Shifting Hearts

Author's Note: Can I just say: WOW that I am surprised with such strong feedback, I mean Oh my god, WOW. And with that being said I am hoping that this second will live up to the first chapter with my readers. Let me just say in advance that I am sorry for the delay, and I hope everyone enjoys it. Until next time, happy reading.

"You have attacked my mate.

You have attacked my mate! How COULD you?!"

Xavier felt his wolf come to life at the most wonderful scent known to man But yet he felt disgusted with himself and his wolf because they both knew who his mate was.

"I am sorry, I did not know she was your ma...

te"

He and his wolf raged together, and his wolf demanded control. He's already out. It's his wolf that wants out.

"Where ...

is she?!

"

"I ... I ... I --" "She's... she's ... Alpha please ... you are hurting ..."

"THIS IS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT I WILL DO TO IF YOU DON'T ANSWER ME. TELL. ME.

NOOOW."

His wolf slipped harder and harder from his control like a wild dog tearing away on a leash – they both hungered for their mate – but the blood's scent carried the unexpected.

It occurred to Helen that Xavier did not know what little tricks the witch pulled in order to go undetected for her short time here, not that it would matter though, because witches were no threat to werewolves, so her trying to harm them were laughable.

He shifted weight, took a deep breath and widened his eyes with a new calm that still hinted deep tension "Helen I will ask you more time where the hell is my mate? My wolf is getting restless at your hesitance." Locked in the moment, she stared into his eyes. The Digging fingertips grew sharper, piercing her skin with a deep sting, and slice through her skin. At the signs of blood trickling down her neck she knew she had to tell him something quick.

"Alright, alright. I tell you please let me go, I promise you whatever punishment you have for me I will take it,but please release my neck. But I must warn you will not like what I am about to tell you,"

she said mentally to him.

"Ow oh ugggggghhh." Helen fell to the ground gasping for breath. She put her hand to neck and felt the painful bruises and gouges that he left behind.

"Speak to me now."

With tears dripping down her face she spoke in a sobbing, in a hurtful voice. "Last night, after we talked about the witch, I was so angry at what she had done, that I wanted revenge -- for you and this pack. How dare she do what she did? She is beneath us in every way -- she should have not gotten away with it. So I took it upon myself to teach her a lesson."

He clutched her hand the hand with which she had attacked Sallie and he inhaled once more.

"Did you kill her?" he asked with a mixture of pain small disdain in his voice. Realization dawned on Xavier and his wolf of what they had done to their mate.

"No. But as you can see, I did attack her. Look, Xavier, listen to me, I --

ahhhh ugh

."

She landed with a hard painful thud, leaving her immobile across the other side of the room. She wanted to cry out in pain, both emotional and physical, but the emotional was much worse.

How can this low- life, non-deserving, fifthly human be his mate? I don't understand this, this should not have happen to me,

she thought to herself.

Xavier and his wolf knew they did some more collateral damage upon his beta [when] she came in from being attack by some unknown entity. They both knew they were wrong, but yet they could not hold on to that anger any longer. When she came in from being attacked by an unknown, Xavier and his wolf knew they damaged his beta. They felt wrong, yet they released the anger.

He stepped to her and sensed her pain. He stepped to her, his angry face softened with tenderness/understanding. He looked upon the mess he made out of her he almost felt shameful, but when he inhaled the witch's blood again he and his wolf felt more disgusted then shameful.

She watched him survey her injuries in hurt glimpses, his face low in shame, but his shame changed like he tasted something foul when his nose twitched at the smell of her blood.

They were disgusted because of the way he treated her during her time at the compound, they were disgusted because of what she was, but most of all, and they were disgusted with themselves because they wanted her. This feeling would not go away; they felt sick to their stomach because they wanted her in every way possible

Remembering the woman in the office he turns to her with an angry glare.

"You have been accepted into this pack. But do note that if you even mention this moment, or the fact that a witch might be my potential mate, the consequences that will befall upon you will be dire. I strongly suggest that you keep your mouth shut about this. Got it?"

The she-wolf stared back at him as she witness everything unfolds before her very eyes. In a timid voice she spoke up: "Got it. Is there anything I can do you my alpha?"

"Yes. Take her down to the infirmary to get her healed. If anyone asks about what happened, tell them the alpha wishes to not disclose any information. Is that simple enough for you?"

"Yes, sir, it is." She rose from her sitting position to cross to Helen and slide her arms under Helen's knees and back to hoist her up. Before leaving she turned back to her new alpha and employer.

"Thank you so much for this opportunity, my alpha. I am very grateful."

"Yeah, yeah ... whatever. Just do what I ask."

She turned and left Xavier alone with his thoughts in his office.

"What the fuck are we going to do?" he asked his wolf. His wolf gave a confused whimper in response.

)*(

When Sallie came to, she felt the pain she experience earlier before drifting away She moaned as she felt her left side numbing from the dissolving pain. When she turned over on her side, she let out a startled yelp as a naked man stared back at her.

"How are you feeling darling?"

Everything flooded back to her then: Helen, this morning's attack, and the fact that there was a large tiger in her front yard that suddenly disappeared. But then she remembered what he said and put two and two together.

"Physically I am ok, I am doing better than this morning, but emotionally and mentally I am still reeling over the attack, and the fact that Helen attacked me out of nowhere." She said, struggling to sit up. Roger came to her side.

"Hey, hey, you need to take it easy. You still need to time heal, after that vicious scratch that wolf gave you, and if you keep moving around my salvia won't do any good."

She recoiled at that statement.

"Saliva? Why is your saliva on my arm, nasty?"

"It has healing abstracts in it. I did it so your arm would heal."

"I could have healed it on my own with a spell or something. I did not need you." She said with a slight frown on her face. Roger can sense her unease, and slight anger towards him. They both felt it and both knew what it was about.

With a slight smirk forming, he easily brushed off her emotions towards him.

"That could have been true, but with the way you were loosing blood and slipping into unconsciousness, I doubt it, so I helped you. Although I can tell that you are a witch, and your spells are useful, you could not [have] healed your arm the way I did. So you did need me, Miss Ungrateful," he said with some sarcasm in his voice.

She realized that "I did not need you" comment was a total bitch move, so she apologized. "I am sorry if I came off as ungrateful, which I am not. I am very grateful that you were there to save my life today. Which brings me to my next question? Why were you here this morning anyways? What were you doing here, anyways?"

Roger cursed to himself at the question. He knew he had to think of something quick, either that or just tell her the truth.

Taking a deep breath in, he tried to calm his nerves in order, to let them not get the best of him.

"Well, if you have not noticed yet, I am a shifter," to, "Well, if you haven't noticed yet, I'm a shifter." He paused at the expression on her face. Realization spread over her features

"Oh, my god, you were the rabbit, too. Ooh my – oh, my god," she repeated. Then something else dawned on her:

The crow,

she thought to herself, and as her lips parted to ask he volunteered:

"Yes, I was the rabbit. And since we are on the subject of honesty, I might as well tell you that I was also the crow you saw that day at the magic shop." Shock plastered across her face, and then anger took over.

"Oh, my god, you sick, crazy, psychopath assh -- oww." She wanted to lean up and finish her rant but a sharp stinging pain shot through her arm.

"Hey what did I tell you about that arm? You want it to heal quickly now do, ya? With the way you keep moving around, it will take more than thirty minutes to heal."

"Fuck. A Caring sympathetic stalker ... who would have guessed."

"Well, I would not call myself a stalker."

"Then how do you explain your actions of knowing where I live? That's pretty stalker-ish to me, buddy." Let out a laugh realizing her point

"Hahaha, I guess you are right. From the moment I scented you out from above, I could not help myself. That day, you were so full emotion that I almost flew into a tree, trying to get a clear understanding from you. One minute you were sad, then the next you were angry. You gave the air one hell of tongue lashing that night, but it did not matter, I wanted to know more about you, but it was not only your emotions tat drove me to you, but your scent as well. She gulped at that statement.

From the time she was a little girl, her mother and high priestess always put up shields whenever there came a time to interact with another supernatural species. This not only applied to her, but to all witches, to guarantee their safety. Shields not only protect the witches' scent from a stronger predator, but kept said predator from intruding on their minds and emotions. When they are no longer in said company, they are free to take them down.

This reasoning of method was enforce when rumors speared of witches getting murdered, just because an accidental slip up, of letting down their shields for only a few minutes. Whether they were thinking ill thoughts about their employers, having negative feelings about them, or if their scent was too intolerant to bear, for reasons of their own they would got murdered for it. No matter how big or small.

Roger sensed this fear and immediately comforted her. "There's no need for you to panic, sweetheart. Unlike most supernatural creatures that you have been around, I actually like your scent. Every time I get an inhale, I always picture myself running in a field of flowers after a summer's thunderstorm. You smell so magnificent, love, and if you allow me, I would love to get know more about you other than that scent of yours."

When he stood back up she couldn't help but to stare at his nudity, and get a pleasant eyeful. He stood well over six feet tall, and very lean, but yet extremely muscular. Her eyes traveled down to his stomach, and she had to let out a gasp of surprise. This man had what people called washboard abs, so perfect, and they looked so utterly delicious that she wanted to lick them. And apparently, like he said earlier, he was definitely attracted to her, because just within a few minutes of staring at his perfect body, the head of his cock touched his eight pack of abs.

'OOOhhh, my goddess, that's a big cock. This man is perfect'.

Her thoughts were interrupted when he spoke.

"You like what you see, sweetie?"

She stared back at his face and took note of the huge grin he wore on his face.

"I ... ummm ... I guess I do, actually, I really do, and for that reason can you please look inside my closet? There's a black robe with peace signs on it. Can you please out that on for me?"

He let out a hearty laugh and turned to her closet. It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for.

"Is this little thing supposed to cover me all the way up, sweetie?" he asked, holding the robe up in front of her.

"Just tie it around your waist so I can't see your cock. It's distracting me," she said, rolling her eyes.

He let out a few chuckles and did as he was told. "I don't understand: how can someone like what they see, but yet they want to cover it up? It's like going to an art museum. People like a pretty painting, but yet they want to cover it up because it makes them feel good. That's a thought process I don't understand about humans."

"Oh, whatever. Do you want to get to know me better or not, stalker?"

"Alright, Miss Bossy." He walked over and sat down on the bed as they began their interlude.

)*(

"That little cunt. Of all the bitches in the world does that little vindictive lying cunt have to be my mate? She has no business being in this pack other than to be a fucking slave, but yet Luna has other plans. Why Luna? Why send her to me? Why make me love her no matter what she is?"

"Wow, cuz, that little cunt sure is making you hostile. I will feel sorry for her when you take her to bed."

His attention was broken by the familiar intruding voice. He thought he asked everyone to give him space, but somehow his cousin Ermanno always undermined his authority like he did now, but he could do that. They were thick as thieves -- always have been, always will be.

"Yeah, no kidding. It's just that no matter what I cannot stop thinking about this girl. And not only that, I just feel awful for wanting her."

Ermanno came around to face Xavier. His cousin held the punching bag, and Xavier really let loose.

"Oh, my sweet Luna's pussy, you find your mate, and she's not what you expected is she."

"No ... I mean -- yeah. Shut the fuck up and hold the bag. The little cunt is not that important anyways." Xavier said, punching the bad harder this time around.

"Oh, she has to be important for you to be punching the bag extra hard, man. Either that, or she got some good pussy. Tell me her name and where she lives -- maybe I should try it out sometime."

As soon as that sentence left his mouth, Ermanno was instantly knocked on his ass with a powerful punch to his face.

"Ohhh, man -- what the fuck?" he said holding his bloody nose.

"Don't you dare talk about my mate like that, you disrespectful piece of shit. You will not lay a hand on her head." Xavier said, standing over his cousin. Rage overtook him when he looked at the person that threaten their mate.

"Jesus, cuz, you can't be serious! I was just kidding is all! Why are you getting so butthurt?"

"Because she's our mate, you fucking dick." His wolf was coming out now in full swing, and he did not have any control over it. Everything happened so fast.

Ermanno sensed this and admittedly turn into his hybrid form before Xavier could.

"Don't you even think about it, cuz. I am older, faster and stronger than you are. You only caught me by surprise with that punch."

"You had no right disrespecting our mate like you did. Now I am going to kick your ass."

"Ha! I would like to see when that day comes. I am older, stronger, and faster than you are, but, X, you have listen to me. I was--"

Xavier attacked. He avoided the painful looking claw that Xavier threw his way and gave him a good right hook to the face. With supernatural strength and age, Ermanno easily pushed Xavier across the room, making him crash into the concrete wall, and causing it to break and crumble down with him.

This did not faze him one bit. Knocking big concrete blocks off him, Xavier was back on his feet, ready to go.

Being half a century older, and being the general of a supernatural army, Ermanno had more than an advantage on Xavier, despite being Alpha of his pack. The only problem he faced he just did not want to hurt his cousin like he knows he can. But if Xavier wanted a fight he will grant him one.

When Xavier charged him, he took him by the neck, shoving him against the opposite wall with ease and causing cracks throughout the wall.

"Listen to me, you fucking idiot. I was only joking because I thought you didn't give a damn about this girl. You are the one talking shit about her, remember? I was only joking to see what will happen, and I know for a fact this girl is your mate. Which, I have to say, is no way to speak about your future bitch. Why would a wolf say such things about his mate?"

Xavier's struggling died down. Ermanno wasn't the problem, it was him, he realized it was him and Sallie Mae. After he calmed down he shifted back into his human form and gave his cousin an earful.

"I am sorry Ernie. It's just ... that ... it's just ... that, I am conflicted with my mate."

Ermanno saw the confusion on his cousin face and shifted back into his human to talk to him.

"What's wrong with her?"

Xavier made sure everyone in the pack couldn't hear their conversation.

"She's a witch," he said in a low whisper.

Ermanno's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, X, how can that be?"

"I don't know. All I know, this morning, when Helen came in from a run, she had the witch's blood all over her paw. The scent had to be the most intoxicating scent that ever came my way. Every time I think about it, I imagine my self running in a field of fresh blooming flowers of all different kinds after a summer's eve thunderstorm. It's so sweet, yet so aggravating, that Luna would stoop so low to give me a human mate, and not only that she's a witch. But you know what upset me the most is the fact that she hid it from me all this time while she was working for me. I didn't know a witch was my mate until Helen attacked her."

Xavier so conflicted, and revealed at the same time. He was conflicted because no matter how much he wishes it was not true, a witch is his mate, and then he felt relief because he finally let out all his frustrations. He looked over to his cousin, to get an answer.

Ermanno sat there one minute, he wanted comfort his younger cousin for the pain he was visibly in, and in the next, he wanted to congratulate him for finding his mate. But how can he congratulate him when his mate is human -- and a witch? They both sat in silence for awhile, until he broke the ice.

"I am very sorry to hear that X, oh, my god, that's awful," he said, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I know. And do you know what the most fucked part is? No matter what she is, I can't help but to want her by my side, no matter how hard I try to fight it."

"That sucks. No matter what you do, you cannot deny your mate. My best advice would be to kill her, but that would be so difficult to handle in the long run. Oh, man, this is not good at all. What will your father think?"

"Nothing, because I will not tell him anything, and I am hoping you won't tell, either, right?" he said, looking up at his cousin.

"This is too big, X, I mean a fucking human is your mate. How any lower can it get—?" Ermanno stopped himself from saying anything else degrading. Just like the rest of the supernatural species, he did not view humans all too highly at all. But his girl was Xavier's mate, she was important to him, and his cousin was in obvious turmoil. '

Fucking human. Why, Luna, did you send a human?'

He said mentally.

"Because Luna is trying to punish me, Ernie. That's why."

They both laughed, realizing they forgot they could listen in on each others thoughts.

Once the laughing subsided, Ermanno spoke up: "Hey, how about we get dress and head out to Club Naughty by Nature to get your mind off this whole ordeal, huh?"

Xavier looked up at him with a half grin.

"Yeah I guess so," he said, getting up.

"And who knows, maybe you will find some hot little vampire or she-wolf to ease your mind."

"I don't know. Maybe."