Chapter 4. Daphne Meets Layla

The headache started as soon as we took off. I tried to ignore it and enjoy the cool breeze that brushed all over me as I clung firmly to Elton as we kept moving. At first, we were on the streets with the cars where Uncle Fergus and the other important people were riding in, then we parted in two and ran into the woods by the sides when we started approaching the main town. We had only gone a bit further when the headache started. I decided it was as a result of all the bouncing from riding on a wolf so I didn’t panic.

Then it just kept increasing by the second.

As we kept moving I felt my body heating up and without warning, pains at my joints.

Elton was enjoying the ride, and the rest of the wolves were behind us. I bit my lips and tried to wish away the pains that I was feeling at once, but the more I wished it away the more it increased.

“El……Elton…….” I whispered.

He didn’t hear me. We kept moving for a few seconds, and then I tightened my grip on his fur, enough to get his attention.

“Daph………”

“Elton stop.”

He immediately reduced his pace. The other wolves kept running and passed us shortly. He padded a bit so he could find a good balance and then he stopped completely. As soon as he stopped I slipped from his back and onto the cold ground.

“Daph!…….” I heard him call as he shifted. I felt his hands on my sides and that was when I realized I was rolling on both sides because the pain on my joints had tripled.

I closed my eyes tightly and fought to remain conscious. I didn’t know what was happening to me, all I knew was that I was in a lot of pain. Just then I felt something snap, and then something was moving on my back, in my back!

“Aarghhhhh………” I screamed from the pain of my bones shifting. My eyes began to burn and the headache increased. Something was happening to me.

Just then I heard loud bone snaps all over my body and felt myself painfully transform into another being.

Into a wolf.

***************************

“Daph……….you’re okay…….” I heard Elton’s soothing voice as his warm hands ran up and down my body. Gradually I regained my senses. I wasn’t…….human again. I could feel my paws as I tried to get back on my feet and I was on all fours. When I opened my eyes, I quickly adjusted to the surroundings and I could see brilliantly under the night sky.

I felt powerful, not vulnerable or little anymore. Just pure power.

I was overcome with joy.

“El……Elton……”

“Yes.” He whispered as he crouched in front of me and smiled. His smile was so wide and he looked so proud. “You shifted Daphne.”

“Yes….I……..I did.” I padded around a bit and then to a nearby stream. I gulped some water and then stepped back to look at myself in the reflection of the water. I was covered from head to toe in white fur and I had golden eyes. It was huge and gorgeous.

“Hi!” I heard a voice from within me.

“Hi……”

“I’m Layla, your wolf.”

I smiled, and I looked weird smiling in my wolf form. “It’s…….it’s about time.”

Just then my eyes shone a bright gold color as if Layla was smiling at me too. I suddenly felt this warmth inside of me and content. I had never felt like that before.

I turned to see Elton in his wolf form, standing behind me, looking as proud as ever.

****************

Elton and I continued our journey, with me still riding on his back. Shifting was much more painful than I thought it would be and I still felt sore from it. I didn’t want to have to recover from it when we reached the crescent moon pack, drawing unnecessary attention.

Elton had promised me that he wouldn’t tell anyone about it, considering how things had been for me. I needed time to figure out what I was going to do and what this meant for me.

We crossed the Crescent Pack border after our safe passage was approved. I knew we weren’t so far again and luckily during the rest of the trip here, the pain of shifting had subsided.

Before going to the hall where the festival was to be held, we stopped at the guest house prepared for us. We freshened up and changed and started on our way to the hall.

Thoughts of when I overheard Aunt Agatha say I wasn’t to be considered a member of the pack because I hadn’t been a wolf rushed into my head. Layla had taken a lot of time to come, but she was here now.

Does that mean I would finally be regarded as a part of the pack and my father’s daughter or would I still be looked down on as the pack runt?

The festival didn’t go as we planned. No one from our pack found a mate, except Sebastian one of our distant cousins. The most visibly distraught from the disappointment was Eleanor. She had such high hopes of finding a mate this time around but that didn’t happen.

I didn’t look forward to it before so I didn’t see a need to look forward to it now. Finding a mate was never something I looked forward to, I was more concerned about making it safely through the days.

While at the party though, at an unsuspecting corner of the hall, I tried to enjoy the event and imagine what it would be like if I found my mate. What it would be like if he would take me away from Uncle Fergus and give me a better life?

I knew that was close to impossible right now but it felt good to have hopes.

The only person I was worried about other than myself was Elton. He hardly talked about it nor made it look like he was as desperate as Eleanor was but I knew he also looked forward to meeting his mate.

Uncle Fergus had decided we wouldn’t stay in the crescent moon that night. He was upset that none of his immediate children had found their mates yet again.

He was in the Royal quarters discussing with the alpha of the crescent moon pack while the rest of us the kids waited by the cars.

Everyone was quiet like we had committed a terrible crime. To Uncle Fergus, finding a mate was very important and anyone who couldn’t do that was considered to be cursed by the moon goddess to be alone. The wolf was chased out of the pack after a few more failed chances because no one wanted him or her to bring the moon goddess’s wrath on the pack.

I stood close to Elton and held his hand. He and his sister were advantaged because Uncle Fergus would not have his children chased out of the pack for any reason. The person who needed to be worried was no one else but myself.

I dreaded my faith after tonight.

Uncle Fergus was soon out of the Royal quarters and down to the cars, his wife walking briskly beside him. Eleanor was already seated in one of the cars, too ashamed to let anyone see her or talk to anyone because she hadn’t found a mate.

Uncle Fergus and his wife got into the car and we began our journey back home.