Chapter 15: Primal Awakening
1208words
Time slowed as I lunged forward, my body moving with impossible speed. Victor's claws descended toward my father's back in a deadly arc, but something inside me—something primal and fierce—refused to let it happen. A scream tore from my throat, not of fear but of rage.
And then it happened.
Heat exploded through my veins like liquid fire. My vision sharpened, colors intensifying until the world seemed painted in vivid hues. I felt my hands changing, fingers elongating, nails hardening into claws. Not a full transformation, but something in between—human form with wolf attributes.
I caught Victor's wrist mid-strike, the impact sending shockwaves up my arm. His eyes widened in genuine surprise as I held him back with strength that shouldn't have been possible.
"Not my father," I snarled, my voice deeper, rougher.
Victor recovered quickly, his shock transforming into cruel delight. "There she is," he purred. "The wolf in your blood awakens."
Damian was suddenly beside me, fully transformed into his massive black wolf form. He positioned himself between Victor and my father, teeth bared in warning.
"Elena," Jackson called, helping my father to safety. "Let go. Now."
But I couldn't. Victor and I were locked in a physical struggle that mirrored our blood bond—his will pushing against mine, trying to dominate. Through our connection, I felt his excitement, his triumph at provoking my partial transformation.
"You feel it now, don't you?" Victor whispered, leaning closer despite my grip on his wrist. "The power in your blood. Neither fully human nor fully wolf—something new."
"I'm nothing like you," I hissed.
"No," he agreed, amber eyes gleaming. "You're so much more."
With a sudden twist, he broke my grip and stepped back, raising his hands in mock surrender. "The first change is always the most difficult to control. Embrace it, Elena. Don't fight what you're becoming."
Damian growled, advancing on Victor, who merely smiled and backed toward the forest edge.
"Four days," he called. "The blood moon rises, and you make your choice. Come to me willingly, or I'll take what's mine by force—starting with your father."
Then he was gone, melting into the shadows with inhuman speed.
I stood trembling, staring at my hands as they slowly returned to normal, claws receding into regular fingernails. The rush of power ebbed, leaving me dizzy and disoriented.
"Elena." My father's voice pulled me back to reality. He stood a few feet away, watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read—fear? Concern? Disgust?
"Dad," I whispered. "Are you okay?"
"Am I okay?" He gave a hollow laugh. "My daughter just sprouted claws and moved faster than humanly possible. No, Elena, I'm not okay."
Damian shifted back to human form, unconcerned with his nudity as he moved to my side. Jackson tossed him a pair of jeans from a backpack I hadn't noticed him carrying.
"Your daughter saved your life," Damian said coldly, pulling on the jeans. "A thank you might be appropriate."
My father's jaw tightened. "Thank you, Elena. But this—" he gestured at me, at Damian, at the clearing "—this isn't what your mother wanted for you."
"You don't know what my mother wanted," I snapped, surprising myself with the vehemence in my voice. "You've been lying to me my entire life about who I am, what I am."
"To protect you!"
"To control me," I corrected. "Just like Victor wants to control me. Just like everyone seems to want to control me."
Damian's hand settled on my lower back, a silent show of support. Through our bond, I felt his concern, his pride in my strength, and beneath it all, a fierce possessiveness that should have bothered me but somehow didn't.
"We need to leave," Jackson interrupted, scanning the trees. "Victor will be back, with reinforcements."
My father stepped forward. "Elena, come with me. I can help you fight this... this change."
"Fight it?" I echoed. "Dad, it's who I am. Who I've always been, even if I didn't know it."
"It's not too late," he insisted. "I have resources, contacts who understand werewolf physiology. We can suppress the transformation, keep you human."
The offer tempted a part of me—the part that longed for simplicity, for a return to the life I'd known before waking in that blood-soaked wedding dress. But another part—the part that had felt the exhilaration of power flowing through my veins—recoiled at the thought.
"I need time," I said finally. "To understand what I'm becoming."
"The blood moon is in four days," my father reminded me. "After that, if you complete the ritual with any of them, the change becomes permanent."
I looked at Damian, whose expression remained carefully neutral despite the turmoil I could feel through our bond. "Is that true?"
"Yes," he admitted. "The ritual solidifies your nature—whatever that may be by then."
"Come with me now," my father urged. "Before it's too late."
I stepped back, closer to Damian. "I'm sorry, Dad. I can't run from this. I need answers only they can provide."
Pain and resignation crossed my father's features. "Then I've lost you, just like I lost your mother."
"You haven't lost me," I said softly. "But you need to accept that I'm not just your daughter. I'm Sophia's daughter too, with everything that entails."
Jackson cleared his throat. "Touching as this is, we really need to move."
My father straightened, his hunter's instincts clearly agreeing with the assessment. "This isn't over, Elena. I won't give up on you."
"I know," I said, and meant it.
We parted ways at the edge of the preserve—my father returning to town, while Damian, Jackson and I headed back to the estate. The drive was silent, each of us lost in thought. My body still hummed with residual energy from the partial transformation, making me hyperaware of every sensation—especially Damian's proximity.
Back at the estate, Jackson excused himself to strengthen the security perimeter, leaving Damian and me alone in the entrance hall.
"You were magnificent," he said quietly, blue eyes intense as they studied me. "What you did today—stopping Victor, protecting your father—it shouldn't have been possible for someone so early in their awakening."
"I didn't think," I admitted. "I just... reacted."
"That's the wolf in you." His hand rose to cup my cheek. "Instinctive. Protective of pack."
"Is that what my father is? Pack?"
"He's your blood," Damian said simply. "And despite everything, you love him."
The understanding in his voice undid me. I stepped into his arms, suddenly overwhelmed by the day's events. He held me tightly, his heartbeat steady against my ear.
"What happens now?" I whispered.
His fingers threaded through my hair, tilting my face up to his. "Now we prepare. Victor won't wait until the blood moon to make another move."
"And my transformation?"
"Will continue," he said, his thumb tracing my lower lip. "Faster now that it's begun. By the blood moon, you'll need to make your choice—not just between alphas, but between embracing your dual nature or fighting it."
As his lips descended to mine, I realized the choice might already be made—my body responding to his with a hunger that was anything but human.
