Today is the annual Awakening Ceremony, and this means all werewolves at the age of eighteen have to be present.
I am 18 and literally just few hours away from my Awakening ceremony. The awakening means that we can shift to wolves, find our rank in the pack and even find our mates after that. But I'm hopeless about shifting into a strong wolf and changing my place in the pack because the werewolf like me, with absolutely no one cares about me to be there, no support, no family, and definitely no friends, own the much lower success rate of shifting than others.
"Watch where you're going, reject!" Raymond, one of the Alpha's main pack leaders hits me in the side of the face with an open palm as he leans in close and shoves me back in line, harshly. I catch myself, right my body quickly, ignoring the burning pain of grazes. Trying not to look his way, knowing if I do, he will probably smack me in the face for showing zero respect to a superior.
Well my name is Alora Dennison but not 'Reject'. Reject is the name for all of us, the ones who owns little value in this pack hierarchy. This is the reality of my miserable life. Every day I want to be free of these people and this life.
Maybe it's a chance tonight. I can walk away from this mountain and the people who treat us like we are nothing. I'll be free to run far away, with no bond to anyone or anything. No one to care if I never return.
"Halt!" A booming low and gravelly voice ahead of us stops us all in our tracks as we come to the level top of the cliff known as 'shadow rock' where the ceremony were held for hundreds of years. I pull myself past the girl in front of me and come to her side to gaze at the familiar scene before us. Stomach churning up with the knowledge it's happening. The ceremonial set up of flares and burning fires at points near the ledge, are already there and glowing bright, all the way around the curve of this large platform. Creating a red and amber glow that illuminates the space in what will soon be wall to wall darkness of this still night. The center of the clearing marked out with symbols in chalk and a large set of circles surround them, one for each of those who are to awaken. I shudder inside as reality hits home that this is really it and I have nowhere to hide. You can't outrun it, there's no way to stop it from happening.
"Clothes off here and put these on" scratchy grey blankets are thrust into our arms by a tall muscular Santo, looking down at us with almost black eyes as he snarls his contempt.
All the packs are here already, and right in the middle stands Juan Santo, the current alpha of the pack. His second in command, his third, and his son, Colton.
Transforming rips your clothes to shreds, so being naked is the best way to deal with it.
I undress fast and leave my clothes and shoes in a neat pile between my ankles to stand up, pulling my blanket around me snugly to await the next orders.
"Move!" Raymond shoves the male to my left to make him lead the way, and we dutifully follow.
After everyone shuffles quickly into place and settles, the hush is broken with the booming voice of the Shaman as he gestures for us all to sit while he raises his staff.
"Drink" Something hard shunts me in my ribs from behind and I strangle a yelp, sitting upright sharply and spin my head around to see a wooden cup held out to me. Another Santo shoving it into my hand as I unravel it out to take it.
"What's it for?" I ask innocently, always wondering when we watched from a distance and stupidly naïve to think I'll get sense from one of them.
"Cut the crap. Drink and find out" he smirks, walking away with no real answer. I sigh, internally irritated at his attitude, before staring down at the dark amber liquid contained within, it's heavy scent of herbs and perfumes wafting up into my face. I spot the others drinking it down fast without question and I follow suit.
After swallowing the liquid, there is a long wait again.
I don't know how long we are this way, what's happening as all I can hear is the chant of the Shaman as he dances around, shaking things, singing, and clapping. Vision blurry and coming in waves, my body heavy yet detached and I no longer feel like I am really here or even conscious. Time passes but I have no clue how fast or slow, and all I know is it gets dark so quickly around me and I can't seem to stop myself drifting into space or losing track and fading away.
I can't dwell on it any longer, as soon as I do, a burning light hits me hard over the entire surface of my body, almost like a blow torch was turned on and I spasm instinctively into an arched position on the floor. Every inch of my skin bubbling and blistering to searing levels of torture as though I have been set alight and I strain and claw the ground beneath me, gasping with effort. Crying out in pain, writhing in agony, as an intense sensation rips my skin from my bones and engulfs me entirely. My body is being ravaged, twisted, snapped and slain, but this isn't another wolf… this is the turning. It's so much worse than I ever imagined it could be.
Cracking, convulsing, and devastating agony, rip through me hellishly.
I howl and I strain with all my might, so I extend my face up into the air and gasp with relief as my lungs inhale and I finally take a breath.
And then … everything is still.
I did it. I shift into a rare white wolf.
