Shani Khoza

While the trees reject the sunbeams who were trying to find the darkest places in the forest, Shani sits in front of their campfire. She stares into the flames, making her eyes burn. Denise and Kara are sitting right next to her; the rest is somewhere else. She saw Athena sneak away with Darius a while ago and a part of her suspects she'll not see them again until the morning. Lucky hybrid. Unlike her part-vampire friend, she likes and needs her sleep for tomorrow. In the corner of her eyes, she sees Leon make his way to another part of the forest where he most likely will spend the night. She has watched him go every night and still she can't shake the disappointment she feels every time he leaves her.

"Good night, Shani." Kara's voice wakes her up from her daydream. She quickly smiles at the human. "Good night," she answers, and Kara walks away to her tent. Shani looks at Denise, who doesn't seem to follow her girlfriend into the tent. "You're not going to bed yet?"

"No, I don't sleep much. It's just not in my system," she sighs. Shani nods in understanding. She too has some difficulties falling asleep. The only time she's able to is when it's extremely quiet. Back in England, she used to wait until everyone was asleep. Every sound she heard made her heartbeat faster and her worries grow. And now, in a forest, where it's never silent, it's quite hard.

"You are a great strategist, you know. I think we all were a little intimidated today with your knowledge of our kind," Shani tells her causing Denise to smile. "Well, I was trained by the best hunters in America; they taught me everything I needed to know. Of course, they thought I would use it a different way..." Her voice fades away as if a memory is replaying itself in her head. She chuckles. "Anyways," Denise continues. "I'm glad I am able to assist you, especially when we're not going to be there tomorrow."

"We're all very grateful," Shani answers. When they were planning their attack, it was quickly and unanimously decided Kara and Denise would not enter the territory; it would be too dangerous. They will be in the forest on the spot Athena enchanted for them. It's also the place she and Hinote will be heading to for the diversion. If they're lucky, most of the soldiers will be knocked down by the traps they've placed. And worst-case scenario: we have to fight them all.

"Are you nervous for tomorrow?" Denise asks her.

Shani nods slowly. "A little bit; it would be foolish not to. I trust the plan, but it doesn't change the fact we are going to be outnumbered." It would have been nice if she didn't have to spend a night like this alone; a night right before a battle. What she would give to have someone to hold her right now. She never craved for it before, not knowing there was somebody out there for her, but now she does. Kind of.

"Leon is an idiot, Shani. Everybody can see the connection between you but no one understands why he isn't acting on it. Apart from when you were almost killed of course."

"I was never almost killed."

"You wouldn't think that if you saw the look on his face when that wolf hurt you. Being attacked clearly enhanced his protectiveness over you," Denise answers, a hint of amusement audible in her voice. She isn't wrong, Shani has realized this herself. The minutes and even the hours after their fight, Leon didn't depart from her side. She thought that would have been the turning point in their relationship, or at least an opening to start a conversation, but sadly, the boldness he possessed after the attack disappeared and he returned to his old behaviour, staring at her from a distance and sleeping far away from her at night. She hopes she could spark the feelings he had felt in those moments, but preferably without being almost killed. While she won't admit it to herself, she was hoping her suggestion to be the bait would trigger the right reaction out of him. It didn't.

Shani sees Denise watching her as if she's trying to figure out what's going on in her mind. "It must be hard," she says softly. "I know there is this bond between you and Leon and I admire your patience, but a relationship needs to be two-sided. It's painful to watch you make efforts while he's being a stupid asshole."

"He's trying you know, I'm willing to be patient," Shani says, feeling the immediate urge to defend him. "Imagine you had all these feelings towards Kara and you knew she had them too but refused to act on them... what would you do?"

"I don't know," Denise admits. "As I said, I admire your patience."

Shani sighs. It stings to hear Denise's words, but she has a point. How long will it take before they could have a decent conversation? This bond will always be there; rejecting it is not an option, or at least not one she wants to consider. But where should she draw the line for his behaviour towards her?

"I want to thank you, Shani," Denise says suddenly. Shani frowns, what could she possibly have done to deserve that? "The first time we met, you saved our lives and I never said how grateful I was for that." Oh, that's right. She was the one who jumped directly on top of Leon, which made him stop attacking Kara and Denise. "I never realized I saved anyone, to be honest," Shani answers amused, while a blush starts to colour her cheeks.

Denise smiles. "Well, you did. You saved our lives and you saved Leon from making a mistake he could never reverse. You should be very proud of yourself; even though Leon is your mate and you acted out of instinct, it still takes a lot of courage to do what you did. Don't sell yourself short. You are very brave."

Wow. She's speechless for a moment. Nobody has ever called her brave before and hearing it from Denise – the most fearless human alive – is the biggest compliment she could receive. "Thank you," she says eventually. Denise simply smiles. "We better get some sleep now. Tomorrow's gonna be a big day." Her human friend softly squeezes her shoulder to comfort her before standing up. "Good night, Shani."

"Good night," Shani answers before watching Denise walk towards her and Kara's tent. She stretches completely before disappearing into the fabric. Shani can imagine her lying down next to an already sleeping Kara. Why does it seem so simple for them? How does love even work between humans? They don't have soulmates and yet, they seem so happy all the time. According to Kara and Denise, humans do feel a connection towards other humans, but such a thing as mates doesn't exist. It sounds difficult, not able to rely on the mate bond. Not that it's easier with one. Shani had always hoped she would find a mate someday. She remembers how her mother and father use to talk about it to her and how they looked at each other. Werewolves and werecats don't mate that often, but when they do, it's intense. It's not considered monstrous since they're both shapeshifters which means the child will become either a werewolf or a werecat. Her mother was a werecat and clearly, she inherited her feline skin from her. Even though her parents loved her, she knew they both wished she had been born a boy, because then, Europe would have been a lot better for them. Shani doesn't even know how her parents ended up in Europe. It's not a great place for werecats. But somehow, they did and once her father offered his trust to a pack in England, they were never allowed to leave.

She still remembers the look on the alpha's face when he discovered what she really was and what her mother had been. Disgust was the only thing written on his face. While others were shocked or surprised, he was only appalled. With her mother gone, her father became sad and depressed, and not long after they arrived in England, he died too, leaving her alone at the mercy of a dangerous and hateful alpha werewolf.

Shani shivers. It's over now. It's really over. Pushing back the images that would keep her awake all night, she forced herself to close her eyes and relax. Tomorrow is an important day and she has a big role to fulfil. Will she be able to pull it off? I have to, I simply cannot fail. And with the determination flowing through her veins, her mind goes blank.

For almost an hour, it's almost quiet throughout the forest. No whispers, no snoring, and no rustling leaves. Only a supernatural creature would have heard their heartbeats, the owls and foxes in the distance, and the soft wind past the thin branches of the young trees. Shani is fast asleep when she feels something pressuring her shoulders. She ignores it, not wanting to wake up yet. But a few seconds later, the same feeling occurs, like something is brushing against her back. It's warm, soft, and makes her turn around towards it.

When something wet tickles her cheek, her eyes fly wide open and she is suddenly fully awake. Her heart jumps when she meets a pair of eyes she has been longing to drown in since the moment she saw them. Leon. He stares at her longingly; his eyes lighted up in the darkness. But instead of his human body, Shani is lying face to face with his giant black wolf. She stares directly into her mate's eyes, surprised by the warmth they offer her, just like the fur that's pressing against her. He's looking at her with wide eyes; his head is slightly bent to the left. He looks adorable. He's so close, closer than ever before. At least, when you don't count our first meeting. Which I don't because I jumped him and he ran away.

He stretches and lays himself down next to her. So close, she feels the warmth of his fur drifting over her like an invisible blanket. She snuggles a little bit closer to him, taking in his scent and the feeling of safety. She can't help but smile. He's here; he came to her and he wants her close. Although she's not sure his human side agrees with the decision his wolf made tonight, she couldn't care about it. She'll deal with it in the morning. Tonight, she enjoys his close company for as long as she can. He might not be able to say what he's feeling, but his actions tell her all she needs to know. He cares for her, even if he can't admit it yet.

-----

The next morning, Leon is gone again and Shani wonders if he really slept next to her or if her mind was playing games with her. No, he was here all right, I'm sure of it. She quickly makes herself ready for today, trying to get the restless feeling out of her body. But knowing what's going to happen today and what happened last night, she knows that'll not happen anytime soon.

Breakfast is a silent activity this morning; everybody is busy with themselves, although Shani can guess what most thoughts are about. Nobody's asking it, but she knows what they are all thinking. Are they doing the right thing? What can their group do against a powerful alpha? There aren't many of us, what if there is a huge number of warriors after us? Those warriors aren't Athena and Darius, or Leon, Hinote, or Demir. Or you. This will work.

"It is time." Athena rises from the ground and walks towards her. When she's close, Athena takes her hand and brings her mouth to her ear. "Shani, I truly admire your bravery, but please, be careful. You just got back your freedom, it would be terrible to lose it again so quickly," she whispers in Shani's ear. Wow, being called brave twice within twelve hours. I must be doing something right. She pushes away her thoughts. Athena's right, she shouldn't act foolishly. "I'll be safe, Athena. I know my strengths and limitations, but I also believe my freedom is just as important as someone else's. This is something I have to do."

"I know. Good luck. I'll see you at Darius's packhouse," Athena smiles before pulling Shani into a hug. This is nice, Shani thinks when she hugs her back. When they both retreat, Shani can't help but comment on Athena's changed scent. "Nice mark," she says to her friend, grinning from ear to ear. Athena's cheeks fire up immediately before she glances at Darius.

Instead of answering, she beckons Hinote. He quickly walks towards them. For some reason, he doesn't look nervous at all. Does he reclaim packs weekly or something? Nothing gets this guy out of sync.

"Okay, listen carefully and remember; they will catch your scents quickly, so you have to be fast. You know how they will try to capture you so avoid any obvious movements and escape routes. Go for our meeting point. Kara and Denise are already there; they can help you create our other diversion." Athena says to them, sounding like a strict mother ordering around her two disobedient children.

"We understand. Time to decloak our scents, Athena. We're ready," Hinote tells her formally. He looks at Shani for a second before taking a deep, faltering breath. So, there is nervousness in him somewhere. Athena nods and with a flick of her wrist and a soft whisper, she feels Hinote's scent become visible beside her. It's time.

Her thoughts are interrupted when a hand touches her shoulder. She knows it's Leon even before she turns around. He clearly wants to say something. She can see his lips move and his mind at work. His eyes narrow in doubt and his eyebrows dance while he watches her from up close. No sound is coming from his mouth and yet, his eyes tell her a lot. Be careful.

Stay safe.

Stay close to me. Kiss me. Oh boy, she wishes he would say the things his eyes imply. She wants to take his hand; the urge to reach out is immense, but she doesn't want to jeopardize the little interaction they have going on. Seriously, how am I the confident one in this... relationship?

"Don't hurt yourself out there, okay? I'll see you when it's over," she says.

He nods. "Be there."

Shani smiles even though she realizes there is nothing to smile about. She knows he's serious. A lot of things can go wrong today; there is a chance they could lose. But not our lives. Not today.

"I will."

She gives him one more look before she focuses on Hinote again. "Are you ready?" he asks her. Shani takes a deep breath before answering. "Yes, let's do this."

And after her words, they sprint away from their camping spot, away from Athena, Darius, and Demir. Away from Leon. I'll see you all soon. So please, don't die.

They find the beginning of Alpha Tyson's territory very soon. Her nerves, mixed with adrenaline and anger start to grow in her stomach the moment they enter it. Soon, they will have a lot of soldiers behind them. She knows she's faster, they both are, but they also have to be smart. The warriors will hunt them down as a pack. Together, united; she and Hinote cannot afford to be predictable and lazy.

Christopher Tyson, the son of the evil Alpha and the mate of Darius's sister – how complicated is that? – has told Darius and Athena whenever someone crosses their territory at least three of the warriors approach the threat. When they sense two or more, they sent six or – when there is a vampire present – eight. And when they realize in a couple of minutes the mind link doesn't work anymore – thank you Athena - and the group of soldiers isn't returning, they will send another group. The more the merrier. The more following me and Hinote, the less the rest of us have to deal with.

"You're really fast... for a shapeshifter," the vampire next to her suddenly says. It makes the corners of her mouth rise a little. "You're not so bad yourself... for an old man." Hinote laughs at her comment, but his face changes instantly when they hear the sound of approaching warriors. It's now or never. Don't screw this up, Shani. Within no time, a group of eight werewolves has approached them. They all look angry and dangerous. Just as Christopher had said, most of the warriors in this group are a part of Alpha Tyson's elite group. They're not members of Darius's former pack. Which means, they will not hesitate to kill us.

"Halt. Don't move. You are trespassing; by the law written by Alpha Tyson, we order you to stand down," the wolf closest to them shouts. He frowns and signs the rest to stop when he notices she and Hinote aren't trying to flee the scene, which means the space between them is more than enough to get a head-start when they need one. And they will.

"What are a rogue and a vampire doing here? Together?" The leader barks harshly, sounding more demanding than curious. Hinote shrugs indifferently. "Oh, you know. Just passing through. We had hoped we'd run into a couple of dogs; it's been too long since my last fight," he tells them. Shani's astounded by the confident tone he uses to spit out his daring words. He really knows how to entertain a crowd, doesn't he? They'll definitely see us as a threat and send more warriors our way. If Athena didn't already shut down the mind link.

The renewed satisfied expression on the warrior's face suggests that's not the case yet. Great! "Is that so, bloodsucker? This won't be much of a fight. Eight against two? Stand down. Now. You wouldn't want to humiliate yourself," he laughs.

Hinote doesn't seem bothered by the comment at all and starts laughing along with the group. He is really good at this. "I never fail to humiliate myself, and eight to two? I like those odds. But let's see first if you dogs have been doing your daily exercise," he says amused. His face turns towards Shani. He winks. "After you, kitty." Shani scoffs in surprise, only a little entertained by his performance. "That is a terrible nickname," she replies before showing the warriors what Hinote meant by it. She inhales shortly and her body starts to change immediately. Her bones break; her human feet become furry paws and her blunt teeth transform into lethal fangs. The warriors in front of her stay back for a moment; too shocked to try and kill her. Lucky me. The shock is quickly exchanged for something more familiar to her; disgust. Without giving them another second to gawk, she and Hinote run away. In her leopard form, she's even faster and for a moment she forgets she's being chased by murderous werewolves. Focus Shani, you have a job to do.

They duck under branches, jump over loose trunks when they see the first trap in front of them. Did we really get this lucky? Shani wonders when they approach the place carefully. Most of the traps are only useful to slow them down, or – if they're lucky – to knock a few warriors unconscious. It will give them enough time to reach Kara and Denise undetected so they can cloak their scent again. Hopefully. They just have to d...

"Shit," she hears Hinote murmur beside her. What's going on?

"Run, Shani. Go!"