Chapter 14: The Right Timing

Charlotte.

As soon as my blood made contact with the squirrel, it vanished instantly and I was struck by a powerful force from an unknown source. The impact was so strong that I fell to the ground, unable to withstand it.

Much to my surprise, I found myself levitating in the air, and the pain in my chest had disappeared completely. I looked around and saw everyone staring at me in shock, but I couldn't understand what was happening. It all occurred so quickly - one moment I was floating in the air, and the next my bones were expanding, as if I were being torn apart.

I felt a burning sensation spread out across my body which led me to let out a painful cry. My clothes were being torn to shreds, but that was the least of my concerns. It felt as though my consciousness was being locked away in a dusty old room, while a new entity took over.

Suddenly, lightning appeared in the sky and struck me directly. Surprisingly, I felt no pain. Instead, a strange surge of electricity coursed through my veins, spreading throughout my entire body and filling me with an unfamiliar energy. The action repeated itself, and I found myself surrounded by a white flame. I couldn't help but wonder what was happening, but before I could come to any conclusions, the strange occurrence vanished into thin air, as if it had never been there. From my elevated position, I looked down upon the people below, who appeared tiny and filled with fear as they stared at me. The Queen, however, had a look on her face that I couldn't quite decipher.

Multiple arrows were suddenly aimed at me, leaving me bewildered and unsure of how to react. But, a mysterious voice in my head reassured me not to panic. To my astonishment, the arrows froze in mid-air upon reaching me and swiftly turned back towards their senders, striking them with even greater force. The attackers fell to the ground in agony, while the remaining men retreated in fear.

Taking a moment to process the situation, I examined my transformed appearance. It became apparent that I had unknowingly possessed the form of a wolf, as I now bore a stunning white coat that shimmered like silver in the sunlight.

"I've been waiting for this moment for so long," I murmured, uncertain if I could communicate with my newfound wolf companion. However, I was taken aback when she responded, "As have I, but the timing had to be right."

Though I longed to converse further with my wolf, there was no time as the assailants charged towards me with full force, convinced that their combined strength could overpower me. I felt a wave of uncertainty wash over me, but my wolf seemed to possess a deeper understanding.

With a powerful strike of her paw upon the ground, the earth trembled as if an earthquake had struck. And, only the intruders were affected, as the ground beneath them opened up and swallowed them whole. I marveled at this inexplicable phenomenon, as the crack swiftly closed, leaving no trace of their existence. In the blink of an eye, they had vanished, as if they were never here at all. ‘Can you believe it? I just did that, it all seemed surreal.’

The entire pack gathered outside, observing me as I struggled to figure out how to react or transform back into my human form. Playing with my wolf a little longer wouldn't be so bad; I wanted to savor this experience in case I could never shift again, just like before.

Suddenly, I turned around and dashed into the woods, effortlessly gliding through the trees like the wind. Never in my life had I felt so alive. I had always wondered what it would be like to run freely in the wild with my wolf, and now I was finally experiencing it. Truly I must say, it feels like heaven.

"I'm Leah," my wolf introduced herself as we sprinted through the forest. I wanted to introduce myself back, but she probably already knew who I was.

"You were incredible back there," she praised. "How did you know to step in front of the squirrel?" Now that I think about it, I don't know. It just happened in an instant. Maybe it was because I wanted to protect my family. Yes, I now saw them as my family, but I couldn't pinpoint exactly when this shift in perspective occurred. I came to a halt by the river and paused to take a drink. Suddenly, my ears picked up on movement behind me. Someone was about to attack. Without hesitation, I swiftly ducked and delivered a punch to their face, without bothering to see who it was.

Iris tumbled to the ground, and horror washed over me. "Oh my god," I gasped, immediately transforming back into my human form and rushing to her side. I offered a hand for her to take, but she swatted it away and stood up on her own. A bruise appeared on her cheek, and I felt instant remorse.

"It was a mistake, please don't take it personally."

"I don't care about your apology," she said. "We aren't friends, and I definitely deserved to be hit." The last part of her statement caught me off guard, but for the first time, I found myself agreeing with her words. I could sense her guilt.

"How about we consider it even and reconcile?" I suggested, but it seemed like we didn't share the same perspective.

"Reconcile, you say?" she asked, laughing as if she couldn't believe her ears. "The stunt you pulled earlier must have made you feel special. But, I'm here to warn you that the title of the strongest warrior in the pack will always belong to me. And I don't just say it with my words, but I also challenge you to a duel. What do you say, Charlotte? Are you brave enough to accept?"