Gavin awoke with a scream. His chest burned and ached from the force of his hearts rapid beating. He was soaked in sweat as panic clawed at his heart. The monitors let out their warning cries as all his vitals reached dangerous levels.
The sound filled the room, but Gavin didn't care. He had to find the girls. He had to make sure they were okay. His breathing ragged, he began to yank and pull the wires and needles from his body. I can't stay, I have to find the girls.
Gavin, you are alright. It was just a nightmare you had. Veronica tried to reason with her panicked master as he pulled needles and sensor nodes off his body.
Lucian was at his side immediately with his hands on Gavin, stopping him from further injuring himself. "Gavin, son, calm down. You're alright. You're safe," Lucian whispered calmly as Gavin struggled in his arms. Gavin fought hard his eyes wild and panicked.
"Damn it boy, calm down for a minute and stop struggling before you hurt yourself." Luician's deep voice was filled with worry as he struggled to keep Gavin in the bed without pulling all the wires off him.
"Where's Erza? And Aria? Lyla? Where are they?!" he demanded as he struggled against his larger father. His mana exploded out from his body in fear and panic. Gavin's eyes glowed a vibrant red as he pushed against his father. The chaotic swirls of crimson energy filled the room.
He had to leave this bed. They weren't safe. They were in danger. The heart rate monitor on the wall rose to a higher pitch as his heart rate spiked even higher.
"They are okay son, calm down. Hush. It's okay," his father continued to speak quietly and tried holding onto Gavin. He knew soldiers from war, the kind of PTSD they suffered, and Lucian was reminded of that right now as he looked at his barely eighteen-year-old son.
Since when did he have this much mana? He's never had any training with it yet, so how is his mana so rich and powerful? Lucian couldn't help but stare at his son and imagine the future potential he had as a mage.
Gavin couldn't breathe. His throat burned and his mouth dry as he struggled to inhale. Lucian called out, "Erza! Get in get in here now!" The door to his room opened and Erza ran in. The sight of Tessa rushing in right behind her surprised Gavin.
I suggest you force yourself to calm down, Master Gavin. What you saw did not happen, your loved ones are safe and with you. Veronica's soft voice called out to Gavin. Veronica didn't need the access to his vitals to know how much danger he was in. The constant screeching of the hospital monitor equipment was hard to ignore, even for her.
"Gavin! What's going on, what's wrong?" Erza rushed over to his side and checked to see what was causing him to act this way. She quickly looked over his monitors and grabbed his arms to stop him fighting his father. What stunned her more, was the display of bright red mana that swirled around him.
Her heart quickened at the sight of Gavin's eyes. Gone were the bright, piercing blue eyes that stole her breath every time they looked at her. Now it was the crimson red eyes of the wolf.
The beast.
The monster that protected her at the studio. The predator that killed those people, for me. I have to calm him down before it's too late!
"You're alive. Thank God you're alive," Gavin whimpered as he barely calmed down. He pressed his face into her chest as he tightened his arms around her. He wept then, not realizing just how frightened he had been that something irrational had happened to the woman he loved.
Erza held him close to her chest. She played with his hair softly, her fingers gently gliding through his black curls. "What happened, baby? What's got you so panicked," Erza asked gently as the door to the room opened and Aria walked through into the room, followed by Lyla.
As Aria and Lyla stepped into the room, they noticed the swirling red mana. The primal power they felt coming from Gavin took them by surprise. Quick as it came, the mana vanished and the sensation of power with it.
Their brows wrinkled in confusion and worry as they could tell something wasn't right. The warning from the machines soon quieted down as Gavin's pulse and blood pressure slowly started dropping.
"Lyla. Aria. Thank God you're both alright," Gavin said as he looked at both girls. He reached out his hands towards both girls as they walked over. He held onto both of their hands while Erza wrapped her arms around his waist on the bed. He knew they were alright. He physically could feel them, see them.
It was just a dream, just a horrible nightmare.
"Baby, won't you tell me what happened?" Erza asked him again as she drew his attention back to her.
"I had the worst nightmare I could imagine," Gavin whispered, his body trembled as he spoke.
"Go on," she urged him patiently as everyone walked over to stand by the bed. She sat on his bed with him while she held him close.
Gavin quietly recalled the nightmare he just had, and shuddered as he said, "I couldn't protect you guys, no matter what I tried to do." He kept his arms around Erza as he laid the two of them back in the bed, eyes closed tightly as he played it back in his mind.
"Oh baby," Erza whispered, horrified by what he described. "It was just a dream love." She pulled him closer to her body.
Lyla spoke up. "Don't let a bad dream freak you out man. We are all okay, and trust me, we aren't the types to go down without a fight." Her eyes glowed softly as she tried calming him down.
He shook his head in protest. "It doesn't feel like a dream. It felt like something more powerful. Maybe a premonition," he said as he wiped tears from his face and looked at Aria, Lyla and Erza.
"I'm sure it was just a messed-up dream, Gavin," Aria said soothingly as she stepped over to the side of the bed and grabbed his hand. She squeezed it affectionately as Tessa and Lucian stood off to the side watching.
"We are all here dude. We are okay, we are safe. It's alright. Just breathe," Aria said, as she tried to calm him and bring his heartbeat down. She brushed some stray hair out of his face and forced him to stop and look at her; really see her there with him.
Gavin shook his head in protest. "You don't understand. This wasn't a dream. Everything felt real. The smell of mold and mildew. The cold concrete against my feet. The hard metal in my hands. I wasn't strong enough to protect you."
He paused and swallowed hard, tears still in his eyes as he glanced around the room. "But I will be. I will gain power. I'll protect you. I promise it," Gavin said. He put so much will and determination into his words it sent a surge of energy through the room that was felt by everyone. It sent a tingle running down their spines as his eyes began to glow red at his proclamation.
Tessa let out a quiet squeak as she felt the surge of mana wash over her. When did he become like this? This isn't the same Gavin I grew up with. He's never been able to use mana like this. "What the hell…. When did he..?" Tessa muttered as she gripped the edge of her shirt while she watched the scene unfold.
Something was off about Gavin.
"It'll be okay, Gavin. We will work together to figure things out. So long as we are together…" Erza said.
"There is nothing we can't beat down," Gavin finished as he smiled up at his best friend. "I need to start working on learning my transformation strengths, and magic in general before I even go to the academy this fall," Gavin said as he leaned back in bed. He meant what he said. He needed to learn how to shift, and more importantly control the shift so he didn't black out every time and end up here again.
Erza smiled as she reached up and with the sleeve of her sweatshirt wiped tears from his face. This was her proud, strong dimwit of a boyfriend. Ever determined to do what he felt was right.
"We will try teaching you about shifting," Erza said as she looked between herself and the other two girls. She had no doubt between the three of them that they would be able to instruct Gavin about being a shifter.
Gavin nodded, his face grim with determination. "I know it won't be easy, but I'll do my best. I can't afford to end up back here every time I try shifting now, can I?" He tried giving her a weak, tired smile.
Tessa walked over and gave Erza a glare that didn't go unnoticed by Gavin. "You gonna be alright?" Her voice was hesitant yet concerned. She had never seen him in a state like that, and it rattled something inside her.
Gavin gave her that cocky grin she loathed. "Yeah, I… I think so Tessa. What doesn't kill us, only requires years of therapy after all." His smile warmed her heart and made her let go of the anger she held towards Erza for the moment.
She let out a groan of frustration at his playful words. "Can't you ever take anything seriously?" she muttered but there was a slight smile on her face, seeing the boy she remembered again.
Now that the commotion had quieted down, they all chatted a little bit while Gavin yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Why am I still so exhausted?" Gavin asked as he felt aches all over his body.
"The first time shifting takes a toll on the body and depletes mana," Erza said. "Once you get used to it, it becomes like second nature, and you don't even realize the amount of mana being used for shifting." She told him, as she demonstrated with a partial shift with her-eyes changing shape to a cats eye. Soft ears and a tail also sprouted from her back. Quickly as the change came, she reverted.
"Now get some rest, and we can talk more in the morning," she told him as the others got up to leave them in peace.