6. Shifted

Pain. It was all she felt; the massive throbbing in her head and every part of her body, her bones breaking and rewiring to turn into a beast. It was her first time and she ought to feel that way. The pain was overwhelming and unbearable and the fact that she had to stifle her screams took a toll on her.

That was why every wolf's first shift was bound to happen under the care and support of the Elders. They would tell the young ones how to gain control of their inner wolf, how to feed them and how to accept them and took care of the fact that they wouldn't give up during the process. And since Evelyn was trapped in this cell with darkness as her only companion, she had to figure out everything by herself. She could depend on no one.

Her screams reached up to her throat and swallowing them back to her stomach was like drinking back her own vomit. A horrible experience. She was already on the ground grunting, growling, crying and stifling back the screams that threatened to rip apart her insides. It was worse than the pain she'd felt when she first rejected her wolf and she couldn't even wake the next day. This pain, this misery was agonizing and was breaking her apart.

She hadn't expected her first turn to be like this. She was rainbows and unicorns when she first felt a low snarl and heat building up inside of her at the age of twelve. It was enough indication for her to know that it was her time.

Unfortunately though, that day before she was about to introduce her wolf she learned something prominent about her family's traditions.

~~~~~~

Mrs. Osborne was peacefully humming as she combed Evelyn's dark raven hair and then she started telling Evelyn about her past out of nowhere—however Evelyn was glad to collect that piece of information. Mrs. Osborne told her that at the right moment for Evelyn was going to make the same mistake Mrs. Osborne made years ago in a little while.

"When I was sixteen," She started still running the comb down Evelyn's straight and silky dark hair,

"I heard a growl inside of me and I knew it was the time for my wolf to come out."

She listened to her story more cautiously and flabbergasted as there were quite less moments in her life like this one, when Mrs. Osborne would suddenly open up to Evelyn about her childhood. "I announced my wolf as soon as I found out about her and then . . ." She hesitated, "The next day my father summoned your father and by the grace of Moon Goddess, my mating ceremony was decided."

Evelyn swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She knew her mother was just seventeen when Oscar was born but getting mated at the age of sixteen was what terrified her. Mrs. Osborne officially announced her wolf and she was forced to be mated with a stranger. Evelyn didn't hate her father but she was petrified at the thought of mating with someone like him.

All her life she'd been hiding under her father's shadows, she had no little importance in front of him and thinking that her mate would treat her the same way—she didn't dwell on that thought.

Looking into her mother's eyes at that moment, she comprehended her reason of sharing this story with her. She knew. Mrs. Osborne was a luna and Evelyn's own mother, she felt Evelyn's wolf before Evelyn did so herself and Mrs. Osborne was scared for her well-being. She, herself, couldn't permit Evelyn going through the same fate as her.

That day by the look in her eyes, Evelyn understood the reason behind her gaze. The words that couldn't form in her mouth, Evelyn read them all crystal clear on her face. That day she didn't give Evelyn her numb expression and even if she did, Evelyn could see through that facade. And Evelyn realized more deeply than ever that Mrs. Osborne had loved her more than anyone in the world. The only reason she didn't say it out aloud was because of her father.

And just like that Evelyn suffocated that snarl and heat inside of her.

~~~~~~

And now her wolf was taking her revenge. She was happy but the anger she held on Evelyn for trapping her for so many years was making itself visible on her actions as she ripped Evelyn from the inside and snarled vociferously. Evelyn slammed her fists against the ground in pure agony but nothing left her mouth. When she opened it grunting in pain, she chewed her hand so badly that blood gushed out.

The sound of breaking bones were all that filled her senses as she tried to focus on her palms and soles on the ground. She let the energy from the nature flow through her veins as the pain was getting replaced by a box of overflowing emotions. Evelyn could see fur emerging on her hands and her fingers turning into claws. Her pupil thinned and must've changed from pitch-black to another shade as her vision became red.

Every picture that came in her view appeared as red at her retina. The jeans and top she'd worn were already shattered into pieces on the floor. She felt her drool coming out on the ground underneath her paws as she realized what just happened.

She'd shifted.

She let out a quiet howl in high spirits. It felt amazing to be this way and felt so normal—although she was uncomfortable as not being utterly used to this condition and position. The redness around her eyes decreased to a little extent and she could see the fur that covered her, making her feel warm in all the cold. It was like she was covered in a pure white blanket. She couldn't say much but as much as her eyes could perceive her body, her fur was pale and unblemished matching her human skin.

Before she could enjoy much of this moment a force took over her and she knew it was her wolf snatching the controlling remote from her hands. And Evelyn didn't mind handing it over to her without a fight. She was Evelyn's only ticket back home and she wouldn't want to upset her.

'Good girl.'

Evelyn slowly started to pat herself before she realized it was her wolf's doing. Evelyn rolled her eyes at her as she threw Evelyn at the back of her mind. Never had Evelyn expected her wolf to be this annoying and dominant.

She snarled at Evelyn which she utterly ignored and without a warning her wolf jumped towards the bars.

'This girl is crazy.' Evelyn thought as she literally bit off the metal bars with her fangs and dislocated them from their place, creating enough of a hole for them to pass through.

'This crazy girl just saved your life.' Evelyn rolled her eyes reminding her that she was the one to hand her the control in the first place and they both began to laugh evilly.

Evelyn liked her wolf and she felt blissful that they'd formed a sort of agreement and mostly glad that she didn't make Evelyn suffer like she did to her. Evelyn had been selfish with her but she wouldn't be anymore.

The raw metallic taste lingered in Evelyn's mouth as they ran through the dark hallway but surprisingly she could see every detail almost as if some extra lenses were fitted into her eyes. She had no trouble finding her way out of there as she now possessed a very good olfactory indicator.

She was proud of her wolf as they came across the huge brick boundary wall. It was ten or eleven feet high from the ground and had shards of glasses spread on the upper surface like sheets. They're about to jump and get over with this place but someone caught their attention.

The beta made himself perceptible in front of them.

As expected Evelyn's wolf was just as annoyed at him as Evelyn and before he could even so much as think of shifting himself, they attacked with all their might.

They're on top of him, pinning him down as Evelyn snarled dangerously close to his face, covering his face with her beast's saliva. And the next moment, without as much as a moment's delay, they jumped off of him and over the wall to the outside of that prison, escaping the thorny shards, unharmed.

Once they were freed they didn't look back. Evelyn felt this satisfaction take over her as she kept on running, and enjoying herself. That beta would remember not messing with another Osborne in his life. Evelyn didn't feel sorry for him; she thought he deserved that for treating her like an omega. He disrespected her. He had that coming his way.

And just like that Evelyn continued running until a series of howls broke behind her and her wolf became cautious. There were more and they're advancing towards her. Evelyn thought if they wanted a fight then that was exactly what they're going to get.

Her wolf growled in agreement and they ran more hurriedly towards a dead end.