Rise [COMPLETED] - Book 1 of the Legends Series

Chapter Four

"Jules..." a voice whispered through the darkness. Jules? That nickname was so familiar, but I couldn't remember who used it.

"Jules...wake up..." the voice continued.

I blinked my eyes open and light flooded into them. My entire body felt sore and I wanted go back to sleep. I felt different. It was like my mind was the same, but my body was foreign. I tried to rise to my feet, but I could only stand on all fours. Realization hit me and I looked myself over. I  saw my body was covered in ivory fur and my hands and feet were replaced with paws.

I had shifted.

My brain was working on overdrive, trying to make sense on my new form. My sense of smell and sight had increased. I could hear the birds chirping outside and small animals running over the leaves. A ray of sunlight coming through a small window clearly revealed the dust floating in the air. They were more than just specks; they were silvery hairs dancing in the air.

I was circling around the room, trying to adjust to my new footing, when I heard the door begin to open.

"Juliet," a voice called. I looked to the door and saw my father enter with a blanket in his hands.

I took a few steps towards him and tried to speak, but it just came out like a mix between a bark and a whine. He chuckled and ran his fingers through my fur.

"It's okay sweetheart," he continued.

I could now smell my father's scent on the air. It was like an arctic breeze mixed with pine needles. He smelt like winter. There was another smell though. It was earthy with a hint of smoke. I could only compare it to a forest returning to life after a wildfire.

"Jasper," another person spoke, "can I..."

"Come on in Leo."

I whined. Of all people, why did he have to bring Leonardo?

Leonardo walked in and froze as soon as he made eye contact with me. His green eyes were now a golden color and glowing brightly. Maybe now that I had shifted his primal instinct was kicking in and he wanted to challenge me, prove that I was unfit to be alpha.

He stalked towards me and I growled. It was like he wasn't himself anymore, something primal had taken over.

"Leonardo," my father spoke sternly. Leo completely ignored him and continued towards me. My dad grabbed his arm and Leo growled. In an instant, he had Leonardo pinned against the wall by his throat. Leonardo may be our pack's next alpha, but he was no match for someone as experienced and powerful as my father.

"Calm. Down." My dad growled. Leo was breathing heavily and staring at my dad like he wanted to murder him. My dad's eyes began to glow as he tightened his grip on Leo's neck. After a few moments, Leonardo took a deep breath and closed his eyes, finally submitting.

My dad released him and walked over to me. Leonardo slumped to the ground on his knees as he caught his breath. My dad knelt down and looked into my eyes. "Now, I'm going to trigger your shift since you don't know how to do it yourself. It's only going to hurt for a moment, just don't fight it."

He placed his hand on my head and I felt a slight pressure. I felt stabbing needle points across my entire body but after a moment it numbed. My bones began to shift and fuse into new positions as my fur slowing thinned away. I squinted my eyes shut and when I opened them I was back to my human self. My dad wrapped the blanket around me and helped me to my feet.

"I feel like I just died," I breathed. I physically felt like I could run a marathon, but mentally I was just drained. I wanted to rest, but at the same time, I didn't want to sleep. Everything just felt weird.