THE PRICE OF inHERitance

Storm Within

The next few days were a blur for Ellie. The effects of the surgery and the hormones were kicking in hard. His mood swung wildly from anger to despair, with brief moments of calm in between. He felt like his body was no longer his own—every time he caught a glimpse of his reflection, it was like looking at a stranger. His chest had swelled more, and his hips had widened. Even the way he walked was changing, becoming more fluid, more feminine.

Lizzie had been a constant presence, trying to lighten the mood whenever possible. But even she could see how much Ellie was struggling.

It was late afternoon when Vivian returned home from a meeting. She entered the living room where Ellie and Lizzie sat on opposite ends of the couch. Without missing a beat, Vivian went straight into business mode.

"Ellie, the hormone specialist called. They've upped your dosage based on the results from your last blood test," she said, her tone cool and emotionless.

Ellie's eyes flickered with frustration. "Great. More hormones," he muttered under his breath.

Vivian gave a curt nod. "It's necessary if we're going to see the full transition through. The sooner your body adjusts, the better."

Lizzie scoffed. "You mean the sooner *you* get what you want, Vivian."

Vivian shot her a cold glance but didn't respond. Instead, she turned back to Ellie, her voice clipped. "Your next appointment is in a few days. Be ready."

With that, Vivian left the room, leaving Ellie and Lizzie in silence.

Ellie stared at the floor, feeling the weight of it all crashing down on him again. "I hate this," he said quietly.

Lizzie scooted closer, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "I know."

Ellie looked up, his eyes full of anger and sadness. "I don't even know who I am anymore, Liz. I don't feel like me. I feel... wrong."

Lizzie's heart broke seeing him like this. She wanted to say something to make it all better, but there were no words. All she could do was be there for him.

---

Later that night, as Ellie lay in bed, the weight of his thoughts pressed down on him. His body was in turmoil, the hormones creating a storm of emotions that he didn't know how to handle. His mind kept racing, replaying everything over and over again. He could still hear the doctor's words in the back of his mind, explaining the changes, the irreversible nature of what had been done to him.

He glanced down at his body under the blankets. Even in the dark, he could feel how foreign it all was. His chest rising and falling, the weight of his breasts pulling on his skin. The unfamiliar sensation of his smooth legs brushing against each other. And the emptiness between them where his penis used to be.

A tear slipped down his cheek, followed by another. Before he knew it, Ellie was crying, silently at first, then harder as the reality of his situation overwhelmed him. He didn't want to wake Lizzie or draw attention, so he buried his face in the pillow, letting the sobs wrack his body.