Chapter 29


    Ryder


    Iid on the bed next to Brook as I told her how much Dean had been babying metely and how he


    kept asking me if I''m alright when he gave me my lunch today. The hope time I wished she''d open her


    eyes and prove to me everything was going to be okay. Brook had been in aa since she fell. Mom


    said she''d heal better that way, but I hated not being able to talk to her or hear her voice.


    Harry and Brook''s mom came into the room as I finished telling Brook about Dean. I sat up. It was


    awkward lying next to Brook with her Mom in the room. "Hi," I said rubbing a kink out of my shoulder.


    Man, I hated these beds.


    "Hello Ryder," Brook''s mom said with a tight smile. She smoothed down Brook''s hair although it looked


    fine. Must be a mom thing, mine did it all the time to me too.


    A momentter Mom joined us. "Good you''re all here."


    "What''s going on?" I asked, trying to sound as worried.


    Mom gave me a brief smile. "The full moon is tomorrow, and ns need to be made," she told me and


    turned her attention to Harry and his mate. "Brook''s recovery is going well, but as expected, she''s still


    not healed enough that I feelfortable with her first shift. My team and I have a devised a n, and


    with your okay, we''ll begin moving head tomorrow evening a few hours before moonrise."


    Harry and Brook''s mom nodded, waiting for Mom to continue.


    "If we give Brook a super dose of muscle rxants and painkillers, she will suffer much less trauma


    during the shift, especially with Ryder with her-"


    Brook’s mom interrupted her, worry on her face. "Wait, how can he be with her. He''s going to shift like


    the others and how would he help?"


    "He''ll be here in his wolf form and Brook will be able to sense Ryder near, and it will help keep her


    calm. However, we''ll be prepared to introduce her into a deepera if need be."


    "Is that safe, putting her under so deeply?" Harry asked, holding his mate''s hand. "And why can''t you


    silver her to prevent the shift?"


    "It''ll be safe. We''re capable of putting her fully on life support if needed and I want to avoid silver if at all


    possible. While the typical silver-filled stic zip ties prevent a shift, it''s stressful on the werewolf which


    is something we have to avoid at all costs."


    Harry looked at Brook''s mom and gave her hand a squeeze. "It''s your call. What do you want to do?"


    She shook her head. "I don''t know I can make an informed decision on this. What do you think Harry?


    This is your people, your world, does this sound reasonable or like it will work?"


    Harry gave her a kiss on her temple. "It''s our world Nan, but yes, this sounds like Brook''s best chance.


    I think we should do it.”


    "Okay, do what you have to do, Emily."


    "I''ll begin the preparations immediately. I promise I''m going to take the best possible care of your


    daughter," Mom told them.


    "You?" Harry asked, looking as confused as I was.


    One that I shared. I''m not a doctor, but I''m pretty sure you need hands. Mom gave us a tight smile. "I''m


    going to silver myself, so I may be able to see the whole procedure through. Painkillers and I''ll be fine."


    Mom sounded like she could be saying that for herself as much as us. Silvering on a full moon was far


    from pleasant. "You don''t have to do that Mom."


    She shook her head. "Yes. I do. She risked her life to save my mate and children. The least I can do is


    share a little pain with her tomorrow night to make sure everything goes as it should. Now if you don''t


    have any more questions, I''m going to start getting everything ready."


    As the full moon came closer, the tension grew. I hardly slept or ate. My wolf was close to the surface,


    making me more anxious.


    "Ryder, it''s about time to change," Mom said the evening of the full moon. Dad was with her. "Before


    Nancy and Harry arrive, we should discuss something. While I know you won''t harm Brook, I am a little


    concerned about the staff. Try to focus on the fact everyone here is going to do everything they can to


    save Brook. None is a threat."


    "Why are you telling me this?"


    "We can be more instinctual when in wolf and despite what instinct may tell you doing nothing will be


    better than doing something. If you can''t help yourself, Gwen has a sedative especially for you ready."


    Now I got the point. If I got in the way, I was out. "Don''t worry I won''t."


    Mom smiled and gave me a nod. Nancy and Harry arrived shortly after. She went through the process


    with them again. When she finished, she gave Brook the muscle rxants and painkillers. "Alright,


    every wolf out. I don''t want any shifting in this room. Ryder that means you too. Go get changed and


    get back here," Mom said.


    "Good luck, Em," Dad said, kissing her cheek and left with Harry.


    I wanted to give Brook a kiss too, but it was just too weird with her mom right there, so I just left to shift.


    There was somethingpletely liberating in wolf form. I shook out my fur before nudging the


    bathroom door open with my snout. A chorus of howls had already begun outside of others who''d


    already shifted. I started to reply with my own howl but remembered I was in a hospital hallway. The


    war had filled all the rooms with the injured, and they needed their rest. I admit,


    I was a little disappointed I couldn''t be out there, but tonight my mate needed me. I trotted towards my


    mate''s room and jumped up on her bed. Sweat beaded along her brow and the edges of her mouth


    turned downward. I look over at my mother. She seemed anxious and scratched at the zip tie around


    her wrist. When Mom saw me watching, she gave me a tight smile. "It''s beginning. Stay close to her.


    Keep her calm in you can."


    Worry peppered through my mind but I snuggled up against my mate,ying my head next to her


    shoulder. The beeping of the machine started to beep more often, and I nced up at my mother. She


    licked her lips in a nervous gesture as she kept her attention on the machine and many others. Mom


    made adjustments here and there. I turned my attention to my mate, I saw her face looked more


    strained than before.


    I hint of fearing from her. I gave off a worried whine and rested my head against her shoulder once


    more. The beeping kept going faster and faster, and soon other machines started making more noises.


    I smelt more fearing from my mate and mom''s was serious.


    "I didn''t think something like this was possible," she said, as one of the nurses showed her something.


    I whined, pleading for her to exin.


    "Her body is trying to fight against the shift, even to the point her antibodies are nuts."


    "Can she somehow sense the shifting?" A nurse asked.


    "It''s possible. Brook is scared of something, I can smell it. Either way, if she keeps going through this


    level of stress, she''ll never survive."


    My heart jumped up into my throat, and I let out a fearful whine.


    "Alright. Let''s do this," Mom began then looked to me. "We have five minutes Ryder. Do anything and


    everything you can to assure her," she said then looked at the others. "If he can''t manage it then we


    take her down as far as we can. We have to get her calm."


    I inched up towards my mate''s face and brushed my snout against her cheek, it was cool with sweat


    and only made me more worried. I huddled up as close as I could to her, hoping maybe my body heat


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    would keep her from getting too cold. I made a small, pleading whine; begging her calm down. She was


    alright and safe. I was alright and safe. The annoying beeping slowed down some, and my mother


    gave me a look of approval.


    Don''t be afraid, Brook. You''re just changing into one of us. I thought with all my strength as I


    whimpered as I brushed my head softly against hers. Please, be strong just a little bit more. Please,


    Brook. I can''t lose you! With a pitiful whine, I sent my thoughts to the goddess next. Goddess, please


    protect my mate. Please help her through this. She can''t die now. Not when she sacrificed so much for


    us. Please, please, please!


    "Good, Ryder. Keep it up. She''s calm now," My mother said, patting my back.


    I gave her a wolfish grin then licked Brook''s face through the saltiness of her sweat was a little gross.


    I''d forgotten about that. I continued my prayers to both Brook and the goddess and making soft noises


    so Brook would hear me. Hours seemed to pass, Brook''s clothing and nket were drenched with her


    sweat. I kept continuing to whine and whimper, sending her my encouragement as best as I could.


    My mother watched the machines like any predator, not willing to miss even the smallest movement.


    She was silent most of the time which drove me insane with worry. I had no idea what was going on.


    Was Brook doing okay or did things look bleak? Suddenly the machines started making a bunch of


    noise. All the nurses and my mother jumped into action, pressing buttons here and pushing them there.


    Brook began to convulse on the bed, and I jumped to my feet, unsure what to do. I didn''t know if I


    shouldy on her to keep her from falling or stay back. I whined with indecision and looked to my


    mother for some direction but she was staring at Brook in surprise. "I don''t believe it," she breathed.


    I looked back down to my mate and made a startled yelp. She was shifting, like actually taking a wolf


    form! I figured with thea, the muscle rxants, and everything, she wouldn''t actually shift. "Hold


    her down," my mother ordered the nurses. "But not too tight, let her bones morph as they should."


    The nurses all fell around me, holding Brook''s arms and legs. She convulsed and twisted violently. Her


    muscles contracted and rxed in grotesque waves. I''d never seen anything like this before. At a


    snail''s pace, her form began to twist and change. Despite thea and painkillers, her face twisted in


    agony. It made my stomach turn, and I was afraid I was about to get sick. My first shift, while it hurt like


    hell, Brook''s shift seemed worse.


    Minutes seemed like hours as Brook changed. I wanted tofort her, but I was too caught up in my


    own fear of what was happening. I was helpless,pletely helpless. My mate was suffering, and


    there was nothing I could do to help her. "Ryder," my mother said to me sharply. "Rx, she can detect


    your fear now. So calm down and keep talking to her."


    I swallowed, forgetting now she wasn''t human she could do that. Iid down next to her but not too


    close, I didn''t want to hurt her and whimpered to her again. All the while, silently sending her


    encouragement. Finally, Brook''s shiftpleted and part of me expected her to wake up or do


    something but she justid there. She was a small wolf, her fur was brown with bright auburn and gray


    highlights.


    She looked like a red wolf, and she was beautiful. I looked up my mother worried Brook wasn''t moving.


    She was leaning over us, looking at Brook. She checked her blood pressure, among many other things


    that I didn''t know what was for. "It''s done. Ryder. She''s going to be okay."


    I gave her another wolfish grin. I stood up, stretched then curled up around my mate, sharing my


    warmth with her and cing a paw over her. Now, this was over, I swore she''d never had to go through


    anything like this again. I took in her scent, taking in the small changes to it now she was a werewolf.


    Good job, Brook. I''m so happy you''re alright. Feeling myself rx for the first time in at least two


    weeks, I drifted off to sleep.