Shifted Fate by Alicia S.Rivers

Chapter 487

"Baby?" I felt a cool cloth on my forehead. I wanted to answer, but nothing would work. My body was frozen in place, my skin was still hot to the touch, my mouth was dry, and my eyes were swollen. "I'm here." I felt my mother wiping me down, the cooling cloth bringing a bit of peace. "That's my girl. You have to finish this. We don't know how to. Wake up, baby."

"Here." I felt something press to my lips, and then cold water was trickled down my throat. Instinctively, I swallowed a mouthful. And then another. The relief was instant, and I moaned, greedily drinking more water down.

"Baby, I know you're tired, but you need to finish the ritual with Rick." She was being nice, but I could hear the panic just below the surface.

I cracked an eye and had to blink a few times before I could see clearly enough to make out her face. "Mom?" She nodded.

"You have done so good, baby, but you have to finish it." She rubbed the cool cloth over my face, waking me up a little more. I blinked a few more times and then nodded.

"I'm okay." I sighed as she dropped me back to my feet. "I can finish." I wobbled on my weak legs for a second before I locked my knees. I waved off my mom and Toya. I took a deep breath before I turned to face Rick. "Okay, Rick." I grabbed the knife with one hand and pressed down with the other. The knife slipped out easily, and I slammed power into Rick. "I command you to heal." There was no question in my words. No give. He had to heal. Because if he didn't, he would die.

There was nothing for a few seconds, and I started to worry that his wolf was too weak to heal his body when Shelly leaned over to his ear. "You better do as Amy told you to do, or else I'm going to be so fucking pissed off at you." She was silently crying, but still she was on him. "You better believe if I have to raise our pup alone, I am going to track your ass down when I die. You don't get to leave. Do you hear me? You better heal yourself, you selfish bastard, or I will curse you every day and make sure Abby grows up to love fruit cake."

The skin on his neck started to knit together, and everyone held their breath. I pushed more and more power into Rick, giving his weak body the boost he needed to heal and come back. Finally, after much too long, he took a deep breath, and his eyes fluttered open.

"You wouldn't dare give our girl fruit cake." His words were soft, but Shelly broke down into tears.

right I would have, just to spite you." She leaned in and kissed Rick's lips over and

I was still a child. "Toya, can you show

looked up and nodded. “Yeah. We will be

will all see each other in the morning, and we can talk all about what happened today." Everyone nodded. Then she turned and started

the girls, and Lynn, who stepped out just to nod.

kissed Lynn's cheek. "Goodnight, sweet

nodded. "He can't hurt me ever again." She gave a ghost of a

he's dead." Lynn

behind us, and she

sighed. On one hand,

sleep,

worse.

the other, I

in sweat and probable

"Bath." I sighed.

on the counter and started the water. "I know you had to do what you did because of who you are. But never do that to me again." She