Change of Heart by Rina Pattinson (book club recommendations TXT) 📕

“Adrian?” She called but instead of answering her collapsed on the floor at the side of her.

“Now that’s what I call love.” The man laughed and grabbed Cate by the neck. She didn’t struggle for long. In a couple seconds his grip loosened then released and he too collapsed onto the floor with five darts, probably poisoned, in his back. Cate took her eyes off of the man and looked to Adrian.

“Adrian, why did you do that?” She asked, tears still flowing.

“He was gonna kill you.” He said sounding weak, and he was. He was dying.

She pulled out the sword and held him on her lap. “You are not gonna die. You’re gonna be ok.”

“No Catey, I escaped death too many times. Not again.” He murmured closing his eyes.

“Adrian open your eyes! Stay with me!” She yelled.

“I can’t. Not this time. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say that. You’re not dying. You’re not Adrian!” She shouted. “Cal!” She yelled as she saw Cal ran pass the door.

“Cate, what happened?” He asked running into the room.

“He’s dying, please what do we do?”

“Hey Cal.” Adrian spoke, his eyes still closed. “Did you kick ass out there?”

“Adrian you can’t die.” Cal said.

Adrian smiled. “How sweet of you to say.”

“Look I’m not just saying this because you’re like a brother to me. You cannot die do you understand me. You can’t!” Cal was serious.

“Wh− what do you mean?” Adrian asked softly.

“You are gonna find out soon and someday you will understand why I did this for you today.”

“Did what? Cal what are you doing?” Adrian asked opening his eyes.

“I’m going to heal you.”

“No, Cal don’t you know it will kill you.”

“I have to do this man. I can’t let you die.” Cal said placing both hands on Adrian’s chest.

“Cal, please. You’re not an alpha you are gonna die.” Adrian begged.

“I have to do this.” He said and began to heal Adrian. After the healing process began, it couldn’t be stopped. It didn’t take long. In about five minutes Adrian was able to sit up on his own, but Cal wasn’t. He lay on the floor, his breath slowly going.

“Cal,” Adrian was the one crying, “you shouldn’t have done that.”

“I… had to do it.” He said.

“We’re so sorry Cal.” Cate cried rubbing his head.

“Take care of yourself Adrian.” He gasped for breath, “You need to find….”

“What? What do I need to find Cal?”

“Find….” He never finished his sentence. They knew it was dangerous but Adrian and Cate sat on the floor hugging Cal’s dead body and never stopped crying.

I felt it. I felt it deep within me as if a part of me had also died. Silent tears ventured down my exhausted face and I knew I should’ve expected something like this to happen. Closing my eyes I pictured him; his face, his eyes, his smile, gone.

“Cal.” I cried softly, turning to exit the room I was in to at least see him once more. As though an invisible force barricaded me I stopped moving; my heart seemed as though it copied my feet.

“Jennifer.” He said my name as if he was tired; his blue eyes moist, looking at my face.

More tears leaked out. “I was selfish and stupid.”

He looked confused as he walked up to me slowly.

“I should’ve just given my power to you. If I did then, Cal…. he would still be alive and the others wouldn’t have been in danger.” My eyes went to his and unconsciously I read his mind.

“I don’t want to do this to you, Jennifer.”

I wiped my face. “Then why are you doing it, Ian?” I asked out loud.

“I have to.” Tears ran down his face and he tried to touch me but I moved away.

“You don’t have to do anything. What’s going on Ian? Tell me, I’ll help you.”

“I….”

“Tell me,” I whispered, wiping away his tears. He held my hand against his face.

“I have to do this.”

“Ian−

I couldn’t finish what I began to say. I backed away from him and pulled the needle out of my stomach. It fell from my shaky hands and broke on the floor. The world was spinning and I couldn’t keep my balance for much longer. I could feel the poison rushing through my veins; overtaking my body. My burning eyes looked up to Ian once more but all I saw was the dagger aiming for my chest.

Adrian and Cate walked out of the room twenty minutes later promising to return for Cal’s body should they be able to. Walking slowly through the hallways of the building Cate refused to let go of Adrian’s arm and he didn’t mind.

“How do you feel?” She whispered to him.

“I feel fine.” He whispered back; stopping at the end of the hallway.

“Why did you do that for me?” She asked both hands around his neck; her fingers tangled between his hair.

“I told you I love you. I won’t let anything happen to you; ever.”

She smiled and began to kiss him then suddenly stopped.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, alarmed.

“Did our pack kill all of them?” She asked pointing to all the dead bodies on the ground down the hall.

“I doubt it.” He said walking towards the bodies.

“Then who….” She paused. “Someone killed that guy who was trying to kill me remember?”

“Uh, no I don’t. I was kinda busy, you know sword through my back, endlessly bleeding, fighting for breath, the usual.”

“Adrian.”

“Ok ok I know now is not the time, but honestly I didn’t see anyone.”

“I didn’t see anyone either, but someone had to do it right?” She asked.

“Right plus I don’t think it could’ve been anyone from our pack. They wouldn’t just help us then disappear.”

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

“I know but let’s get out of here; I think I hear someone coming.” Adrian said pulling her out of the halls.

“Wait guys it’s me!”

“Avalon?” Cate called running to her friend.

“What happened are you ok?” Adrian asked noticing that she had a limp.

“That bastard shot me in the leg twice.” She said breathing heavily, “It won’t stop bleeding.”

“Here let me help.” Adrian said taking his shirt off and tying the wound. “Better?”

“Yea, much better. Thanks.” She said trying to get up.

“What happened to the guy who shot you?” Cate asked helping her up.

“I don’t know. Someone killed him but I didn’t see who it was. He ran off.”

“Did you see which way he went?” Adrian asked. Avalon pointed to the left. “You guys wait right here ok. I’ll be right back.” He said running in the direction Avalon pointed out.

Cold, wet concrete embraced my left cheek; the old damp scent filling my nostrils. I was afraid to open my eyes but I did. At first my vision was blurred. I raised my head off of the ground grabbing hold of it in attempts to stop the world from spinning. Deep breaths and tons of blinking cleared my vision. Confused as to where I was I tried to stand up but an instant pain came from my chest. The blood was still leaking out of my wound; the wound that was created when Ian tried to kill me. I remembered where I was now; but didn’t Ian kill me? I forced myself up and walked to the door in the room. Bits of glass were broken off but a few cracked pieces remained weakly glued to the wooden structure. When I stood directly in front of the glass I sent a message to my brain to transform into the creature I was. The glass reflected the typical werewolf. Hairy face, claws, sharp teeth and…. yellow eyes. Yellow eyes? Apparently Ian had succeeded after all in his attempt to take the power of the alpha from me. But why wasn’t I dead? I didn’t give my power to him so I had to be. Confused I walked out of the room slowly. I was almost at the end of the hallway when I heard a familiar voice shout out in pain.

“Reid!” I yelled running in the direction of his voice. “Reid?” I called still running down the hall. I entered one room but there was nothing but dead bodies inside. The second room was filled with blood but empty. Reid was in the third room I ran into. I ran to his side and dived on the floor next to him.

“Jennifer?” He called my name weakly. “You’re ok?”

“Surprisingly I am. What happened?” I asked holding his head in my arms.

“Winters, he− he’s an alpha− how?”

“I don’t know. He took my power away yet here I am perfectly fine.”

“You need to leave.” He coughed up blood.

“No. I’m not leaving you.”

“Jennifer, Ian is gonna come back for you if he finds out you’re still alive. You need to leave. Forget about me I’m already dying.”

“Reid no.” I cried.

“Go. Make sure the others are ok. Make sure they get out.” He whispered; his eyes closing.

“I don’t wanna lose you.” Tears dripped down my face.

“I love you Jennifer, but you have to leave.”

I kissed his lips one last time and got up. Some may say I was heartless because I didn’t look back but I just couldn’t bear to see him on the ground again. I couldn’t live with the fact that I was just leaving him to die.

When I got out of the room I walked straight in to another to see if any of my pack members were inside. I did the same with four other rooms but I saw no one. As I was about to walk out of the sixed room someone ran inside.

“Jennifer!” He said my name breathing rapidly. “You need to leave right now he’s coming!”

“What are you talking about? The only one I need to run away from is you Ian.”

“No, no Jennifer you have to listen to me ok we don’t have much time.” The words rushed out. “We need to leave right now come on!”

“I bet you’re shocked to see me alive. I can’t believe you did that to Reid!” I yelled.

“Jennifer believe me ok, we need to leave now!” He shouted.

“You’re sick Ian. You got what you wanted so leave me alone!”

“Please listen to me we have−

“Ian?” I called quietly when he dropped to the floor. “Reid? You’re ok!” I ran in to his arms but moved away from him when the power of the alpha moved in to him from Ian. When it was over I looked at him and smiled. “I’m so happy you’re ok Reid, and you got my power back. Now you can give it back to me.” I hugged him.

“Give it back to you?” He asked. I smiled and hugged him tighter. “But if I do that, then all of this would’ve been a complete waste of time.” My smile faded and I looked up at him confused.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He smiled and I knew exactly what he meant. A wave of nausea hit me.

“It was you weren’t it. The person Ian was just warning me about.”

“Smart girl Jennifer.” He laughed.

“Reid….. why?” I was unable to speak.

“Isn’t it obvious? You didn’t deserve that power in the first place. It was all mine.” He said angrily. “All mine.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The first night Vince met you, what did he introduce me as?” He asked me.

“I− I don’t remember.” I said tears in my eyes.

“Remember Jennifer, remember.”

“The most−

“The most what?” He asked sternly walking up to me.

“The most, trusted member of his pack.” I said backing away.

“Exactly.” He said. “I was the most trusted member in his pack for over one hundred years. If anyone deserved that power it was me. He even swore to me once that I would be the one to get his power when the time came but what happened instead? He met you.” He looked angrier now. “He met you and he fell helplessly in