Chapter Nineteen – Cade

“It’s a good plan,” Octavia said, waiting for Cade to disagree; instead, he bit his lip and walked away. Octavia followed. “Hey, I know you don’t like it, but it is the best plan.”

“It puts you in danger,” Cade said.

“Whatever we do, it’s going to put someone in danger, why not me?” she asked.

“Because you are my mate.”

“And Eva is your mom, and Seth and Tobias are your brothers…”

“I know. I get it. It’s impossible.” He thumped his chest with one fist. “But you are my mate.”

“Which is why I need to be as strong as I possible.”

Cade ran his hand through his hair. “Damn it, Octavia. You’ve fallen into this feet first, and before you’ve had time to get your head around it or even breathe, you want me to turn you into a shifter… Something you don’t come back from.”

“I don’t want to come back from it,” Octavia answered. “This is my choice, and I’ve made it.”

Octavia stood before him, all fire and life, but what she was asking him to do might extinguish them both. The change was hard: venom would pump through her body, changing her DNA, and when she had recovered she would be able to shift, and she would expect to fight side by side with the rest of the squad.

“I want to keep you safe,” Cade said. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, his hand running through her hair. “I hate not feeling in control.”

She gave a short laugh. “Oh, Cade, life is not about being in control. It’s about doing what you can, with what you have. And right now, we have a plan, but we need all the strength we can muster.”

“We’re strong already.”

“OK, I’m going to put it another way, and I want you to be honest, because that’s what a mate has to be, right?”

“Right,” Cade agreed, knowing he wasn’t going to like this one bit.

“What if it was the other way around? What if I was asking you to step back and let us fight?”

He looked up at the ceiling and then closed his eyes. She was right, because she was attuned to him already. “You really are my perfect mate.”

Octavia kissed him on the lips, and as she pulled back, she said, “Thank you. I’d hate to have to ask one of the others to turn me.”

“They wouldn’t.”

“I can be very persuasive,” she said with a soft smile. “All it takes is leverage.”

“Well, if you got Seth a badge, then he might do it.”

“A badge?” Octavia asked, with a confused frown.

“Yes, like a sheriff’s badge.” Cade shook his head. “You’ll see, since you will be one of us.”

“A member of the squad?” Octavia asked.

“If that’s what you want. Equality is rife amongst shifters.”

“I like the idea of being a shifter already.”

“You might not feel that way when you experience the change,” Cade said.

“Tally gave me this.” She held up the small vial.

“It will help, but you’re still going to feel like crap.”

“Then let’s get it over with. Tomorrow night promises to be filled with trouble.”

Cade wrapped her in his big bear hug and held her close. “Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yes. This is my choice, my decision, and in accepting being a shifter, I’m accepting you, Cade. I’m yours, and you are mine. Joined together forever.”

“Now, you are talking my language,” Cade said, but a wave of fear washed over him. He loved Octavia as she was, he would always love her as she was, because of the mating bond. But what if the change hurt her, damaged her system? How could he live with the knowledge he had inflicted this on her?

“Then stop worrying,” Octavia said. “You have to believe in fate, utterly and completely. So you have to believe this is the right thing to do.”

“I should listen to you. You sound more like a shifter than I do.” He took a deep breath and blew it out. “Fate decides. Let’s do this.”

Octavia kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

“Thank you, Octavia, for coming into my life.”

Cade took her hand and they went back to the sitting room, which had emptied. The only people remaining were Eva and his brothers, and Tally. “You are going through with it?” Tally asked.

“Yes,” Octavia said.

“Oh my,” Eva said. “I need to make some tea.”

Eva left the room, and Cade let go of Octavia’s hand, hating to leave her, but needing to check on his mom. “Mom, are you OK?”

“Yes.” Eva was filling the kettle and setting it to boil. “It’s just…” She fanned her face and then put her hand over her mouth. “I’m not going to say it.”

“You wish Dad was here.”

She nodded. “I miss him. It’s like I’m split in two. Part of me here and part of me wandering out there somewhere trying to find him.” She turned quickly to Cade. “I know he’s not dead.”

“I know. And one day we will find him.” He moved to stand next to her. “But right now, Mom, I need you to be here with us. I need all of you to be here with us.”

“I am. Or at least I will be.” Eva wiped her eyes and began to make the tea, pouring the water and stirring the cups. “It’s going to be hard to watch.”

“I know.”

“It tore your father apart, turning me. I don’t want you to feel the same guilt he did.”

“The difference is, Octavia made the choice. Dad was forced to turn you.”

“It will be hard watching her in pain,” Eva warned.

“I can handle it, and Tally gave Octavia something to help.”

Eva nodded. “Good, Helena gave me something, some potion. It helped. Put me to sleep and when I woke up the next morning, I still felt like crap, but it was over.”

“Will Octavia be strong enough for tomorrow? Once Matthew calls, things will be set in motion.”

“She’s strong. She will be.” Eva put her hand on Cade’s arm. “We will make sure she is strong enough. Even if I have to force Lucas to use his druid power.”

“Do you think he will come through for us?”

“Yes. He’s made his choice, and he won’t go back on his word.”

“And you trust him?”

“Yes. I trust him.”

“The plan is good,” Cade conceded.

“It’s very good,” Eva said. “We can do this, Cade.”

Cade glanced to the doorway. “The hardest part starts now.”

“I’ll be with you. We’ll all do what we can to help Octavia, she’s family now.”

Cade went back to the sitting room, leaving Eva putting cups on a tray and cutting up cake. If there was one thing that showed she was nervous, it was feeding her family comfort food.

“Are we ready?” Octavia asked as he entered the sitting room.

“As we’re ever going to be. My mom is bringing tea and chocolate cake.”

“Then I’ll stay for a while longer,” Tally said, sitting herself down next to Seth.

“What are you going to do with Zinan overnight?” Seth asked.

“Park him in the back yard, I guess. There’s a shed there.” She took a piece of chocolate cake off the tray when Eva offered it to her. “Thanks, Eva.”

“Do they eat?” Seth asked. “Thanks, Mom.”

“You know, I’ve never asked one,” Eva said. “Do you boys know?”

“No idea. I’ve never had a conversation with one, particularly about what it likes for dinner.”

“I’ll ask him,” Tally said.

“Don’t get too attached, Tally,” Cade warned.

“I’m not,” Tally insisted. “But don’t you see, this is a great opportunity to find out more about them.”

“More about them?” Cade asked, eating his cake, but it stuck in his throat; he was too nervous about turning Octavia to appreciate his mom’s baking.

“Yes. It could help when we hunt them.”

“I’m not sure how,” Eva said.

“We can understand how they attack, and if we can work out how strong they are by any telltale signs.”

“Tally could write the first guide to how to tame your degetty,” Seth said, earning himself a hard punch in the arm. “I wasn’t joking.”

“Yes, you were,” Tally said, punching him again.

“I don’t hit girls, so you shouldn’t hit me,” Seth said.

Tally brushed the crumbs off her cloak and stood up. “I should go. I have school tomorrow, and then tomorrow night is going to be busy.”

“An understatement,” Tobias said.

Tally looked around the room. “Try to sleep. And good luck, Octavia.”

“Thanks, Tally.” Octavia hadn’t eaten her cake, or drunk her tea.

“I’ll walk you home,” Seth said, getting up.

“Me too,” Tobias said.

“I don’t need protecting,” Tally said.

“You might,” Seth said. “And anyway, we need to stretch our legs.”

Cade smiled his thanks to his brothers. He wouldn’t have wanted Tally to walk home on her own. Even with her degetty by her side. Had she forgotten she had bound him not to hurt anyone? That would likely include all Others and humans alike.

“It’s time,” Cade said, holding out his hand to Octavia.

She didn’t answer, but put her cup and plate down on the tray, still untouched, and took his hand. Cade folded his hand around hers, giving it a comforting squeeze. Then they left the room, leaving Eva alone.

“Will Eva be OK alone?” Octavia asked.

“Yes. She’ll be around if we need her. You might want to take the potion now. And then we’ll begin.”

“You make it sound like an operation,” Octavia said nervously.

“I wish it was that clinical,” Cade said, running his tongue along the inside of his lip. His teeth were not protruding, and he was worried he might not be able to perform and Octavia would have to ask one of his brothers to do the deed.

“What do I have to do?” Octavia asked, standing in the middle of his room, next to his bed.

“Nothing. Except lie down.”

Octavia moved to the bed, and sat on the edge. “Are you OK?”

“Nervous,” he said.

“Don’t be. It will be fine.” She took the vial out of her pocket and pulled out the stopper. “Cheers.”

Octavia tilted her head back and poured the liquid down her throat in one gulp. Placing the vial on the nightstand, she shrugged. “Ready when you are.” Her voice was light, but Cade could see the nervousness on her face. She had seemed so eager, he feared she hadn’t considered exactly what was going to happen, but looking at her eyes, dark with worry, he knew she had completely taken on the enormity of what he was about to do.

The protector in Cade awoke. He had to be there for her, had to be strong for her. He might not have wanted things to play out this way, but Octavia was right, you did the best you could. And his best was to make this as quick and as painless as possible.

Sitting next to his mate, Cade stroked her face, and then kissed her lips. The tips of his teeth elongated, and a primal need to sink them into his mate’s neck overtook him. As if in a dream, Octavia bent her head away from him, exposing her creamy soft flesh to him. With eyes dilated, he leaned in, scenting her skin, and then slowly, deliberately, sunk his teeth into her, claiming her in the same way shifters had claimed their mates since time began.