Chapter 20: Burning Flames

Elara

My hand shot up and caught Bella's punch. But it wasn't my normal hand anymore – silver fur spurred all over my arm, making it glow like moonlight on water, my fingers are getting longer changing to deadly claws. I could feel Snow's power flowing through my silver fur arm, while the rest of me stayed human.

Did I partially shifted? Impossible! I only read that in history books.

I lunged myselft at her, with full strength that surprised me too, I twisted my partially shifted arm, sending Bella flying through the air. But as she hit the ground hard, she rolled, and scrambled to get back up. But now, the once confident and boastful girl was confused and confused at the same time. She was scared, her eyes have and a hint of fear.

"What... what are you?" she gasped, her wolf form backing away slightly.

I looked at my transformed arm in wonder. The smooth silver fur shimmered in the morning light, each hair seeming to glow from within. Is is this natural?

My claws were longer and sharper than any wolf's I'd ever seen, curved like daggers.

We are unique, new to them, Snow's voice spoke in my mind, clearer than this time. "Something they have forgotten."

Before Bella could run away, I moved. Fast. The speed even shocked me, it seems like my partially shifted arm was the one pulling my whole body forward, it's much stronger now.

I struck once, precise and powerful, catching her wolf form in the ribs with my silver claws. Not deep enough to seriously hurt, but enough to make my point.

Bella collapsed, unconscious but breathing slowly. Her wolf whimpered and faded, leaving her human form curled on the ground.

"Impossible," Scarlett whispered into the stunned silence. "That's... that's not natural. No one can partially shift like that!" She said more of to herself.

I watched my arm, amazed at how the silver fur faded from my arm, leaving normal skin behind. I could still frel the power still there.

"W...what just happened?" My voice shook slightly. "I've never heard of anyone shifting just part of their body before." I asked looking at Alpha Acheron for answers.

Alpha Acheron stepped forward, and something in his movement made everyone else back away. Even Scarlett took a few steps back, though she looked like it pained her to do so.

"Something very interesting," he said softly, those silver eyes boring into mine. His voice dropped lower, meant just for me. "It seems you're even more special than I thought, little wolf."

The way he said 'special' sent shivers down my spine – not entirely unpleasant ones. For a moment, the intensity of his gaze made me forget anyone else was there.

That's when I heard it – the sound of bones cracking, of a shift happening at supernatural speed.

And when I turned, I saw Scarlett's clothes on the ground and she already shifted into her wolf form. Her fur was the same vibrant red as her hair, catching the sunlight like burning flames.

But her in her green eyes... was burning wild with something beyond anger or jealousy.

There was madness there, the kind that comes from seeing everything you've worked for slipping away.

"Scarlett, stand down," Acheron ordered, power rumbling in his voice. "The match is over. This is not—"

But she was already charging, her massive red wolf form covering the ground between us in huge bounds. I could see in her eyes that this wasn't about training anymore. This was about elimination. She wouldn't stop until one of us was dead.

Time seemed to slow as I watched her approach. I had maybe two seconds to make a choice. I could try to dodge – but her wolf was bigger than Bella's, faster, and clearly more experienced. That would probably end with her teeth in my throat.

Or I could reach for that silver power again, let it flow through me, and face whatever consequences came with it. Because something told me this partial shift ability wasn't normal, wasn't something I was supposed to be able to do.

*Together,* Snow whispered in my mind. *Let me show you what we really are.*

Scarlett's teeth were aimed at my throat, her powerful body launching through the air toward me. I had to choose. Now.

I chose power.

Silver light exploded not just behind my eyes this time, but through my whole body. I felt it racing along my skin like lightning, felt Snow's presence stronger than ever before. But this wasn't like a normal shift – I wasn't changing fully into a wolf.

Instead, my body began to transform in patches, silver fur rippling across my skin in waves while other parts stayed human. My hands and forearms became deadly clawed weapons, my legs shifted to powerful wolf haunches, my teeth sharpened to fangs while my face stayed mostly human. Silver light danced along my skin where fur hadn't grown, like moonlight made solid.

I heard gasps and cries of shock from the watching wolves. Even Alpha Acheron took a step forward, his silver eyes wide with something that looked like recognition.

"The legends," I heard him murmur. "They're true..."

But I had no time to wonder what he meant. Scarlett was almost on me, her jaws opening wide for the killing bite. I gathered my new strength into my transformed legs and prepared to meet her attack.

The clash, when it came, would change everything...