A scent

Selene stretched lazily on her bed, it had been a cold night and she wished she could stay in the warmth of her blankets.

A soft yawn escaped her lips as she rubbed her eyes, and slowly opened them. There was something about today that felt different, something that made her sit up suddenly. She blinked in realization, a soft laugh escaping her.

“It’s my birthday!” she whispered, her eyes lighting up as the thought settled in.

With a surge of excitement, she kicked off her blankets and hopped out of bed. Crossing the room, she stopped in front of the mirror.

Her reflection stared back at her—a girl with thick, long white hair cascading down her back. She picked up her brush and brushed it through the silken strands, a small smile forming on her pink lips.

In this house, she was the only one with white hair, something that had always set her apart from her family and friends. She had always wondered why she was the one with a white hair which neither of her parents had.

Selene's warm blue eyes sparkled with anticipation as she remembered what this birthday meant. She would finally be shifting today. It was the moment she had been waiting for—eighteen and ready to discover her true wolf form. Her heart raced at the thought.

"Maybe today will be the day I find my mate too," she giggled, her eyes flashing with excitement at the thought. "And finally stop those fools from staring at me."

At her age, she was blooming quite fast, as her curves would not stop hugging any dress she put on. She sometimes wished she had bigger clothes because going out made her uncomfortable. The prying eyes of her neighbors and friends were just too much for her.

With her hair now neatly brushed, she grabbed her favorite blue dress, which hugged her curves in all the right places, and headed for the living room.

As she entered, Elias, her brother, glanced up from his seat at the table. A wide grin spread across his face when he saw her.

“Happy birthday, little one,” he said, ruffling her hair affectionately.

Selene rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest, trying to look serious. “I’m eighteen now, Elias. I’m not your ‘little one’ anymore,” she said, though her lips twitched with a hint of a smile.

Elias laughed, clearly not taking her mock frown seriously. “Eighteen, huh? You’re still shorter than me, so ‘little one’ it is," he smirked with a hint of mischief in his eyes.

Selene rolled her eyes, "That doesn't work on me anymore," she stifled her smile, and Elias threw his hands in the air, "Fine."

Before Selene could respond, Aria walked into the room, her eyes lighting up the moment she spotted her younger sister. “Happy birthday, Selene!” she exclaimed, rushing over to give her a tight hug.

Selene couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear, the warmth of her sister’s embrace making her birthday feel even more special. “Thank you so much!” she replied, her heart swelling with happiness.

Elias, still stirring his tea asked. “So, what’s the plan for today, birthday girl?” he asked, though his eyes remained fixed on the swirling liquid in his cup.

Selene shrugged, plopping down into a nearby chair. “I don’t really know. I’ll just do my thing and wait for the full moon tonight.”

At this, both Aria and Elias paused, exchanging a glance before turning back to her.

“Full moon?” Aria repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, the full moon. Tonight’s the night I shift for the first time, right?” Selene said, her brow furrowing slightly.

Aria bit her lip, clearly trying to suppress a laugh. “Selene, today isn’t a full moon. Who told you that?”

Selene blinked, a wave of confusion washing over her. “It’s not?”

Both Aria and Elias shook their heads, their amused expressions making Selene feel just a little embarrassed. She shrugged it off quickly, though.

“Well, okay then. Guess I’ll just have to wait a little longer,” she said, brushing off the moment.

"You can't though," Elias whispered.

Aria picked up her bag from the table and slung it over her shoulder. “Don’t worry, you’ll shift soon enough,” she said, her voice full of encouragement as she patted Selene’s head again. “Have fun today, birthday girl. You deserve it!”

Selene waved after her, smiling. “I will! Thanks, Aria!”

As Aria left, Elias downed the last of his tea and stood up, stretching his arms above his head. “Well, I’ve got to head out too. But hey, you can go anywhere you want today, Selene. It’s your special day.” He grinned, reaching over to ruffle her hair again.

“Oh, and I’ve already prepared breakfast for Mother and Father, so you don’t need to worry about that,” Elias added as he pulled open the door, a grin still on his face.

“Thank you so much, Elias,” Selene smiled softly, feeling a wave of relief. At least that was one less thing she had to take care of today.

He nodded, stepping outside. “Have fun, little one,” he called before the door closed behind him.

As soon as he left, Selene let out a long breath, wiping her forehead . “Phew,” she muttered under her breath, “Today might not be all that interesting… but tonight might be.”

Her thoughts returned to her parents’ breakfast, remembering that she still had to serve it even though Elias had prepared everything. With a sigh, she got to her feet and headed for the kitchen to set the table for them.

---

The day passed slowly, filled with routine tasks and quiet moments. The day was turning into night. Selene watched the sun set with happiness.

"Finally."

“It’s almost time,” Selene whispered to herself, her heart beating a little faster in anticipation. She slipped out of the house, careful not to make too much noise, and made her way to a secluded spot behind their house. It was her favorite place, away from prying eyes and distractions, where she could be alone with her thoughts.

Sitting down on the soft grass, she gazed up at the sky. The stars twinkled above her, but there was no silvery moon to comfort her.

A sigh of disappointment escaped her lips. “No full moon,” she muttered, hanging her head.

"How come on my eighteenth birthday, I don’t get to shift into a wolf?" she pouted, frustration bubbling inside her. This was supposed to be the night. The night everything changed. The night she would finally join the ranks of her kind.

"Maybe I will shift next full moon, but.. I wanted my first shifting to be on my birthday," her eyes began to tear up.

She looked up again, hoping the moon would magically appear out of nowhere, but the sky remained dark, offering no sign of the full moon she had been so sure would mark her transformation.

For a moment, she felt utterly defeated, but then something inside her stirred. A strange, tingling sensation spread through her body, starting in her chest and radiating outward. Her heart pounded, and her skin prickled, as if electricity were running through her veins.

Selene blinked in surprise, her breath catching in her throat.

"Huh?" She gasped.

The air around her seemed to shift, growing thicker and more charged with each passing second. Her body began to feel foreign, as if she was suddenly turning into something else.

Before she could make sense of it, a sharp, sudden pain shot through her limbs. She gasped, her fingers digging into the earth as her bones began to shift and rearrange.

Her vision blurred, and she could feel her body stretching, expanding in ways she had never thought of.

Her heart raced as she felt her spine elongate, her arms and legs becoming something new. Fur sprouted along her skin—thick, soft, and red.

Her hands became paws, her nails turning into sharp claws. She could feel her senses becoming more powerful, her hearing becoming sharper, her sense of smell more acute.

Selene's breath came in ragged bursts as the transformation completed itself, leaving her panting on the ground. She blinked, her vision now much sharper than before. She stood on all fours, looking down at her new form—a sleek, rer wolf with warm blue eyes.

She raised her paws, watching it with a sense of wonder and surprise. Her fur was red!

A wave of excitement washed over her, and she let out an involuntary yelp of joy. Her tail wagged furiously as she bounded forward, her paws barely making a sound as they hit the ground.

The sensation of running on four legs, of being one with the earth and the air, was exhilarating. She darted into the bushes, unable to contain her joy. She yelped and howled, her voice echoing through the night.

Selene darted through the trees, leaping over logs and weaving through the underbrush with ease. She wandered far into the bushes, howling at intervals.

A big oak tree stood tall in a distance. She trotted towards it, wagging her tail. Reaching it, a new scent hit her nose, and she growled.

Growling softly, she quickened her pace, as she followed the trail of that tantalizing smell.

As she approached the tree, the scent grew stronger, more intense. Her nose twitched, and she slowed down, her eyes scanning the area.

And then she saw him.