143| FIRST SHIFT

The thing about humans becoming Wolven: it’s not just one bite that will turn you. I hadn’t noticed it before, because why the hell would I be examining my best friend’s bare skin? But Darine’s got a still-healing set of bite marks at the junction between her left shoulder and neck. Dark rings of bruising show off the pale-pink, unmistakably-Wolven, teeth marks embed in her skin.

Yuri is standing behind Darine, his huge hands placed lightly on Darine’s shoulders, waiting as Blue gathers everyone around. The full moon has made it’s climb to the center of the sky above, the pale light almost iridescent to my eyes as it bathes the clearing. Everyone’s gone silent, the tension of excitement and expectation almost palpable as feet stop shuffling and the sounds of breathing become synced.

“Thank you all for coming,” Blue starts, barely raising his voice to be heard. His eyes scan over the gathered group before he looks to my best friend. “We’re here to welcome in our newest member of the Azure Pack: Darine Blithe.” Darine is still standing tall, though a blush colors her cheeks as multiple eyes land on her. “We have been preparing her for this final part of her change, and I ask that, as tradition states, you all bear witness to this, her final phase.” Blue gestures to Darine and Yuri behind her. “Yuri,” Blue addresses his cousin, nodding once to signal the man.

“Darine, do you accept the bite willingly, and all that comes with becoming Wolven in our world?” Yuri asks Darine, his booming voice lower than normal, almost tender and sweet. Darine’s tense shoulders relax and she looks to Blue.

“I willingly accept the bite and all that becoming a Wolven of the Azure Pack entails.” Her blue-green eyes seem to burn with inner light, excitement now making the color rise in her cheeks. Blue smiles and nods again to the two.

Yuri tips his head down, the groaning sound of bones shifting under his skin the only thing to be heard as even the wind seems to pause. I watch as Darine keeps utterly still, even as Yuri’s shifting face inches closer to the already-bitten portion of her pale skin. My heart drums steadily in my chest, though my lungs have stopped taking in breath. The few seconds it takes for Yuri’s humanoid jaws to become more canine seem to drag in slow motion. And then he opens his elongated maw to clamp down on Darine’s flesh. To her credit, my friend doesn’t so much as flinch as his teeth sink through skin and muscle. The scent of blood and something just a little more feral fills the air.

Suddenly, the Wolven in me stirs to life, the light from the moon intensifies and Darine’s skin begins to glow. The knot of anticipation in my gut loosens and something inside me seems to click. Not from me…but from Blue’s side of the bond. From his Pack. My heart stutters as something blooms in his mind, a newly formed connection unfurling and melding into the bonds of his Pack. Something bright and full of life.

I blink, and time seems to flow back at normal speed, Yuri extricates his teeth from Darine’s flesh. He looks a little dazed, his expression matching that of Darine’s now. Her eyes slightly unfocused…and glowing with a slightly golden-tint to her eyes. As she blinks, the light fades out and her vision seems to focus. A layer of sweat shimmers on her pale skin, a sharp sound spiling into the night. I flinch as my friend’s eyes tighten in pain, her teeth bared and a groan escaping her.

Yuri hovers close Darine, no longer touching, but remaining close as her skin starts to ripple. The pale light from the moon grows even brighter, almost becoming a beacon as Darine’s now deformed face tips up to the sky, her back arching as she collapses to the ground.

My heart drums in my chest, pounding a familiar beat as I realize what’s happening. Darine’s going through her first shift. Right here, right now. In front of the entire Pack and all other Packs. For a second, I want to rush over to my fried, shield her from the eyes of the others as her body contorts and her bones break for the first time. It’s an intimate experience, one that should only be shared with her closest family and friends- which…I realize is exactly who is able to see.

Darine is part of the Pack now, part of the Azure family, the sharp scent of pine rippling through the air as her sweat dries. Oranges and pine. The brightness of her new scent seems to become cataloged in my mind, merging into my mental file for her. Tufts of fur burst through Darine’s pores, covering her in rippling patches as the rest of her shudders through the Change.

Her bones continue to break, but they become almost inaudible as her self-control breaks and her cries of pain echo off the surrounding trees. A whine rises at the back of my throat, but the rest of me remains statue-still, even as Darine’s voice rises in volume. And then…the sound changes, from human to canine, as the snapping of bones subsides as the fur coating the new wolf in front of me settles.

Soft whimpers continue to sound from her muzzle, her body curled tight into itself. The body of the wolf is thin, as most Wolven are at their first change, the pale blonde of the fur the same shade as her hair, but streaked with gold along her spine. There’s a long pause, and then - starting with Blue - the Azures shift.

One by one, the Azures go over to Darine, nuzzling her new body and sniffing over the newest member of their Pack. The process takes a few minutes, and by the time everyone of the Azures has greeted Darine in her new form, I find I can no loner resist the urge to shift. The rest of the Wolven, along with myself, shift into our wolf forms and move closer to the now sitting-up Darine. Her reflexes are slow, a shudder coursing through her briefly as she seems to adjust to the feel of he world around her.

And then her eyes open. Shimmering golden irises blink at the others, the glow emanating from them just this side of unusual. After a few more blinks, she seems to reorient to the new vision and her facial features twist in an attempt at human expression. A few of the Wolven - Azures - make little barks at her and I know they’re trying to communicate that wolves don’t make human expressions. Darine’s ears twitch in response and her body shudders again.

Blue and Yuri, in wolf form, help nudge Darine into a standing position. On wobbly legs, Darine stands and takes her first step as a Wolven. Through the connection in my mind, I can sense Blue’s approval as she takes a few more steps, then circles and practices standing and sitting. Once she seems more use to this new body, Darine looks to Yuri. Yuri’s tongue lolls out as he gives her what passes as a wolfish grin.

Blue tips his head to the sky and lets out a howl.

It’s time for the run.