Rori-POV
There comes a time in everyones' life when they are scared shitless, when they feel their entire world come crashing down on them. A time when they feel their hearts stop for a moment and their body freez.
The moment i heard Harkes' voice yell "what the f*ck?" from behind me, i instantly froze right there, where i was getting ready to run, still in my pouncing position with my paws dug through the mud...in my lioness form.

I have no idea what to do. I have two options here that depends on how much he have seen.
If he saw me shift from the very beginning, them i'm toast. But if he came right after i shifted, then i'm nothing more than a famale lion that wondered too far into a wolves territory.
The first option would force me to face Harke and explain why i'm down on all four and am a large lioness. That was not optional for me right now.
I slowly turned my head to look at him while the rest of my body was still in the same position.
Harke stood with his eyes and mouth wide open. He was wearing only shorts and was bare foot as well. He stared at me as if he saw a ghost. He said absolutly nothing so i decided to go with option two.
I took a small step and he watched my movement carefully.

"Rori?" He asked and his voice sounded so unsure that i felt sorry for him. But he called me Rori. He called a female lion by my name. He must have seen me shift.
Shit. Option two is not optional anymore. But you know what, f*ck it.
I bolted forwards and ran as fast as i can.
"Hey..." i heard Harke scream after me but i sprinted like my life depended on it. I can hear his foot steps and as he chased after me. But i was too fast for him to catch up.

It was as if i was flying. The wind picked up just as quick as my pace and i lost him after a few minutes.
The moment i reached the boarder of the territory, i stopped to look around. I messed up real bad. The first thing that came to mind was Phoebes' warning.
What i did tonight was reckless and irrisponsible. Someone else could have seen me too. I looked up at the night sky and the need to roar out with frustration was huge but i held back.
Not now, Rori. I have more to deal with once i get home.
I carefuly made my way back to where i had stashed my clothe. I pretended that i was hunting as i made my way throught the woods. That way, i'll be more careful and alert of my surounding.
When i got to my clothe, Harke wasn't there but his scent was still strong. I quickly shifted back to my human form and wore my clothe.
As soon as my clothe was on, i quickly made my way home. When i walked in, thankfuly, no one was there. I sat on the couch looking like nothing happened and waited for everyone to come home.
I am more than terrified that Harke might already tell everyone everything. But for some reason, my gut tells me that my bestfriend will come to me instead of the rest of the pack.
I constantly bounced my leg up and down as the nerves surged through my body. When i heard the front door open and close, my heart skipped a beat and i looked around for something to do.
I found one of moms' books laying around and i quickly picked it up, opened at the middle and pretended to read without paying any attention to what i was holding.
My mom was the first to walk into the living room. As soon as she saw me with one of her books, she smiled before walking over to me.
"Honey, i love that you're taking up on reading but at least" she took the book from my hand and flipped it upside down "hold it the right way."
She laughed when i realized that i was holding the book upside down. I cleared my throat before looking up at her.
In just one night, she looked happier, youger...brighter. My father followed her from behind next to Adalwolf. My father looked at me brifly before looking at my mother.
He looked at her with longing, as if he wanted to hold her but my mother doesn't look at him. Instead, she walked into the kitchen.
Adalwolf was staring at me as well. But it wasn't a 'Harke told me you're a lioness' kind of look. It was more of a 'i want to throw you over my shoulder and carry you away like a cave man' kind of look.
I felt my cheeks warm a little as i looked away. Harke walked in a few minutes after my mom served us all drinks.
His gaze moved over the room before it finally settled on me. His eyes narrowed a bit before he walked over to the chair from across me and took a seat.
My mom offered him a drink and he accepted it with a pure smile on his face.
"So..." he called out as he looked at me "how was the run?" He asked and he quickly looked over to my mom.
A smile streched her lips before she answered him.
"It was really good, Harke. I didn't know what i was missing out on. I'v never felt more alive in my wolf form...you know, Harke YOU are missing out on a lot too."
Her comment made me pause. Doesn't Harke join in their run?
I raised a brow at him and he shrugged his shoulders. My eyes trailed over to Adalwolf and i saw him closely watching his brother. He looked like he wanted to say something but held back.
My father clearded his throat to gain my moms' attention.
"Can i stay here for the night?" He asked in a soft tone and i couldn't help but notice that my father has lost that mean glare in his eyes.
My mom shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea, Duke. The sooner you agree on breaking our bond, the easier it will get for the both of us..."
"No." My father breaths out "Loni, you are my mate. My woman. I know i'v made mistakes and i am paying for them but i'm never letting you go. I will never agree to break the bond." He explained and i can see a crack in my mothers' face.
I know she loves my father and that she wants him by her side. It's so obvious. But she is standing her ground. She looked over to me and then to Adalwolf before finally looking at my father.
"I lost my only daughter because of you two." She pointed towards Adalwolf and my father "If you, for even a second think that you are welcome in my house, then you're wrong. The only reason the Alpha is staying here is because he is protecting my daughter. But what about you, Duke? What good have you done for my daughter...Our daughter since she came back? You can't even look at her. This isn't about just you and me. I love you Duke. You know i always will. But if you're not able to accept your own child just the way she is, then i don't want to talk about this again."
She stood up and went upstairs. I shortly followed after her and went to my room.
Immidealty after i closed the door, it opened back up and Harke walked in. He stared at me for a couple of seconds before he softly closed the door.
He looked at me and i looked at him. His eyes narrowed again before wondering around the room.
"So..." he started "anything you want to tell me?"
I shrugged my shoulder "nothing out of the ordinary." I answered and his eyes narrowed even more than they did before.
"Oh really?" He asked before reaching into his pocket and taking out something. He closed his fist around whatever he was holding and looked at me. He hesitated for a bit before tossing it over to me.
I reacted and caught it with my right hand. As soon as it hits my palm, my skin burned and i threw it away with a hiss. It hits the floor and i looked down to see it was a ring. An iron ring.
"I knew it." Harke whisper-yells as he reached out for my hands to examine the burn.
"You sun of a b*tch." I cursed when i realized that he was testing me.
"A lion...lioness?" He lets my hand go and runs his fingerd through his hair. I glared at him as i ran my thumb side to side over the burn while he paced my room.
"I can't believe it." He whispered to himself before he looked over to me. His face lights up before he rushed over and pulled me in to a bear hug.
"Dear goddess. That has to be the greatest thing i have ever seen in my life." He commented as he squeezed me.
"I'm confused." I whispered and he pulled back.
"Rori, do you realize that you are possible one of the most precious shifter in the world?" He asked and i shushed him.
"Keep your voice down." I commented and he turned to look to my door. He nodded his head and then frowned.
"How is it that i couldn't tell that you're a shifter?" He asked almost to himself.
"Maybe because everyone thinks i'm still wolf-less and no one cared enough to look deep to feel my beast?"
"You have to show me." He rushed through his words but i shook my head.
"Come on. Please. I won't tell anyone."
"No. I took a risk today and you found out. I'm not about to do it again and risk the whole pack finding out. Harke, i have shadows after me that might as well already know what i am. No one can know. You have to promisse me."
Harkes' gaze shifted all over the room as if he was thinking out a plan.
"I know a place." He commented. "No one goes there unless someone dies."
"What?"
***
Harke dragged me up the hill that leads to the place where all the fallen wolves are burried. The graveyard.
"Seriously, Harke? This is your hideout?"
He shrugged his shoulder as he led me through the head stones until we reached an area with more trees.
"No one comes here unless it's a send off ceremony. The dead is easly forgoten after a few tears and i wanted to be alone so...long story short, yes. This is my hideout."
He turned to look at me and gave me a soft smile.
"This...was also where i first shifted."
"What?" I asked him.
"Look, things haven't been good between me and Adalwolf. I, well, kind of shut him out after he confesed about what he did to you. I...I refused him as my alpha, i still do. And i didn't want him on my first shift either. So, the night my shift was trigered, i ran away and came here..."
A gasp escaped from my lips as i realized that he's telling me he shifted without any help from his alpha. Just like how rouges do. "Harke?"
He shook his head before he continued "I came here and shifted. I almost died in the process that night, but i survived. No one, and i mean absolutly no one knows what my wolf looks like, Rori. I'm trusting you with my beast. I just want you to know that you can trust me with your, besti."
He took a step away for me and started to strip his clothe off. He started with his shirt then his shoes then his pants. I made sure to keep my eyes away when he did.
After a few minutes, i heard him take a breath in and i looked over to him. The shift looked amazing. The breaking of his bones made me cringe a little.
Brown fur started to cover his skin and his eyes turned bright gold. After a few minutes, a large, brown wolf stood tall infront of me and i couldn't resist the urge to reach out and strock his head.
Harke wiggled his tail left and right as his golden eyes stared at me. He trusted me to be the first person to interact with his wolf so i'm going to trust him with mine.