Transformation

“Let's go to the shed, there is more space and my equipment is there”.

“What equipment?”

“You'll see!”

They went to the shed where she had stored the firewood. Lucine hadn't noticed before, some equipment that seemed like a martial arts gym, but all very improvised. There was even a punching bag, the kind used for boxing training.

“There are no gyms around here, so we have to improvise. In the elders' house there is a bigger one, for the betas to train”.

“Cool”, she said, touching the punching bag with her fingertips, as if she wanted to check its texture.

“Let's get started. Try to hit it as hard as you can, so I can get an idea of what we're dealing with”.

“I don't think so, it could be dangerous”.

“It's a punching bag, it won't get hurt”, Aram insisted.

“Fine, but back off”.

He took a few steps back and she prepared to throw a punch like she'd seen on television, which didn't mean Lucine had any idea what she was about to do. When she hit the bag, it tore and spread sand everywhere.

She jumped backwards to try to escape the dust, without much success. Aram approached her somewhat incredulous, assessing the damage.

“I think that was very enlightening!”, he said.

"It was, wasn't it? I don't think it will be necessary to repeat”, she asked, trying to make fun of the situation.

“Well, since that wouldn't be possible, let's go to the next part, where you try to transform”.

She was silent for a moment, as if her mind were working turning gears, until she answered.

“All right, but I have no idea what to do”.

Aram positioned her right in front of him, making her face him.

“With me it works like this, I take a deep breath and bring the beast from the inside out. I can feel the energy growing inside me, and when it takes on an almost uncontrollable proportion, the transformation happens. You need to concentrate and take a deep breath”.

“Got it”.

Lucine took a few steps away from him, fell silent, and closed her eyes. At first she didn't feel anything, but then she began to notice that she could manipulate the energy she felt inside her. Gradually she grew and grew, until she transformed into a she-wolf.

Aram was quite admired, her fur was a gray tone, exactly the same color as her hair. She was bigger than a normal werewolf, certainly because she was a supreme.

“Okay, now let’s see if you can easily return to human form”, he suggested.

But the she-wolf glared at him and circled around her clothes that had been scattered on the floor.  Immediately he got the message. When she transforms back, she will be naked and will need to dress again. The memory of what had happened earlier immediately returned to his memory.

 “All right, I’ll turn around”, he said, turning around on his back.

Returning to human form was easier than she imagined. She did that thing with the energy again, and it happened. Lucine quickly dressed because besides the embarrassment of being naked near to him again, the night was very cold.

"Okay, you can turn around".

He obeyed and stood in front of her.

“Let’s go in, it’s late. If my arm feels better tomorrow we'll go to the forest”.

“Okay. But you know what, I realized that transforming isn’t necessary. I feel like I have the same skills, transformed or not”.

“You probably do, but mastering transformation can be very useful. If you need to spend days in a forest, for example, it is much more practical and safer to stay in wolf form”.

“You’re right”.

The two walked back to the hut in silence. When they were entering the kitchen, Aram called her.

“Luciene, with all this, I forgot to mention. Ruthe invited us to dinner at her house tomorrow”.

“Ruthe?”

“The woman who helped you on the wedding day”.

“Oh, and wouldn’t you better go alone? I know I’m still not welcome in the places around here”.

“Well, at Ruthe's you are, apparently. She made it very clear that the invitation was for both of us. She also said that it's past time for Luna to start interacting with clan members”.

Lucine smiled, imagining the woman using that authoritative tone of voice she remembered, with the Alpha.

“It's just that the last time was very strange”, she said, alluding to the day she was attacked in the shed and he transformed into a beast to defend her.

“Yeah, but I think it’s time for everybody to get over it. Anyway, I don’t think you’re gonna be around much longer after all”.

For some reason his comment didn't please Lucine very much. She knew that he was only stating the obvious, that she could leave if she wanted to, but still it was not comfortable to hear him speak.