Chapter 22, the accident/the choice

The news of their engagement had spread through both families and they couldn’t have been prouder of them.

“Hey Alex, I noticed some of the pack cliff-diving we should do it sometime!”

“Ooh yeah we should, but not today there’s a big storm coming”

“Oh right guess that’d be bad to do…some other time I guess.”

“What are you up today?”

“Nothing special. Your mom, Aphrodite, and my adoptive mom have kept the wedding plans quiet. I know nothing and don’t even ask they won’t tell I’ve tried. The only thing I know is the date which is Valentine’s Day next year.”

“Wow, short engagement…soon to the wedding sooner to the honeymoon!” Alex smirked at that idea...so did she.

“True but as for what I’m up to I was planning on watching a movie or going for a walk on the beach.” Christine wanted to go cliff diving so she said that as a cover story.

“When you take your walk be careful looks like the storm is getting worse by the second.” Alex was concerned for her safety it was getting to be a brutal thunderstorm.

“I will but you can join me in my movie we could even have popcorn with it.”

“Ok you pick the movie and I’ll make the popcorn.” Christine looking over on the bookshelf at their Blue-rays to see what sounded interesting. Alex went to the kitchen acting like she was getting the popcorn ready but quietly went out the front door.

“Ok, you do that.” She sneaks off to the beach...

“Oh, before I make it do you-Christine? Christine, where are you?! This isn’t funny! Notices the door open, oh crap Christine!” she was already at the cliffs by the time Alex had gotten there.

“Get away from there you’ll fall!”

“I won’t fall I’ll be careful!”

“Well you’re very close to the edge I just don’t want you to fall! And with this storm it’s possible!”

“Don’t be a worry wolf I’m doing-slips”

“Christine!" He goes after her hoping she isn't going to drown.

“Thought bubble, I can do this I can find my way, but it’s so dark and my legs are going numb…so why do I bother trying…no I’m going to live for Alex! Try to swim you crazy one! But my arms are going numb too…oh what’s the use. Just let the water take me away…”

She gave up on trying after 10 minutes of trying to swim in the dark and cold water. Soon she was unconscious she wouldn’t know if Alex would save her. How long has she been under the water? 15 minutes? 30 minutes? An hour she had no idea mostly since she wasn’t conscious it wasn’t til Alex finally found her after she’d been unconscious for five minutes. He ran to get Riff and Bernardo to help him on the way back he explained what happened.

“You think she’ll be ok!?” Alex was really worried...he wasn't sure if there was going to be a wedding...

“I’m not sure how long she has been unconscious?” Alex had called Riff and Bernardo to help. Both were worried too...Bernardo and Anita always wanted a daughter and now that they finally had the opportunity to it gets taken away again...

“Not sure she was unconscious when I found her and grabbed her out so my guess 15 minutes.” Alex was getting more and more worried by the second.

“Not good Alex start doing CPR now! Her lungs are probably filled with water!” Bernardo barked his order at Alex. When Bernardo wasn't helping Riff with the pack he was a repository doctor at the local hospital. 

“Yes dad, he starts doing it, come on stay alive for me! Please don’t die on me I need you!” Bernardo was telling Alex what to do while Riff supported her head on his lap. After doing it for 10/15mins she finally coughed up the water and was breathing again.

“Oh, thank goodness she’s breathing! Now explain to me again what happened.” Both of them wondered what the heck was going on, but Riff asked...

“We were planning on watching a movie I leave to make some popcorn in the kitchen and not even five minutes went by. By the time I realized where she had gone, she was already on the edge of the cliffs. I told her to come away, but she said she’d be care and a strong wind made her fall.”

“I see so she probably got too much water in her lungs and that’s how she got unconscious…well she’s conscious now let’s take her home. I’ll carry her-” Bernardo started to lift her but Alex grabbed her.

“No dad I’ll carry her…I should have stopped her and maybe I could have saved her.” Alex started to feel guilty...maybe he could've stopped her...

“Don’t feel guilty she slipped it’s not your fault, but you got her to breathe again. And for now, that’ll have to do…now let’s go home.” They were silent when they brought her home, but happy that she was alright. Once at home they laid her down gently in a bedroom and hope that she’ll wake up soon. They were happy she was breathing but they’ll be keeping a strong eye on her. Alex was with her the whole time hoping she’d get better and wake up…the hours turned to days and still no improvement her eyes weren’t open since the day of the accident…days turned to weeks and still nothing! Things weren’t looking good for her…

“Dad I think I know a way to help her!” Alex just remembered about her necklace.

"How?! Let’s hear it!” Bernardo needed any ideas on how to help.

“Call her dad she uses her necklace to call them! Please he’s our only hope on saving her!”

“Do what you gotta do-we gotta save her!” He held onto her necklace for dear life and begged Apollo to come down and save her.

“What’s wrong Alex is Christine alright?” Apollo looked worried at her on the bed.

“That’s why you’re here…she went to the cliffs for a walk and slipped and fell she was unconscious for 15mins, but I got her to breathe so I know she’s alive just please help her!” Alex almost crying as he's telling the story again...

“I’ll give it all I got! How long has she been like this?”

“So far…5 days we thought she’d wake up on her own.” Alex was so worried about her

“Well glad you called me, but I’m going to need your help- “

“Yes, I’ll do anything for her! Tell me what to do!” Hours went by as they were trying to save her. Alex trusted Apollo but she was still a young goddess maybe her human half was stronger than her god half like he saw with Antonio…he was hoping that wasn’t the case.

“Ah, why didn’t I think of this before? All you need is a drop from this bottle.”

“Great what is it?” Alex didn't even think of the actual bottle, he had no idea what it was, to be honest.

“It’s the juice of a powerful healing flower that I have in my garden. This is the key to saving her:” He drops it on her lips, at first it didn’t look so good and thought they were too late.

“Are we too late Apollo? Looks like it didn’t do anything for her.”

“Ah, patience my young friend you should know she’s a fighter. She’s fighting one of her biggest battles…her life.” They waited five minutes for the juice to work and so far it’s not looking good.

“Should have worked by now…let me check my book of medicine.”

“Well make it quick she could be dying!”

“Ah of course…that’s easy!” As he looks at his mini version of himself he knew exactly what to do...

“What-what is it!?” Alex is still just as confused...

“The only way for the flower to truly work is if she’s kissed by her true love.” Apollo smiled as he knew that it would work.

“Oh, I see well that’s no problem.” He gives her the longest kiss he’s given her or until Apollo told him to stop.

“You think that'll work?” Alex was still worried had no idea if it was going to work, but it was their last shot.

“I do Alex I do.” They waited five minutes and then Alex heard something.

“Christine? Please do something so I know you can hear me!” She squeezed the hand he was holding, and a huge sigh of relief was in the air.

“Well, I’d say my work here is done. I’ll leave you two alone she's going to be fine she’s getting her rose back in her face.” Apollo gets up from kneeling on the floor and leaves Christine in the capable hands of the wolf pack.

“Yeah, I do see that thanks for your help-oh you left your bottle!” Alex sighs a big sigh of relief so happy that he wasn't going to be planning a funeral instead of a wedding...he tries to give the bottle back but Apollo puts it in his hand.

“Keep it I can always make more you never know when you might need it.”

“Oh, thanks, and thanks again for your help.”

“You’re welcome but I must go before Aphrodite gets too worried and causes trouble-again.” And then he was gone, and Alex heard a noise.

“Christine, I’m here...”

“Faintly and weak, say you love me every waken moment turn my head with talk of summertime.” She smiles for the first time in almost a week and he couldn't be happier to see her smile again.

“Christine you’re ok! I thought we were going to lose you!” He gave her the biggest hug while still being gentle.

“You won’t lose me not ever.” Christine smiled and was happy to see him too.

“Good, feels her head, you feel warm you sure you’re ok?” Alex was concerned about her fever.

“Yeah, I’m sure well are you going to help me up?” Christine tried to sit up but Alex laid her back down.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea yet. I’d wait until you get your strength back.”

“Ok but please stay and be beside me?” Christine didn't want to be left alone at least not for a while...Alex didn't want to leave her either.

“Until you want me to go away, I’ll stay with you.”

“Good, but I want you to ask Riff something for me.”

“Sure, what is it?” Alex was curious about her question to Riff of all people.

“Can you turn into a werewolf if you’ve been imprinted?”

“That’s a good question I’d like to know that myself.” Riff walked in the door to make sure that Christine was ok. He had checked in on her while she was asleep to keep Alex company when Bernardo was busy.

“Know what Alex? Hey Christine, you’re alright you gave us such a scare!” Riff was relieved to see her awake and smiling again.

“I’m sorry Riff but since you’re here can we ask a question?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Once you’ve been imprinted on can you turn into a werewolf?”

“I’m not too sure but I think it’s possible why do you ask?” Alex and Christine exchanged worried looks at each other.

“You don’t think she’s- “ Riff was worried now...he had only seen this process once and that was when he did it to Carmen.

“Yeah, we do I felt her head a moment ago and she’s warm.”

“Feels head, oh yeah she’s burning up. Maybe it’s just a fever from the accident?”

“Maybe but I’m not too sure…dad can you come here please?”

“Sure, what is it?” Bernardo was relieved to see Christine awake but the happiness was quickly gone and concern was on his face.

“We think she might be turning into a werewolf…what do you think?” Alex was concerned too...this is probably going to be a pack first.

“Well everyone is different from the transformation we all know you imprinted on her since we saw the symbols on her back, feels head, she does feel warm, but that could be just from the accident.” Bernardo put his doctor's skills to work.

“That’s what I think as well but I’m not sure either…hold on I’ll be back.”

“You think I’m turning into a wolf, don’t you?” Christine asked bluntly...

“It’s a possibility but we’ll just have to wait and see.” Alex came back with a digital thermometer.

“Ok try this Chris, puts a digital thermometer in her mouth; yup it’s a possibility her fever is 102 degrees.” Bernardo knew this was one of the signs of the transformation...

“Whoa, should we bring it down or see what happens?” Alex knew that was too hot for a normal person and Apollo had told him that it'd be too hot even for a goddess.

“To be honest…I’m not sure we’ve never had this happen before-I mean a young goddess being a young werewolf as well? You’d make a good wolf though.” Riff trying to lighten the mood with a little humor...but didn't work

“Thanks, Riff…I think.” Christine was still confused and while they were talking Anita came up to see if everything was alright.

“Anita, maybe you can help she has a fever of 102, but she’s just recovering from falling off a cliff. Should we cool her down or let it go since Alex imprinted on her,” asked Bernardo...he didn't know what it was like to get the imprint. He did the imprinting on Anita when they were engaged...

“You did what!? Well that doesn’t surprise me, but I am…well it might be possible to become a wolf, but I’m not too sure. I say it’s up to her..what do you want Chris?” Anita asked as tenderly as she could to try not to overwhelm her.

“I mean when Alex first told me he was a wolf at first I thought he was crazy and thought it was just storybook legends but hey who am I to think things are just legends...once he told me he wasn't joking and he was one I had thoughts of becoming one myself, but I’m not sure if the wolf powers would overpower my goddess ones.”

“Hmm I think the goddess powers would be stronger, but not sure.” Anita wasn't sure but it's possible...this was a new case for everyone...and one for the history books. 

“Well if you sure Anita then…then I want to do it.” Christine was confident in her decision and smiled gently at Alex who was still worried for his bride...

“You are sure once you go through it you can’t go back,” Bernardo told her tenderly as well...he wanted to make sure this is really what she wanted. She thinks about it and sighs 

"Yeah, I’m sure I want to do it.” After that day when Christine decided to become a wolf, all of them were having an extra eye on her. Since she’s the first of the girls to join the other girls that were imprinted on, but haven't decided yet, and second besides Carmen to go through with it. Long days lay ahead for them all.