Awakening the Beast Read Online Free Page B

and the forest is gone. The wolf village is destroyed. The rest of them are slaves or maybe they’re all dead. I don’t know. What am I going to do?” She tried to get up and stumbled a few feet before she collapsed.
    Fright claimed Belik because he could feel the wavering emotions from his mate. He was afraid that if Illiana did not come back to herself, she could be lost. Ohanzee scooped her up and cradled her head.
    “What happened to her?” Belik asked.
    Ranolo felt her forehead and her cheeks. “Shock. A lot has happened, plus I don’t think she’s slept since Lelana has been unconscious. It’s okay. Bring her over to my cabin. I’m going to talk to her mother.”
    Belik grabbed his arm. “I’m sorry for what I said, but this has always been the way between Lelana and her. I don’t know what else to do.”
    The shaman sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ll handle her. Make sure that Illiana’s okay. Go on.”
    Ohanzee and Belik went to Ranolo’s cabin and laid Illiana down on the shaman’s bed. The hawk shifter moved the hair from her face. Over these past few months, Belik had grown close to the other man. They were wrapped up in one another’s lives and Belik realized he would not have it any other way. The most important thing was to make sure Illiana was okay and that nothing happened to her.
    “She said her mother was not the nicest woman in the world, but how could Lelana accuse Illiana of starting all of this, and putting it on your shoulders too? It’s none of your faults.” Ohanzee glanced at him with panic in his eyes. “What’s happening to her?”
    “This has happened before. It’s shock. The last time it was this bad was when Christopher told her that he didn’t love her. Illiana slipped away and the wolf disappeared into the darkness of her mind for a while. She stopped eating. I went to Christopher and asked him to come to her. It worked and she snapped out of it, but I don’t know what’s going to happen now. This never should’ve happened.” Belik pressed his lips to her forehead, noticing how cold her skin was. “Something’s wrong with her. I reach along our connection and all I can hear is this raging wind. Can you sense anything since you can feel the elements?” Belik asked.

Chapter Three
    Ohanzee took Illiana’s hand, closed his eyes, and stretched his awareness along the link they shared. He listened and felt the air blasting against him. The farther he went he was surrounded by a raging storm that nearly blinded him. There were trees and nothing else except darkness. “Illiana, where are you?”
    A raven’s echo resounded high among the trees. When he glanced up, he saw more darkness. He tried to shift into a hawk in this mental landscape, but his body did not respond. So he tried to climb one of the trees, but was immediately surrounded by a ring of fire. The illumination gave him a better view of the landscape. The wind carried heavy snow on it. He ran his hands over his arms to try and warm up. The battering snow pounded ice crystals into his skin, and the longer he was in her mind, the stronger the elemental maelstrom became.
    “Please snap out of this. You have to face it. I know you don’t want to, but your mother can’t drive you to this. I know you need to think about your flock, the pack, and Christopher, but you need to be strong. You didn’t cause this. Please, we need you, too. Belik and I love you. You’re not alone in this.” Ohanzee reached his arms out to her.
    The raven studied him. After a moment, the fire died down around the tree. It was then she opened her wings and flew down. Illiana transformed back into human form and went into his arms. When she did, she buried her head in his shoulder and cried.
    “It’s best to stay here so I don’t have to worry about the rest of the world. The flock will be better without me. So will you.”
    He pulled away from her and lifted her chin so he could look into her captivating