Chapter 36

Rosemary

I barely catch up with Ethan, his strides determined as he moves away.

“Hey, where are you going?” I asked, breathless from the chase.

“To get Amber. The moon’s almost at its peak.” His voice was sharp, but I could hear the weight behind his words.

“Why did you leave Nathaniel hanging like that?” I pressed, still confused by what had just happened.

“It’s a conversation for another day, Rose. You’re going to miss your chance if we don’t move.”

I nodded, understanding the urgency, though the tension in the air was thick. We reach Amber’s house, and she’s already outside, standing still, holding a glass bottle in her hand. The gravity of the moment settles on my chest like a weight I can’t shake.

“Let’s go. We don’t have much time,” Amber said, her voice calm but resolute.

We follow her back to the clearing, where everyone else is already waiting - silent, expectant. Ethan had promised me that once I shift, they would all shift with me, to make my wolf feel less alone. Grace had brought me a robe, something I didn’t even think to ask for, and I’m grateful for her foresight as I pulled it around myself, trying to steady the rising panic in my chest. My heartbeat feels erratic, and the nausea that plagued me earlier threatens to return. I cling to Ethan for support, afraid to voice my fears aloud.

I pulled away from him and glanced up at the sky. The moon is almost there, hanging high and full, casting a pale glow over the clearing.

“There are twelve minutes until the moon reaches its peak,” Grace said, checking her phone, her voice steady.

Amber approaches me, placing the glass bottle in my hand. “A minute before the peak, you’ll need to drink this. You must drink every drop. And while you’re shifting, remember my words - you have to get through it.”

I nodded, gripping the bottle tightly as silence fell over the group, my hand sweating around the cold glass. The minutes stretch on, my heartbeat louder in my ears than the rustling leaves around us. Every second feels like an eternity.

“It’s time,” Grace announces softly, her voice cutting through the silence.

Ethan steps forward, his eyes meeting mine with an unspoken promise. He takes my arm and bites down gently, his canines piercing my skin. A sharp pain shoots through me, but before I can react, he presses a soft kiss against the wound, soothing the sting.

I open the bottle, bringing the bitter, purple liquid to my lips. It burns as it slides down my throat, every gulp tasting like poison. I struggle to keep it down, and for a moment, nothing happens. A minute passed, and I began to doubt, to wonder if everything was a mistake and that I was not the right person.

But then it hits.

Dizziness overtakes me, my head spinning wildly, my skin tingling like it’s on fire. I stumble, reaching for a nearby tree to steady myself as the world around me tilts. My body feels like it’s tearing itself apart from the inside, my teeth aching, my skin burning. The night’s cool air only intensifies the sensation, doing nothing to soothe the sweat pouring off me. The dizziness intensifies, and I throw up. I start to fall, but I feel hands catching me, the touch foreign against my skin.

Then, the pain starts. Real pain. Bone-deep agony. It’s as if every bone in my body is breaking, one by one, the sound sickening, the sensation unbearable. A guttural sound leaves my throat, something between a scream and a growl. I started hearing my bones breaking, one by one, the sound sickening me even more. My vision blurs as fur begins to sprout from my skin, my jaw painfully elongating into a snout, my hands turning into claws. Every bone in my body aches, and I feel like I’m breaking.

Every nerve screams, every muscle spasms, and I feel like I’m being torn apart from the inside out. The world becomes a blur of pain and fire, my blood boiling in my veins, and I’m sure I’m dying.

But then…everything stops.

It’s silent, eerily so, like the whole world is holding its breath.

Hello, a voice whispers in my mind.

Who are you? I think, my thoughts frantic, disoriented.

I’m you, the voice said calmly.

What do you mean?

I’m your wolf, and I’m a part of you.

For a second, I think I’m losing my mind, but I take a wobbly step forward, noticing the unfamiliar weight of my body. My legs are covered in white fur, and when I take another step, steadier this time, I can sense them - Ethan, Nathaniel, Grace, Dylan, and even Liam - all around me. Four wolves bow their heads, and a large black wolf, Ethan’s wolf, stands beside me.

I try to laugh, but it comes out as a wolfish growl.

Welcome to the pack, Ethan’s voice echoes in my head.

I glance at his wolf with what I think is a puzzled expression, trying to wrap my mind around this strange new connection.

Try to concentrate and think about talking with me.

I try to do just that. Can you hear me?

Loud and clear, he responds with a playful tone.

Wow, this is incredible. I break the connection and take off running, faster than I’ve ever moved before. The ground beneath my paws feels alive, every step exhilarating. Behind me, I can hear the others following, but soon, I’m far ahead, the forest rushing by in a blur.

Eventually, I stop, panting softly by a creek, my reflection catching my eye. Staring back at me is a white wolf with glowing eyes - my eyes.

This is us, said the voice in my head.

I can see that.

I have been waiting for you to wake me up for a long time, but our journey isn’t complete.

What do you mean?

But the voice is gone.

I step into the creek, letting the cold water cool my fur. The peace doesn’t last long, though. A rustling sound from behind catches my attention, and I turn to see Ethan’s black wolf standing at the edge of the creek, watching me.

You run faster than any wolf I’ve ever seen. We lost track of you before we even realized, his voice filled my mind.

How did you find me? I ask, still amazed at the way our thoughts are connected.

Your scent, love. You will get the hang of it sooner rather than later.

He steps into the water, towering over me, his presence calming and powerful.

You are so beautiful, he whispers.

I hear the sound of bones breaking, and before me stands Ethan, human again, his body gleaming in the moonlight. His manhood is hanging heavily between his thighs, but I can’t help but focus on the gentle smile tugging at his lips.

How do I do that? I ask, eager to shift back.

“Concentrate on the small things - your skin, your bones, your blood,” he explains. “Picture yourself turning human again.”

I closed my eyes, following his instructions. The shift was painful, but not as much as before, and definitely quicker this time. Finally, I stood before him, human once again, the cold water wrapping around us both.

He pulls me into a hug, his warmth seeping into my skin. “I knew you could do it.”

“I wasn’t so sure, but it was awesome,” I admit with a laugh, looking up at him.

Just as our lips meet, a shout cuts through the night air.

“There you are! It took us forever to track you,” Nathaniel’s voice rings out from behind.

I turn to see the others approaching in human form, naked and unbothered.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much naked skin in one place,” I said with a chuckle.

“You’ll get used to it, dear. Werewolves don’t have much shame,” Grace replies, smirking.

“Well, as much as this is straight out of my bisexual fantasy, I’m freezing and starving,” I said, laughing.

Their laughter fills the clearing as the sounds of shifting fill the air once again. I smile to myself and prepare to shift back into my wolf, ready to run with them.