The Fenrir Saga - Part I

Chapter 30

Beonnie

A couple of days later, Vidar, Jack, and I were heading toward Prospect territory. Jack and Vidar were going to inspect the area allotted to us for the Gathering, and I was going to shift for the first time. I was a knot of nerves and excitement. They said the first time was supposed to be painful, but I wasn't worried about the pain—I was worried about what came after.

As we pulled into the parking lot, I saw Zac and Dhalia waiting for us outside the main pack building. I jumped out of the car with Vidar and Jack in tow, and Zac introduced us to Dhalia. I felt almost starstruck meeting her. She was, after all, the star of my favorite rom-com. While the men went down to the Gathering site, Dhalia suggested she and I take a walk into the forest.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, we reached a small clearing. The day was sunny and warm, and the small clearing scattered with moss-clad rocks. Somehow it reminded me of my old house, sat at the edge of a dark forest. I allowed myself to imagine showing my wolf to my proud mother. The dark memories evaporated quickly, as I also imagined showing Siri to Hild, and how happy she would be. Dhalia sat on a rock, and I followed suit. 

"So," she smiled. "You are Zac's niece?"

I nodded.

"The infamous B," she laughed. "I should thank you, though. Our alpha has ditched Ivalde, and Tristan and I are happy together."

I smiled, my cheeks flushing.

"Are you with that blonde guy, Vidar?" she asked, her gaze curious.

I smiled and shrugged.

I shrugged, a shy smile tugging at my lips. "No, not like that. I think Vidar is just too... too something for me. I guess, he is more like an older brother. Though he likes to tease me."

She laughed. "Well, I've already received mind-links from about a dozen of our she-wolves asking about him. They'll be happy to hear he's single. Though," she added with a wink, "you might feel differently about him in a few minutes."

I gulped. I had forgotten about that.

Dhalia explained what to expect and then shifted before my eyes. I followed her lead. Through white-hot, excruciating pain, I felt my limbs lengthen. The skin stretched thin and small droplets of blood appeared as my claws tore through. It felt both wrong and right at the same time as my body expanded until finally... I howled.

It was magnificent. The forest vibrated around me, every detail magnified a thousand times. Everything was buzzing with life; even a "dead" rock was teeming with tiny creatures, and I could sense thriving ecosystems beneath the surface. I could hear birds chirping and knew exactly how far away they were; I heard the soft thud of a rabbit's jump and caught the scent of a passing deer. I wanted to cry—not from sadness, but because I was so acutely present. My senses were on fire.

Dhalia—or rather her wolf, Sane—motioned for me to follow. We ran. It was effortless, as if my body instinctively knew every stone and pebble. The speed wasn't frightening; it was liberating. I never wanted to shift back. I could stay like this forever. Vile could feed me when I got tired of hunting, and all my problems, which admittedly weren't that many, would vanish. After all, no one spills soda on a wolf, do they?

We reached a stretch of sandy beach by a large lake. Nearby, the Gathering site was a hive of activity, with houses, tents, and an arena being erected. I saw Jack, Zac, and Vidar among the workers. Felt the life, the buzzing and smelt the sweat. However, first things first.

I took a few tentative steps out into the water and looked down. The big furry face of a blonde wolf stared back at me. Once again, emotion overwhelmed me. Since wolves can't cry, my joy came out as a excited and loud howl that made the entire construction crew pause. Good thing wolves can't blush either.