Chapter 5
Stella's POV
"Hurry, Stella! I'm ready!" Haley's impatient voice echoed through my family's wooden cabin as I struggled to gather my thoughts. The morning light filtered weakly through the frost-covered window, casting pale patterns across the pine floor.
"Girl, you need to move," Corvina urged in my mind. "My tail needs stretching!"
"I want to pet your tail," I said. "You're not like a cat that can't have its tail touched, are you?"
"I'm a wolf! Not a cat!" Corvina protested.
"So that means I can touch it?" I asked.
"Fine, fine, let you touch it," Corvina said, sounding exasperated.
I smiled at my wolf spirit's restlessness. Since our first transformation yesterday, Corvina had become increasingly vocal about her need for freedom and movement. It was strange how quickly I'd adjusted to sharing my consciousness with another being.
"Coming!" I called back, then threw on light linen cloaks before racing outside into the biting Alaskan cold.
"Where should we go for my transformation?" Haley asked as we trudged through ankle-deep snow.
I considered for a moment. "Aurora Bay—where I prayed last night. It's sacred to the Goddess and well-concealed by the pine forest."
We made our way through the dense woods, our breath forming clouds in the frigid air, and reached the secluded frozen lake.
Haley's fingers trembled. "Will it hurt?" she asked, her voice small against the vast silence of the winter landscape.
I looked into her eyes, knowing honesty was important. "Yes, but only for a moment. Once the transformation is complete, the pain vanishes, and it's the most wonderful feeling in the world. The Goddess will guide your soul as it merges with your wolf form."
Two hours later, Haley's pained groans filled the clearing as she drank the Wolf's Blood herbal mixture I'd prepared. Her body convulsed, bones cracking and reshaping as fur erupted from her skin. A small gray wolf that looked incredibly like an Alaskan Malamute appeared.
My own transformation followed, taking only seconds now, the pain far milder than my first time. I shook myself, adjusting to four legs again.
The two wolves circled each other, sniffing and learning each other's scents.
"She smells like wildflowers and honey," Corvina observed as we completed our greeting ritual.
We raced through the forest together, our enhanced senses painting the world in vibrant detail. The scent of a distant stream called to us, and we changed direction, breaking ice with our paws to lap at the cool water when we arrived. Further on, we caught the musky scent of a snowshoe hare and hunted together.
We explored the forest as wolves, communicating through subtle body language and occasional mental images. The freedom was intoxicating—running without exhaustion, smelling every minute change in the air, hearing the heartbeats of small creatures hiding beneath the snow.
"Scramble, scramble, scramble! I've been dying to hunt freely after turning into a wolf!"
When we finally returned to Aurora Bay, we transformed back to our human forms, our bodies tired but our spirits soaring.
"That was the most amazing feeling," Haley breathed, her eyes still wide with wonder. "So free. Everything you see and smell is different now!"
I nodded in agreement. "In wolf form, I feel powerful and alert. But now my body is exhausted." I stretched my human limbs, feeling the pleasant ache of muscles well-used. "We should head back to rest before tonight's celebration."
Transforming into a wolf definitely makes eating way more satisfying than being human. I can eat whatever I want, sleep once I'm full—happy days.
"Girls, wake up!" My father's voice jolted me from deep slumber. I blinked, disoriented, to find Dad standing over us, a smile playing across his weathered face.
He yanked our blankets away, sending Haley tumbling to the floor with a shriek. "Ahhh! Why would you do that?" she demanded indignantly.
"Because it's nearly dinnertime, and you've slept the entire day away," Dad replied. "Haley, your family will join us for dinner tonight. We have honey cakes and gifts to celebrate your first transformation—and Stella's birthday."
I sat up, suddenly remembering that today was indeed my eighteenth birthday. The excitement of Haley's transformation had overshadowed it completely.
"Go wash in the hot spring," Dad instructed. "Be ready within two hours!" He settled into the main chair, examining security reports on his tablet as we scrambled to our feet.
The kitchen filled with the mouthwatering aromas of roasted wild boar, baked potatoes, and wild carrots—one of my favorite meals. My transformation had left me ravenous.
"Something troubles you," Corvina observed in my mind.
"A premonition about tomorrow," I replied silently. "Something significant will happen during the Polar Night Festival."
"Stella, are you listening?" my mother asked, breaking into my thoughts.
"Sorry, Mom. I was distracted."
Haley's father smiled. "Understandable after your first transformation. We have gifts for you both."
They presented us with matching wolf-tooth amulets—mine set in silver, Haley's in bronze. We thanked them earnestly, though my mind remained preoccupied with tomorrow's unknown challenges.
After Haley's parents departed, we prepared for bed. Despite my unease, I felt this had been a wonderful birthday, though I knew deep within that tomorrow's "coming of age" ritual would change everything.
After all, the mating ritual means I'll lose my virginity and transition from a girl to a woman—of course everything changes. Thinking about leading a pack of cubs on runs? That actually sounds pretty thrilling.
In the darkness of my bedroom, Damon's voice caressed my mind: "Happy birthday, beautiful girl."
"By the Goddess, his voice is intoxicating," Corvina commented appreciatively.
I smiled. "I know."
"When will I see you tomorrow?" I asked Damon through our mental link.
"Not until the ceremony begins, unfortunately. I have clan matters to attend to."
"I'll be wearing a red ceremonial dress," I told him.
A possessive growl rumbled through our connection. "Mmm, if anyone dares to look at you too long or touch you, they'll pay the price."
"We'll see about that, lover," I teased, trying not to let Haley notice my excitement, though her knowing smile suggested she already had.
"Goodnight, my princess," Damon's voice faded.
"Goodnight, my prince," I responded.
Haley immediately pounced. "So, how is Damon?" she asked, propping herself up on one elbow.
I sighed dramatically. "Perfect. Too perfect. If I'm not his soul mate, I'll be heartbroken."
"Don't worry," Haley reassured me. "That won't happen. You two are meant for each other. Everyone can see he loves you too. Even if he had another soul mate, I bet he would refuse her for you."
Bullshit, you're lying to me. If this guy really loved me, he wouldn't have skipped my birthday. Sending telepathic messages from afar? What's wrong with making a damn video call?
I turned away, ending the conversation. "I hope you're right."
In the silence that followed, I confided in Corvina: "What do I do if he's not our soul mate? What if my fairy tale ends tomorrow? Or worse, what if he is our mate, but my premonition warns of something even more terrible?"
Corvina's response was steadfast. "I don't know what tomorrow brings, but I know we are strong, and we will survive whatever comes. Nothing can break us." Her tone softened. "Goodnight, birthday girl. We have a long day ahead."
"Okay, I'll go to sleep after touching your tail," I said.
Corvina let out a "meow" at me and threatened, "If you keep touching, I'll turn into an Alaskan Malamute!"