Chapter 110 Part shift
~ Lyra's POV ~
Taren did not waste any time once I gave him permission to begin his so-called lecture. He straightened his posture slightly, cleared his throat in an exaggerated manner, and then began speaking as though he had been preparing for this moment his entire life. His tone carried a mixture of seriousness and barely concealed excitement, which made it difficult for me to decide whether to take him completely seriously or not.
“The first shift is not something you can fully prepare for,” he began, his gaze fixed on me as though he wanted to be certain I absorbed every word. “It’s different for everyone. Some people find it painful, others describe it as overwhelming, and some say it feels like being pulled apart and put back together at the same time.”
I folded my arms slowly, listening carefully even though his description did little to calm my anticipation. If anything, it made everything feel more intense.
“You might feel heat building under your skin,” he continued, gesturing slightly with his hands as though trying to give shape to the sensation. “Or you might feel like your bones are stretching in ways they were never meant to. There is also a chance that you will panic halfway through because your body will start to feel unfamiliar to you.”
“That does not sound comforting at all,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him, though the corner of my lips twitched slightly in amusement.
He let out a small laugh, clearly pleased with my reaction. “It’s not supposed to be comforting,” he replied. “It’s supposed to be real.”
I shook my head slowly, but I could not deny that his words only made the anticipation inside me grow stronger.
“But don't worry too much,” he added when he noticed my expression. “You are not alone in it. Your wolf will guide you. You just have to trust her and not fight the process.”
“I’m not planning to fight anything,” I said calmly. “I have been waiting for this for too long.”
“That is the spirit,” he nodded with approval. Then his expression shifted into something more playful. “Also, try not to scream too much. You might scare the people in the house.”
I blinked at him in disbelief. “I was not planning to scream.”
“You say that now,” he replied with a knowing look. “But when your bones start shifting, we will revisit that statement.”
I was about to respond when a small voice suddenly cut through the quiet space around us.
“Peety lady.”
The voice was soft, yet clear enough to draw my full attention. I turned almost immediately and found a little girl running toward me with hurried, uneven steps. She could not have been older than four, and the excitement on her face was impossible to miss. Her eyes were bright, filled with an innocent admiration that caught me off guard.
Before she could reach me, her mother rushed after her, clearly embarrassed by the interruption.
“I’m so sorry,” the woman said quickly, her voice laced with apology. “She should not be disturbing you.”
I shook my head at once and lowered myself slightly so I could meet the child at her level.
“It’s fine,” I said gently. “She is not disturbing me at all.”
The little girl’s face lit up instantly at my response.
“I like you very much,” she said without hesitation, her small voice carrying a sincerity that made my chest feel unexpectedly warm.
Her words softened something inside me.
“What is your name?” I asked her, keeping my voice just as gentle.
“Alicia,” she answered proudly.
“That is a beautiful name,” I said with a smile. “And I like you very much too, Alicia. My name is Lyra.”
Her smile widened at that, her entire face glowing with happiness.
“Can you be my friend?” she asked, tilting her head slightly as she looked at me with hopeful eyes.
The question caught me off guard for a brief moment, but the answer came to me just as quickly.
“Of course,” I said without hesitation. “I would love to be your friend.”
The joy that spread across her face in that instant was pure and unfiltered. There was something so bright about her energy that it made everything else fade for a moment.
Her mother apologized once more before gently taking her hand and leading her away. Alicia turned back several times to wave at me, her excitement still evident in every movement until she finally disappeared from sight.
I remained there for a moment, watching her go, before my attention slowly shifted back to the night around me.
It was at that point I felt the atmosphere change.
It was subtle at first, like a quiet shift in the air, but then it grew stronger. I lifted my gaze toward the sky just as the moon revealed itself fully, shining brightly above us in all its glory. The moment my eyes settled on it, something deep within me responded.
A strange sensation spread through my body, starting from within and moving outward. It was not painful, but it was powerful. It felt like energy was moving beneath my skin, searching for release.
“This is it,” Lunaris’ voice echoed in my mind, her excitement blending seamlessly with mine.
I watched in awe as silver fur began to sprout from the skin of my hands. It appeared slowly at first, then more rapidly, covering my fingers and stretching across my palms. The same transformation began on my legs, the silver strands emerging and spreading with a life of their own.
The sight was breathtaking. Under the moonlight, the fur shimmered faintly, giving it an almost ethereal glow. I could feel the shift happening, feel my body responding to the call of something ancient and powerful.
But then, without warning, everything stopped. I blinked, confusion taking over almost immediately.
My hands were fully shifted, my legs were fully shifted, yet nothing else followed. The process had ended as abruptly as it had begun.
“That is not right,” I said quietly, my voice filled with uncertainty. “What is happening?” I asked Lunaris within my mind, hoping she would have an answer.
There was a brief pause before she responded.
“I don't know,” she admitted, her confusion mirroring my own. “Something strong is pressing down on me and stopping me from fully emerging.”
A sense of unease settled in my chest, so I turned to Taren, who had been watching everything unfold.
The look on his face made me pause. There was clear awe in his eyes, but there was also confusion lingering beneath it.
“What is happening?” I asked him. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
He blinked as though snapping out of his thoughts.
“Your fur,” he said slowly. “Silver wolves are extremely rare, and they are known to be powerful. I was not expecting you to be one.”
“That is not my problem right now,” I replied, frustration creeping into my voice. “I can't complete the shift. I feel stuck.”
He shook his head slightly, as though trying to clear it.
“Relax,” he said firmly. “Dont overthink it. Just breathe and let it happen naturally.”
I nodded and closed my eyes, doing exactly as he instructed. I forced myself to relax, to let go of every thought and every worry. I focused only on the feeling inside me and waited for it to continue.
Time passed, but nothing changed. No matter how much I tried to surrender to it, my body refused to move forward. The shift would not continue.
Eventually, frustration replaced hope.
“I don't think it’s going to happen,” I said quietly, opening my eyes.
Lunaris retreated slowly, her presence fading as the connection eased. The silver fur on my hands and legs disappeared, sinking back into my skin until I was fully human again.
That was when I noticed Kael. He stood a short distance away, watching everything. I had been so focused on the shift that I had not even sensed his presence nor caught his scent.
He began walking toward me the moment our eyes met.
“It doesn't always happen on the first try,” he said gently when he reached me, his voice calm and reassuring.
But despite his words, the disappointment inside me refused to fade. The sadness lingered quietly within me, settling deep in my chest as the night continued around us.