Lyall's Story

Lucy

“I know this is going to sound weird, but you need to strip first.” Lyna and Lyall blush and she says that.

“Uh, why?” As I slowly take off my clothes in the freezing cold.

“So, your clothes don’t rip when you shift.” Lyna giggles as she tells me. I guess that’s a good reason. I finish taking my clothes off and put them by a nearby tree. Lyall comes over to me and gently caresses my cheek.

“Alright, focus on Scarlett and what she might look like. Her fur, her paws, her eyes… also getting down on all fours helps make it easier.” I listen to his instructions carefully. So, I get down on all fours and close my eyes trying to imagine what she looks like. To be honest, I was terrified… I took a deep breath and soon all I felt was the pain of bones rearranging and snapping. I let out a blood-curdling scream that turned into a howl.

“You’re almost there, Lucy!” Lyall encourages me and I can feel my hands and feet turn to paws my hair turning to fur. Once I realize the transformation is done, I look around with my new senses and try to look at myself. My fur is light reddish-brown and white. I turn around to see that I’m surrounded by wolves except for Lou who can’t yet, but she stayed inside. Lyall/Lykos comes trotting up to me and nuzzles my neck.

“Hi Scarlett, I’m Lykos. It’s nice to meet you in person this time.”

“Yes, it’s good to see you again, Lykos.” I nuzzle him again and it just feels right. Like I was meant to be this way.

“Let’s run…” I got excited at the thought of having my first run with him. We probably ran for hours around the forest not having a care in the world. Once I was finally tired, we laid outside on the porch and just let our wolves cuddle together.

“For your first time-shifting and your first run it went smoothly, but I didn’t like to see you in pain…” He nuzzled me again and it just feels right… I stay as Scarlett throughout the night into the next day. I didn’t want to change just yet not that I’ve just met her I didn’t want her to leave yet.

“Good morning Scarlett.” Lykos licks my cheek to wake me up. I groan as he tries to wake me up but reluctantly, I stretch out and lick his cheek back.

“Good morning Lykos.” I wrap my head around his neck.

“Eventually you’ll have to let Lucy come back.”

“I don’t want to” I pout like a little kid not getting their way…

“I know we just got you but you’ll come back soon. Now you can communicate with each other. So, you’re not completely gone.”

“Well, at least that’s a comforting thought. Alright, how do I turn back to Lucy?”

“Just imagine what she looks like and it’ll be painful going back, but not as bad as her turning to you.” I close my eyes again and imagine my normal self. I feel my bones rearranging. My paws turning back to my feet and hands, my fur turning back to my red hair, going from all fours to two legs.

“Yay I’m me again… that feels weird, but your right it wasn’t as bad going from wolf to person again.” Lykos reluctantly turned back to Lyall for my benefit but he made it look easy.

“You’ll get used to it just takes practice. Come on, let’s go inside. I’m sure everyone is eager to hear about your first shift.” We get inside and everyone is just staring at me…

“So how did it go!?” I know my mom is chomping at the bit to know details.

“It was painful, but once it was done and Scarlett fully was out it was exhilarating. The first run with Lykos was amazing. Smelling scents of everything in the forest for the first time… feeling the snow underneath my paws… having Lykos comfort me when the pain got unbearable…” I kiss his cheek in gratitude and his pack hoots and hollers at us.

“Yeah, yeah like you’re not like that with your mates.” Lyall teases the rest of them in good fun.

“I know you guys wanted to be there for my first shift and run, but I think it would’ve been too much, having everyone there. So, thanks for watching from a distance while Lyna and Lyall took care of me.” I felt bad that they didn’t get to fully see it, but I knew they were there from a distance which for me was enough. “I have an idea since all of you didn’t get to fully appreciate the first shift and run, we can all go for a pack run right now.”

Everyone seemed to like that idea, we all went outside, and I made my way to the tree I had left my clothes at last night to see if they were still there luckily, they were. I took off the fresh clothes I had on and laid them next to the ones from last night. I took a deep breath and remembered what Lyna had told me. I went down on all fours to brace myself, don’t get me wrong it was still just as painful the second time as it was the first time, but at least I knew what to expect. When I fully shifted to Scarlett, everyone looked at me amazed.

“Now everyone sees what I see… you’re beautiful, Scarlett.” If I could’ve blushed, I would’ve. I licked his cheek in love and soon I saw everyone else. I remember Randon and Emmy from the special ceremony but the others I’ll piece together. Soon I see a huge reddish-brown wolf with a white spot on its tail similar to me but almost the size of Conall and realize that it’s my dad!

“Daddy!?”

“Yes, dear… this is what I really look like… I’m sorry we couldn’t show you earlier, but we didn’t want to scare you last night.” I know he was just making sure I didn’t get scared, but I was definitely glad they were at least in the background last night. Soon a brownish-red wolf not too much bigger than me stood beside my dad and realized that it was my mom…

“Mom!?” I never realized how beautiful my parent’s wolves were until I saw them with my own eyes. Course even as little as a few weeks ago if you would’ve told me I was an alpha’s daughter I would’ve laughed at you.

“Yes, dear… you look so beautiful.” She walks over to me and nuzzles me with so much love and licks my cheek. Soon everyone was ready for the run and I started it at a walk while others went on their run. I didn’t mind walking I was enjoying the snow and taking my time. I’ll run later to catch up with the others. As I was walking and lagging behind something didn’t feel right.

“Lykos… I think someone is close.” He perks up and sniffs the air, and he growls.

“I smell it too. You and I can check it out, and if it turns violent go on ahead get Lyna.” I can tell he’s talking to her probably letting her know of the suspicious activity. Soon the air smells like roses and cinnamon when clearly flowers were dead for the season, and apples and honey were also not in season.

“Lykos! Do you smell that? Clearly, things that are not in season. I’m getting nervous…”

“Yeah, I do. Don’t worry we’ll protect you. You’re technically just a pup so get behind me.” I did as I was told, but it still didn’t help that I was shaking in my paws.

“Wait! Wait! We come in peace! We do not intend to attack!” We hear a mysterious guy’s voice in the distance. Randon and Emmy let out a warning growl to back off away from us, but soon my father ran up to them and looked like he was defending them…

“Dad? What’s going on? Who are these people?? Why are you defending them?!”

“Because they have a scent that I haven’t smelled since we were last in France… they’re family…”