I was in and out of consciousness, and I could overhear frames of sentences

- you'll never find her – Roberto said.
I slowly opened my eyes. Adam embraced me, holding me tight against his chest, his clothes splattered with my blood.

- I'm sure we'll figure something out - was Adam's simple response.
- Rose can't locate her - Roberto smirked - I stopped her from doing it, this time I came prepared -

what is he talking about?

I tried to block out the pain by focusing on my sister and my bond. I could find her from miles away at any time, but now... Roberto was completely right; I couldn't feel anything, no pull, no spark, nothing that could lead me to her location.
- What did you do? - I took a deep breath and said to Roberto
- It kills me to see you in that state, Rose - He laughed at me - You'll never find her without my help. And if you truly want my assistance, you have to submit to me. Your boy would find your sister unharmed; come with me; it's a win-win situation for both of us. -

- Not a chance - said Adam, - do I have to remind you who I am and why you know me? I'd tell you to ask your brother, but we're both aware that he's 6 feet underground. So, keep it simple, Roberto: you tell us where Riley is, and I won't kill every fucking man in this park. -

- good luck with that – Roberto smirked.

Adam simply ignored him as he looked down at me.
- Can you find her? - he asked quietly.
I shook my head no, silent tears streaming down my cheeks. He wiped them away with his thumb.
- No I can't. But I know who could – my voice cracked.

- Then get yourself together and let's go find her - Adam advised.
It was out of the question to use my true power in front of Adam and Roberto. Even though Adam seemed sincere in his desire to assist me, I didn't completely trust him, and I didn't want to reveal myself or demonstrate my abilities to Roberto. Right now, Roberto only knew I was a shapeshifter, and he wanted me for it. He tried to replicate my shifting abilities in his twisty lab, but never got good results. His men were evidence of his bad work. That's why he asked for my assistance. What he didn't realize was the reason I was able to shift without incident, and I made certain he would never find out. I let a tiny drop of my true power surface, instantly tinting my eyes purple, and used it as a shield to keep the pain at bay so I could concentrate on my task. I slowly untangled myself from Adam and summoned my beast. I'll never rely on her; usually, it's Riley who takes advantage of her animal form, but I need her to keep my power safe from anyone. I could feel my skin and bones breaking to readjust to their new shape as she appeared. My teeth grew longer, as did my nails, and my skin was covered in thick silky black fur. The entire process took less than a second, and I found myself on four in front of an astonish Adam.

- I had no idea shapeshifters could shift into animal form -Adam exclaimed - I've always seen some kind of middle form where human and animal mixed together -

I simply looked at him with my purple eyes, I was not just a shapeshifter actually, but the less he knew the better. I turned to leave the park to find my sister When I heard Roberto's voice commanding his men,
- Stop her! - he yelled.
His men tried to attack Adam and me, but I guessed Adam's barrier was still up because they couldn't reach us with their blow. I had no idea who or what he was, and I couldn't put his aura to anything I knew. I assumed we both had secrets and we didn't want the other to discover the truth about our power. He was definitely not a shapeshifter, like me or Roberto's. So, who exactly was he? I ignored my desire for answers and concentrated on the scene in front of me. I didn't know how to communicate with Adam in my animal form, and I really wanted to know if his barrier could keep us safe until we left the park and escaped Roberto's men, or if we had to fight them off.
- We can do it either way - Adam stated looking at me – fight or leave, it's your call -

I looked at him, perplexed; how did he know what I was thinking? Could he read my mind? I began to feel uneasy around him; not knowing what he was, put me at a disadvantage, and I didn't like it, nor did I want to blindly trust him. Was there another option? Would he try to use me once we were far away from Roberto? Would he try to discover my true identity?
- I'm not an enemy, Rose - Adam responded to my silent wondering - trust me a little and you'll find out the answers to all your questions. -

He sounded to me like a fucking oracle. I rolled my eyes, not liking the situation at all, but realized I didn't have any other choice at the time, so be it. I smiled, my lips retracted, revealing my long, sharp teeth. I snarled and drooled a little, my ears backed up against my head. I held up my spinal fur, making myself larger and more dangerous.
- Let's fight then - Adam grinned.
- If I were you, Rose, I would not do that. - Roberto attempted to halt me - If you start a fight, my men, who still have your sister, have the order to kill her. I wouldn't want to do that because you two are connected, and if she dies, you'll most likely die as well. But, honestly, I'd rather have both of you killed by me than be free for anyone else to use you. If I can't have you, no one will. Please keep your cool. I understand how important your sister is to you. Don't kill everyone 'cause you can't swallow your pride. I promise you she will be safe once you join me, and I will never go after her again. Ever -

I roared. Some of Roberto's men flee in fear as a result of my outburst. " Oh, Roberto", I mocked him in my head "you know so little about us. We're already dead indeed".