Chapter 21~

“Okay, Grace and Perenelle will lead the distraction.  Jesse, Xavier, and Kole will follow, and take out any guards that might pose a problem.  Molly, you locate Danielle and bring her out.  And I,” Aaron finished, “Will go after Finche.  He needs to pay for what he has done.”

“And Plan B?” Inquired Kita, her eyes inquisitive.

“There is no Plan B,” stated Aaron, “We cannot fail.  Danielle’s life could depend on it.”

As everyone nodded in agreement, Aaron looked at the seven other members of The Shifters who, alongside him, would rescue Danielle.  It had been decided that Kita would remain at the base—which had once been her home, now the permanent headquarters of The Shifters—to help anyone who was injured or who needed backup.  Perenelle had quickly followed and located Finche’s roost, an old military base converted to suit Finche’s purpose.  Aaron wondered gravely how long it had been there, right under their noses.

It was clear, though, that Finche had lost his touch.  Tracking him had been all too easy, Perenelle had said, and that Danielle wouldn’t have been kidnapped, except that they were all in bad shape.

The Shifters also knew of the emotional status between Aaron and Danielle, and had been instructed at length not to upset the human.

As the eight *censored*embled at the table pondered their own separate thoughts, Molly suddenly piped up, “There is an alternative plan.”  As everyone looked at her, she continued, “We could just ditch the plan, forget Danielle, and get on with our lives.”  At everyone’s shocked expressions, the bear shifter continued defensively, “Am I the only one who sees this?  Aaron, Finche took Danielle to ruin you again.  If we never came, his plan would fail, and we wouldn’t risk anything.”

“No!” said Aaron, horrified.  “I ruined Danielle’s life—I owe her that much.  We have to save her.”

Molly nodded, though her tone was a bit angry.  “Fine.  Let’s do it.”

Aaron nodded, standing up.  “Let’s go.”

Chapter 22~

She was running through the forest, her eyes set ahead of her.  Ace…  Ace…  Where was Ace?  For the billionth time, she looked around.

There!  Through the underbrush, she spotted a ginger-red coat.  It was streaking away from her, until it abruptly disappeared.  Vanished.

“Ace!” she yelled, her voice hoarse.  Her legs pumped underneath her, bringing her closer, as she called out again.

As she broke through a clump of bushes, she saw him.  The man was doubled over, sobs seeming to wrack his body.  As she came closer, recognition seared through her.

Ace.

Danielle woke with a start, a small shriek escaping through her slack lips.

Why am I here?  She thought as a strangled sob gurgled up in her throat.  She had had a great life, a successful one, but it was al gone now.  Gone.  Out of her reach, forever.  But then she remembered Aaron.  His was brown eyes.  The red hair.  The way he didn’t want her.  Her heart broke again, and she doubled over, letting the tears flow freely this time.  She didn’t care if Finche saw.  She didn’t care if anyone saw.  Danielle simply cried, letting her pain and hurt flow out.

She didn’t know how long it had been by the time she stopped crying.  All Danielle knew was that she had no more tears to cry, and that she was once again exhausted.  As she tried to close her eyes, a picture of Aaron seared her eyelids.  A memory of their kiss paired itself with it, and her eyes swam again.  Danielle opened her eyes, concentrating hard on the windows, forcing all thoughts out of her brain until her mind was blank.

Not a minute into her peace, though, the sounds of crashing furniture and yelling interrupted Danielle’s quiet staring.  The crash of footsteps thundered down the hall.  There was more yelling, louder this time, and the sickening thud of fist hitting flesh.

What’s going on? Thought Danielle, beginning to panic.  Then the thought hit her.  Aaron.  He’d finally come to rescue her.

Danielle stood up, her limbs tight with tension, just as the door swung open.  A slender young woman with long, straight black hair and icy blue eyes stepped in.  Her heart leapt at the sight of a new face, and Danielle was sure that this was one of The Shifters.

“Danielle?” the woman clarified, her intense stare fixing on Danielle.

“Um… yeah,” Danielle answered tentatively, racking her brain for names of The Shifters.  “Grace?”

“No,” said the woman, her nose wrinkling in what seemed like disdain.  “Molly.  Now, come here.”

Danielle followed the order silently, coming within a few feet of Molly.

“Closer,” she snapped impatiently.  Motioning to her back, she added, “Get on.”

“What?” asked Danielle, startled.

“Do it!” Molly quipped, turning so that Danielle could get on.

Awkwardness heating her cheeks in a rosy blush, Danielle carefully climbed onto Molly back, like a child might do to a parent.  As soon as she was secure, Molly began to run.

Molly’s strength was surprising.  Supernatural.  As she tore down the hall, Danielle barely had a moment to notice the two guards at her door, knocked out, before her attention was ripped to another thing.  Molly was changing.  Fur began to sprout along her shoulders.  Molly’s sharp face began to lengthen, beginning to grow fur as well.  Her body began to stoop, and her forelimbs lengthened, her back legs shortening.  When the transformation was complete, Danielle was riding a black bear.

The black bear carried Danielle with strength and grace, rounding each corner smoothly.  They stopped only once, the bear taking on another guard with ferocity.  The guard was knocked out cold with one swipe of its m*censored*ive paws, and then they continued onward, through the complicated maze of corridors.

What could have been an hour, or just a minute later, they arrived at some gl*censored* double-doors.  The bear pushed through them and onto a thin walkway that was cobbled with small pebbles.  Big green shrubbery lined the path, rustling violently as Molly tore past.  Big claws rendered the fence useless as they ripped a gap big enough for them to shimmy through.  On the other side, a large black SUV sidled at the curb, its engine purring.

Molly shifted back into her human form, giving Danielle just enough time to scramble off.

“Get in,” she ordered, opening the SUV’s door open with a jerk.

Danielle slid into the back seat obediently.  As the door shut after Molly, who sat broodingly next to Danielle in the back seat, Danielle reminded herself to never mess with a bear.

Molly's a grumpy-fais.  :D  Plus, she didn't want to go with the plan in the first place, so.  I love her~

Aaron is going after Finche.  o-o; 

Chapter 23~

Aaron knocked on the door half-heartedly, his legs weak beneath him and his heart rate still stuttering.  Kita opened the door right before his third knock, her eyes widening with surprise and then relief.

“Aaron,” she breathed.  Then, she looked beyond him, her pale eyebrows knitting together in confusion.  “Where is Finche?” she asked finally.

“He got away,” Aaron spat, looking away.  “I has him cornered, but then he shifted into some bird and flew away.  I tried to track him, but he was gone.  I would have been back earlier, but I tried to follow his trail.  It’s cold now.”

Kita looked at him, her eyes wide with sympathy.  She smiled, laying a hand softly on his arm.  “You should come inside,” she said, her voice now filled with concern.  “Danielle’s been wanting to see you.”

Aaron’s gut twisted, and a new wave of exhaustion hit him, accompanied by a wave of nausea.  Danielle was there.  And she was waiting for him.

Taking a deep breath, Aaron nodded slowly.  He brushed past Kita silently, not knowing what would happen next.  Stepping into the foyer, he pulled off his jacket.  Voices drifted from what seemed to be the living room.  Jesse and Xavier seemed to be discussing some sort of battle plan, with Kole butting in at intervals.  Grace and Molly were talking, too, their voices rolling up and down.  Aaron guessed that they were arguing.  And lastly, Perenelle’s soft voice reached his ears, accompanied by the one that wrenched his heart.  Danielle was getting filled in on everyone in The Shifters.  Right now, Perenelle was going into Grace’s and her own’s history, explaining how they were very close.

All conversation, though, abruptly ended as Aaron stepped into the room.  Everyone looked up at him expectantly, except Danielle, who kept her eyes angled towards the floor.  Aaron noted the soft blush in her cheeks, and the sorrow in her deep green eyes.

His thoughts broke off as Kole demanded, “Well?  Where is he, man?”

Aaron looked everyone in the eye this time.  “He got away.  I was reckless, I was foolish.  I let my rage consume me, and Finche got away.  I…  I hope that you’ll forgive me, and give me another chance.”

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Suddenly, Jesse broke out into laughter.  “Are you kidding, Aaron?  You should be thankful that I’m not kissing your feet right now!  It gives me another chance to get him myself.”  He quieted down after that was said, but there was a merry twinkle in his eye.

The mood of the room abruptly changed.  Molly began to nod, fire kindling in her eyes.  Perenelle and Grace giggled with each other, going over to discuss various ways of tracking down and destroying Finche.  Everyone was smiling and talking—the complete opposite of what Aaron had expected.

Only Danielle remained silent.  She had turned away from him sometime when he had been talking, and was now staring glumly at the couch.

Aaron took a deep breath and approached her.  He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, making her jump.  Then, he leaned down and whispered in her ear the same words that he had said only a few days ago, before everything had gone wrong.

“Danielle, we need to talk.”

Chapter 24~

“What do you want?” Danielle asked softly as Aaron led her down the hall to her room.

His eyes glowed faintly in the dim light as he answered, “I said before.  We need to talk.”

Danielle bit back a sigh.  The last time that he had said this, it hadn’t been good.  This time, she wondered if it would be any better.

As they pulled to a stop in front of the door, Aaron let his hold on her drop.  She stepped in front of him, careful to avoid his eyes, and opened the door.  They walked in together, both taking a seat on the bed.

Danielle didn’t say anything, instead staring at her hands.  She sorted carefully through her emotions, unsure of what would happen next.  First, of course, came the pain.  The wound that Aaron had inflicted when he had said that he didn’t want her was still raw, but Danielle was doing the best that she could to hide that from him.  She didn’t want him to see how much he had ruined her.  She didn’t want his pity, either.  Instead, she acted as if she were still angry, but over the rejection.  The problem was, she wasn’t sure how well that was working.

Second on her emotional list was wonder.  After her initial rescue, she began to get to know the members of The Shifters.  Sweet Kita, of course, she already knew.  There was also friendly Perenelle and sly Grace.  The two seemed like a package—wherever one went, the other was always there, too.  Jesse was reckless, but not unfriendly.  Xavier was funny and kind, but also a bit shy.  He seemed to avoid conversation with any of The Shifters but Jesse and Kole, the two shifters he seemed most comfortable list.  Kole was tolerant of Danielle, but his allowance didn’t go any farther.  He made polite conversation when it was needed, but Danielle didn’t think that he was very fond of her—or any human, for that matter.  The only one who didn’t like Danielle in the least was Molly.  The black bear shifter seemed moody and unpredictable, with a sharp tongue and a fiery temper.

“So…” Aaron’s voice took Danielle away from her thoughts.  She looked at him as he turned to face her.

“Yeah?” Danielle asked, her voice stiff.

“Danielle… listen.  I’m so sorry that I’ve hurt you so much.  I screwed, and made a big mess of things.  I just wanted to tell you that I’m really sorry and—“

“Aaron, I’ve heard all of this before.  Is there anything new?”  She asked, voice hard.

Aaron seemed shocked at her comment, and Danielle immediately regretted it as she saw the hurt on his face.  He replied, though, “Yes there is something.”

“What?” she asked, her tone softer this time.

Aaron turned completely towards her this time, taking her hands in his.  “Danielle,” he said gently, “I’ve messed up.  But one thing that I’ve learned from all these mistakes is one thing—I love you.  So please, Danielle Peterson, hate me all you want.  But I at least have to ask.”  Aaron slipped off the bed, transitioning into the traditional proposal form.  “Danielle Peterson, I love you.  Will you please be my mate?”

Shock zipped through her.  Happy tears raced down her face in a waterfall of joy.

Tumbling off the bed and into his arms, she whispered, “Yes, Aaron.  Yes.”

Chapter 25~

Excitement raced through Danielle’s body, mixed with adrenaline.  Kita put a big, white lily into Danielle’s perfectly combed, perfectly curled hair.  The wolf shifter’s mismatched eyes glowed with pride as she examined her work.

They had spent all day preparing Danielle for the Bonding Ceremony.  Aaron had asked her yesterday to be his mate, and after much celebration, everyone had gone to bed.  Except, of course, for Kita, who worked tirelessly into the night to be sure that everything was ready for the Bonding that would happen the next day.

Everyone, of course, was conveniently out of the house.  Jesse had gone to go examine the base where Finche had been located, accompanied by Grace and Perenelle.  Xavier was visiting some relatives, and Kole was enjoying his wild side—roaming the woods in his wolf form.

“There,” Kita said, beaming as she arranged the flower at an angle in Danielle hair.  “You can look now.”

Danielle turned with a small flourish, her curls whisking across her back.  Her eyes widened in amazement as she examined Kita’s work.  She was dressed in a white, flowing dress.  It tied behind her neck and wrapped around her body tightly, with a length of extra fabric billowing in front of her.  The dress was long, too.  The pale white garment was see-through where is p*censored*ed her bare feet—which had been treated to a pedicure earlier today.  It was also transparent in the back where it trailed behind her.  Danielle’s arms were bare.

Prying her gaze away from the amazing outfit she was wearing, Danielle examined her face.  It had had various procedures done on it—some waxing to get rid of any dead skin, her eyebrows plucked into delicate lines, and an unnecessary la
yer of make-up hid any blemishes.  It had also been washed.  Her hair had, too, using a special fragrance-free shampoo and conditioner that Kita had given her.  Kita had insisted on her smelling as natural as possible, despite a few puffs of “Fresh Waterfall” perfume.

Her hair had been brushed to a golden shine, and then curled into delicate waves that cascaded past her shoulders.  For a final touch, Kita had picked the lily and set it behind Danielle’s right ear.

Standing before all this—Kita and the mirror both claimed that it was her reflection—Danielle could not help but be awed.  She ran a manicured hand down her face, and then turned to Kita.

“I’m ready,” she told Kita, turning to her.

“Alright,” Kita answered, taking her hand and leading her down the hall.

Aaron was waiting for her in the living room—now converted into a ceremonial haven.  All of the furniture was gone, and deep violet curtains shaded the room—obviously, shape-shifters weren’t low on cash.  A waterfall feature trickled quietly in one corner, and in the center of the room, standing grand and tall, was a rock feature.  It rose in a wall in front of them, but sloped downwards until it was smooth.  A single step lead up to it.

“Wow,” Danielle breathed.

“I know,” Aaron said, coming to stand beside her.  His warmth was comforting amidst all of her nervousness.  “Kita really outdid herself.”

“Yes,” Danielle laughed, quieting as Kita stepping onto the structure.  “She really did.”

They both fell into silence as Kita asked, “Are you both ready to begin the Bonding Ceremony?”

Both Aaron and Danielle nodded.

“Very well, then.”  Kita said softly.  She jumped lightly off the rock “stage” and led Danielle to one side of it.  “Stay here,” she instructed, “Until I tell you to.”  She nodded as she instructed the same to Aaron.

When Kita leapt smoothly back onto the rock stage, Aaron and Danielle were both looking at each other.

“Are you ready?” she asked again.

“Yes,” Aaron and Danielle replied in unison.

Kita cleared her throat, and then began.  “Gods and Goddesses of our world and others, please look down upon us.  This son of both canine and human, and daughter of Eve, love each other true, and wish to be bonded by your magics.”

As Kita said this, faint green marks began to pulse on Danielle’s arms.  She looked at Aaron, but relaxed as she saw his skin glowing, too.  He smiled re*censored*uringly.

“To bind, or undo, please bless them with the Immortal Bond.”

With this said, the marks sparked to life, flashing from a dim glow into an emerald fire.  Aaron’s brightened too, and then suddenly, the light was pulling off of their skin, swirling together in intricate patterns until, suddenly, they vanished, blown away by an invisible wind.

Strength filled Danielle, accompanied by an unbridled power.  Confusion filled her until she realized that it must have come from Aaron.  Energy buzzed through her entire being, until, as quickly as it had come, it vanished.  But Danielle was left with a now-subtle strength.  A strength that she suspected came from Aaron, and their newly forged bond.

“And now,” Kita said, her eyes twinkling with mischief, “You may kiss the bride.”

-omigoshsomuchcutefluffackI'mgonnedie- Amazziinnnggg!!!

Lol, thank you.  <33  I've been typing up chapters like mad, since I've recently set my finish date to be tomorrow.  x3  Two more chaptersssssssss.

And the dialogue for the whole Bonding Ceremony needs to be revised mas.sively.  xD  Oh wells.  I have time for that later.  :O 

And, of course, thank you so much...again...  But seriously  o-o 

Chapter 26~

“Hello, beautiful,” Aaron said quietly, coming up behind Danielle to whisper in her ear.  He buried his face in her soft golden hair, enjoying the soft texture and fresh scent.

Danielle was seated at a table out on the patio, facing away from him.  She turned towards him and smiled, though, just as he kissed the top of her head.

“Let me see those,” Aaron said, reaching over her to snatch the blueprints she had been working on.  “A hot tub?” he asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

“What can I say?” Danielle said, pretending to distress, “A girl needs some relaxation.”

“Ah,” he replied, looking over the blueprints again.

Kita had generously given her home entirely over to The Shifters, and remodeling was now taking place.  High-tech security installations were going to up the safety of the base, along with some new rooms additions and plenty of luxurious remodeling.  Danielle had insisted on being the head of the project, along with Kita.  The two were working night and day on it, but Aaron didn’t mind.

Danielle was his.  Entirely.  Forever.  That was all he needed to be content.  Come bad weather, bad times—he could take it with his wonderful mate by his side.

Looking at her now, Aaron couldn’t help but be astounded by his luck.  Her blonde hair was bleached gold in the sunlight, her green eyes in shadow, yet somehow vibrant.  Add in her graceful, lean form, and she was beautiful.  Aaron hugged her close again, truly beaming.

“I love you,” he said for the millionth time into her ear.

“I love you, too, Aaron,” she said softly, wriggling out of his grip to stand up and face him.  Danielle then returned the embrace fully, sighing softly.

How lucky he truly was.

Chapter 27~

Standing there, with both the sunlight and Aaron to give her warmth, Danielle felt true happiness pour into her very being.  Looking back on all that had p*censored*ed, the hurt and the pain, she didn’t regret any of it if it were the reason she was standing here today.

Her life seemed suspended in a state of perfection, with the man she loved and friends—now considered family—surrounding her.  The human life she had once led was over, as Aaron had seen to that, and a new one—a better one—had began.

As Aaron hugged her closer, Danielle realized something.  This was her happily ever after.  This was her future.  This was her forever.  This was her bliss.

|| And so ends the first book of The Shifters series.||

Bliss does sound nice :3

And it was a very beautiful, amazing story!