Elias' POV
I caught Amara's body as another bone snapped, her scream tearing through the night. Her back arched unnaturally, fur rippling across her skin as her first change took hold.
"Breathe with me," I begged, holding her against my chest. "Look at me, Amara. Focus on my voice."
Her eyes flashed between normal and wolf gold, tears running down her face. The moon's power had woken something in her that couldn't be stopped.
"Make it stop," she gasped, grabbing at me. "Please, Elias."
I'd seen many first shifts, but never one so violent. The sound of her bones cracking made me sick. This was my fault. All of it. I should have protected her from the beginning.
"I've got you," I whispered, wincing as her claws dug into my arms. "Let it happen. Fighting makes it worse."
Another spasm rocked through her, and I held her tight, taking her pain into my own body through our bond. It hit me like lightning—memories flashing behind my eyes.
