Chapter 17: Observation

Ruan's POV

She's been in wolf form for forty-five minutes now, and she hasn't stopped pacing.

I watch from my position against the wall as Luceila circles the basement for what must be the hundredth time. Her movements are jerky, uncoordinated; like a newborn learning to walk. Which, in a sense, she is.

"Is this normal?" Sisilya asks Dr. Chen, her voice tight with worry. "She seems... agitated."

"Perfectly normal for a first shift," Dr. Chen assures her. "She's overwhelmed. Her senses are in overdrive, her instincts are screaming at her, and she has no idea how to process any of it. The pacing helps her cope."

I exchanged glances with Reis. We're both thinking the same thing; this changes everything.

She's not faking. She never was.

The guilt sits heavy in my chest. We accused her of lying, of manipulating us, of being a threat. We locked her in her room, cut off her contact with the outside world, and treated her like an enemy.

And all along, she was just a dormant wolf struggling with an emergence she didn't understand.

"Ruan," Silas says quietly, moving to stand beside me. "You okay?"

"No," I admit, keeping my voice low so Sisilya won't hear. "We fucked up. Badly."

"We were protecting the pack…"

"We were being paranoid assholes," I correct. "There's a difference."

Silas doesn't argue. He can't, because he knows I'm right.

Luceila suddenly stops pacing and looks directly at me. Those amber eyes, so much like mine when I shift are filled with confusion and fear. And something else. Accusation, maybe.

She remembers. Even in wolf form, she remembers how we treated her.

"Hey," I say softly, pushing off the wall and approaching slowly. "I know you're scared. I know this is a lot. But you're doing great."

She bares her teeth slightly…not quite a growl, but a warning. Stay back.

I stop, raising my hands in surrender. "Okay. I'll keep my distance. But I want you to know... I'm sorry. For everything. We should have believed you. Should have helped you instead of…."

She turns away,  cutting off my apology. The message is clear: too little, too late.

Can't say I blame her.

"How much longer?" Reis asks Dr. Chen.

"About ten minutes. Her body will force the shift back soon."

"And then what?" Sisilya wrings her hands. "She shifts back and just... goes back to her room? Pretends this didn't happen?"

"Then we talk," Dr. Chen says. "We explain what being a wolf means. We teach her control, help her understand her dual nature. This is just the beginning."

The beginning of what, though? That's what concerns me.

Luceila's a wolf. Which means she's part of our world whether she wants to be or not. And our world is dangerous. Full of politics and power plays and enemies who would love to exploit a newly emerged wolf who doesn't know the rules.

"She can't stay here," I say, the realization hitting me.

Everyone turns to look at me.

"What do you mean?" Sisilya demands. "This is her home."

"It's not safe," I explained. "News of a newly emerged wolf travels fast in our community. Especially one who emerged this late. People will want to meet her, evaluate her,  recruit her. And some of those people aren't friendly."

"He's right," Reis says grimly. "The Blackwood pack alone will be interested. And they're not exactly known for their gentle approach."

"So what are you suggesting?" Silas asks. "We hide her?"

"We protect her," I correct. "Keep her existence quiet until she's ready. Until she understands what she is and can defend herself."

"That could take months," Dr. Chen points out. "And you can't hide a wolf indefinitely. Their nature demands social interaction with other wolves. Isolation causes its own problems."

Before we can continue the discussion, Luceila makes a sound, half-whine, half-growl and collapses to the floor.

"She's shifting back," Dr. Chen announces. "Everyone give her space."

We all step back as Luceila's body begins to convulse. The shift back is very brutal. She's screaming now, human screams mixed with wolf cries.

Sisilya moves to help her, but Dr. Chen holds her back. "Let her body do this on its own. Interference can make it worse."

It feels like an eternity, but it's probably only a few minutes before Luceila lies on the floor in human form, naked and shaking. Sisilya immediately rushes forward with a blanket, wrapping it around her daughter.

"I've got you," Sisilya murmurs. "You're okay. You're back."

Luceila doesn't respond. She's staring at the ceiling, her eyes wide and unfocused, tears streaming down her face.

"Luceila?" Dr. Chen kneels beside her. "Can you hear me? Can you speak?"

"I..." Luceila's voice is hoarse. "I felt everything. Every bone breaking. Every muscle tearing. I felt it all."

"I know. The first shift is the worst. But it gets easier, I promise."

"Does it?" Luceila looks at her, and the expression on her face breaks something in me. "Does it get easier to become a monster?"

"You're not a monster," Sisilya insists.

"Then what am I?" Luceila sits up slowly, clutching the blanket around herself. "Because I'm not human anymore. I felt it, the wolf. It's inside me, and it wants out. It wants to run, to hunt, to..." She shudders. "I don't know what I am."

"You're both," Dr. Chen says simply. "Human and wolf. Two parts of one whole. And yes, it takes time to integrate them, to find balance. But you will find it."

Luceila laughs, bitter and broken. "And in the meantime? What happened to me? Do I just lock myself away so I don't hurt anyone? Do I pretend to be normal while this thing inside me fights to get out?"

"You learn control," Reis says. "We teach you. All of us went through this—"

"You were children," Luceila interrupts, looking at him with hollow eyes. "You grew up knowing what you were. I'm twenty-two years old, and I just found out I'm not even human. It's not the same."

She's right. It's not the same.

"We should let her rest," Dr. Chen suggests. "The first shift takes a lot out of the body. She needs food, water, and sleep."

"I need answers," Luceila counters. "You all keep saying this is normal, that you'll help me, but nobody's telling me what happens now. What does being a wolf mean? What am I supposed to do?"

The brothers and I exchange glances. Where do we even start?

"First," Silas says carefully, "you need to understand that being a wolf comes with certain... obligations. Rules. Pack hierarchy."

"Pack hierarchy?" Luceila repeats. "Like, you mean there's a social structure? An alpha?"

"Our father is the alpha," I explain. "Which makes us, and now you. part of his pack. That comes with protection, but also expectations."

"What kind of expectations?"

"Loyalty," Reis says. "Obedience to pack law. Participation in pack activities. And eventually, you'll need to decide your role within the pack structure."

Luceila's expression darkens. "So I don't just get to be a wolf. I get to be part of your pack politics too."

"It's not politics," Silas argues. "It's family. Community. Wolves aren't meant to be alone."

"What if I want to be alone?" Luceila challenges. "What if I don't want any of this…the pack, the rules, any of it?"

"Then you'd be a rogue," I say bluntly. "And rogues don't last long. Other packs see them as threats. They're hunted, killed, or forcibly absorbed into existing packs. It's not a life you want."

The color drains from Luceila's face. "So I have no choice. I'm trapped."

"You're protected," Reis corrects. "There's a difference."

"Is there?" She stands, swaying slightly but refusing help. "Because from where I'm standing, you're telling me I have to join your pack, follow your rules, and accept your father as my alpha. Or else I'll be hunted down and killed. That doesn't sound like protection. That sounds like extortion."

"Luceila…" Sisilya starts.

"No, Mom." Luceila cuts her off. "I need to hear this. I need to understand exactly what my life is now." She looks at each of us in turn. "So tell me. What happens if I refuse? If I say I don't want to be part of this pack?"

The silence stretches.

"You'd be exiled," I say finally. "Cut off from pack protection. And when word spreads and it will spread, that there's a newly emerged wolf with no pack affiliation, you'd have every alpha in the region trying to claim you. Some peacefully. Most not."

Luceila looked at me as she weighed her options.

Deep down I knew that trust is a luxury she cannot afford to waste

Not at the point where it had been broken before

Sadly, by us.