As Hope and Promise Fade

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

That flowing evening the Reed Pack gathered for the ascension of Julie Reed. It was the biggest deal of any werewolves life; the first shift. There was just a little over half hour for the full moon to be perfectly in place high in the dark sky.

Ariana was with Julie every step of the way. They were in a spare bedroom at the cabin now for Julie to dress in something she could quickly get out of later in the surrounding forest.

“I wish there was a button I could press to pause all of this.” Julie confessed weakly while pacing the front of the bed. “I don’t want to screw it all up.”

“It’s apart of you.” Ariana said. “You’re body will know exactly what to do.” She wanted to be supportive but she was just as scared for Julie. This was a big change she was going to face tonight and afterward she’d be forever changed.

Julie sat on the bed and let her shoulders drop.  “I wish my mom was here.”

“Aww sweetie.” Ariana went and quickly hugged the younger girl. “She’s out there watching over you. She’ll make sure this goes as smooth as possible.” She glanced up and saw Jax and Marc standing at the doorway of the bedroom. “There’s some people here to see you.” she let go of Julie so she could sit up.

Her brother and uncle were boys but they still knew exactly what she was going through and could offer support Ariana couldn’t.

Julie turned toward them. “You should come up with something to prolong this if the person wants.”

Marc laughed and shook his head. “You’re scared but once it’s over you’ll be relieved and actually happy.”

“Happy?” Julie doubted it.

“Yes happy because it’ll be over and it’ll be apart of you, the bond between the person and the wolf is something we can never explain.” Marc explained as he stepped closer to the bed and kneeled in front f Julie. “This has been inside of you from the moment you were born waiting for the perfect time to come out. You’ll be whole after this and it’s a feeling that will always be with you, something to lean on when you need it. People would kill for something like that.”

Julie’s face softened as she absorbed his words. “I’m scared.”

“We’ll all scared the first time.” Marc said gently.

“Even you?” the younger girl highly doubted that.

“Yes me.” Marc said with mock outrage. “I was terrified; sixteen year old boys aren’t as mature as girls the same age. I was ready to pee my pants by the time I shifted.”

Ariana sat back and thought it was sweet how he was trying to ease her fears. She couldn’t picture him being scared about anything and wondered if the story was true. She glanced at Jax next, had he been scared to shift? He and Marc had known their whole lives it was coming unlike Julie who only learned last year what she was destined for.

“I don’t believe you.” Julie said, voicing the same doubt Ariana shared seconds earlier.

Marc gasped, sounding as girly as possible, before falling to the floor. “Ask Jax, he was scared too.”

“Nope.” Jax shook his head, his arms were crossed and he looked much the macho man. “I was strong and superior.”

Julie shook her head. “Now that I really don’t believe.”

Marc and Jax had succeeded, Julie’s mood was lifted and the shadow of fear across her face was gone by the time she had to make her way outside.

Ariana wrapped her arm around Jax’s waist. “Genius.”

“We try.” Marc said as he walked ahead holding Julie’s hand.

The pack was shattered around the lawn, some had drinks in their hands, others some food. It was like another birthday party for Julie but this time it was her wolf’s day, its first birthday.

As Julie made her way across the lawn everyone took a turn congratulating her on her first shift, others saying happy belated birthday because they couldn’t make it to the party. Julie took it all in stride, her smile was still genuine with her fear seated comfortably in the backseat of her brain.

Her smile did get a little deeper and a blush appeared on her cheeks when Charlie spoke to her. Her crush on him only got stronger as the years went on instead of fading away like most thirteen year olds crushes.

There was a section cornered off in the surrounding forest for them to shift the first time. Marc had explained that the first shift wasn’t as controlled as the following would be and it was best to have the wolf in a controlled area.

“Can I hurt someone?” Julie hesitantly asked.

“No.” Marc was confidant as always. “I’m here and I won’t let anything bad happen.”

Reassured again Julie nodded and turned to Ariana. “I want you to stay.” She wanted a girl around she trusted.

“Whatever you want.” Ariana promised hoping her own fear on the situation didn’t show. She was nervous, she had never been around for something like this. She and Jax were as close as could be but these pack aspects he always shielded from her curious eyes.

“Do you guys have to stay for the beginning?” Julie asked. “I don’t want to strip in front of my brother and uncle.

“We’ll turn our backs but yes we have to stay.” Marc carefully explained and Jax nodded in agreement.

The minutes began to tick on slowly as her shift began. It was slow at first, Julie said she felt something along her bones but it wasn’t painful, it was as if her body was going numb with the pins and needles sensation. She was advised to take off as many clothes as she was comfortable with because the next part wasn’t going to be as easy and being constricted would only make the process harder.

Julie cried out as her bones snapped out of place and formed her new skeleton. It took over ten minutes for it to complete but for everyone there it felt like hours.

Ariana watched in fascination as Julie’s lightly tan skin spurted fur the color of her hair. Her hands and feet shifted into paws with long claws that would silence any threat. Fully shifted into the size of a medium brown colored wolf Julie laid across the grass panting out of breath.

Marc came next to her side kneeling like he had in the bedroom. His voice was just as soft and reassuring as it had been earlier too. “Come on baby.” He ran his hand across her head. “Get up and get the feel for your legs. It’ll make you feel much better.”

With a whine Julie listened and began to get on her four paws.

“She’s beautiful.” Ariana whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from her sister who minutes ago was a very human girl and now stood in front of them as a wolf she had once seen in the zoo.

Jax tightened his arm around her shoulders. “I’ll show you mine one day.”

Ariana smiled. “I’d really like that.”

      AN: Thanks everyone for reading, if you enjoy werewolf stories and my writing please check out my new story called 'Risks of Absurdity.' I'm entering it for the watty awards and would love for you all to check it out.