Rejecting The Future Moon Goddess [Amazon Edition]

Chapter 12 - A Shift in Life

Chapter 12 – A Shift in Life

Morning came quicker than I thought as light streams in from the large window and into my eyes. After Ira's last words to us, Alex and I concluded that no matter what, we would create our own pack. I would accept my birth father when I meet him and build a relationship with him and any family from either side of my mother and father, but the thought of joining another pack over being able to create my own brought a sense of unease. I never wanted to be under someone else's power again.
Looking towards Alex still fast asleep beside me, I smile and silently creep out of bed and tiptoe to the door and out into the hallway. My goal, shift for the first time consciously and test my wolf form out. The halls of the Temple of the Goddess were a twist and turn, making it harder for me to find any exit and make my way outside where I can shift without worry of destroying something inside. Finally, a member of the Temple Acolyte notices my lost and confused self , taking the time to talk with me and guiding me to the nearest exit. Fresh air surrounds me quickly as I take in the view of a clearing full of wild flowers mixed with moon flowers. Large trees surround the clearing, their fall colours indicating winter would be coming faster than expected adds to the beauty surrounding the Temple.
"If you need anything else Miss Geminie, let a member of the temple know." The she wolf brings my attention back to her and away from the beauty of the old Canadian Maples, large Birch, many species of straight Pines and many sturdy Oak trees in the forest before me that I could not wait to run through. The scent of pure nature bringing a comfort to me that no other place other than the Hidden Valey has brought. After thanking her, the Temple Acolyte walks back inside, leaving me alone to bask in the peaceful nature. With a smile, I make my way closer to the forest, the sun warm against my skin and the cool soft grass tickle my feet. The care free feeling I have never felt till now feels so liberating in this moment. I take a moment to sit in the clearing, the scent of wild flowers mixed with the scent of maple and pine surrounding me. I could see why the temple was set up here and why wolves use it as a sanctuary when needing to escape a horrible pack. It brought a sense of security and calmness to ones mind and soul, a place to be closer to the Moon Goddess, to my mother. This also made the perfect setting to shift for the first time consciously.
With a grin and excitement of finally being able to run in wolf form, I jump to my feet and stretch, thinking about what my wolf may look like. I take a deep breath, letting the calming scent of my surrounds wash over me as my mind is clear of everything but the shift. Of my body changing from human to beast. Paws hitting the forest floor and running past the trees. Wind flowing through fur.
And then the pain comes.
Falling onto my hands and knees I feel my spine contort and bones snap as the pain causes me to open my mouth in a silent scream. Tears flow from my eyes and fearing for my life, I fight against the shift. But fighting only made the pain worse. My heart begins to beat faster, as if my body is fighting death itself.
"Let it happen." A deep husky voice calls out, causing me to turn and face the owner of it. Leaning against the nearest oak tree is a tall male, dressed in a navy V-neck shirt and dusty jeans. A pair of black hiking boots on his feet. His body screams of a powerful male with sun tanned skin that I know even if he were to hide inside for a month would never change in colour and long black hair pulled back into a bun on his head. Traces of tattoos peak from the collar of his shirt and an easy going grin graces his lips.
"If you keep fighting the shit, you'll kill yourself. You don't seem like the type to give up your life so accept the shift. Accept the pain and take a deep breath." He continues, pushing off from the tree and slowly walking towards me. I feel no malice or threat in him directed at me, only amusement and concern. I whimper from the pain, but nod in understanding and close my eyes. I think about the shift, accepting it as the speed of my bones break move from a slow torture to breakneck speed. A speed that, although painful, is gone in a split second. My body realigns itself with each break and shift in bones, my face elongates into that of a muzzle, and my hair retreats into my scalp while fur sprouts from my skin. Soon, I find myself panting, laying in the clearing with remnants of the nightgown I was wearing nothing but torn rags around me.
"Better little wolf?" The mysterious man asks with a chuckle. I nod in response, letting out a sigh and rolling around on the grass happily. It felt liberating in fur form, more natural to me. The man chuckles at my pup like action, his dark forest green eyes never leaving my form even as I lay back quietly, my tail thumping against the earth.
"Why don't you try standing and test out your legs." He suggests, getting a yip of approval from me in response and another chuckle from him. A small pang shoots through my heart with his constant chuckling, thinking about the mate bind I had lost days ago due to the rejection. Although mystery man is attractive and definitely the definition of a true man, my heart still yearned for the bond of my soulmate even if logic knows it will never happen. I guess my emotions must have shown on my wolfish face as I soon find finger running through my fur in a comforting manner.
"What or who ever made you sad and seek sanctuary here little wolf, they aren't worth it. You have a beautiful wolf form and a bright future ahead of you, I can feel it." His compliment and gentle words settle the pain in my heart. This stranger is right, Mika did not deserve me after the years of pain he put me through. I will do better than Hidden Claws.
"Now about that standing thing." The subject is changed, causing me to roll my eyes at this friendly stranger as he slowly backs away from me, giving me enough space to move but close enough that I feel like he will catch me if something happens. I knew from my rolling around earlier that I can move in some form but standing would be another challenge to me. Testing each limb gingerly, stretching and testing to see the strength I have, I slowly push my body off from the ground. Some attempts left me to tumble back to the soft grass, happy to be close to the ground already, until finally on shaky, unsteady legs I finally stood. Throughout my attempt to stand that I assume took about thirty minutes, give or take, the man before me laughed every time I fell or my paw slipped out from under me, causing me to growl in frustration at his "support".
"I am going to guess and say you are new at this little wolf." He states with a deep chuckle and I roll my eyes at him. 'Thank you for pointing that out, Captain Obvious.' I think wishing I could link him this sarcastic retort but sadly cannot. The eye roll seems to elicit another chuckle from this friendly jerk and I let out a small growl at him.
"Okay, okay. I get it, not amusing." He surrenders, hands up as he backs away with a grin.
"Why don't you try walking towards me now. See how your legs feel and if you can get used to the new co-ordination you'll have to perform in wolf form." Now this was helpful as I nod at his words. I slowly move my front left leg, testing my balance first while lifting it into the air and slowly putting it back down, repeating the same movement with each leg in turn. I'd be an idiot to start walking right away knowing I would fall flat on my snout and cause this friendly man into a laughing fit at my expense. Of course every now and then I had to shake my head to move the long tuft of fur from my eyes as not to impede my progress. That's when the stranger steps in and uses an extra hair tie to tie it back out of my eyes and allows me to resume testing my balance once more. Once confident enough with my balance, I take my first steps. Then another, and another. At first I am wobbling like a new born dear, feeling like at any moment my legs would give out. But once muscle memory kicks in, my walking speed slowly increases and I find myself less cautious of each step. Withing another five steps it feels like I have been walking in wolf form since the day I was born. As natural as breathing I confidently trot towards the man, my tongue lolling out the left side of my mouth as happiness fills me. I watch as he slowly backs away from me, close enough to catch me if need be, but always moving and making me move towards him until he stops and I find myself standing in front of him, feeling triumphant at this accomplishment. His hands ruffle my fur, removing the hair tie from it as the long tuff falls once again in place.
"Good job little wolf! Now smile." His word of praise fills my ears and they quirk up, my tail thumping happily. A flash and a clicking sound follow quickly, making me jump and growl in surprise.
"Sorry little wolf. I didn't mean to scare you but I thought you would like to see what you look like." He apologises, turning the latest Samsung screen towards me. My eyes widen as I take a look at the live photo, a pure white wolf clearly depicted. Her silver grey eyes hold a look of confidence and triumphant in their depth. Her white fur is full and healthy, the gentle breeze flowing through it and causing the sun to reflect off of it like a prism. Hues of different colours constantly changing direction in the live photo where each ray of sun hits, the wild flowers dancing around her. A tuft of long fur, almost like bangs, covering the left side of her face. The final touches are the small patches of silver fur with swirls and stars climbing up part of her paws. She is beautiful...No...I AM beautiful.
"Have enough staring?" The man asks and I nod, moving my eyes from the screen to him and watching as he puts his phone away and takes off his shirt and pants. Happy for the fur covering my face I blush and turn to look away, hearing another of his deep chuckle at my reaction.
"How about we play little wolf!" He exclaims playfully, the sounds of his own shift making me whip my head in his direction where a pure black wolf with a tuft of fur in the shape of a diamond in the center of his forehead is placed. His forest green eyes hold a hint of playfulness and his teeth nip at my "bangs" before he takes off, me hot on his trail as the chase ensues.