Chapter Three: The Wolf Shifts

      I took my suitcase and put it downstairs next to the front door, and nervously started pacing around, unsure of what will happen after I shift. I was deep in thought when mom called out "Honey, I made some dinner, If you want anything." I smiled and walked happily towards the kitchen the smell of steak making my stomach growl more urgently. I looked around the kitchen and saw she had made my favorite steak dinner with steak marinade on the steak with cheesy mashed potatoes, and some green beans that smelled divine. I kissed my mom in the cheek and hugged her tightly, my voice sounding a little thick with emotions as I spoke "Thank you so much mom. I love you and dad very much." My dad moved in closer and hugged us both before they both said "We love you too so much kiddo."

    My chest tightened as I tried not to cry, I turned away and started to grab a plate for dinner, accidentally bumping into Elena on my grab for a plate. I start to say " I am sorry for growling at you earlier and for bumping into you currently. I am starving and wasn't paying attention to where I was going."  Elena nods and murmers "It's ok, your wolf is emerging so you are on the edge because you are going to shift today." I had nothing to say to that, and for once choose to keep my mouth shut, as I grab her a plate too before loading my plate up with so much food that I do not know if I could eat it all.

        I sat down at the dinner table, and started eating slowly trying to really take my time, savouring the flavors of my mom's steak. The pure enjoyment I was having from eating clear on my face as my eyes become a yellow color again, unbeknownst to me as I'm too busy eating.

      I start practically inhaling my food as mom and dad stare at me, I finish it before they even have a bite to eat, and as I look up at them, my face has some mashed potatoes on it, along with some of the juice from the steak. Mom starts laughing while talking "Hungry, hungry hippo here you go." She hands me a napkin, and I wipe my face off before looking at Mom and Dad's plates, my stomach growls lowly again. I ask "Mom, is there any more food in the kitchen?" Mom looks at me strangely and replies "Yes, sweet pea, one steak, some mashed potatoes and some green beans. Are you sure you are still hungry? You ate enough for two people."

    I shrug and grab my plate going to the kitchen to grab the remainder of food, the smell making my mouth water again, my gums hurting a bit as it feels like something sharp is slicing my gum. I pay no attention to it and when I am about to bite the still slightly bloody steak , when Elena starts talking excitedly " Your wolf is close to shifting, your canine teeth have shifted outside and you currently have your wolf teeth! It is probably from the steak thats still a little on the rare side." She smiles at me, as I growl as a reply and start inhaling my second helping of food, my ears hearing my parents talk, and even the bugs outside.

          Once I finish my food, I start cleaning up Mom's kitchen since she cooked. As I am washing the dishes, I feel something slice my hand, the pain small like a paper cut. I bring my hands out the water to see how big the cut is when I see my fingers chnage into sharp and deadly claws. I start to panic and yell "Mom, Dad, Elena, my hands are gone. What happened to them?" Elena and my parents run into the room and surround me. Mom and Dad's shocked gaze, with Elena's smile made me more agitated. I growl a low sounding growl as Elena sighs impatiently and says " Calm down, wolfy, your wolf is shifting, we should go outside before you shift and break your parents house. My first shift I broke a table and my parents carpet." 

           I try to reply but my mouth was shifting slowly to resemble more of a wolf then a human. I just nod and slowly stand by the back door trying to wait for someone to open it. Mom got to the door first and opened it, I ran out the door and stumbled down on to the grass the grass smell calming me, my hyper hearing overwhelming me. I could hear everything from my neighbors, including their arguments, their pets and the sound of a coyote sifting through someone's trash. 

          I look around as my eyes had shifted to better ones, I could see the couple aruging, see the coyote at the trash can that belonged to the street over, and I could see the bugs crawling in the grass. As I am slowly getting used to my new hearing and sight, Elena approaches me, her scent smelling like chocolates mixed with raspberry. I growl trying to convey my feelings and uunderpreparedness to Elena. Elena softly starts talking "Your wolf should be showing up at any second now, I want you to know you are not alone. I will be with you the whole time, and I will talk you through this." I try to nod but at that moment my bones start to break and rearrange themselves to fit the new shape. I whimper as a new voice starts talking in my brain " Hi, I am Nova, your wolf that you are stuck with forever and ever. I am here to help you shift, answer questions, or give you advice. The Moon goddess paired us up to be one complete whole." My wolf cheerful voice gave me hope that I would survive this change into my wolf shape, as I whimper more, the bones breaking sound getting lower. I waited a few minutes after it stopped befoee gingerly getting up. 

           Nova starts to take over a bit as I am forced to the back of my head as I ask "Why are you taking over, Nova?" Nova replies cheerfully "I haven't been let out to take over or run in almost 18 or more years since you last became a wolf." I try to nod but remember I am in the back of my head and just sigh looking out my eyes as a passenger in this run. I see all the grass outside, and the green tall trees towering over me. I can smell it too and even smell the animals here. I smell a lot of rabbits and even some deer. 

               After what seems like forever, Elena somehow finds us in the woods, her wolf form shifting away to reveal her human one. Elena starts speaking "As much I would love to leave you guys out here all night, we have to get going to my pack. You have to shift back Ava." Nova growls at her before handing the control back to me and saying " To shift back all you have to do is picture yourself as human."

          I try to envision myself as human, my black hair flowing, my pale green eyes and my white skin with my weight of 140. As I continue to think of myself in human form, I feel the shifting happening, starting with my nose, then slowly with my claws and then I hear the bones breaking again the forest leaves cruching under me. As my form shifts back to a human, I realize I am not clothed fully, I turn red from embarrassment, as I finally shift back to a human. I try speaking after being a wolf for a while, my voice a little raspy " Elena, I need clothes, can you get me some?" Elena chuckles and hands me a black dress and some shoes " I think all older werewolves have extra clothes on hand for this reason alone." I nod and grab the black dress from her and put them on, as I'm standing a stick stabs my foot. I wince and put the gold flats on, everything fitting wonderfully.

             I turn to Elena and say "Thank you for being there, you really helped me a lot." Elena shrugs and we walk back to my parents backyard in silence. Nova yawns in my head, as I walk quickly, not even realizing how far my wolf had gone. I smell my parents before I could see them, and as we got closer, I realized this was going to be a good bye. I tried to contain my sadness, to make this a happy good bye, as I didn't want them to be sad for me leaving. 

                I run towards my parents when I can finally see them, and before they could even say anything I hug them both tightly, my chest tight again. I start to speak " I love you guys so much, thank you for supporting me no matter what. I think I need to start learning to be a good werewolf, so this move will certianly help me and I will call you guys a lot." I smile sadly and hold them before letting go Dad speaking first "We both love you and trust you. If this is what you need to be happy, go for it. We will supoort you no matter what you are." Mom nods her support as they both tell Elena and me to be safe, as I grab my suitcase I look around one more time to make sure I got everything. 

                 Elena and I go stand at the sidewalk, waiting for one if her pack members to come pick us up. Nova anxiously waiting to be away from here, as I calmly try to not let any fear stop me from protesting the move. I stand tall and look up at the moon sending a prayer up to the moon asking for protection for Mom and Dad. As I am mumuring the prayer a silver car stops in front of us, and Elena gets in first as I pick my suit case up. I slid my suitcase into the back seat and get into the car ready for whatever destiny may throw at me. I am inexplicably ready for it, I may have been human my whole life but I was born fighting.