"Why are you here?" I inquired.Danielle rolled up her sleeve, revealing an angry, circular scar. "I was chosen. Or something like that. But my pack said women can't be chosen. So they burned it off.""A crescent mark?" I'd never heard of a woman receiving a mark from the goddess.She explained, "The mark of a protector. Ironic, isn't it, that I ended up discarded after it appeared.""I'm so sorry," I expressed my sympathy."It's better this way. I didn't need their nonsense. I'm happy here. I've found a home and a kind of family. Sure, people come and go, but some of us will never leave. We have each other's backs," she shared.Curiosity led me to inquire, "What about Tony? What's his story?"
"I didn't do anything in that regard; he was already asking around on your behalf," she said."Probably ready to be rid of me," I remarked.She shrugged nonchalantly. "Could be. But I heard he was trying to find you a cot, too. So, he must not be counting on you leaving too quickly.""Well, that's very kind of him," I said."He's got a nice guy streak. He just doesn't let it out often. Especially not around people he just met. You've made quite the impression on him," she said playfully.I responded with a hint of skepticism, "I'm not sure I like what you're insinuating.""You do know sex is normal, especially after a shift," she commented. "Plus, there's the whole perk of being a shifter and not having to worry abou
From my earliest memories, I recalled being told I'd never shift. That I was cursed, broken, no good. I'd been told it wasn't even possible before I ever tried. But that wasn't right. You couldn't try to shift. The first shift happened. It wasn't anything done on the part of the shifter."Why didn't I shift at the full moon like everyone else?" I asked, my voice tinged with frustration."Because you didn't want to," she said, her tone calm and matter-of-fact."Sure I did. If I could shift, I wouldn't have been so weak," I replied, my memories of those helpless moments haunting me. I would have given anything to be able to protect myself."You had a plan in place, didn't you?" she asked, her eyes keenly studying me."Yeah. I was going to run," I confesse
I trailed behind Megan as we ventured deeper into the woods, leaving the campsite and its tents far behind. It dawned on me that without her guidance, I'd have been utterly lost. Tony's warning about not making it to town was proving accurate. I had no sense of direction in this unfamiliar wilderness. Every direction appeared identical, an endless sea of trees.I halted in my tracks, pointing towards a small cabin nestled among the trees. "What's that? Are there humans living out here?"Megan chuckled softly. "Nah, that's Tony's place."I stared at the quaint cabin and wondered if Tony was inside at that very moment. What did he do all day as the non-alpha of this wild pack? And why did his home seem so isolated from the others?"Why does he live in a cabin while everyone else is in tents?
Something was definitely amiss here, but I couldn't determine if it had malicious intentions behind it. Regardless, I had no intention of going to Tony's cabin for a shower, even though the idea of one seemed heavenly right now. I was determined to find the lake on my own.I retraced my steps, following the path I had taken with Megan, but it didn't take long for me to realize that I was hopelessly lost without guidance. Damn it, why was I so terrible at navigation? My sense of direction left much to be desired.Finding the lake seemed like a lost cause, but I figured I could at least locate Danielle's tent. I turned around and managed to make my way back to camp, heading towards Danielle's tent. As I walked, I couldn't help but ponder the true nature of the situation I had gotten myself into.My mind was a jumbled mess as I weighed the limited information available, trying to assess the pros and cons. There was so much I didn't know about my newfound friends. Throughout my life, I had
**Chapter Title: "A Chilly Revelation"**As Tony had foreseen, the lake lay before us, desolate and tranquil. I remained smudged with the grime, dirt, and remnants of my tumultuous last night at Wolf Bay. At this point, I cared little for the lake's cold embrace; all I needed was to cleanse away the trauma any way I could."I'll try to find you some fresh clothes," Danielle offered. "Are you okay on your own for a while?""Yeah, thanks," I replied. "As long as I don't have to navigate my way back alone, I should be fine.""We really should get you a compass," she teased.I chuckled. "Hopefully, I'll get the hang of this soon."With a wave, Danielle left me alone by the expansive lake's shore. The water resembled glass, a still and silvery gray surface occasionally shivering from the breeze's gentle ripples. I took a moment to gaze at the island in the lake's center, a peaceful sentinel shrouded in thick trees, seemingly a wild, adventurous place. I couldn't help but wonder if anyone e
A colossal pile of wood had been meticulously arranged, creating a towering centerpiece within the common area. All the tables and seating had been cleared away, leaving the grassy space open with the future bonfire at its heart. As Danielle playfully added her kindling to a small pile next to the wood, she emphasized the significance of the event. "I told you. It's kind of a big thing. Any excuse for a party, right?" I shared the meager details of my pack's full-moon ceremonies, which mainly involved solemn rituals for the newly minted nineteen-year-olds."Though," I admitted, "I'm sure there were parties I wasn't invited to."Danielle draped her arm over my shoulders, and I felt a warm sense of belonging that I hadn't experienced before. "Not anymore," she asserted, welcoming me into this unique family of feral shifters.It was a feeling I cherished as we exchanged smiles, a newfound hope for genuine belonging beginning to blossom.With excitement, Danielle disclosed her secret t
The shifters around me retreated from the blazing bonfire, their triumphant yells dissolving into primal howls. The atmosphere pulsated with electric energy, a shared sense of joy and exhilaration coursing through every one of us. It was a breathtaking spectacle, and I found myself immersed in the euphoria of the moment.Then, almost as if by an unspoken command, clothing began to be discarded. Shirts were flung aside, pants abandoned on the ground, and undergarments and bras took flight through the night air. There were no formal speeches or ceremonial proclamations; they simply embraced their natural state of undress. However, this fleeting display of nudity was short-lived, as they swiftly made their way toward the looming woods, their transformation commencing seamlessly while in motion.I stood there, my mouth agape, awestruck by their graceful metamorphosis. Not a single one appeared to convulse or struggle; the