Skinwalker - Completed

CHAPTER 40

(Rylie's POV)

This is it. The night of the full moon. Once the full moon sets on the night sky. Her wolf will try to take over her body. And it's a long, arduous journey for her soul. Eight hours of battle and if she survives. She will become a full werewolf.

"Are you ready, Rylie?"

Rylie whipped her head in Aly's direction, and she immediately felt her face grew hot. She remembered Aly's nakedness and those pink mound. And that fateful day they kissed. They haven't talked about it again because Aly hasn't also asked her about it.

There was an awkward silence between them when they walked back to the pack's location, and Rylie didn't know what to say or act.

But she can tell that she's not the only one affected by what happened. Aly is also blushing and averting her eyes.

"U-Uhmm.... Yeah."

Aly steps closer to her. "I know you can do it. You are creative in your strategy, Ry. And if you ever felt nervous or anxious. Look my way."

Rylie's heart swelled with warmth with what Aly said.

Aly moved away from her when people from the pack tapped her shoulders and gave her encouragement.

They are wearing a pelt of wolf skin that they extracted from a dead wolf. This pelt was baptized to be blessed by wolf magic and by the Lunar goddess itself. It was the same wolf skin she saw when she first witnessed their tradition. They are also carrying their totem. A vessel for their magic passed on to the generations to come.

Rylie looked longingly in Aly's direction. She's ready for whatever Aly will tell her, but her attention was shifted to Alpha Gab when she shouted.

"Let's start the tradition!" Alpha Gab commanded in her Alpha voice, and everyone bowed their heads before heading to a trail outside of the pack's location.

They didn't transform into a werewolf so Rylie could keep up with their pace. Only a few men and women were left to the pack's location, and the children were left behind.

"Are you nervous?" Alpha Gab softly smiled at her, and Rylie felt awkward.

When Aly avoided her, Alpha Gab was the one person who approached her to talk to her. People speculate what kind of relationship Rylie has with the Alpha because she had been seen with her a few times now.

"Y-Yes, Alpha. A lot, actually."

"You don't have to hide your playful nature to me, Rylie. You are going to be my Luna, and you should start calling me Gab."

Her eyes grew big, and she looked in Aly's direction. The three of them are walking side by side because it was Aly's job to protect the Alpha as a Beta. She wasn't sure if Aly had heard it.

But Rylie was disappointed when she didn't get to see Aly's reaction. Aly's feature is obstructed by the darkness, and she is also looking in the other direction. Checking if there is a danger to their surroundings.

She sighed and looked at the symbol itched on the back of her hand. It's in the middle of her thumb and forefinger. She wonders what kind of symbol does her true mate has? The black wolf is from Alpha Gab's true form, and she wished for a moment that her true mate's symbol was a white wolf.

"Don't worry. I know you can do it." Alpha Gab smiled at her and looked at the back of her hand. The Alpha must have noticed her checking the back of her palm, and Rylie wonders if Alpha Gab can see the symbols too.

Rylie lowered her head. Alpha Gab always smiles gently at her, but she can't quite tell herself to like her back. They had a conversation before, but she wasn't invested in it.

She stopped for a moment when they reached the clearing for the ceremony. The place where it all started for her, meeting Aly and becoming a werewolf. This is her chance to set everything right this time.

She steeled herself. Alpha Gab motioned for her to sit in the center of the pack. As soon as she was in the middle. The members of the pack danced in a circle holding the totem above their head. They were chanting and howling in a whisper.

"Sit Aly."

She did what Alpha Gab told her. She crossed her legs and put her hands on her knees. She looked in Aly's direction, and she could see from where she is the anxious expression on Aly's dark blue eyes.

Rylie smiled. Despite that encouragement from earlier. It looked like Aly was the one feeling nervous for her.

Aly put up a thumbs up, and Rylie couldn't help the grin forming on her lips. Unfortunately, Alpha Gab saw the exchange between them, and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Closed your eyes. Rylie."

Rylie did what Alpha Gab said. Her eyes are closed hard from anticipation. She can't see what's happening, but her senses became heightened. The chanting and howling were drumming to her ears.

"Hu inru rfa abpss o rfa soev" - Go into the abyss of the soul

She felt her hair stand on end as Alpha Gab repeated the phrase. Then it was followed by the pack's chanting.

Her eyes started seeing the light. Then she felt something was put in her mouth. She swallowed the liquid, and the light she saw became blinding, but she couldn't open her eyes.

Then before she knew it, she was inside a very bright place. There was snow falling, and she could feel it as she put out her palm to catch it. She embraced herself when she suddenly felt cold.

Is this real? Snow? It's not even winter.

Rylie looked around. No people, just her and the trees.

She became alert when she heard a crunch on the snow. A massive grey wolf appeared in front of her. Rylie can tell that it has some intelligence as it observes her movement. It wasn't bothered by the cold and the snowflakes falling on its fur. Those yellow eyes narrowed at her.

"A-Are you my wolf?"

Human. You dare try to possess my power?

Rylie winced. So the wolf inside that totem knew what happened?

"I didn't mean to----"

Your intentions are impure. I had lived inside of you long enough to know that you plan to sell out the tribe to the humans.

"W-Well, that was before---"Rylie took a step back when the wolf jumped in front of her.

It seemed to be smirking as it looked at her face.

Then she remembered what Aly told her. The wolf will try anything to defeat her. Should she just fight it? No conversations involve?

You are one peculiar human.

"I heard that a lot." Rylie bit her lip. She looked behind her to find anything she could use to ward it off. Then her eyes saw a branch of a tree. She jumped back and grabbed the branch. It was a little heavy, and it has the size of a baseball.

Clever. The wolf lowered its head and showed its teeth. You don't want to converse with me? Find out my origin?

"I'll talk to you when you listen to my commands."

Well, if that is the case, I have to defeat you.

The wolf snarled at her and rushed in her direction. Rylie braced herself for the impact. She readied her stand and swung the branch she was holding.

It connected to the wolf's jaw and sent it a few feet away from her, but it skidded its hind legs and was able to stop its motion.