I had now been in the hospital for several days, I had gained and lost consciousness multiple times so the days had all blended into one long timeless space. The doctor had informed me I had lost a lot of blood and they were running tests because something didn't seem right, which had stressed out Thatcher. However, I was allowed to go back to my room tonight and sleep with my mates and cubs. I was excited to be around my family again and was regaining my strength more and more every day, I was still weaker than I would like to admit but the doctor said that was to be expected. I was now on my way to my family room and the scent of my cubs was filling me with happiness. I had missed my babies so much and had feared I would die on that table and never see them again, or the chance I would never be able to have my mate's cubs and be with him again. I don't know how long I was with that crazy doctor, but it felt like a lifetime since I was within my mate's arms and surrounded by my babies.

I slowly opened the door and was greeted by the sight of my mate and surrounded by three fluffy bodies all asleep curled into each other on our bed. It was still rather early in the morning, so I wasn't surprised along with the stress my family had been through they deserved to rest a little longer. I headed into the bathroom to take my first proper shower in a long time. I turned the water onto as hot as I could handle, stripped and then hopped into the shower sighing at the inviting water that was cleaning my body of all the dirt that had been on it. I was unsure if I would ever feel clean again after all that I had been through, I felt dirty on the inside and there seemed to be no way to scrub that dirt from my body but I kept trying, my skin had taken a pinkish hue under its natural colour. I take the time to clean my mess of a hair until its once again clean and no longer knotting at the back of my skull. After cleaning my body, I decided it was time to exit the shower no matter how unclean I felt on the inside. I wrap my body in the softest towel I could find and stare at myself in the mirror in front of me.

I didn't look like me. I was thinner than I had ever been, my ribs were poking out and my skin was no longer healthy looking along with the light diminishing from my eyes. I looked like a dead version of myself and it scared me. I felt like I had been dissected and put back together again but put back in the wrong way like my skin and body were no longer my own. That doctor had changed something within me I knew that for sure I am unable to pinpoint exactly where or what has changed but that dark place with the strange voice proved that something is different.

I was still lost about that conversation that had occurred but I decided to worry about that at another time it may have just been a fever dream that my mind created to avoid the horrible things I had been through at the hands of that crazy doctor that had stalked and kidnapped me.

I turned away from the mirror slight tears filling my eyes as I looked down at my body to dry it. It bothered me that someone else had touched my body without my consent and removed and injected me with things. I shook my head to erase the thoughts and exited the bathroom clad in the towel and walk as quietly as possible to Thatchers wardrobe. Looking around I spot a sweater I had seen my mate wear and was still drenched in his scent, so I slip that on, and it falls to close to my knees. I also put on some underwear that thatcher had bought me when I first joined the pack before leaving the wardrobe and heading to the bed that held my family. I gently crawl into the bed and snuggle into Thatchers back whilst my pups were in his arms. I tried to get as close as possible to his body heat and pulled the blanket up to my nose, so the scent was filling ever corner of my mind reminding me I wasn't somewhere scary I was with my family and I was safe. I close my eyes for several minutes not quite asleep but not really awake either just laying enjoying some quiet family time.

It wasn't long before I could feel movement on the bed and was greeted with a small fuzzy body going crazy on my back the excitement causing cackles to fill the air which in turn caused the other bodies in the bed to begin to wake. The excitement in the air was palpable. The cackles filled the air and I had no personal space left with all my cubs crawling all over my body and happily nipping the skin they could find. I rolled onto my back and opened my arms that were immediately filled with three wiggling bodies that were very excited to see me if the love and happiness coming through our family link was anything to go by.

"Hi cubs, I missed you all too its okay." I whispered and kissed each of their heads. Thatcher had explained that when the cubs were distressed its very common to revert back to this form because for children holding their human form in the state of distress, they were in can be very difficult for the young ones.

"Cas?" came a deep timber voice from the lump in the blankets next to me.

"Hey alpha," I whisper back a soft smile on my face as he quickly turns and engulfs myself and my cubs into his arms and holds us all to him as tight as he possibly can, it was kind of cutting off my air supply but it was worth it to be in his arms and feel safe once again.

"I missed you so much baby, I searched for you everywhere I'm sorry I didn't come to the mall with you, ill never let you leave my sight again." Thatchers voice was determined and the force of his hug was causing me to believe he truly never wanted me to be away from him again which was overprotective but also showed he cared and I would thank him for that when I could inhale again.

The cubs wiggled out of my mate's arms and began to run in circles around the bed and make high pitch squeals of excitement. I nuzzled into the side of my mates' neck where his scent was the strongest and just stayed for a few seconds reminding myself that I was with him and he wouldn't let anything bad happen to me again and I was safe with him. I remerged from his neck and looked up to him to see the bright eyes of his wolf staring down at me. I looked down once again not wanting to offend my alpha and bared my neck in the most common way of showing your submission in a wolf pack, I had learnt that in my time surrounded by the wolves of this pack I was hoping this would subdue the angry alpha wolf inside my mate.

"Mine." Came a deep brutal growl from withing my mates chest that caused it to vibrate and resonate deep within myself. I nodded meekly at the dominant aura that was emitting from my mate and causing me to feel funny, small and weaker than I already was. He leans down and begins to scent mark me rubbing his scent glands on ever part of skin he could find. I allowed him too knowing it would make his wolf and my hyena feel better if I smelled like Thatcher so everyone in the pack knew I was untouchable, and I was his.

This lasted several minutes until Thatcher took a deep breathe and his eyes returned to normal, leaning down he kissed me fiercely his mouth owning mine and proving once again I was his and wasn't going anywhere, I melted into his embrace and softly kissed him back. We both pulled away panting my cheeks flushed and heart beating nearly out of my chest.

"I love you Cas," Thatcher said without a hint of resistance. "You are my mate and my life nothing bad will ever happen to you again as long as I still walk this earth and perhaps even the next. This I promise you, I will protect you and our family for as long as my heart is beating and there is blood in my veins, I swear to you."

My eyes were swimming with tears of happiness but there was still a niggling of doubt in my mind that his opinion of me would change when he found out I was different and things within me have changed since before the abduction. I wiped away the tears and held onto Thatcher as tightly as I possible could

"I love you too Thatcher, thank you for saving me."

The cubs at this time had settled once again laying upon the bed entertaining themselves in whatever way they saw fit. Thatcher decided it was time to get up and venture out of the room for the day and fulfill his alpha duties. I requested staying in the room a while longer and just bonding once again with my cubs. My mate got dressed and kissed me on the forehead then each of the cubs before leaving the room but not before assigning two enforcer bodyguards to guard the room but all while keeping the door closed so they can't see me and my cubs. I laughed quietly to myself at my mate's overprotectiveness but at the same time it did make me feel safer and I appreciated the gesture.

I got off the bed and stripped off the clothes and attempted to shift into my hyena form, the pain was inexplainable, this had not happened since my first shift and to say I was scared was an understatement. My cubs were watching me from the bed trying to work out why I was panting and makes noises of pain. I felt my shift start but it was different I couldn't explain why but it felt less natural than any other time. My hyena soul was giving off waves of confusion as well and seemed to not understand what was going on which caused my anxiety levels to heighten.

Don't worry child, this was to be expected now that we are one,

The voice was back and was louder and stronger this time, I tried to think back at it but the pain was causing my body to almost shut down, however my animal soul was calmed by the voice which was a strange occurrence but made me feel somewhat safer. I'm able to mummer thoughts back at the voice asking what was happening.

We are changing child and thus your animal form must change to fit the both of us this can go one of two ways just wait and see. I felt at this moment another soul was within me beside my own and the hyena. I was unsure how this was possible, but it felt like my body was too crowded and I was unsure what was going to happen next.

My cubs were gathered around my body and that was the only thing keeping me conscious, I was not going to let my cubs see me in pain or unconscious after just coming back to them seemingly better. It took some time but eventually the pain began to subside I was able to stand my body back up and attempt to look down to see if there was any visible damage that would explain the pain I was just in. upon looking down I realised I was definitely different. I was no longer a hyena. However, I was also no longer a human. I was taller, my body covered in a thin layer of course fur, my jaw was enlarged like when I was in hyena form along with my claws. I had my tail and was slightly taller than my normal human height, my legs had turned into a nonhuman way. I seemed to be a mix of both hyena and human but also more. The confusion was swimming within my brain as I tried to rationalise what was currently happening to me and my body. I feared what the packs reaction would be if they saw me like this would they see me as a monster? A mutant?

Child, you have been reborn, this is the form I will take over. You are now more than any shifter, but also could destroy the very shifter world if not controlled. You must learn the ways of this form, you still have contact with your full animal form, but it will be stronger, faster and bigger. I have not felt my true strength yet so that will return to us shortly. Be prepared for a new age of shifter now that we have bonded and share this no longer feeble body.

Please change me back I need time to understand all of this information you have just dropped upon me. I whisper back to the voice, there was a deep sigh, but I felt myself begin to shrink and return back to my human form. I collapsed to the ground tears streaming down my face. My cubs gathered around my body seeming to not fear me after just seeing me as a monster. I was terrified now. I was a hideous monster, how could I remain here after being told all of this information. I need to leave.