Moon Child

2-Shift

"Oh dear." rang a crystal clear voice from beside me.

I sat up remembering what had happened, my hand flying to my shoulder.

"You'll find that while your body here with me may be okay, your physical body is not, I'm afraid." rang the voice again.

I jumped at the sound and looked to the owner of it. A woman so radiant, her skin glowing a faint grey, her hair shining white.

"Who are you? Did I die?" I asked, taking a glance down at myself.

My eyes widened at the sheer white robe that now covered me. Although, it didn't cover enough. I folded my arms across my chest as she answered.

"No my dear you did not die. You have just...transformed, let's say. You found yourself in quite an unfortunate situation with which I could not prevent as you were not mine to help, as you were human."

"Were human? What do you mean I was human?" I cut in, my heart thundering. This couldn't be happening. I had to be dead.

The woman smiled sadly.

"I am the Moon Goddess, mother and fate giver of all werewolves. I protect and persuade my children the best I can to lead them to their destined path. But you, my dear, were not my child. But now you are." she said giving me a second to process.

"How?" was all I could utter. My life had been one huge disaster after the next, this one really put the icing on the cake.

"One of my...fallen children, a rogue wolf, found you. Pack wolves have the sanity to know to not turn humans, as the circumstances must be right and not many survive the formation. Rogue wolves are very sporadic, fueled by emotions. It's very rare for a human to be successfully turned, but it was a full moon and you- your life thread is woven strong and tight to another that I protect. You were not meant to die, my dear. You had been given an unfortunate human life, and I apologize that you had to go through what you did to be here. But this, this wolf of yours, will be the greatest gift. Do not believe it to be a curse, she will protect you, and you her. Never alone, always a team. Always a pack." the Goddess was holding my hands in hers, her black eyes peering deep into mine.

I could only nod at her as her hand cradled the side of my face. Her eyebrows were scrunched in sympathy, her black eyes peering deep into my own.

"This journey will be hard my love, but I promise you will get through it. You are strong. You've survived all the bad leading up to this and you'll survive this, understood?" she asked. With her hand on my shoulder I nodded. I didn't feel strong.

She leaned her forehead against mine and I felt warmth flood through me. I felt...whole. Reassured. Full of life.

"Relax into the shift my dear, let your wolf come forward. She's been waiting for this and she knows what to do." The goddess said with a whisper of a kiss to the head.

Pain. It was everywhere, running and pulsing it's way through the entirety of my body. I was on fire.

I moaned, my muscles were rolling on their own accord. I could feel my skin pulse and twitch. I was panting now, sweat pouring off of me as I flipped over onto all fours.

How could anyone relax into this? I huffed.

Another wave hit me and I watched my hands grow in length, breaking and bending. I threw my head back with a cry, my legs extending out behind me.

This pain was incomparable to anything I've ever felt before. My bones were forcefully breaking and rearranging themselves, tearing and ripping their way through my skin.

My breathes were heavy and restricted. The tears now were uncontrollable and dropping from my eyes. My jaw ached and I whined, the sound coming out instead as a growl.

How long has this been going on for? I couldn't focus on anything but the pain. Nothing existed outside of this. Was there ever anything besides this?

My hands curled into the earth, claws replacing them. Hair was beginning to sprout and thicken. It felt like fiery pinpricks over the entirety of my body.

My hips popped and my legs gave out from underneath me. Minutes, I laid there panting and whining, hoping it would be over soon.

My body continued to revolt, bones grinding.

Come on now, this is it.

I didn't have time to react to the voice because my shoulders suddenly rolled and with it I felt my body finally shift into place.

Blinding, white hot light shot through my head causing a whine to escape. I felt a presence collide with mine and solidify. I shook my head.

It took me a moment to recuperate from the pain and trauma that had just wracked my body.

I slowly wobbled up onto my feet. My shoulder throbbed with pain at the pressure. My nose twitched, catching the clear scent of blood. This was strange.

Poor wolf. Better off dead than a lost and mindless rogue.

It was the voice again, echoing in my head. I was confused but upon scanning the area around me, I saw what she meant.

The wolf that attacked me laid a few feet away from us. He was limp and unmoving, the tree branch lodged deep into his soft underbelly.

His life for ours, I thought.

It seems so. The voice answered.

My name is Amaris if you were curious. I'll forgive you for not asking since you've been through so much. Her voice had a strong teasing and soft lilt. It calmed me in the chaos that seems to be my life.

Amaris? I've never heard that name before. I replied to her in my head. I tentatively took a few steps forward as I waited to hear her voice again.

Mm. I'm sure not many have. It's meaning is Moon Child.

I paused. How coincidental. It seemed to fit her- us?, and was a beautiful name nonetheless.

Mine is Ayla. I don't know it's meaning.

She hummed and with that I took my last look at the dead wolf before me. I chuffed at it, wondering if I should damn it or thank it. I decided to do neither and walked into the forest, leaving him and my past far, far behind.