The snow was still falling, the sky white and foggy. The sun began to surface in the sky, providing a soft glow to the mix of the white from the snow and the peaks of yellow from the sky, emanating an eerily calm warmth.
I led us toward my dad and the rest of the men with Asher's arm securely around my waist. Maddox walked in-step with us, staying close to my side. I knew that from then on, he'd never let me out of his sight. Maddox would always be my protector, the watchful eye making sure I was safe and happy. Now, I had Asher, too. He would give me a different form of happiness and safety to me that I needed but hadn't known until I'd found him.
In a matter of a few months, my entire life had been flipped upside down. The once normal world I believed I'd lived in had proven to be one full of evil monsters and creatures who hid amongst the crowds. Nothing was as it seemed; I learned that lesson the hard way, though I wouldn't have changed anything that had happened to me. The experiences had transformed me into the person-or rather, the shifter-I was. Not only had I grown as a shifter but as a person, too.
"What are you thinking about?" Asher asked me quietly, once we'd reached the group.
"Honestly? I'm thinking about how much has changed for me," I replied.
"A lot has changed for all of us, but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world," Asher said.
I smiled up at him and heard Maddox cough beside us. "If you two are done with all of the mushy love crap," Maddox stated, rolling his eyes, "I think we have more important things to talk about."
"We love you, too, Maddox," I said, with a giggle.
My dad smiled at us once we'd reached their group. "Elle, I'm just so glad you're safe," he said, "but we have a lot to talk about when we get home."
I nodded my head, knowing he was right. I was sure to be grounded until I was at least one-hundred-years-old, but I was sure I'd deserved it. My mom was probably a mess back home, waiting for us to return.
My dad lingered as the pack turned to head toward the woods. They stopped midway between the cabin and the trees to take one last look as my dad lit a match and threw the flame on the porch. The cabin was engulfed in red and orange flames. Dad joined the rest of the pack, and we stood and watched as the place where my life had almost ended went up in flames. Gray smoke swirled and floated up into the sky. The sun had risen, and the snow had slowed its race to earth. The sky still had an eerie glow, but the fear and terror that had once lingered at the house was gone.
We turned to continue our trek back toward the woods as the cabin burned, knowing the trees would protect and shield us from harm.
'Tm just glad you're okay," Asher said, hugging me to him once more. "Me, too," I said.
"When we get you back home, there's something I want to talk to you about," he said, his voice rising a little.
I turned to look at him, but just as I opened my mouth to speak, Maddox's stopped me from asking Asher what he'd meant by his cryptic statement. "Do you think we will ever see them again?" Maddox asked, a sharp edge to his voice.
'Tm not sure," I said, "but I have a strange suspicion we haven't seen
the last of the hunters. I think, as shifters, we'll always be the hunted."
The others nodded in agreement, but no one dared to speak. All of us knew danger lurked in the world. Evil manifested itself in various forms, colors, shapes, and sizes. We had no way of knowing when we'd next be hunted or attacked, but one thing was for certain: we were a family and a team, now.
My life as a shifter had only just begun, but I was ready for anything that would be thrown my way. With Asher's arms wrapped around me and Maddox by my side, I knew I'd be able to face the world.
I was Elle. I was a shifter. I was a teenage girl with a wild spark and a family who loved me. I hadn't chosen this life for myself, but if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't change one single moment or experience.
My future was sure to be bright and wonderful.
Extras
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Table of Contents
Copyright
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Extras
Evershade Page 15