The Alpha's Melded Mate

The One Where What Happens?!

I clenched my toes and hands over and over and moved my head from side to side. 

"Cyn!" Abbi shouted this time. 

"Cynthia!" Neal set me on the ground, not quite sure what would be the most help. 

I let out a gasp and started rubbing my ears. They felt like they had to pop, like the pressure just kept building. 

The crowd started murmuring again. At least I couldn't feel them or hear inside their heads at the moment. 

My entire body felt like it needed to pop. The pressure kept growing, building at every joint. I groaned and rolled onto my side, curling into a ball.

"Cyn, what's going on?" Abbi was hovering over me now too. 

"It won't pop," I whimpered. 

The pressure was building from discomfort to outright pain. 

"What won't pop?" Abbi asked. 

"Oh, goddess!" Neal shouted. "Her body is trying to shift!"

Gasps went out around the pack and the murmurs got louder. 

"What?" Abbi shouted at him. "She can't shift!"

My mom's voice traveled over as she made her way up. "Honey? Honey, I'm here." She grabbed one of my hands. 

"It won't pop," I said through gritted teeth. 

My entire body tensed and then released, over and over. It felt like I was going to either implode or explode; I wasn't sure which direction was going to win.

Neal had my other hand gripped, and he placed his free hand to my forehead. He cursed. 

"She's burning up. I have to try to force it," Neal said. 

Force what? Whatever it was, forcing it did not sound fun. 

My teeth started to chatter, and Neal released my hand. 

My mom gripped my hand tighter. "It's okay, honey. Sometimes the Alpha has to force the first couple changes."

I couldn't possibly be shifting. If that was going to happen, it would have happened years ago. 

Neal's wolf stood where Neal had been just a moment before. He bowed down slightly before letting out a rippling, low howl. It vibrated throughout the lit circle and within seconds people were slipping skin and wolves emerged, their howls erupting into the night. 

I felt the pressure building inside my body, rolling inside with every ripple of Neal's howl. Every part of me wanted to snap and break and move into its new position, but something in me was holding it back. 

Neal's wolf let out another low, sustained, vibrating howl. The sound rolling over me, each wave adding to the pressure on my bones, urging them to slide free.

I cried out as my bones fought against themselves. 

I was the last one remaining with two legs as I writhed on the ground. Tears starting to stream down my face. 

I could hear his voice then, Neal's. Stop holding back. Give in to it.

I didn't think I was holding back anything, but I could feel a shred of resistance somewhere inside, something fighting the change.

Neal let out another long howl. I let the pressure build until it felt like every bone in my body was going to break and then I didn't try to stop it. 

I let them break. 

They didn't break though. They morphed and slid until they went at new angles, elongated, and course hair came out along with a set of claws.