Aurora's nails dug into the palms of her hand, and her head felt woozy. Just listening to Jace's screams made Aurora's entire body ache. It was like it was reacting to his screams to his pain.
Slowly, she moved her close palm to her chest, to where her heart was hammering against her chest. She was unwilling, so unwilling, but it was his choice.
"Jace, baby, we're right here. It's okay! Mom and dad are right here." Haliey cried out.
Watching him shift was excruciating. Aurora, who went through the process, was barely holding up as she watched from an outsider's perspective.
She watched his finger break and twist oddly, his hand shifting into the form of a wolf's paw. Seeing the process was like watching a shift in slow motion.
When one hand was down, it looked unnatural, a man with furless the paw of a wolf as his hand. It was unnatural. That thought kept running through Aurora's mind as she watched his shift.
By the time Jace was halfway done with the shift, Haliey collapsed. She had fainted. It takes a lot of emotional stimulation for a werewolf to faint.
She was pale, and her lips had no color, seeing how she shouldn't be here anymore. Morel waved her hand and took Haliey from Jason's arms.
Alarmed Jason went into attack mode. But Morel was faster and stopped his shift by glancing at him nonchalantly.
"I'm taking her to that head pack doctor. She shouldn't see anymore." Morel looked at the woman in pity as she informed Jason of her plan. Jason was a bit reluctant, but looking at his mate, he knew she shouldn't stay any longer.
Jason nodded, giving Morel the green light, Morel disappeared from where she stood and reappear a few seconds later.
No one spoke to each other after that. Only to Jace. Morel was paying close attention to the shift, but in intervals, she would glance at Aurora.
Looking at how devoided of blood Aurora's face looked each time she glanced over at her. Morel had a thought.
"Aurora, maybe you should be here," Morel walked over and squatted next to Aurora and said to her quietly.
"No! He asked me to be here, I have to be here."Aurora firmly refused. Morel looked at Aurora and felt uncomfortable.
"Fine, then you lean on me, okay?" Morel wrapped her arm around Aurora and felt the girl's body vibrating subtly.
This girl was not okay yet she refused to go, this wasn't like Hailey's situation. Aurora was lying on the grass and had this experience not too long ago.
'Watching it and knowing how badly it hurts and the suffering that came with it, how could she be okay.' Morel thought to herself.
Just as she was about to speak again, she noticed Jace's breathing getting shallow.
"His breathing.." Morel's voice trailed off if she noticed, obviously the other two noticed.
"Jace, I'm here buddy. It's okay you can push through this." Jason began to talk, he reminisced about anything he could think of.
While Aurora's face turned ugly, This was the place where he'd decide whether or not he'll stay or go.
Aurora prayed, she prayed to the goddess he would let go, that he'd do this for himself. There was no need for him to stay and suffer.
But as she watched on she knew he wouldn't go, she couldn't help but sigh as she watched him fight.
He fought off death and finally he was fully shifted, lying on his side, Jace was panting.
Jason was ecstatic, and Jace survive his shift. Jason felt happy to know he wouldn't have to bury his son today.
"You should shift Jason," Morel spoke up waking Jason from his happiness.
Jason looked at the listless Jace and frowned, he remembered everything Anderson told him about what should happen.
Anderson told him if Jace survive he should make him run, run until the shift wears off.
It'll be the last thing Jace should do as a werewolf. Jason nodded at Morel and shifted, he went up to Jace and nudged him until he had Jace laying on his belly.
He was carefully nudged until Jace was on his feet before he pushed the boy to walk.
From walking it turned to running from running to sprinting. Aurora and Morel sat there watching Jace and Jason run until Jace stopped on his own.
Seeing this Aurora shrugged off Morel and shakily stood on her own. She walked towards him. His back was turned to her as he rose his head and howled to the sky.
His howled turned into pained whimpering and he fell to his side, the shift. It was over, Aurora reached his side just as the skin and fur began to melt off and turned into a gas before it disappeared.
Just like the end of her shift, it only took two minutes. Jason was by Jace's side as was Aurora when Jace opened his eyes again.
There was nothing, no pained whimpering of his wolf or his wolf's presence. Jace felt choked but most of all for the first time in his life he felt cold.
The coldness seemed to just seep into his bones. Only making its way into the emptiness inside his soul.
"You can bring us back to his house now," Aurora mumbled to Morel, Morel glanced at Jason who gave her a nod as he tried to get Jace to talk to him.
"Jace, do you feel pain anywhere?" Jason asked worriedly, Aurora glanced at Jason and secretly shook her head.
'Pain? No physical pain can beat the pain of losing your wolf. a constant pain in your soul, a constant pain down to your very core.' Aurora thought as she stretched forward and took his cold hand in hers.
Though hers weren't overly warm it was better than his, Jace head turned and his eyes meet Aurora's.
Morel teleported them directly into Jace's bedroom as Jace and Aurora's eyes met.
Jason want to go to his son but Morel smartly moved to intercept him, shaking her head she pointed to the door and motioned their bodies.
Her meaning couldn't be more clear, they were going to leave them together. Alone. Jason was reluctant but as he looked at the two teenagers he noticed Jace hand in Aurora's was holding onto hers tightly.
Silently the adults left leaving Aurora and Jace alone.
"Do you want to have a shower, I think that's a good idea. I'll be right here waiting." Aurora tugged her hand out of his grip and smiled.
Then she stood to stretch out her two hands to Jace, he placed his hands into her and she pulled him up with all her strength before pushing him towards the bathroom.
Jace was on autopilot, he did as Aurora said he took a shower. Even he doesn't know how he got out of the shower and put on clothes but the next thing he knew he was back in his room.
Sitting on the floor with Aurora directly opposite him. Aurora leaned against Jace's bed and watched him silently. Neither of them spoke.
Jace felt as if the switch was turned off now and he felt everything was a hundred times worse.
Jut was gone, he was dead. His wolf, his companion, his other half.
"I feel empty, I've never felt so empty before. Jut is gone." Tears sprung out of Jace's eyes. This was the breakdown she was waiting on.
Silently, she moved and walked on her knees and hugged the sobbing mess Jace was. Her nose burned as her tears rolled down her cheeks.
Jace buried his head further into her arms while wrapping his own around her slim waist. The two teenagers found comfort with each, a comfort that can never be sort from anyone else.
And just for a little while, Jace and Aurora somewhat filled their empty souls with the presence of each other.
It was at this moment that the two secured a space in their heart for the other unknowingly.
They created a bond deeper than any bond they ever had with anyone else. Or maybe that bond was already there. Just dormant.