Chapter 5

Calla's Perspective

The next few days passed in a strange blur of normalcy punctuated by moments of surreal supernatural planning. I attended school, sat through classes, and participated in the everyday routines of senior year, all while knowing that everything was about to change permanently.

Anya had called the day after our meeting to check on me and arrange the details for my eighteenth birthday—which was now just three days away. The plan was simple: I would spend the day with Mom and Dad as normal, then meet Anya and Thorne in the evening for what she carefully termed "your transition."

"It's important that you have a normal birthday with your family," Anya had explained over the phone. "They've given you eighteen years of love and stability. They deserve to celebrate the young woman they've raised before you... before you discover another part of yourself."

Maya had become my co-conspirator and emotional support system, helping me navigate the weird double life of pretending everything was normal while preparing for something impossible. She'd thrown herself into research mode, reading everything she could find about werewolf mythology online.

"Most of this is probably garbage," she'd said, sprawled across my bedroom floor with her laptop, "but some of the folklore might have kernels of truth. Did you know that in some traditions, the first shift is supposed to happen under a full moon?"

"Is there a full moon on my birthday?" I'd asked, though part of me already knew the answer.

Maya had checked her astronomy app and grinned. "Three days away and counting. Your timing is either really convenient or really ominous."

Now, as I sat through calculus on my actual birthday morning, I could feel something building inside me. My wolf had been restless all week, her presence stronger and more insistent with each passing day. This morning, she felt... expectant. Like she was waiting for something she knew was coming.

"Today," she whispered during lunch, the single word carrying the weight of destiny.

I managed to make it through the school day without incident, though I caught myself fidgeting constantly and snapping at Mike Henderson when he tried to ask to borrow a pen. My senses felt hyperactive—every sound too loud, every scent too strong, every emotion too intense.

"You okay?" Maya asked as we walked to our cars after the final bell. "You seem... wound tight."

"It's tonight," I said simply, and Maya nodded with understanding. She was the only person in my normal life who knew what was really happening, and her steady presence had been keeping me grounded all week.

"Call me afterward?" she asked. "I mean, assuming you can still use a phone as a wolf."

I laughed despite my nerves. "I'll figure it out. Wish me luck."

"You don't need luck," Maya said firmly. "You just need to trust yourself. And remember—no matter what happens tonight, you're still you."

The birthday dinner was a bittersweet affair. Mom had made all of my favorite foods—her grandmother's lasagna recipe, Caesar salad with extra croutons, and a chocolate cake that was more frosting than cake, exactly the way I'd requested every year since I was seven.

Dad regaled us with embarrassing stories from my childhood, his eyes bright with paternal pride. Mom kept touching my arm or smoothing my hair, small gestures that spoke to a mother's instinct that something was changing, even if she couldn't identify what.

"Eighteen," Mom said softly as I blew out my candles. "Where did the time go?"

"She's not going anywhere, honey," Dad said gently, but I caught the slight tightness around his eyes. He'd always been perceptive, had probably noticed the recent changes in my behavior even if he couldn't explain them.

As we cleaned up from dinner, I found myself memorizing details—the way Mom hummed under her breath while loading the dishwasher, the sound of Dad's laugh at something silly on TV, the comfortable rhythm of a family that had learned to fit together perfectly despite having no biological obligation to do so.

These people had given me everything they had. When they learned the truth about what I was—and eventually, they would have to—their world would change as dramatically as mine had. I could only hope their love would be strong enough to bridge the gap between the daughter they'd raised and the werewolf I was becoming.

At 10:00, I kissed both my parents goodnight, accepting their birthday wishes and promises to celebrate more over the weekend. I retreated to my room, ostensibly to get ready for bed, but actually to prepare for the most important night of my life.

Maya had wanted to be there, but Anya had gently explained that first shifts were typically private, family-only affairs. The trauma and vulnerability of the transformation made it too dangerous for non-pack members to witness, especially humans who didn't understand what was happening. I was nervous Anya would be upset I told a human about things but she seemed understanding that I needed someone to talk to and asked that I limit it to just her. Maya had also made me promise to text her as soon as I was back in human form, no matter what time it was.

At 11:00 sharp, I slipped out through the back door and found Thorne waiting at the edge of our property line. He smiled when he saw me, but I could see the tension in his shoulders.

"Ready for this?" he asked gently.

"No," I admitted. "But I don't think that matters anymore."

"It rarely does," he agreed. "But Calla, I want you to know—whatever happens tonight, you're not alone. My mother will be there to guide you through this, and I'll be there for support. Dad is going to come by too, he was at an Alpha Conference when you came over before and is excited to meet you. You're family and we’ll be there for you."

We drove in comfortable silence, eventually parking close to where we did last time and then walking to a location deep in the woods. Eventually, we reached a small clearing where Anya was waiting, along with a man I didn't recognize.

"Calla," Anya said warmly, embracing me as I got out of the car. "Happy birthday, dear one. This is my mate, Alric, the Alpha of Moonveil. But he’s here as an uncle tonight - he wanted to be here for your first shift."

Alric was an imposing figure—tall and broad-shouldered, with silver-streaked hair and the kind of quiet authority that made you want to stand up straighter. But his eyes were kind, and when he shook my hand, his grip was gentle.

"It's an honor to meet you, Calla," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Your father Korran was my best friend, and your mother was like a sister to me. When we thought we'd lost you along with them..." He paused, composing himself. "Seeing you here, alive and well—it's a miracle I never dared hope for."

The mention of my birth parents sent a pang through my chest, but it was accompanied by something like comfort. These people had known them, had loved them. Through them, I could learn about the woman and man who'd given me life, even if I'd never have the chance to know them myself.

"The shift will hurt the first time," Anya explained as she led me to the center of the clearing. "I won't lie to you about that. But it's not the kind of pain that means something's wrong. It's growing pain, transformation pain. The pain of becoming who you're meant to be. And each time after the pain will be less and less."

She handed me a flowing white dress, simple but beautiful. "It's traditional to wear white for your first shift. The dress will be... well, it won't survive the transformation, so don't get too attached to it."

I changed behind a cluster of trees, and when I emerged in the white dress, I felt somehow more myself than I had in my own clothes. The fabric was soft and light, moving with me like it was made for supernatural purposes.

"Now," Anya said gently, "I need you to listen to your wolf. Don't fight what's happening—embrace it. Let her guide you through this."

I closed my eyes, feeling for the presence that had quickly become such a constant part of my internal landscape. My wolf was there, stronger than ever, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Ready," I whispered aloud.

The first sensation was heat, starting in my chest and radiating outward until my entire body felt like it was burning from the inside. Then came the pressure, as if my skeleton was trying to reshape itself from within. Which, I realized with a mixture of terror and wonder, was exactly what was happening.

But Anya was right—it wasn't the pain of injury or illness. It was the pain of becoming, of shedding one form to embrace another. And underneath the physical discomfort was something else: joy. Pure, wild, overwhelming joy as my wolf finally, finally broke free.

The transformation seemed to take both forever and no time at all. When it was over, I found myself on four legs, my vision sharper, my hearing impossibly acute, my sense of smell revealing layers of information I'd never imagined existed.

I looked down at my paws—golden fur catching the moonlight like spun metal—and felt my wolf's satisfaction like a warm glow in my chest.

"Perfect," she murmured. "We are exactly as we should be."

"Extraordinary," Alric breathed, and I looked up to see all three of them staring at me with expressions of awe and something

approaching reverence.

"I've never seen anything like it," Anya whispered, tears streaming down her face. "A golden wolf. In all my years, in all the stories passed down through generations..."

"What does it mean?" Thorne asked, his voice hushed with wonder.

"It means," Alric said quietly, "that we've been blessed with something miraculous. Golden wolves are spoken of in our oldest legends, but most of us believed they were myth. Calla isn't just a werewolf—she's something extraordinary."

I felt a moment of panic at their reactions. I'd expected to be different—werewolves themselves were hardly common—but I hadn't expected to be... legendary.

"We are what we are meant to be," my wolf said calmly. "Special does not mean burdened. It means gifted."

Anya approached slowly, her own wolf form emerging as she shifted to greet me properly. She was beautiful in wolf form—silver and gray with intelligent hazel eyes. Thorne and Alric followed suit, their transformations as fluid as breathing.

Thorne's wolf was russet-brown with amber eyes, even larger than Alric's massive black form. All three approached me with the complex body language of pack greeting—welcoming, protective, and deeply respectful.

And then we were running.

I had thought I understood what it meant to be fast, but this was something beyond human comprehension. I flew through the forest as if gravity was optional, my paws barely seeming to touch the ground. Every scent told a story, every sound painted a picture of the living world around me.

I was myself, but more than myself. I was my wolf, but my wolf was me. We were one being, complete and whole and finally, finally home.

We ran for what felt like hours, exploring territory that felt like home. I chased Thorne through a babbling brook, playfully nipping at his heels while he led me through paths that twisted and turned. I raced Anya up a steep hillside, marveling at the strength and agility of my new form. Alric’s midnight black wolf seemed to be guarding us, but I cant’t imagine what from – we were all together and in his own pack.

When we eventually made our way back to the clearing, the shift back to human form was easier than the first transformation, though no less profound. I stood on two legs again, my skin tingling with residual energy, my white dress somehow intact despite everything I'd been told.

"How do you feel?" Anya asked softly.

I considered the question, searching for words adequate to describe the fundamental shift in my understanding of myself and the world.

"Complete," I said finally. "Like I've been living my whole life wearing a mask, and I finally get to take it off."

Thorne grinned, pulling on his shirt. "Welcome to the pack, cousin."

Anya turned to me, her eyes bright with curiosity and something like pride. "Now that you've officially met her, what's your wolf's name?"

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through my chest as she spoke to me with perfect clarity. "Lyra," I replied softly. "Her name is Lyra."

Anya nodded approvingly. "A beautiful name for a beautiful wolf."

As we prepared to leave the clearing, I felt a profound shift in my understanding of belonging. These people—my family, my pack—had witnessed my transformation and celebrated it. They'd seen me at my most vulnerable and welcomed what I became.

"We are home," Lyra said contentedly. "Finally and truly home."

Anya and Alric exchanged a meaningful look before Anya looked at me, her voice taking on the careful tone of someone delivering news that was both wonderful and dangerous. "Calla, Lyra is beautiful. But we have to tell you, golden wolves are incredibly incredibly rare. Maybe once every few hundred years rare. And they do appear in our oldest prophecies, with abilities that far exceed normal werewolf capabilities. Combined with the fact that you've had no training, no guidance in controlling your power..." She paused, glancing at her mate. "We need to be very careful how we proceed. Alric and I would like you to come train with Thorne every day—to learn control, to discover and understand your abilities—but we want to keep your presence here quiet for now. Just until we can research more about golden wolves and..." Her expression darkened slightly. "Until we can learn more about the group that destroyed your parents' pack. If they discover you survived, if they learn what you are, you could be in even greater danger than before.

The weight of their words settled over me like a heavy cloak. Special. Dangerous. Hidden. Just when I'd thought I finally understood what I was, the picture had become infinitely more complicated. I looked between Anya and Alric, seeing the mixture of pride and worry in their expressions, and felt Lyra stir restlessly in my mind.

"So I'm not just a werewolf," I said slowly, testing the words. "I'm some kind of... supernatural anomaly that people might want to kill specifically because of what I am." The laugh that escaped me held no humor. "And here I thought the hard part was just learning to shift."

"We will protect you," Alric said firmly, his Alpha authority making the promise feel like an unbreakable vow. "But yes, training is essential. Not just for your safety, but for everyone around you. Untrained power can be as dangerous as any enemy."

I nodded, though my mind was racing. Daily training meant daily lies to Mom and Dad, daily explanations for where I was going and why. It meant living a double life in ways I hadn't even considered. But looking at these three people—my family, my pack—I knew I didn't really have a choice.

The drive back to town was quiet, but it was the comfortable silence of people who had shared something sacred. When Thorne dropped me at the end of my street, I felt like I was returning from a long journey, even though I'd only been gone a few hours.

"I need to text my best friend," I said as I got out of the car. "She's probably worrying."

"Of course," Thorne said with understanding. "First shifts are big news."

I laughed, pulling out my phone. It was nearly 3 AM, but Maya had made me promise.

I'm back and I'm me. It was incredible, but also complicated. Will call you tomorrow.

The response came immediately: Thank god. Can't wait to hear everything. Get some sleep, birthday girl.

As I slipped back into the house and up to my room, I marveled at how everything looked exactly the same while feeling completely different. My childhood bedroom, my familiar belongings, even my reflection in the mirror—all unchanged, but seen now through eyes that understood what they were really looking at.

I was still Calla Merrin, daughter of Mom and Dad, best friend to Maya, senior at Willow's End High School. But I was also Calla, daughter of Isolde and Korran, niece to Luna Anya and Alpha Alric, cousin to Thorne, and golden wolf whose very existence was apparently the stuff of legends.

"Both lives are real," Lyra assured me as I finally settled into bed. "Both families love us. We are blessed."

As I drifted off to sleep, I could still feel the echo of the forest floor beneath my paws and the wind in my fur. Tomorrow, I would have to figure out how to navigate my two worlds. But tonight, I was complete in a way I'd never been before.