Shifting Games Novels & Stories

Not obvious, but there. And people were already moving toward it. He paused for a moment as something from earlier came back to him—the conversations, the arguments, the idea that this world wasn't being managed in the way games usually were. That whatever was happening here was running on its own. He let out a small breath, more out of habit than anything else, then stepped forward, moving with the rest of the players as the space ahead began to shift, the open area narrowing just enough that everyone naturally drifted in the same direction without needing to be told.

I feel pity for the big guy. Right now, Roman and I are in a stand-off against his cousins Menandro and Lara in a game called Sapo. It meant Choke the Frog, but without an actual frog. A figurine frog sat on top of an erected log in the middle of the garden. Each team has ten gold coins and all we have to do is aim for the frog’s mouth, choke the figurine. It was easier said than done. Each team hasn’t been able to choke the freaking open-mouthed frog yet. We only have four coins left for each team. Menandro missed another shoot. Lara’s aim was no good as well.

I almost choked on my drink when Tobi announced that we will start on packing up things. “Packing up?” I asked, confused. He nodded then “We will be moving to our new home.” Tobi’s parents nodded then happily smiled at me. “No need to be surprised, Andrea. We could help you with the transfer, that is if you need help?” I remained quiet since I don’t have any ideas as to where and when we are moving out. After having breakfast, I helped on packing up some things from Tobi’s bedroom though he was scolding me because he clearly told me not to help them pack at all.

If anything, he seems bored. “I’m certain You’ve all seen the dangers of this competition,” he says, his voice calm, almost casual. “This is not a game for the weak. So I’ll be giving you all one final chance to forfeit this game. If any of you wish to leave, now is your opportunity.” There’s silence. Then, a girl steps forward. Her hands are shaking, her face pale. “I—I want to leave,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. Another girl follows. Then another. And another.

Shane’s voice was steady, though his hands clenched tightly. “She looked out the window when the voice said not to. They don’t like it when you disobey.” “The what?” Shane didn’t answer her question right away. His eyes lingered on the girl with the rose blooming from her mouth, then slowly turned back to Farrah. “The ones who run this… whatever it is… they call it a game,” he said quietly. “But it’s not a game anyone wants to play.” Farrah’s hands clenched into a fist… “She’s dead, isn’t she?”

"Help me stop this." He tilted his head. Those eyes glinted like twin mirrors to some other world. "When something has begun," he said calmly, "you cannot stop it." And then the pain hit. Hot and wild burning sensation, tearing through my backbone like a thunderbolt. My muscles twisted. Bones cracked. My garments ripped at the seams. I screamed, not from fear, but from the sheer impossibility of what my body was doing. I was changing. Shifting. It wasn't supposed to be possible. The moon was gone. I had never shifted before. Not even get anywhere near.

"If Axion was here recently, it means they still have an eye on this place. Be on your guard." Just then, a small amount of movement caught my eye. The sky above was a gorgeous blue, captured by cameras and displayed on my HUD. A few grey clouds rolled lazily overhead. One of the clouds shimmered, seeming to shift direction for a moment, then was still again. My heart raced. Those flickers had to be visual fluctuations, a common bug in stealth tech. There was another dropship up there. Camouflaged. Waiting. "Martin..." I began. "I saw it, too," he replied.

After the war between humans and shifters, an alliance was formed to keep the peace. The price? Daughters of the human nobility had to choose a shifter as their mate. The first half-blood born from this union would become the new ruler, ensuring that peace would last. As the eldest daughter of the Morrison family, I was the first to be chosen. But right after I chose the wolf Alpha, Calvin, I saw a vision on our engagement day. Because I failed to conceive after six months, Calvin locked me in a cage, determined to use me as a vessel for his pure bloodline. After I finally gave birth to the prophesied hybrid, my sister, Trina, appeared, claiming she wanted to take care of me. But the truth

It was as if a part of me was fading, dissolving bit by bit. Still, avoiding shifting wasn’t an option. If I refused to change, both my mind and body would continue to break down, deteriorating faster than before. Lilith had warned me long ago, before she lost herself completely, that shifting was one of the few defenses against the cruel effects of the bond. It was a way to hold onto the pieces of myself that mattered, to stave off the slow unraveling. Despite my hatred for it, shifting remained the fragile thread keeping me from falling apart entirely.

Their speed would be reduced drastically and they wouldn't be in control of it. “And as for the shifting aspect, it's strictly forbidden. The wolves have their own wrestling show in their animal forms only and it's usually brutal. You know, filled with g0re. But for this tournament, we don't want bodies strewn over in bl00d so we forbade the shifting aspect,” Dakar had said to her the night before as they stood in the woods training. “And, that means you're totally acing this level. Trust me, babe. You're winning this,” Camper hailed with a bright smile and ruffled her hair.