1_ Awakening
Note- only chapter 1 is written in third person pov for reference purposes.
It was yet another full moon.
The silvery light bathed the forest, casting long shadows and illuminating every rustling leaf. Katrina prowled beneath the trees, her wolf paws sinking into the cool, damp earth. She moved with an elegance born of nature, her keen senses picking up the soft breeze, the distant chirps of night creatures, and the rhythmic pulse of her own heartbeat. This was her life, wild, free, and instinctual. Her only concerns were survival and solitude.
Tonight, like every other, was meant to be no different. She would roam the vast wilderness, find a meal, and return to her den. Until…
A sudden, sharp pain pierced her mind.
Her wolf groaned in agony as a blinding headache seized her. She staggered, whimpering as the pain intensified, stabbing deeper into her skull. Then, out of the darkness, a voice echoed, distant yet commanding, reverberating through her consciousness.
"On the first full moon after your eighteenth birthday, you shall remember."
The words hung in the air, thick and ominous, leaving Katrina frozen in place. Before she could process the meaning, images began to flood her vision. She saw a man and a woman, figures from a past she didn’t recognize. Their eyes shimmered with sorrow, tears falling silently down their cheeks.
“We love you so much,” the woman whispered, her voice trembling.
“We will do anything and everything to keep you safe,” the man added, his voice firm but breaking with emotion.
Katrina felt their touch as they kissed her forehead, their love radiating through her. The vision faded, but the ache in her head only grew stronger. Her wolf let out a pitiful whine, trying to shake off the strange sensations.
“You are free from this day forth,” the mysterious voice returned, louder now. “You will no longer be bound to your wolf form.”
Before Katrina could comprehend the words, her body convulsed violently. Every bone in her frame cracked and shifted, the sound echoing like dry branches snapping underfoot. She let out a howl, collapsing onto the ground as the pain washed over her in brutal waves.
It felt as if her entire being was being torn apart, reshaped against her will. She writhed in agony, claws scraping the dirt, her vision blurring until the world around her dissolved into blackness.
And then… silence.
Katrina lay still for a moment, her breath shallow, her heart pounding in her chest. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was how strange everything seemed. The forest, her home for as long as she could remember, looked different. The trees loomed taller, the ground felt further away. She blinked, trying to understand, trying to piece together what had happened.
Alarmed, she scrambled to her feet, only to freeze in terror.
Her hands were stretched out before her. They were long and delicate, covered not in fur but soft, smooth skin. She stared, wide-eyed, at her human form, her heart racing in panic. What had happened to her?
Her gaze traveled downward, and her breath caught in her throat. Two strange, protruding mounds jutted from her chest. Katrina frowned, utterly bewildered. She tentatively touched them, her hands trembling as she felt their unfamiliar softness.
A voice broke the silence.
“Oh my God.”
Katrina’s head snapped up, her eyes locking onto the figure of a young man standing just a few feet away. He quickly turned away, his cheeks flushing as he looked anywhere but at her.
“What the hell are you doing out here naked?” he exclaimed, still refusing to face her directly. His voice was sharp with surprise and something else Katrina couldn’t identify.
Katrina didn’t understand the boy or his strange reaction. She tilted her head, studying him curiously. He was tall, with long limbs, much like her own now, and his hair was dark and unruly. But why wasn’t he looking at her?
“Where am I?” she asked, her voice hoarse and unfamiliar. The confusion and sudden shift in her reality made her chest tighten with anxiety. One moment she had been a wolf, a creature of the forest. Now… now she was something entirely different. Her form resembled the people she had seen in her visions, those fleeting, emotional glimpses of the man and woman.
“What?” The boy glanced at her in disbelief, his brows furrowing. “You don’t know where you are?” His incredulity was evident, and he took a step back, clearly unsure what to make of the situation.
Katrina remained still, unsure of how to explain something she didn’t even understand herself. The boy hesitated, muttering a curse under his breath before he took off his jacket. He walked back toward her, still careful to avoid eye contact.
“Here,” he said, holding the jacket out. “Put this on.”
Katrina stared at the piece of clothing, not understanding its purpose. Why was he giving this to her? Why wouldn’t he look at her?
When she didn’t move, the boy groaned in frustration. He stepped closer and awkwardly draped the jacket over her shoulders, quickly fastening a few buttons to cover her nakedness. The jacket barely reached past her thighs, but it was enough to shield her from the cool night air.
Once satisfied that she was somewhat decent, he finally allowed himself to meet her eyes. For a moment, the world seemed to stop. His breath hitched as he stared into her hazel-green eyes, eyes that were so unlike anything he had ever seen before. They glimmered with both wildness and innocence, capturing his full attention.
He shook himself out of his trance, stepping back. “What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?” he asked, trying to sound casual despite his clear unease.
“I don’t know,” Katrina replied, her voice soft and troubled. The events of the night had left her completely lost, her mind struggling to keep up. She could still feel the weight of the transformation, the disconnect between her past and present.
“Well, it’s dangerous out here,” the boy said, glancing around as if expecting something to leap out from the shadows. “There are wild animals in these woods.”
Wild animals?” she echoed, her tone skeptical.
“Yeah, like wolves or bears or something,” he said, though he was already turning to leave. “Come on, I’ll take you somewhere safe. You’re obviously lost.”
Katrina remained still, her mind racing. What did he mean by “wild animals”? She was a wolf. At least she had been.
He turned to leave, clearly expecting her to follow. Katrina hesitated, staring after him in confusion. Her legs felt weak and foreign beneath her, and she wasn’t sure she could even walk properly in this new form. Still, the boy seemed to know more about this strange world than she did, so she took a shaky step forward, then another.
When he realized she wasn’t following quickly enough, he stopped and came back to her. Without a word, he grabbed her hand, gently but firmly, and pulled her along with him. The warmth of his touch sent a strange shiver through her, something she had never felt before. It was unsettling.
They finally emerged from the woods, and the sight that greeted Katrina made her stop in her tracks. Bright lights flooded her vision, illuminating towering structures that reached toward the sky. Strange, metallic objects moved along the roads, emitting a soft hum. The noise, the light, the unfamiliarity of it all was overwhelming.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she gazed in awe at the city. She had never seen anything like it in her life. Actually, she had never seen anything *at all* in her human life.
“Where do you live?” the boy asked, walking toward one of the strange objects, a large, shiny thing that sat by the roadside. “I can take you home.”
“What?” she blinked, still staring at the city.
“I’ll help you get home,” he repeated, his voice softer this time. “Where is it?”
The word home made her heart ache. Her home was in the woods, deep within the forest where the moonlight filtered through the trees. But that wasn’t the answer he was looking for, was it?
“Home…” she echoed, her voice distant.
“Yes, home,” the boy insisted, clearly growing impatient. He gestured toward the strange object. “Come on, get in.”
Katrina tilted her head, unsure of what to do. She walked toward the object, reaching out to touch its smooth surface. “What is this?” she asked.
The boy gave her a bewildered look. “It’s a car. Where are you from, outer space?”
“Is that where you’re from?” she asked him, genuinely curious.
He stared at her for a long moment before sighing. “Okay, you’re weird. Just get in. I’ll take you home.”
Katrina cautiously approached the open door of the car, studying it as if it were a puzzle to be solved. She tried to step inside, but her head collided with the roof of the car. She winced in pain, rubbing her head.
“Not like that!” the boy rushed over, helping her into the seat properly. He closed the door behind her, muttering something under his breath as he walked around to the driver’s side.
Katrina’s entire body tensed as she sat in the passenger seat, her eyes wide with unease. She scanned the car nervously, her gaze jumping from the dashboard to the back seats, from the ceiling down to the floor. Everything about this strange metallic cage made her uncomfortable. The boy seated next to her didn’t seem to notice her growing panic as he slid into the driver’s seat, casually turning the key in the ignition.
The sudden rumble of the engine roared to life, and the sound felt like a threat. Katrina flinched, her instincts taking over. Her feet left the floor in an instant, and she crouched on the seat like a cornered animal, her entire body coiled and ready to strike. It wasn’t aggression but pure, unfiltered fear.
The boy almost jumped out of his skin at her sudden movement, his eyes wide as he slapped a hand to his chest. "What the hell!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking in shock. His heart pounded visibly beneath his palm. "What is your problem?"
He stared at her, utterly bewildered, but Katrina wasn’t paying attention. Her wide, alert eyes darted around the car, her muscles still rigid, ready for whatever threat might come next.
The boy blinked, still trying to make sense of the situation. "Okay, seriously, just tell me where you live, and I’ll get you home. The sooner I drop you off, the sooner I’m free of this weirdness," he muttered, half to himself, as he turned toward her expectantly.
Katrina remained silent for a moment, then slowly lifted a hand and pointed past him, toward the dark, looming forest they had just left behind.
He followed her gaze, his brow furrowing in confusion as he glanced out the window. "The woods?" he asked, incredulous. "You live in the woods?"
Katrina nodded once, her expression dead serious. The boy stared at her, completely baffled, his mouth opening and closing as if trying to form a response, but no words came out.
Finally, he sighed, dragging a hand through his disheveled hair, clearly regretting every decision that had led him to this moment. "What the hell am I doing?" he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. A naked stranger in the middle of the woods, behaving like, well, like she’d never seen a car in her life. Which, given the situation, he was beginning to think might actually be true.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself before addressing her again. "Okay, first things first. You need to calm down and put your feet back on the floor," he instructed, trying to keep his voice steady.
But Katrina didn’t move. She remained crouched on the seat, her muscles tense. He sighed again, realizing he needed a different approach. Softening his tone, he gestured toward her. "I promise I’m not going to hurt you. I’ll take you home, wherever that is, but you need to relax, okay?"
He reached out slowly, gently guiding her feet back down to the floor. "There we go, much better," he said, offering her a reassuring smile. Katrina’s posture eased, just a little, but her eyes remained wary.
"What’s your name?" he asked, hoping to get her to open up.
"Katrina," she said after a pause. The name came naturally to her, though she had no idea how she knew it.
"Alright, Katrina," he nodded. "Do you have a phone number I can call? Maybe your parents?"
"I don’t have parents," she replied bluntly, staring at him with a matter-of-fact gaze.
His expression softened slightly. "Oh. I’m sorry. How about any siblings? An aunt? An uncle?" he tried again, his voice gentle but hopeful.
But Katrina just looked at him, her face a mask of confusion, as if she didn’t even understand what those words meant. He let out a groan and dropped his head against the steering wheel, clearly rethinking every choice he’d made since offering to help this girl. What had he gotten himself into?
After a long moment of internal debate, he finally lifted his head, his face resigned. "Okay," he said, his voice firm. "Here’s the deal: it’s too late to figure all of this out right now. How about you crash at my place tonight, and tomorrow I’ll take you back to wherever your home is?" he suggested, though he was already second-guessing the offer.
Katrina nodded, seemingly agreeing to the plan, though she didn’t quite understand what she was agreeing to.
"Alright," he muttered, giving her one last glance before putting the car in gear. The ride was silent, except for the quiet hum of the city around them. But while Katrina’s earlier tension had faded, her wide-eyed wonder had taken over. She pressed her face against the window, staring in awe at the towering buildings, the passing cars, the bright streetlights, and the occasional pedestrian. Everything was so foreign, so utterly mesmerizing.
Dylan couldn’t help but steal glances at her as he drove. Her amazement was almost childlike, and he found himself wondering once again who this girl was and why she was behaving like someone who had never set foot in a city before.
When they finally arrived at his apartment complex, Dylan had to help Katrina out of the car, guiding her by the arm as she gawked at the surroundings, her head swiveling back and forth as if trying to take in everything at once.
He pulled her toward the entrance, his grip firm but gentle as he led her inside. She flinched at every sound, the ding of the elevator, the hum of fluorescent lights, and by the time they reached his floor, she was practically glued to his side, her wide eyes darting around in barely-contained fear.
Inside his apartment, Katrina’s fascination only grew. The modern, stylish space was unlike anything she’d ever seen before. She wandered through the living room, her gaze trailing from the plush couch to the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall, to the sleek kitchen with its stainless-steel appliances. The paintings, the small bar, even the overhead lighting, it was all completely foreign to her.
She turned to Dylan, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you?" she asked, her voice quiet but serious.
Dylan blinked, taken aback by the question. "Uh... I think you mean ‘who am I,’" he corrected with a small chuckle. "My name’s Dylan."
But Katrina didn’t laugh. She just stared at him, as if waiting for him to give her a proper answer. "Dylan," she repeated, testing the word on her tongue. "What kind of creature is that?"
He froze, his eyebrows shooting up in disbelief. "Creature?" He laughed, though it was more out of confusion than amusement. "I’m not a creature, Katrina. I’m... well, I’m just a guy. A normal human being."
Katrina tilted her head, still not entirely understanding. "I am a wolf," she said, her voice unwavering.
Dylan stared at her for a moment, then burst into laughter. It was a deep, uncontrollable laugh, one that shook his shoulders and left him clutching his stomach. Katrina looked at him, her face expressionless, clearly not understanding what was so funny.
"Wolf? Right. Sure you are," he said between chuckles as he walked over to the bar to pour himself a drink.
"I am telling the truth," Katrina insisted, her voice rising slightly with frustration. "I’ve been a wolf my whole life. I lived in the forest alone until today."
"Yeah, okay," Dylan said dismissively, taking a sip of his drink.
"I’ll prove it," she said, stepping toward him with determination.
Dylan raised an eyebrow, watching her curiously. For a moment, he almost believed her. But then, as Katrina closed her eyes and tried to shift, nothing happened. She frowned, trying again, but still, nothing.
Dylan shook his head, a smirk on his face. "What, did you forget how to be a wolf?" he teased as he turned away, heading toward the kitchen.
But Katrina didn’t stop trying. She squeezed her eyes shut, focusing all her energy on calling forth her wolf, but it was as if that part of her had disappeared. Panic began to rise in her chest.
"What’s wrong with me?" she whispered, more to herself than to him.
"You okay? You look like you’re gonna explode or something," Dylan remarked, glancing back at her with mild concern.
Katrina opened her eyes, her heart racing. "I can’t shift," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Where’s my wolf?"
Dylan sighed, shaking his head as he made his way toward the bedroom. "Listen, it’s late. You need to get some sleep. We’ll deal with all of this tomorrow."
But as Dylan disappeared down the hallway, Katrina stood frozen in the middle of the living room, her mind racing. Something was terribly wrong.
Her wolf was gone.
