Chapter 4: Until I found you.

Could there ever be a day that I don't fall into trouble? I thought. I was already getting hot and nauseous, my stomach cramping caused my arms to grasp on each other as I tried to hide the pain. My nails dug into my shirt, somehow tearing the fiber. And the stare of the man in front of me wasn't helping much.

My vision was blurry but I was aware of Diana's warm hand creeping onto my shoulder and so I turned my attention to her.

"Are you okay, Ayla?" Her words slurred.

"I-I don't feel good." I uttered weakly, squeezing my eyes shut as intense strain invaded my skull.

"What's the matter?" A demanding voice shouted.

My knees were giving up. I opened my eyes to find myself knelt on the floor. Through the tears and pain I saw Alpha Gray kneeling at my height. Everything was burning under my skin. My muscles were spasming and my bones creaked with every breath I took.

"I-I don't know. It looks like she's.. " It was Diana speaking.

"She's what?" He growled.

"Shifting!"

"Shifting?"

"For the first time." Diana added.

I growled as I felt the muscles of my calves and thighs cramp up. My body collapsed on its side but my head was caught by someone before it collided with the ground. I could smell how amazing his scent was. It radiated comfort.

"Is that possible? How old is she?" A stranger's voice piped up.

"Uh.. Eighteen! She-She turned eighteen last week."

"Eighteen and never shifted before?" One voice wondered, a Beta.

"Strange." Another Beta added.

I was ruthlessly coughing as my throat felt dry. As I was about to support myself to stand, I felt my arms cramping up and giving way underneath me. I screamed when I felt the last bone of my spine crack. A searing hot pain shot up my limbs and left it in tingling warmth. My skin must have been torn by now as I felt the intense throbbing overtaking every joint and ribs of my body.

Soon following was my brain pulsing at the beats of my racing heart as I heard screams and groans. My screams. I am sure I will die today. My lungs constricted as I struggled to breath and my vision blacked out completely with me succumbing to the pain.

And after a few seconds, I finally took a breath. The first thing that reached my senses was hushed voices.

"She's moving."

Next was the feeling. The itchiness of the moonlight falling on me irritated my skin.

Moonlight. It was still burning me.

My head was fuzzy but I could smell the flowers and the candles surrounding me. It was overwhelming so I inhaled deeply. Turned out to be a bad decision because next came the smell of alcohol and sweat and metallic hint of blood. My nose twitched in disgust, but soon a particularly strange smell overtook my consciousness. It was deliciously strange. And the fog over my eyes lifted.

What was that?

Before I could figure out the scent which was almost peppery, something whimpered in my mind. I froze, even scared to breathe now.

Ok.. Who was that?

'Hey, Ayla.' It whispered.

What.. Who..How? There was a feminine voice in my brain but it wasn't mine. I couldn't think straight.

'Ok,I will start with the basics, Ayla.' This time the voice was articulated. 'You have shifted and I am your wolf.' It murmured softly.

Shi-shifted? I gasped mentally, I thought I could not-

'Girl, save it for another day and listen. I have been awakened because we have found our mate.'

Mate?

'Yes, the Alpha.'

Alpha Gray?

'Yes, he is our mate.'

I jolted at the sudden confession and wobbly landed on four paws with a growl. Wait- FOUR LEGS.. WHAT?!

Oh! The wolf, right. Got it.

So I was on four legs and I was smaller than usual. My 5'4 height dropped to only 4 feet tall. Great!

Glancing down at my fe-paws, I saw white fur coating my ankles. And as soon as I flexed my toes, I discovered sharp claws covered by fluffy, soft fur. My fur is white? I shook my body happily with my wolf joining me in my mind.

After a moment of admiring myself, I looked up only to find worried glances from a group of people. Then my eyes found Diana's warm ones. I jumped over her happily, who had her arms wrapped around me now with a smile on her face.

"Ayla, you've shifted." She chirped.

I almost snorted at her comment but shook my wolf's head instead.

'Can you hear me, Ayla?' It was Diana's voice but it came from inside of my mind.

I panicked, not knowing how to block people out. My heart raced and I landed myself back on the ground. This didn't feel right. How can I, out of nowhere, shift? This must be a dream.

Panic rose in me and I felt overwhelmed with emotions.

'Ayla, don't panic already.' Diana's voice vibrated through my head. 'Build a wall Ayla, wrap your mind in comfort and keep the key to yourself.' She stated.

With her words wrapping my senses, I found myself calming down and inhaled deeply. I envisioned a warm, fluffy white blanket securing me, keeping me snug and safe. I growled hearing my wolf snort and threw in a chain and locked it securely, just to spite her.

However, when I opened my eyes; my attention immediately fell upon a six-feet towering figure shadow that was returning my gaze. The world around me was already slowing down but now it faded away completely as my eyes locked with his glimmering hazel orbs. I could bet I have never seen such a beautiful shade of hazel in my eighteen years of life. At this moment, all I could hear was the rapid beating of my heart as if I was looking at him for the first time. His musky scent intoxicated my senses. I felt his smell pulling me towards him, unforgiving yet gentle in a strange way. My throat was dry again, my skin was itchy as if I craved something but didn't know what.

Worry settled in me because everything was too paced for me. It all felt too much. I shifted because I found my mate, who is none other than the Alpha of my pack. And now I'm on the verge of getting punished for dropping goddamned champagne on the Alpha's back. My thoughts were interrupted when someone's finger brushed against my furry head. He was petting me? His touch ignited something in me that was clandestine until today! Until I found him. Him; who was mine.

My wolf purred.

No. No. This feels too… too rushed for me.

I have to get away. I couldn't do this!

Not giving a second thought, I bolted. Stumbling on my four legs, it took me a few leaps to get used to moving on four legs. I heard everybody gasp and shout behind me. Diana called out my name but I did not care. Gaining a perfect balance, I paced towards the stairs and ran till I was on the ground floor and exiting the packhouse. All I knew was to run away.

My running stopped as soon as I reached a lake. I have no clue where this lake was or how far I had come but I knew I was still in the pack land. I could sense the borders pull just some meters away from where I stood.

Glad that it was a full moon night, I collapsed by the lake's bank that imitated the role of a mirror. The clear water of the lake reflected the round moon like an acrylic painting on a huge irregular shaped canvas. One word; breathtaking. Though I didn't intend to ruin the pretty picture, my throat was absolutely parched. Tongue lapping at the water in desperation, I slowly slid myself in the water to calm the aching of my muscles.

Now that I had shifted, it truly felt horrendous. And I didn't want to change back in the fear of going through a similar burn.

Closing my lids for a few minutes, I let my guard down, feeling the water around me calming every piece of me that ached like death. I decided to climb back out. Exhausted. Still standing on the edge, I shook my fur to get rid of the heaviness of water. And momentarily glanced down at my reflection, startled at what I saw. My newfangled head was of a wolf staring back at me, her eyes a shiny turquoise like mine.

But what triggered me the most was the fact I was a pure white. It eventually made me question my heritage and progeny. Pure white was considered strictly royal and even Diana was not pure white, she was a light brown. But every fur on my body appeared white. From what I remember there had been only three ancient female warriors that were pleasured with pure white.

But why did I? My blood doesn't belong to the high ranked privilege.

And why did I shift so late?

Why was it Gray's fault that I did?

'The answers will be found eventually, Ayla. I can feel it.'

I hope so. I sighed.

A wolfy sigh escaped my ajar mouth as I rested my head on my paws. Eventually, my mind cleared and I was too focused on the sounds that belonged to the forest. The new senses that had stirred me at first were now in my control. The tail was something new though but it will come to me gradually.

My ears perked up when I sensed a huff of breath and rustling of dried leaves some meters away from me. Paws making its way to me as I slowly lifted myself up in a crouching way. The pheromones around me were too overwhelming to realize the direction from where it belonged to. As if godly scents wrapped the air I was breathing.

I frowned at the realization and made my way to the other side of the lake slowly when eventually a loud thud occured behind me. A low grumble left my lips just before the wolf came to my sight. It was him; a large white furry wolf like me but a couple of heads higher. Seems like I have to work on my ability to sense the direction of the scents. I almost went the wrong way. My wolf irresistibly pulled forward out of my control. She begged me to approach. Although I wondered why she was so quiet all this while, I let her lead me.

The closer we got, the giddier my wolf felt. I felt my tail wagging as we closed the distance between us. My wolf was awestruck at his great smell as a wolf, which was totally unfair. She tipped her nose up and flattened her ears, as I crouched in front of him.

His eyes were glistening as a silver pearl. And I realized why he was named 'Gray'. He let out a low grumble keeping his eyes on me. He lowered his head, rubbing his snout down my neck, taking a deep sniff before stepping away. My wary eyes stared at him but he merely jerked his head to the direction he came from. I left out a weary sigh but nodded my wolf's head in defeat and trailed behind him.

I was tired as we got closer to the palace, it was nearer to us than the packhouse and yet further enough to make me dizzy. I slacked behind him because the energy I had gained from seeing him was long gone and my eyelids drooped as if I hadn't slept for days. We had almost reached the front yard when he turned around in wonder as I slowed to a walk, dragging my little paws.

I looked up to see his head, notably his furry wolf head tilted, gazing at me with confusion under a lamp's light. I, too, tilted my head mirroring his expression and soon he transformed into his normal self, his human form. I averted my gaze from his bare body before he growled and ran away from me.

However before I could react, he reappeared standing in nothing but dark cotton shorts. He stood about two meters away from me in the dark, lamp's light negligibly reaching. I realized the pillar I was standing beside was the one I leaned to this evening. The pillar which was my only support until I fell onto his shoulders.

"Come here." He demanded.

I huffed and continued to drag myself at a snail's pace. My belly was almost touching the ground and all I wanted to do was lie right here.

"Come, you can't rest here." He almost growled now.

I faltered my pace but I didn't want to get too close, not knowing this man's intentions or capabilities had me questioning my own moves. Mate or not. A T-shirt was placed on my snout as soon as I looked up at his six-feet figure in the darkness of dawn. The sky must have tucked in the full moon in its warm blanket again.

"Change so I could carry you." His arms folded against his chest as he studied me.

Nonetheless, I was too tired to argue about changing in the open so I agreed and gestured to him to turn around. He stayed put so this time I growled at him not interested in showing him my tattered skin. He growled back, just as harshly but turned around, anyway.

Shutting my eyes tightly, I whined as my mind willed to shift. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much as the first time but my ribs and spine still made the sounds of knuckles cracking at some point. I was on my knees as my eyes shot open, my fingers grasped the fabric next to me as pins and needles took over.

If shifting into a wolf was terribly painful then transforming back into your human form was bizarre. My skin was damp and muddy as if I had never felt water on my skin. The ends of my short hair curled, tangled and stuck to my shoulders. I fought back the urge to throw up as I fixed my posture, clasping the shirt.

"Stop." A growl startled me. "What is this?"

My eyes went wide as he approached and I fumbled to pull the large shirt on me, mumbling a "Wha-What?"

"Don't." His eyes stared right into my vulnerable ones as he crouched down in front of me. His face mere inches away from my scared one as his gaze stopped my motions.

He grasped the shirt in his hand with my wolf almost drooling at the sight but I held my ground in panic. I leaned away from him, shutting my thighs together as my arms made their way to cover my upper body. I was as bare and grimy as the day I was born.

"Alpha-" I muttered out with my eyes roaming anywhere away from him.

"You should call me Gray." He blurted out, frowning hardly. "Now, what are these?"

A yelp escaped my mouth and my eyes shut in fear when he grasped my arm, my other hand flew to take its place and cover the dignity which I was left with. Which was honestly, none.

I kept my eyes shut waiting for I don't know what. Men clouded over my body when I used to run and get sweaty. How they hounded me and taunted me with their ugly stares and words. If they were nobody and yet had the audacity to go that low, then he is my mate. Mates seemed so suffocating, even if he smelled and looked like a God. Should I be expecting anything less than physical?

My lids gradually uncovered my vision as I caught him frowning. He didn't seem to care about my nudity. His eyes never focused on any of my body parts but on the discoloration and cuts that adorned my skin. Too concentrated on the fresher ones from yesterday.

"Ayla."

My eyes welled up and I whimpered as soon as his silky voice wrapped my name in it.

"Y-yes?" My voice, barely audible.

"Who?" He whispered.

I dropped my head in defeat, the moment a teardrop trickled down my cheek. "Too many."