Chapter 65 Silver Wolf
The pack of wolves stared. Silent. Frozen in the doorway.
I’d never felt so exposed. So vulnerable. Standing on four legs with fur where skin should be. Silver coat catching the fluorescent lights. Every eye was locked on me.
They’re afraid, the wolf whispered inside. Good. Fear means respect.
I don’t want them to fear me. I want them to trust me.
You’re naive if you think you can have both.
Thaddeus took a step forward. Slow. Measured. His gaze swept over me, taking in every detail. The silver fur. The smaller frame is built for speed instead of power. The way my eyes probably glowed with something other than normal wolf gold.
“How is this possible?” His voice was quiet. Careful. “Moonsilver wolves were extinct. We all believed that.”
Dr. Rivera moved between us. Professional. Protective. “Her genetics are unique. The dormant wolf DNA activated during the first shift. This is the result.”
“Moonsilver,” someone whispered from the doorway. The word spread through the gathered wolves like wildfire. Moonsilver. Moonsilver. Moonsilver.
Fear tinged some voices. Awe colored others. But everyone knew what it meant.
Lycian shifted. His gray wolf moved to stand beside me. Shoulder to shoulder. United front.
Can you hear me? His voice filled my head through the bond. Clear. Warm. Concerned.
I tried to respond. Focused on pushing thoughts at him as I had with the other wolf. Yes. I’m here. I’m okay.
Thank god. Relief flooded through the bond. When you shifted, I was terrified you’d be gone. That the wolf would take over completely.
She tried. We made a deal instead.
What kind of deal?
I’ll explain later. After I figure out how to shift back.
Movement at the door. Elena pushed through the crowd. Her expression was unreadable. She’d been avoiding me since the Collective exposure. Since everyone learned she was part of it.
Now she stood there. Staring at my silver form. Something flickered across her face. Recognition? Fear? I couldn’t tell.
“This complicates things,” Thaddeus said. Still watching me. Still assessing. “Moonsilver wolves weren’t just rare. They were hunted. Targeted. There’s a reason they’re extinct.”
Not extinct, I thought at Lycian. Just very good at hiding.
“She needs rest,” Dr. Rivera said. Firm. Authoritative. “First shift takes enormous energy. She should revert to human and sleep.”
Right. Reverting. I had no idea how to do that.
Little help? I thought of the wolf inside.
Figure it out yourself. I’m not your servant. But she relented after a pause. Think human. Picture your human body. Your human form. The shift will follow your intent.
I closed my eyes. Pictured myself. Human. Two legs. No fur. Normal hands instead of paws.
Nothing happened.
You’re trying too hard. Stop thinking. Just be.
Easy for her to say. She was made of instinct. I was made of overthinking.
I tried again. Let my mind go blank. Just existed in the moment. Human. I was human. Had always been human. This wolf form was temporary. A costume. Not my real self.
Pain flared. Sharp. Brief. My bones cracked and reformed. Fur receded into the skin. My face pulled back from muzzle to human features.
Within seconds, I was kneeling on the training room floor. Naked. Shaking. Exhausted.
Lycian shifted back immediately. Grabbed a blanket from the corner and wrapped it around me before anyone could see too much.
“I’ve got you.” His arms surrounded me. Warm. Safe. “You did amazing.”
“I can’t feel my legs.”
“That’s normal after the first shift. Give it a minute.” He lifted me carefully. Cradled against his chest. “Everyone out. Give her privacy.”
The wolves scattered. Thaddeus lingered a moment longer. His expression was still unreadable. Then he nodded once and left. Elena followed without a word.
Dr. Rivera stayed. Checked my vitals. My temperature. My pupils. “Everything looks good. Better than good, actually. Most first shifts leave wolves unconscious for hours. You’re already coherent.”
“Is that because of the Collective’s modifications?”
“Probably. Your genetics aren’t natural. The recovery process is likely accelerated too.” She packed her equipment. “Rest today. Tomorrow we’ll start control training. Learning to shift at will. Managing the wolf consciousness.”
After she left, Lycian carried me upstairs to our room. Set me gently on the bed. Tucked blankets around me like I was made of glass.
“Stop hovering. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. You just went through first shift seven weeks ahead of schedule. You’re allowed to not be fine.” He sat on the bed’s edge. Brushed hair from my face. “What happened in there? You were conscious the whole time. That’s not normal.”
“I met her. The wolf. She talked to me.”
His eyes widened. “Wolves don’t talk during the first shift. They’re pure instinct. No language. No consciousness.”
“Mine does. She’s different. Created by the Collective to be different.” I told him everything. The voice. The threats. The deal we’d made. “She wants control. Thinks she deserves it more than me.”
“But you fought her off.”
“For now. She’s still there. Waiting. Watching. Eventually, I’ll slip up and she’ll take over.” Fear crept into my voice. “What if I can’t maintain control? What if she wins?”
“Then we’ll deal with it. Together.” He lay down beside me. Pulled me close. “But I don’t think she’ll win. You’re too stubborn.”
“That’s your assessment? I’m stubborn?”
“It’s kept you alive this long. Kept you fighting when anyone else would have quit.” He kissed my forehead. “Your wolf doesn’t stand a chance.”
I wanted to believe him. But the wolf’s presence hummed inside me. Patient. Persistent. Always there.
He’s wrong, she whispered. Eventually, you’ll sleep. Get sick. Lose focus. And I’ll be ready.
Then I guess I'd better not lose focus.
We’ll see.
I slept for sixteen hours. Dreamless. Heavy. My body is recovering from the transformation.
When I woke, sunlight streamed through the windows. Lycian was gone but a note sat on his pillow.
Meeting with my father about your shift. Back soon. Don’t try to shift without me. Love you.
I lay there. Testing my body. Everything ached. Deep bone-tired exhaustion that made moving feel impossible. But I was alive. Still human. Still me.
The wolf stirred. Stretching as she’d slept too. Ready for round two?
Can I eat breakfast first?
Weak.
Practical. There’s a difference.
I dragged myself downstairs. Found Elena in the kitchen. Making coffee. She froze when she saw me.
“You’re awake.”
“Surprised?”
“No. Just…” She poured two cups. Handed me one. “I wasn’t sure you’d want to see me. After everything.”
“I don’t know what I want.” I sipped the coffee. Hot. Strong. Perfect. “You lied to me for months. Worked for the people who killed my parents. But you also helped take them down. Testified. Gave evidence.”
“I did terrible things. Being sorry doesn’t erase that.”
“No. It doesn’t.” I met her eyes. “But it’s a start.”
She nodded. Slow. Careful. “Your shift. It was beautiful. Terrifying. But beautiful.”
“It hurt like hell.”
“First shifts always do. Mine lasted six hours. I was unconscious for two days after.” She refilled her coffee. “Yours was fast. Clean. You maintained consciousness. That’s unheard of.”
“The Collective designed my mother to be different. Guess it passed to me.”
“Do you resent it? Being their creation?”
I thought about it. Really thought. “I resent what they did to her. To me. To everyone they hurt. But the abilities?” I flexed my hand. Remembered how it felt as a paw. “I can use those. Turn their weapon into something good.”
“That’s very mature of you.”
“Or very naive. Time will tell.” I finished my coffee. “Where’s everyone?”
“Thaddeus called an emergency pack meeting. About your shift. About what it means for the pack.” Elena’s expression darkened. “Some wolves are scared. Moonsilver wolves were hunted for a reason. They’re powerful. Dangerous.”
“I’m not dangerous.”
“You are. You just don’t know it yet.” She rinsed her cup. “The old stories say Moonsilver wolves could control other wolves. Make them submit with just a look. Could heal injuries that should be fatal.”
“That sounds like propaganda.”
“Maybe. Or maybe it’s why they were hunted to extinction. Too powerful. Too threatening.” She turned to face me. “Some wolves will see you as a threat. Want you gone before you become too strong.”
“Like who?”
“Like Marcus Blackthorn's allies they are still out there. Like Vincent Cross, who disappeared after the trial. Like any wolf who benefited from the old power structures.” She moved closer. Urgent. “The Collective wasn’t the only threat. Pack politics can be just as deadly.”
Before I could respond, the front door burst open. Damien ran in. Out of breath. Panicked.
“Elowen. You need to come. Now.”
“What happened?”
“It’s Aunt Clara. She collapsed at her house. The ambulance just took her to the hospital.” His eyes were wide. Scared. “She’s asking for you. Says it’s urgent. Says there’s something you need to know before it’s too late.“