The Heart of the Shadow

15. Starting Over

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Ryka's POV
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The next morning I awake in immense pain. It blurs my vision and dampens my hearing.

"Mom!" I yell. She runs into my room and yells for my father.

   "Luke!" She screams.

   "What is it Maria?" He says as he walks into my room. "Ryka! What's wrong?!"

   "Pain. Everywhere." I groan and curl up into a ball.

   "Luke, she's getting her powers!"

   "Move, I will carry her outside. You call Mark and tell him to get to the clearing as fast as he can. Tell him to bring Kaiden, Harley, and the pack doctor Louise." My father picks me up and runs to the clearing as fast as he can. As soon as he sets me down on the grass I start to slowly shift into my wolf.

   "Scarlett! What is happening?!" I mind-link my wolf.

   "Let me take control. I can get rid of some of the pain. You can regain control once you have fully shifted." She answers.

  "Why is this so painful?! It's worse than when I first shifted! How are you so calm?! Why is this taking so long?!"

   "You are having to start all over with your shift because we are so powerful and we have to obtain our powers. We will each become stronger, taller, faster, smarter, and anything else that has to do with our powers. I am not completely sure what our power is yet so I don't know everything. The Moon Goddess spoke to me on your birthday and told me about what was going to happen."

   "How much longer until it is over?!"

   "It has only been going on for 20 minutes and it lasts an hour." As soon as she finishes I pass out from the pain.

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"She should be waking up any minute now. She's perfectly fine, no injuries at all, she will be a little sore though." I hear the pack doctor Louise say before walking away. I slowly open my eyes and see my parents, Harley, Kaiden, Mark, and Taylor.

"Ryka!" My Mother Maria yells. She runs over and hugs me.

"Maria! Be careful with her!" My father yells.

"I'm fine. I'm okay." I tell them. I stand up and lean on my mother.

"We thought you would never wake up!" Kaiden says. He runs over and hugs me. Harley growls and pulls Kaiden away from me. "Hey, Harley it's okay."

"Mine!" Harley yells.

"Yours."

"Already submitting Kaiden, I thought for sure you would top but I guess not." Mark teases. Kaiden growls and walks away with Harley. "We'll leave you all alone. You have many things to figure out." Mark and Taylor leave my parents and I alone in the clearing.

"Do you guys know anything about what is happening?" I ask.

"Yes. I have powers also." My mother responds. "Years ago when the Kings were first born the Moon Goddess decided that the Kings mates would have special powers to help in the war between the brothers. When the war started after each of the Kings had found their mates the powers were granted. The powers have been passed down from generation to generation. Only women can have these special powers. Your power is indicated by a mark on the back of your left ear. My mark is a flower. Your grandmothers is a cloud. Your great grandmothers is a tree. My flower has to do with the earth and so does your great grandmothers tree. The cloud has to do with the weather. You could have powers of earth, fire, water, air, time, healing, mind reading, memory erasing, sound, light, life, death, darkness, poison,and even emotion. Your grandmother once told me of something that has to do with force fields. I have a book on all of the powers if you want it. I'm sure I missed some of them. Shift into Scarlett and we can see which one you have." I shift into my wolf and my parents gasp. I shift back and they are both speechless.

"What? What is it?"

   "Your... your mark... your mark it's... it's everything. You have all the powers! How is that possible?! You can do anything! There is a legend about a very powerful wolf. A wolf that shifts at a very early age, has the power of a king/queen, a very powerful warrior, the greatest warrior in the world, one with a long line of great power. You are that wolf Ryka. You have to be. It is said that a great darkness will fall on the world and that this wolf has to save it everyone from it. Your mate has to be the most powerful Alpha in the world. You will have a stronger bond with your mate than any other pair. Your child will create a brand new power. This is amazing! We can only tell the Alpha, Luna, and soon to be Alpha's about this." I shift into my wolf and run to the pack house.

   "Scarlett. Are you okay?" I ask my wolf.

   "Yeah, a little tired but otherwise fine. I'm going to take a nap." She reassures as she retreats to the back of my mind. I run through the front door in my wolf form since it's already open. I run to Mark's office and see that the door is open. I walk into his office and see Mark, Taylor, Kaiden, and Harley.

   "Who are you?" Mark asks using his Alpha voice. I don't submit and he growls. He advances on me and I shift. He stops when he gets in front of me and looks very confused. "Ryka? You look different." He leads me to a mirror and see that I have several tattoos, I am taller, stronger, skinnier, my brown eyes and hair are darker, and I have an extremely powerful aura surrounding me. I turn around and see everyone kneeling.

   "Why are you doing that?" My voice has gotten deeper. They all flinch when I speak.

   "We can't resist. You have the power of a king. We must kneel." Kaiden answers.

   "Alpha, do you have a book about a powerful werewolf or know anything about one?" I ask.

   "You will not call me Alpha. I should be the one calling you that. Are you talking about the wolf that is supposed to save the world from darkness?" Mark responds.

   "Yes, I am that wolf."

   "I don't have a book on that but your mother would know the most about it."

   "Thank you Mark."

   "You are welcome."

   "None of you can tell anyone about this." I say.

   "Yes Ryka." They all answer. I run back to my house and fall asleep. I'll ask mother about the book in the morning.

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9/20/18
7/13/19