Chapter 4

Leila's POV 

Time flew by. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Finally, the big birthday celebration we were all waiting for, was only a day away. I made sure we invited many people. It was going to be luxurious. Above all, I was scared of shifting. Kenny told me that it was like one's bones bending in an abnormal direction. He said it was the most painful experience. I surely wanted to know what it was like but I didn't want to die during shifting. Kenny told me that some people couldn't bear the sickening pain of shifting and gave up their lives in the process. I didn't want to be like that. I wanted to prove to everyone that I was strong enough to be the beta's daughter and the pack's future Luna. 

"I wonder what my wolf will look like. I hope she is as cute as she sounds. I can't wait to finally get to see her." Lilly giggled. Ellie and Lilly had talked a few times with their inner wolf. I haven't heard anything apart from a whisper which I was not sure belonged to my wolf. Each time I hear those whispers, I turn around and I see something I couldn't make out. I couldn't tell them. It was nothing besides Mom had said that some wolves never communicated with their human counterparts until they shifted. My wolf was probably one of those types. I just can't explain this weird feeling I have been getting over the past few months. 

"I just want to get over with everything. Knowing that many people are going to be there watching us shift is making me wish tomorrow would never come". I said and they all turned to me. Lilly looked shocked and I couldn't blame her, I was the one who was the most eager among us eleven months ago and now I was sounding like I didn't want the day to come. Well, a part of me wishes that it never came.

"Why are you suddenly skeptical? Isn't this whole stuff your idea? I just have a sweet feeling that everything will go well". Ellie replied. See, I couldn't tell them about the feeling that seemed to be overwhelming me. They were both happy and looking forward to the day but I was dreading it. I don't know why but I wished I had gone along with Ellie's idea months ago and kept everything at a minimum level. All my life, I have been waiting for this day, to finally see my wolf but now I was dreading it. 

"It's okay to feel like that. If I have a brother that tells me horror stories as bedtime stories I surely will have the worst imagination of everything. Everything's going to be alright". Lilly assured me as she tested the fifth dress. It was quite dumb. Wanting to wear the most beautiful dress of your life, that would be shredded into pieces? But who cares? It was worth it. It was the first shift of our life, and it must be perfect. 

"I prefer the blue dress to this one. It brings out the color of your eyes". I commented.

"I wonder why you're still selecting dresses. This is the twelfth time this week we're going out shopping because you suddenly felt that your dress isn't what you want". Ellie said bored. 

"That's because I have to be in the best dress tomorrow. Everything has to be perfect. You don't turn eighteen every day". 

*** 

I watched happily as everyone made a toast to us, the celebrants. Everything was set, this was it. It was almost time for the big event. The shifting. It happens when the moon is at its peak. 

"Guys it's almost time". The Luna announced happily. It was a big event as it was also the first shift of Damian. He had turned eighteen a few weeks ago but he hadn't shifted because the shifting process was triggered by the full moon. 

" Let the girls follow us to the other side of the forest and the boys will go to the other side". My mother suggested. I turned to Damian to smile at him but he only looked straight. Weird. 

We removed our dress and handed them over to my mother prior to the Luna's instructions. It was weird to be stark naked in front of a little crowd. Okay, that was an exaggerated comment. We were only six, the Luna, Lilly's mother, my mother, and the three of us. It still felt crowded for me. 

We heard a loud howl that berated command and power. It was Damian. He was the first person to shift. I can't wait to see his wolf. I almost squirmed as I thought of how it would be to run my hands through his giant fur. Alpha wolves were bigger than normal werewolves. 

The first person to shift amongst us was Lilly. Her bone made some snapping sounds making us turn to her. Her bones were cracking. It looked painful. Her face told the story. She bent down in an abnormal position, her bones snapping out of place. She screamed standing on all fours as fur appeared on her body. In a twinkle of an eye, Lilly was gone and what was in her place was a cute white wolf with blue eyes. Immediately, we heard Ellie screamed, she was also turning. His body flew in different directions. Her bones snapped out of place just like Leila. She was suddenly on all fours. Her body was filled with fur. And just like Lilly, it seemed as if she disappeared and a cute brown wolf was in her place. Everyone was staring. I was wondering why they were staring. I looked down to notice that I was still in my human form. No bone snapping. 

There was suddenly another loud howl. Then another followed. It sounded like Alpha Harry and then howls from different wolves followed. 

"It seemed like the pack members were greeting Damian in their wolf form. Come on let's go or we will miss everything". The Luna said excitedly. She shifted immediately same as my mother and Lilly's mother. They made their way out of the forest. Wait, what about me? How could they forget about me so fast? I wanted to scream but no words came out of my mouth. I stood in the cold. The moon was still at its peak so maybe my shift would happen later than everybody's. 

My palm was getting sweaty. Beads of sweat were forming on my forehead. I waited for almost thirty minutes but nothing happened. I wore my clothes dejectedly, perhaps today was not my day. 

I arrived at where the party was ongoing without me. I watched my brother hold someone so tight as if they were going to disappear from his sight. It didn't take me to realize what had happened. My brother had found his mate and she was one of my best friends. 'Traitors', I huffed. I removed my eyes from the couple who seemed like they could not afford to remove their eyes from each other. My eyes wandered on Its' own and landed on him. He looked so mature and so different. His eyes were pitch black and he was staring so hard at me. His wolf was in full control. He let out a deep growl and in a swift of seconds, he was in front of me. He whispered those words I had been dying to hear all my life. 

"Mate". Suddenly, all eyes were on us. The moment I have been waiting for is finally here. I smiled, at least I hadn't lost everything. As I placed a foot in front of the other, in an attempt to walk toward him, I was met with the shock of my life. 

I was only but a few feet away from him smiling so widely but he shoved me off and said those words again "Mate". This time it was a bit louder. I turned in horror to see him staring so lovingly at another girl. They both held each other gaze and then simultaneously they both said that word again"Mate'. In a split second, they were in each other's arms. Wait, what just happened? He was supposed to be mated to me, not some dumb random pack member. 

"Damian! You can't do this to me. I gave you everything". I screamed but never for once did he turn to look at me. He was just focused on his newfound lover. I turned to meet Cassidy's gaze. She mouthed something to me but I couldn't make anything out of what she was saying. The only word that sounded right in my head was, "run" and I did run. 

I was so sure that we were both madly in love with each other. How am I supposed to face my friends now? Scratch that, how am I supposed to face my family I had quarreled time without number because of my relationship with him. I did everything for our relationship and all he could pay me with was to toss me like some garbage dumb. I was bound to be the gossip of the pack and beyond by tomorrow morning. 

I ran far away from everything. I ran far away from the disgrace that I was bound to face the pack members tomorrow. I ran away from the 'I told you so'. I ran away from the taunting gaze of Cassidy. I ran away from the pitiful gaze of my parents. I ran away from the mocking gaze of the pack members. I ran from everything. 

I didn't know how long I had run or how far I had gone away from the pack. I stopped to catch my breath. Nothing will be the same again. I had lost everything. I felt my eyes wet. I touched my face it was wet with tears. I didn't know how long I had sat down crying but I cried till I was weak to move my body. Suddenly I saw a shadow in front of me, before I could make out what it was or who it was, I heard a loud bang that sent a wiring signal to my brain. I raised my hand with much difficulty to touch the side of my head I felt pain. I saw blood. I saw darkness come faster to me, and with open arms, I welcomed it. There it was, I had met my end. There was nothing to live for again. 

"Miss, are you okay?". Was the only thing I could make out from the creature that stared at me. Was it a wolf or a human? Before I could make anything out, I fell with a loud bang and the world surrounding me went dark.