Mafia's Mate (M Book1)

Shift

OH GOD! Is this supposed to be this painful!!?!? GOD! I wish I had someone here with me.... It was unwilling, I had no intention to cry and it wasn't because of my feelings either but the pain caused the tears to storm down my face.

I could clearly hear the cracking of my bones. It was like being broken from each joint.

Loneliness pressed down on me like a heavy weight. No one was there to offer comfort or reassurance, and the isolation intensified the torment. I longed for someone to tell me it would be okay, that this excruciating metamorphosis was a passage to a new existence.

When I lived with my father I saw how the parents cradled their kids during their first shifting. Held them with care....

"AHH!" And here I was, with no home, no shelter, out in the open, withering in pain in a place where even if I died no one would find me for days.

I was all alone,

"AHHH! GOD!" Hot tears rolled down my cheeks as the agony reached its crescendo, an unbearable pain that crescendoed to a point where my consciousness teetered on the edge of oblivion. In the throes of unbearable pain, my body gave in, and darkness was the only thing that enveloped me like a comforting shroud.

***

When I finally opened my eyes, the world looked different. The moonlit clearing I remembered was now a tableau painted in shadows and ethereal hues. My vision had transformed, adapting to a new perception that felt both surreal and unnerving. But that wasn't all, I was looking at the moon through a window now.

...

What?

The pain was gone but when I tried to stand up, I noticed something off. It wasn't the same. Something was different.

I looked down at myself

!!!

I was on all fours!!

As I tried to make sense of this altered reality, a voice reached me, "You're up,"

!!!

I shot my head around and a lady, in Chinese clothes, sat by my side on a chair. Her eyes met mine with a mixture of compassion and curiosity, "I'm Xiao Mei,"

I stared at her, then tried to speak but couldn't.

Ah...

Right, I'm a wolf at the moment,

"You've experienced the first change, child," she spoke, "I've heard the first shift is a painful metamorphosis," She smirked, a rather sarcastic smirk as she looked out the window at the moon,, "Not that I ever got to experience it since I had 'dirty' blood."

I stared at her and she looked back at me, "But considering where my kids found you, I can safely assume you're a bastard just like me."

!!!

My eyes went wide at her words, then I looked down as I understood her words. 'A bastard like her...' 'Dirty blood'

I nodded

We were the same, abandoned from our society, chased away, but looks like she never shifted, like how bastards are presumed to be. I turned to look at the moon

Unlike me,

"My twins found you," She said and I looked back at her. Watched as she gestured to someone to come to us, "It's fine," She said and I looked towards the door, "You saw him shifting didn't you? He's not much different from mommy,"

I watched as two kids, about my age, emerged from behind the door. Both of them were pretty, pretty enough that I initially thought both of them were girls.

"This is my son," The lady pointed, "And my daughter,"

I frowned,

Werewolves are supposed to keep themselves a secret...

"Fret not," The lady said, "They won't spill it to anyone." She looked at her kids, "Right Xiǎo Zhōu? Xiǎo Xià?"

They both nervously nodded at their mother. It felt like they weren't only nervous but also afraid of her, or maybe of me. I couldn't be too sure.

The lady looked at me, "I've been where you are," She smiled, "But," She looked at me, "I never shifted," She clicked her tongue and then there was silence.

I wonder what happened to the item I dropped? That old goon is going to lose his mind- I shot my head at the wall clock to look at the time.

5 A.M

Ah, shit... He must already have lost his mind...

"Worried about the item you were supposed to deliver?" I looked back at the Lady as she thought it through.

Of course I'm worried. The goon will throw me in the sea. I can't go back but where do I run off to now? I don't have any money. I barely got some and that was only enough to feed myself

"Say?" She extended a hand towards me, "You won't have to worry about anything like that if you come work for me." Her kids along with me stared at her in disbelief which caused her to smirk, "I'll treat you better."