Chapter 4 Three

"Eliza. You are more than this. I am happy to be here with you at last," a voice called, jolting me awake with a gasp. Another vivid dream had left me disoriented, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to shake off the lingering echoes of the voice. As I sat up in my bed, the darkness of the early morning enveloping me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The voice had sounded so real, so intimate as if it belonged to someone who knew me better than I knew myself. But as I scanned the room, there was no one there but me, the silence echoing back at me.

I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the clock on my bedside table; I realised it was almost 5 am. I had slept longer than I intended. Today was the day of Daniella's party, her eighteenth birthday. I sighed at the thought of all my hard work and how unappreciated I was. "Today you turn eighteen," the voice whispered again, shivering my spine. It felt like a message, a reminder of something more profound than I could comprehend. But how could I be turning eighteen today? The uncertainty gnawed at me, twisting my thoughts in a tangled web of confusion. "Who is there? Is this a prank? I'm not stupid." I called out, expecting Daniella or one of the quads to hide in my bedroom. They were unpredictable with their cruel jokes. "Eliza, I am here. I am your Wolf, Jasmin," the voice spoke again, its words carrying reassurance and familiarity. With a sudden burst of courage, I spoke into the room's emptiness, and my voice was barely even above a whisper. "Ok, Jasmine, if you're real, how am I supposed to shift? I don't understand." The question hung in the air, a plea for guidance and understanding, as I waited for a response that seemed to come from a place far beyond my comprehension. Suddenly, a warm, soothing presence enveloped me as if a gentle breeze had swept through the room, carrying a sense of peace and acceptance. The voice of Jasmin echoed in my mind, her words resonating with clarity and purpose. "Eliza, trust in yourself. The power to shift lies within you, waiting to be awakened," Jasmin's voice whispered, her tone filled with encouragement and support. I closed my eyes, allowing her words to sink deep into my consciousness, letting go of the doubts and fears that had clouded my mind. I slipped out of bed, each movement deliberate and cautious to avoid betraying my intentions. The house was still shrouded, and my packmates were lost in their dreams. Fueled by the moment's enthusiasm, I navigated to the window with trepidation and excitement, my pulse quickening with the rising tide of anticipation. The night air enveloped me in its embrace, its cool touch starkly contrasting the fire that burned within my veins. With trembling hands, I pushed the window open, allowing the silvery moonlight to cascade into the room and bathe me in its ethereal glow. In my mind, Jasmin's voice offered a reassuring presence, a gentle reminder of the power within me, urging me to embrace the unknown confidently. "You can do it," her words echoed in my ears, a beacon of encouragement in the sea of uncertainty that threatened to engulf me. With a deep breath, I steeled myself for what was to come, letting go of doubt and fear in favour of the exhilarating promise of transformation and liberation that awaited me under the moonlit sky. "Now what? What do I do next?" I questioned aloud, the urgency in my voice mirroring the frantic beat of my heart. The desire to shift, to let the primal instincts of my inner wolf take over, was a potent force that pulsed through my veins, demanding release. I longed to be free from the constraints of human existence, "Eliza, my dear, you have always carried the wolf within you, waiting for the right time to awaken. Your status here in this pack as an omega does not define your true potential. Embrace the urge to shift, trust in the power within you, and let go of the doubts that hold you back. You are capable of more than you know." she assured me, and I knew immediately that I could trust her. Once I was out of the building, I quickly ran to the forest and waited a moment or two in case anyone had seen me leave. Usually, the patrol handover happens around now, so I was sure that I would be ok. Ten minutes later, I pulled off my shorts and crop top and lay bare on the cool grass, my skin tingling with anticipation as I surrendered myself to the ancient call of the wild. I closed my eyes and relinquished control to Jasmin. "Take a deep breath and trust me." Jasmine softly said. I did as she asked and closed my eyes, trying to relax fully. The ache of transformation rippled through my body, a symphony of pain and pleasure as my bones shifted and contorted, moulding themselves into the primal form of my very own wolf. I bit back a sound as the raw power of the shift rushed through me, my body twisted and warped, reshaping itself into this majestic frame of the wolf. The next moment, I felt a gush of primal instinct take hold, guiding me through the unfamiliar landscape of my altered senses. The scent of the earth and the rustle of the wind against my fur filled my heightened senses, enveloping me in a world of heightened awareness and raw, untamed power. As I knelt by the water's edge and saw my reflection, I gasped and almost toppled into the water. My wolf form, draped in pure white fur like freshly fallen snow, stared back at me on the lake's rippling surface. Questions raced through my mind as I grappled with this strange reality. How could I, an omega within the pack, possess such a majestic and rare form? The significance of my white fur hinted at a power and grace beyond anything I had imagined, a truth that shook me to my core. "Jasmine wh..what are we?" I whispered. Coming to a sudden stop, my ears pricked, my senses heightened, and I saw something-a figure standing at the edge of the clearing, a silhouette against the moonlit sky. "We need to leave." Jasmine snarled quietly. My heart leapt into my throat as fear and adrenaline flooded my veins. I had been careless, too caught up in the thrill of the run to notice the presence of another. I ran back towards the safety of the packhouse.