CHAPTER 6.

My body felt weightless, my mind drifting in and out of consciousness. Voices swam around me, distant yet urgent.

“What’s wrong with her?” an unfamiliar voice from the crowd demanded.

"She’s burning up," another voice added, except I knew who this one belonged to. It was my father, Julian. "Something's not right."

“Just hang in there, Astra.” Levi breathed into my ears, gently rocking me back and forth as he stroked my hair. “You’re going to be okay.”

It was working. His presence was making the pain much more tolerable.

I barely registered the firm hands pressing against my forehead, the worried murmurs growing around me. The scent of my brother, Jerry, cut through the haze. A smell I didn’t know I had already picked up in my short time here. He knelt beside me, and although I couldn’t see quite clearly, I could feel the strange stench of worry latched onto him.

His strong hands reached out to me, his face tight with concentration, but not towards me. He was trying to get to Lola, to understand what I was feeling through her.

"Her wolf...she's suffering," Jerry murmured, his brows furrowing. "She’s in pain because she hasn’t shifted yet."

A loud silence followed before Julian cursed under his breath. Jerry moved closer to pick me up, but Levi beat him to it. In a swift second, he grabbed a sheet from a nearby chair, wrapped it around me and lifted me effortlessly into his arms.

"Where are you taking her?" Julian called after us.

Levi didn't answer. He moved quickly, his grip firm yet careful as he carried me out of the room. As soon as we were out the front door, the cool afternoon air hit my burning skin, and for a second, relief washed all over me before the intensity of my body's turmoil returned. The pounding of Levi’s heartbeat against my ear was the only thing keeping me steady, guiding me through the unknown.

Trees closed in around us as Levi took me deep into what seemed like the woods, finally stopping in a secluded clearing bathed in sunlight.

"Astra, you need to shift," he said, kneeling and setting me down gently. "Your wolf is in agony. You can't fight it anymore."

I whimpered, my body convulsing as sharp pain lanced through my spine. My vision blurred, my fingers clawing at the earth beneath me as heat erupted from within.

"I... I don't know how," I gasped, sweat dripping down my temple.

Levi's jaw tightened. "Your body does. Let go. Stop resisting."

My eyelids felt heavy, my eyes moments away from closing. “I…I…” I tried to form a complete sentence.

“Hey,” Levi’s hand rested on my cheek, he brought my face up to look at his. “Stay with me, okay? Keep your eyes on me.”

“I’m scared,” I whispered.

“I know,” he said softly, maintaining eye contact. “I’m going to let you in on a secret. My wolf is different from every other’s, I also had a hard time transforming. I still do…..but you know what helps?”

I shook my head slowly, feeling groggy.

“Repeat after me…” his tone was hushed, like he was afraid someone close by would overhear. “I control the wolf. The wolf does not control me.”

It was the same words I had overheard him reciting earlier. It felt personal, and yet he was here, sharing this information with me.

I took in a breath, now determined not to let him down. With my last strength, I forced myself to repeat his words. “I control the wolf, the wolf does not control me.”

My teeth clenched as another wave of pain rolled over me. I heard my clothes rip as my bones cracked, my skin burned, and for a moment, I thought I would shatter into nothing. Then—

Lola surged forward.

My screams morphed into a throaty snarl as my body twisted and reshaped, my human form melting away. My vision sharpened, the woods suddenly more vibrant, more alive. I could hear the rustling of the wind, the heartbeat of a rabbit nearby, the steady breaths of Levi watching me with unreadable eyes.

I had done it.

I stood on trembling legs, the sensation of my new form overwhelming yet exhilarating. I glanced down at my paws, the sleek white fur shimmering under the sun’s glow.

Levi exhaled, finally getting up from the grass. "Took you long enough."

I growled, baring my teeth.

"Don’t get cocky," Levi warned, his voice a low rumble. “Just because you shifted doesn’t mean you magically know how to be a wolf. You nearly tore yourself apart trying to keep your wolf at bay. How could you be so reckless?”

I lowered my head, my body vibrating with emotions. Anger. Appreciation. Disgust. One minute he was nice, the next he was rude. I just couldn’t win with this boy.

“It’s dangerous, half wolf.” He continued, his tone as stern as ever. “Don’t keep your wolf caged, or you’ll end up suffering for days, maybe weeks.”

I turned away from him, going to perch behind a tree as I felt my human form start to return. It was easier, less painful, but it still hurt and my bones felt sore as they rearranged once more. Soon, I was curled up on the ground, naked.

I heard a shuffle behind me, then something soft landed on me. The sheets he had grabbed.

“Next time, strip before you transform. It’ll prevent you from having to go through heaps of clothes monthly.”

I sighed, a little embarrassed as I wrapped the blanket around myself.

Levi appeared, crouching in front of me, his expression now softer but still firm. "You survived your first shift. That’s the hardest part. But from now on, you need to take this seriously. No more pretending you're just some human girl. You’re one of us. It’s time you start acting like it."

I huffed, but deep down, I knew he was right. I had crossed the threshold and there was no turning back now.

“Come on, everyone’s relieved it worked out fine.” Levi said. I shot him a confused look, and he added. “Jerry’s been checking in.”

“Right,” I murmured.

As we walked out of the forest, Levi looking as majestic as usual and I, wrapped up in a bedsheet, I couldn’t help but think about what had just happened.

I had transformed into a bloody wolf. A few days ago, I could have sworn that tis world did not exist. I could have sworn that I was the most normal girl ever, besides my constant dreams that is. It still all felt surreal to me.

Was this really happening?

“You know, you still haven’t told me who your father is.” Levi commented, fixing up his hair. “Although I do have my suspicions.”

“Why don’t you go ahead and ask your own father? He seemed to know earlier.”

His expression changed, then he smirked. “Nah. I’d rather not know, to be honest. I wouldn’t want to lose respect for whoever decided to go as low as laying with a human.”

I stopped, infuriated. “Excuse me?”

But he kept walking, leaving me behind like he hadn’t just uttered something extremely disrespectful. My mother is the most perfect woman I know, no wolf could compare to her.

“Dick!” I snarled, deciding there and then that I did not like Levi Parrish and would do whatever it took to avoid him from hence forward.

I found Jerry by his car, leaning on the driver’s door, deep in thought. He looked up when he noticed I was around.

“What are you wearing?” he asked, stifling a laugh.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I replied, getting into the car in annoyance.

Jerry put the key in ignition and drove out of the packhouse grounds. He kept stealing glances at me throughout the entire journey, and I just knew he had questions on his mind.

“How was your first shift?” he finally asked when he could no longer contain himself.

“Better than I thought it would be,” I said, looking out the window. “I just wish I had better company.”

“Really? I actually thought Levi did a good job. It’s the first time any of us have seen him take charge, his father was so proud.”

My mind went back to the woods, how arrogant he had been. At the beginning, I had thought he cared about me. I thought he genuinely wanted to help me, but he clearly just wanted to impress his father. What an asshole.

I turned to Jerry and faked a smile. “What I meant was, I wish it had been with someone I was comfortable with. Someone like you.”

Jerry nodded. After that, the ride was beyond quiet. The drive back was faster, and less nerve wrecking. Somehow, I had made it through the day without passing out.

Or something like that.

“We make a great team,” Lola let out, and I found myself smiling at her words. I truly believed them. “You, me, and Levi.”

My smile faded. Levi? Why would she say that? Levi was the last person I wanted to be in a team with. I couldn’t even bare to be in his presence. He was everything Shawn wasn’t.

Shawn.

In the havoc, I’d forgotten to text him back. I reached for my phone, then realized I was no longer wearing a pair of jeans.

“No, no, no!” I lamented. “Jerry, we have to go back.”

But we were already pulling into the house, and I knew there was no way he’d be willing to turn around and make the journey back.

“What is it?”

“My phone,” I explained. “It must have fallen off when my clothes ripped to shreds.”

“Hold on,” he said, reaching into his pocket. When he took his hand out, my phone was in it. “I found it after Levi carried you out.”

I let out a loud sigh of relief. “You’re a lifesaver.”

He chuckled as we walked into the house, while I texted my boyfriend the details of today, with a few tweaks to the story. Or a lot. I mentioned meeting my father’s family, saving a girl from being bullied by three mean girls I met while taking a stroll to the park with my half brother. I conveniently left out Levi and turning into a wolf.

By the end of the message, I was convinced I’d escaped the worst part, but my troubles were only beginning.

Julian was already waiting for us in the sitting room, and on his hand was a piece of paper and some clothes. A white shirt, a navy blue skirt and a matching tie.

He handed them over to me. “Check if these fit, we have to make sure you’re ready for school tomorrow.”

What?