Chapter 88 The First Shift of Argenti Luscus Unus

(Hope POV)

I could sense the pent up anger inside Jacques. When he touched my hand, I saw his uncle placing a small amount of an elixir in the tea his mother drinks. She was Alpha of their pack, a position his uncle wanted for himself.

When Jacques' father met her, he was a man without education or any knowledge of the world outside his cell and a man who had hatred in his heart for wolves. Everything changed though when Jacques' mother showed him kindness by providing him shelter, clothes and food to eat.

When Jacques' mother died, his father did everything to help the wolves of his mate's pack. However, since he did not have any education to speak of, he was only given low paying jobs.

One night when Jacques' father was on his way home from work, he was cornered by Jacques' uncle and his possé. They forced down a bottle of poison down his throat, telling him if he did not ingest the liquid, harm would come to Jacques. The police found his body, seated on a bench in the cold, the bottle of poison on the ground. They immediately claimed it to be a suicide and ordered it case closed.

I felt Jacques' thirst for revenge, especially now he is a grown man with power and stature. The only thing holding him back was his inability to shift.

"I knew he was poisoning her. She would never get better even if father and I gave her healing herbs. Her cuts and bruises would take so long to heal." I saw his silver eyes start to glow. "My mother was such a kindhearted woman. She didn't deserve to die." Jacques yelled. I could see him starting to sweat and I could feel the heat coming from him. I stood up and started backing away. The elderly lady with us just kept on chanting at the corner of the room, unperturbed by the new developments in Jacques.

"Hope, what's going on?" Alexander walks in the prefabricated house, alarmed Jacques was yelling.

"What's going on?! I feel extremely hot and my body hurts. What's happening to me?" Jacques asks me. He starts balling up on the floor, wrapping his arms around his body.

"Stay back, Alexander. He's about to shift." I warn Alexander. "Jacques, it will hurt since it's your first time. Listen to your inner bear. He will guide you."

Alexander walks towards me to shield me. "Jacques, breathe. Don't fight it. It will hurt even more." Alexander calmly tells Jacques. "It will only hurt for a while. I promise you."

Jacques starts whimpering then he suddenly looks up at the ceiling and howls, the silver in his eyes had a bright orange in them like flames of a fire. The elderly woman stopped chanting. She peered intently at Jacques who was whimpering in pain. Then we heard it. The sound of breaking bones.

Jacques screamed in pain while his body "morphed" itself. His body became distorted, his arms and legs bending in obscene angles. I squirmed in discomfort as I watched his body move on its own. I looked at Alexander. He didn't seem to be affected by the sound the bones made when they shifted to another position nor the ghastly shape Jacques' body was making. I bet he has watched so many first time shifters, it was natural for him. I moved back and hid behind him, averting my eyes from the sight of Jacques' first shift, praying it would end soon.

The sound of bones breaking abruptly changed into a low growl. I peeked over Alexander's shoulder and saw a brown bear standing on two legs. It had large sharp teeth and long sharp nails. It was hunched forward because the ceiling of the prehab house was low. The bear's silver eyes were focused on Alexander, saliva dripping from his fangs. He advanced towards us, Alexander pushing me back as he backed away from the bear.

I stepped out from behind Alexander and moved in front of him to come between the two. The bear stopped when he saw me. "Jacques, it's me, Hope." I mind link the bear.

"Hope, I am Fang, the bear of Jacques. Your eyes...I know your eyes. You are my sister. Who is the man behind you?" Fang mind links me back.

"My mate, Alexander. He won't hurt you. He is just protecting me." I answer him through mind link. He nods his head in understanding.

"I would like to roam outside. This enclosure is much too tight."

"Sure. Just don't go too far and don't drink the water from the stream. It has been poisoned." I warn him.

He turns to go outside through the sliding doors. He bends down and jumps outside and lands with a thud in the middle of the village. He stands up and roars towards the sky.

The werebears of the village gather around him, some placing gifts and flowers before him. The crowd of werebears part to let the elderly woman and man walk towards Fang. When they reach Fang, the two elders kneel.

And the rest of the werebears follow suit.

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(Jacques/Fang POV)

"You are The Werebear King. The only one of your kind who can walk on its hind legs and can stand erect." My bear, Fang, told me. " You also have the gift of night vision, speed and agility which you inherited from your wolf mother."

I looked at row upon row of kneeling werebears. I have never before experienced this kind of reverence. All of this was new to me.

The shift was a bit traumatic though. I have never experienced such pain in my life! The bones of my body changed so I could morphe into Fang. Before my shift, Fang had told me to brace myself because the pain will be like no other pain I have ever experienced.  Fang also instructed me to bear with the pain and not fight it because it will be even more painful. A strong young man like myself should be able to bear the pain of the first shift. I am happy it only lasted a few minutes and I am proud I was able to bear the pain and shift into Fang.

Fang  assured me the pain will only happen one time. The next time I would shift it will be like magic. "Fang, how do I shift back to human form?" I asked him. "Just tell me you want to shift back and I will do the rest," he answered me back.

I wanted to test out my new bear form in the forest. I needed to get accustomed to it and see what abilities I have. I mind linked every one that I was going to roam the forest and the crowd immediately parted for me to give me passage.

I sprinted into the forest. It was so easy for me as a bear to cover the distance. I jumped over boulders and logs. On one jump, I landed on a tree and I climbed it reaching the top. I looked down to find a clearing and I jumped off the tree and landed on my feet, dust rising around me. I wanted to know how strong I was so I pounded on a tree. It didn't take long for the tree to fall.

I roared, shouting my happiness. I have finally shifted!

I look up into the sky and noticed it was already night. Time flies when you're having fun. I decided to go back to the village hoping when I shift back, they will have clothes for me to change into.

When I arrive, the werebears were all having dinner. Yuri was waiting for me with a robe. He bowed once he saw me and directed me to a stall where I could shift back and change.

"Fang, I need to shift back."

"I will be here if you need me." In a shimmer of light, I was back to my human form. Amazing! I put on the robe Yuri gave me and exit the stall to ask him where I can find a hotel. Good thing, Yuri and I were on the same page.

"Lord, Hope and Alexander went back to their territories. You may stay here or I can drive you back to Dark Moon. Alexander has prepared their guest house for you." Yuri tells me.

"I can stay here. Will I bunk with you?" I ask Yuri and he howls with laughter. I give him a "what's so funny" look and he immediately apologizes.

"Lord, while you were away, we prepared a home for you to stay. Look." Yuri pointed at a small prefabricated home that had glass panels and cabin like walls. It had a big bed, a TV, a chest, a small table with a chair and a sofa. From here, it looked like a small hotel room.

"Lord, your dinner is ready. We prepared steak and mash potatoes for you. It is already in your room. The door in your home leads to your bathroom. There is also a small fridge stocked with the essentials. Your suitcase is also inside your room."

"If you need anything else, tell anyone here and we will provide it. Do you need anything else, my Lord?" Yuri asks.

"Can I have a glass of red wine? To calm my nerves. I have had quite a day." I explain.

"Hope has left a bottle of the Ulrich Red Wine on the table." Yuri points to a basket on the table in my room. Wow, all of this prepared for me. I thank Yuri and he bows.

I enter my room and went straight to the table to eat. I was hungry. Beside my plate was a basket that had snacks and a bottle of red wine. Hope must have left it here so I had something to munch on and drink. I was finishing my steak when a young woman knocked on the glass panel of my sliding doors.

"Lord, a slice of apple pie. Alpha Hope brought some with her earlier." She hands me the plate and I thank her. I even get to have dessert. I take a bite and close my eyes.

Oh my! This was the best apple pie I have ever tasted. It was helping me calm my anxiety. I have to be prepared for what lies ahead. Tomorrow will be a big day for all of us.