The Three Years... For What?

Ellie ran in the woods as fast as she could, away from what she had overheard back at her home.

‘How could they…? After everything I did for them…? Even enduring that…’ she thought.

Just a little earlier, instead of training or be out hunting like any other werewolf would, Ellie was at home, just got done with a certain rite she was to do in this pack. It was not something any werewolf could do, but it was more of less one that she- and only she- was required to, according to her parents.

It was a rite, known as the Wolf Swap Rite; a painful weekly process that allows a werewolf unsatisfied with the wolf they were born with to exchange it for a new wolf more fitting for them. At least… That was what Ellie’s parents had told her, when they made her undergo this rite for the past two years. It was not because she was unsatisfied with her wolf, as it was just that they want her to be a better werewolf than any other. The only way to do that was to switch her wolf- her fate- for a new one.

If it was up to Ellie, she would’ve chosen to not do this rite. Not only did the procedure hurt, it always left her feeling really weak. However, she owed her parents her life, for she was found by them as a pup in the middle of the woods, and was taken in by them as their daughter. Ellie felt really lucky to have been found and adopted by a loving family, and was willing to do anything for them.

At least… she felt that way, until recently.

After she was done with the rite and recovered enough strength to leave for a hunt, not long after she left the room, Ellie realized she had dropped the handmade charm her mate/boyfriend made for her on her sixteenth birthday, and went back for it. Or so she wanted to, at least… when she overheard her adopted parents conversing through the closed doors.

“It’s been almost three years since the rite. Are we sure this is working?” her father, Aiden, asked.

“Don’t ask me; that’s what she’s been telling us,” answered Lila, her mother.

Ellie raised a brow at those words. She knew she didn’t tell them if the rite was working or not- not that she would know if it was working; just that it was painful. Even then, she tried to hide the pain behind a smile to look strong. Adopted she may be, she was also the next Alpha of the pack; she couldn’t afford to show any sort of weakness.

“I hope so. I don’t want our daughter to go through all this pain for nothing. It would be nice to know if this rite really was working, and she really is getting her wolf,” Aiden said.

Ellie raised a brow at that last bit. Getting ‘her’ wolf? Who? Do they mean her getting her new wolf?

“Believe me, I want to know that, too. Still, this is not something that can be rushed,” Lila stated.

“Yes, I am aware. Still, I do wonder… Do we really have to wait until that thing’s eighteenth birthday for Maddie to get her wolf?”

Ellie widened her eyes at the question. What did Aiden just ask?

“That’s what was instructed for this rite to be done perfectly,” Lila confirmed, increasing the hidden werewolf’s surprise. “It explicitly stated that the rite must be done weekly for three years, with the two werewolves partaking in it simultaneously. Thankfully, they don’t need to be in the same room for this to happen, so long as they’re in the same circle.”

‘Two werewolves?’ Ellie mentally repeated. What did she mean by ‘two’? Doesn’t the rite switch out a werewolf’s wolf for a completely different one? That was what they told her when they introduced this rite to her. More so, they claimed that the rite was for her sake. So why…? Why was Maddie brought up? And what did they mean by needing ‘two’ werewolves to partake in it?

“I still say we should’ve done it daily instead. The sooner the swap gets done, the sooner Maddie will get Ellie’s wolf, and the sooner we can have that outcast out of our hair.”

As soon as she heard Aiden say those words, Ellie was left speechless. Did she hear him right? ‘The sooner Maddie gets her wolf’? Didn’t that mean… All this time, this rite was actually for Maddie’s sake?!

Although Maddie was Aiden and Lila’s daughter, she was quite weak for an Alpha werewolf. As such, even though she was the true heiress, there had been talks about how Ellie may be the one to be Alpha in the pack, especially given the number of times she had beaten Maddie in their sparring sessions. Unlike most werewolves, though, she did not think much on it; only if it helps her return the favor she owe to her adopted parents.

However… That favor did not include taking her wolf away and weakening her.

Every werewolf was born with an inner wolf that decides their fate in life, and lives and dies with them. Such was the law of the Moon Goddess above. However, by undergoing the Wolf Swap Rite, a werewolf unsatisfied with their wolf can exchange it for a new one more fitting for them. Or so Aiden and Lila had told Ellie, when they had her do this rite. All so she could be a better werewolf than them.

... Or so they claimed. But in truth, they just wanted her to switch out her wolf with Maddie’s? For what?! So she could have her strength and prowess?! Be the Alpha she apparently couldn’t be?! It wasn’t as though Ellie wanted the position! And worse off…

“Although… It has almost been three years,” Aiden spoke up them. “Other than the pain the two went through, there doesn’t seem to be any sort of side effects from doing the rite. And since it’s almost complete anyway, maybe we should speed things along after all.”

Ellie’s eyes widened when she overheard this, as Lila asked, “Aiden, darling… Are you saying…?”

“We have to do whatever it takes to ensure this rite works, don’t we? In that case, we should take things up a notch. Daily routine, until that outcast’s birthday, and the final day of the rite. Nothing was said about doing it so often this close to the endgame. If we want the rite to work, if we want Maddie to take Ellie’s wolf, we need to do this. Of course, that is only if Maddie wants to. We can’t risk having her lose her health over this, after all.”

Ellie did not want to listen to any more of this talk, and quietly left, rushing to the one person she trusted most for comfort.

And so led her to this situation. To her running away from home, distraught by the truth she had discovered. Ellie couldn’t believe it… All this time, she wanted to repay these people for taking her in, a young werewolf pup lost in the middle of the woods. But it was all for nothing?! Did they plan this from the start?! For her to show capabilities of a strong Alpha, and transfer those capabilities- her wolf!- to Maddie?!

‘I can’t stay here any longer… I need to leave!’ Ellie thought. ‘Hopefully, Steve can help me out. He has to!’

Steve was her mate, her boyfriend, and now the only werewolf Ellie could trust. If not for him, Ellie would not be able to continue the rite- though if she could be honest, sometimes, even that was exhausting on her. Now that she knew of the truth behind the rite, though, surely once she told him what she found out, he would help her escape from here.

It did not take her much longer to arrive at a small clearing in the middle of the woods, which was her and her mate’s special place. What with the beautiful sunset, the few pretty daisies blooming in the area, and even the birds chirping nearby… So to say, it was the best dating spot around.

It was… until she arrived, and saw Steve with one other female werewolf. With her adopted sister, Maddie. More than just be with her; the pair were kissing! Ellie thought she felt betrayed by her parents, but this?! Her own boyfriend- nay, her mate! Kissing another female werewolf!

She was so shocked by the sight, she speechlessly stumbled back into a tree, eyes dilated, and jaw dropped.

Steve and Maddie pulled away from each other, looking at one another ever so lovingly, more than Ellie usually saw in her mate.

“I know it’s not long until the rite is complete, but I’m really getting tired of this secrecy, and Ellie constantly hanging around you,” she heard Maddie say, in which Steve chuckled to.

“Now, now, Maddie, there’s only a couple weeks left. Once those couple of weeks pass, I can officially say goodbye to that nobody, and finally live my life in peace with you. Just as we’ve always wanted~”

Maddie giggled at that. “I do love the sound of that. If only the time could come quicker, though~ I really don’t want to keep pretending to be weak in front of that outsider, just as everyone else does.”

‘Everyone else…?’ Ellie mentally repeated, not wanting to even wonder who she meant by ‘everyone’.

“It will all be over soon,” Steve assured Maddie. “Soon, you will complete that rite with your sister, and she will be left with nothing but your weak wolf.”

A smirk found its way to the female werewolf’s face, as she intimately wrapped her arms around his neck. “You know I don’t see that stray as a relative. Even if she is doing me this favor without knowing.”

“All in due time, Maddie,” Steve spoke, as they gradually brought their faces closer. “Gotta say, though, I almost feel sorry for her. It’s clear how effective that process is, and yet, she has yet to even realize how much weaker she’s been getting.”

“Probably because I’ve been holding back on all our spars together. And if I may, I truly wish to be able to use my full strength soon. I’m getting really restless with all this holding back.”

“Do that, and Ellie will definitely catch on to the truth and run away from the pack. She may have gotten weaker, but she’s still capable of that much.”

Maddie clicked her tongue at the reminder. “Of course I haven’t forgotten it. Unfortunately…” she said. The frown she had turned into a devious smile when another thought came to her mind. “Once this rite is complete, though, a different tune will be heard.”

Steve chuckled at that. “Indeed. All we gotta do, is wait for her 18^th birthday, and the final day of the rite.” With those last words, the two locked their lips together.

Ellie couldn’t believe what she was seeing. What she was hearing. She rushed to Steve- her mate!- in hopes the guy would help her escape should she ask for it! Instead… she came to hear this? To hear that he- like Lila and Aiden- thought nothing of her? Her own mate?! Even though werewolves bound to their mates would be loyal to them!

She was so flabbergasted by the whole situation, she took a step back, and accidentally stepped on and broke a twig behind her.

The moment the ‘snap’ resounded, Steve and Maddie instantly pulled away from each other and turned to the source. One look at the werewolf they least expected to see, and they were taken aback by her presence.

“Wha-?! Ellie?!” Steve gasped.

“Hey, Steve…” Ellie softly greeted.