227 42 The Shapeshifter

We landed in Prince George hours later and James unbuckled me and carried me out. I stared at his shoulder.

'How was he able to walk?' I questioned. I didn't want to breathe, much less stand.

We were driven home in a black car. James sat next to me on the phone the entire time, I didn't care enough to see who he was talking to. What did it matter?

When the car arrived at our house James got me out and led me in through the front door. Charm, Thresh, Malcolm and Thomas were waiting in the living room for us.

Malcolm talked to James but I didn't pay attention. Everything came in one ear and went out the other. It didn't compute in my mind.

They left and James brought me a plate of food to eat. I looked at it with a dismissive gaze. There was no point. Why eat when there was no reason to keep going?

James tried to get me to eat it but I didn't want it. Appetite was one thing that had nearly disappeared after my torture, now it was non-existent.

I walked up the stairs and changed into my pyjamas then crawled beneath the blankets. My eyes settled on the mirror on the wall across from me, on myself essentially.

No thoughts ran through my mind. I was just dead.

~~~~~~~~~~~

James paced his bedroom floor nervously. Malcolm had said that she was worse than she'd ever been before. Apparently there wasn't much he could do for her.

He'd tried his best to get her to eat dinner, but she'd refused. He couldn't stand the… desolateness in her eyes. Before they would light up—if only by a fraction—to reveal humour, fear, sadness, anger. Now, they were like she had died inside.

He clenched his fists. His wolf was itching to run to her and see if they could wake her up, get back that sliver of life in her eyes. But Malcolm had said to just have patience and keep her as healthy as possible.

The next day he knocked on her door with breakfast in his hands. A part of him loathed that he was even doing this, but the other part was hurting from all she'd been through, and what she was going through at the moment. He needed to let go of this pride and just accept that she was his responsibility.

There was no reply to his knock so he walked in and saw her laying down on her bed, on her side.

He sighed and prepared himself to deal with her.

Walking to the side of the bed furthest from the door he crouched down and saw that her eyes were open. He hadn't heard any screams and whimpers the previous night, had she even slept?

Her short hair was tangled around her face, he pushed some of it away and saw her absolutely emotionless face. He felt his chest clench at the sight. It was all because of that damned Alpha.

After failing at trying to get her to eat he stormed down the stairs in frustration. Tossing the food on the counter he leaned against it. What was he supposed to do?

The day passed with her condition remaining the same. Malcolm called to ask if anything had changed and he replied that nothing had.

He walked up the stairs that evening and raised his hand to knock, but lowered it and opened the door instead.

"I'll be at Beta's." If you need me, he added in his head. He ran his tongue along his bottom teeth. No response.

He walked over to Beta's house and rang the doorbell. The younger Lycan opened the door and looked up at him surprised, "James. What is it? Is something wrong?" He asked suddenly alarmed at him being there.

James shook his head, "No. Nothing's changed."

Beta's eyes darkened and he opened the door wider, "Come on in."

James stepped in and Beta offered him a drink. James thought it over, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"She…" His eyes widened when the explanation started to leave his lips.

Beta nodded, "Right, first time I met her she was running from Raph cause he got so drunk, he tried to mate with her." He said with a sad smile.

James fists clenched and he looked at Beta in shock. The idea of someone taking advantage of her in such a way made him want to break something.

"He didn't get her though, like I said, she was running from him. I got him out of there and Duma looked after her." Beta explained.

After a few seconds of silence, in which James's thoughts were consumed with that Shapeshifter, Beta spoke.

"What are you doing here, exactly?"

James looked up. He wasn't sure, exactly. He wanted to make the human better. He wanted her to not be so lifeless.

"Do you think the Shapeshifter would help?"

He raised his brows and considered it, "Not sure. She and him certainly have a bond of sorts. Probably wouldn't hurt to try."

James nodded and headed for the door. He now had to track down the Shapeshifter somehow.

"Before you go," Beta called from behind him, "Do you have any questions about the Pack Easter egg hunt?"

James turned on his heel, "The-oh, shit." He exclaimed softly, "I have to organize that?"

Beta grinned, "Yeah, it can be a lot of fun. Just send out an email to all who've volunteered in the past and they'll take care of most of it. You just have to supervise."

"Why is there an Easter egg hunt again?"

He chuckled, "Luna enjoys them, and so does the Pack. Besides, we didn't get one last year because of the… well, the short-lived war."

James nodded.

"It's in a week and a half, so you have time." He said and James nodded again.

Walking back to the house he couldn't help but walk to her room and check on her. No change.

Going back to his room he sat on his bed. He wanted to throw something. He felt like he'd forgotten Lilla, he was supposed to be mourning her but he kept getting distracted by the human.

The human. Everything she loved was gone, he could see it in her eyes. No wonder she was like this. He remembered feeling the same way, his wolf had nearly taken over him, he was angry and depressed. But he'd somehow gotten out of it. Maybe the human could to. Everyone was always talking about how strong she was. But, to be honest he felt that her strength had run out. The human…

"Brooke…" He sighed. Her name felt rather strange on his tongue. He'd only used it with her flashback in the car. She'd responded to him… it was strange.

James shifted to his wolf and fell to sleep on the carpet.