in your full form, Ella. With your body, I believe I will make it out of the border of north by the morning, if you can control the shifting and prevent me from taking over," Lexa said.

"Alright," I said.

I opened my eyes and looked at Edward. He was eagerly waiting.

"Did it work?" he asked.

"She told me she can manage. But I can't shift completely," I said.

Edward grabbed my hand. "You can do it, Ella. I know. For our child, you have to do it," he said.

I tried to shift but failed several times. Finally I took a deep breath and tried again. I was afraid. If Lexa had taken over my whole body it might harm my child. But in the middle I succeeded to stop the shifting.

Edward was looking at me with surprise in his eyes. He had never seen me in my wolf form before. My upper trunk was almost human. But my hands and feet were shifted.

"Are you grossed out?" I asked him. He was still shocked at my look. He probably never imagined I could look this terrifying.

He was paused for a bit. I started to feel bad. That was it. If he had seen me like this before our marriage, he wouldn’t accept me. No human will ever accept a monster. My mother's case was different though. My father could transform fully into a wonderful wolf. He was strong, powerful.

My half human, half monster form was suddenly exposed to the light of the moon that came out suddenly pushing away the dark clouds.

I spoke again. But my voice wasn’t human like at all. It sounded so gross in my own ears.

I stopped in the middle. Upset, looking down at the ground. We needed to run. Far away from there as soon as possible. But my heart was beating fast. In fear, fear of rejection." What if Edward after finding out my this side, decides to leave me for good "- I thought.

But I was pulled away from my thoughts. Edward hugged me suddenly. He gave a small peck on my lips and then to my forehead. He took my claws in his hand. Put his another hand over my stomach.

" If I can accept your beauty, I can accept your this form as well. I love you, Isabella. I don't care about anything else. We need to run," he said.

I hugged him back crying. Then asked him to hold me strongly. He followed my lead. I jumped. Even though I wasn’t shifted fully, my speed increased enormously. From one tree to another, I was quickly passing the woods.

I was happy, the final curtain that was between me and Edward was lifted as well. There was nothing to worry about I believed.

But I was wrong. Not after too long, my wolf sensed someone behind us. I quickly came down in the ground. Pushed Edward away and took an attacking position.

"What happened?" Edward asked anxiously. But I ignored his question.

Lexa sensed someone following us. And that someone was now hiding there around somewhere behind the trees. I knew it was an alpha wolf by the strong presence.

"Whoever you are, come out. I don't want any trouble," I warned the person.

The person that came out behind the trees very casually was the least I was expecting.

The sky had cleared. In the bright reflections of the moon I saw Claire coming out in her human form, walking very casually. A devilish smirk printed on her face.