A Gift from the Goddess

Book TWO – Ch.# 29

…I couldn’t believe I was actually thinking of doing this.

Again

I should have already learnt niy lesson by now… no, I really shouldn’t be trying to make it stronger. I already knew how dangerous that side of me was. And yet Kieran looked at me with those puppy dog eyes, making it feel impossible to deny him.

…So here I was.

Contemplating doing the very thing I was sure would make him happier than it would make me.

I knew he wanted me to be completely healthy again, to be able to do the things he could do, to try and… fix me. Which wasn’t a bad thing, per se. It was great. It’s just… I wasn’t sure if I was ready for that yet. This wasn’t like asking me something trivial. He was asking me to connect with a beast who had terrorised me for years.

A shiver went through me as I recalled every time it had happened, remembering the blood and bodies. Remembering… the pain. Not even Kieran had been sale last time, it having lashed out at him as well. “I’ll be right here with you, I promise,” Kieran said, disrupting my thoughts. It won’t be like the last time. You don’t need to worry.”

Right.

Because the medicine should have stopped the suppressors by now… which should theoretically stop the pain… which should then stop the blackouts… and the death toll after it.

So simple. Logical

Surely nothing bad would happen again. I could do this.

And so I held my breath tentatively. “…Okay, Kieran,” I said, feeling numb. “I’ll do it.” And I agreed to do the very thing that terrified me.

I stood a foot or so away from him as we got started, watching him carefully. A small tremor was shaking through me, but I did my best to push through it. Now, more than ever, I needed to focus entirely on what Kieran was trying to tell me.

It quite literally could mean life or death.

“Deep breath, Rae,” he said, doing it himself as if to remind me how.

Yes… thank you for that.

But I still did it regardless.

“Okay, now… close your eyes… and reach deep inside. Try to connect with her,” he instructed

I wanted to be sick.

“Rac… close your eyes,” he repeated, seeing me hesitate.

…And I did as he asked.

So basic. This was meant to be straightforward biology. Because turning into a woli was meant to be normal. Yep, just a totally ordinary thing to do.

But as I reached down towards it inside, I felt a spark of revulsion. One that stemmed from the idea of letting it control me once more. It was like tempting late, opening the door to allow it to hurt others; something that I had sworn to leave behind as I began my new life.

And so I said… no. No more Never again.

If we were to do this… then we were going to do it my way

And I quickly grabbed ahold of the creature lurking, its teeth bared at me from the shadows of my mind and I threw it to the surface. I threw it to the surface and held it in place, forcing it to do what I willed it to.

An action that was then swiftly followed by the sound of my joint cracking.

SNAP
…And another…

*SNAPPpo

…And another….

And soon I felt pain overcome me, my body shifting and twisting in all sorts of ways I didn’t think possible. Contorting into new shapes, burning with every modification … a loud orchestra of flesh and bone moving that overwhelmed my

ras

you still with me?” I heard

III

time. It felt manageable… And I kept if that way.

concentration to achieve.

point, Kieran had moved to my side, I could tell that much. Maybe to try and get a reply from me. But it wouldn’t

only took another moment before everything stilled. The world stopped moving, my nausea slowly passed… and, finally, it

“Rae?” Kieran asked.

IP

FDE

truthfully, it wasn’t just my vision. As I moved my head, it seemed as though everything was now… sharper, my senses feeling heightened tenfold. “Are you okay? You still in

But not this time. This time, I wouldn’t allow

that didn’t mean it had to be that way for everyone. Whatever I was doing was clearly working and it

at Kieran in a way that I hoped conveyed my presence and nodded

is what he wanted. To prove I was better. Well… here

A wolf.

of the monster

want to try going for a

think I mostly just wanted

+

1

that running was the assumed next step as he proceeded to start shifting himself. And, before too long had passed,

him in this form, It had very clearly been Kieran in control so to not scare me. But now… I guess with him presuming that

wolf was more in charge. It felt more… animalistic and playful as he

holding that side of me

could, he didn’t

him, I

moving for

thin.

broke. **Shift

2.2

beast was trying to take control, attempting to push me aside so quickly it was like an elastic band that had snapped. But I managed to command

was that?” Kieran asked, a few moments later. “Is everything okay?” He’d

I’m fine,” I replied.

now shaking uncontrollably as I spoke, unable to hide the adrenaline that fear had shot through me. I’d been so close to losing control… so close to

ICT

he said, coming over

even in his arms,

a pro in no time. Don’t worry about it.” Oh, but I was worried. Of course, I was. This was yet another thing I needed to overcome. Another thing to prove my worth to stay here. And so, just as I learned to fight, I was

Conquer… *t*

The beast inside.

Kieran asked as I left my

knew a lot more now. I’d had time to get to

“Ready.” I smiled.

for the dining

still put me on edge, but I’d been getting better at focusing my mind. Now, I could sit here talking to her without paying it much attention at all. Like an annoying buzzing background noise that I’d learned to live with, but instead of noise, it was an urge to lash out at her. Putting it to the back of my head was just a way to enjoy her company in a weird, convoluted way. Whatever worked though, I guess. “…And then after I went to the temple, I went for lunch at that

nice,” I said, meaning

words that then took me by surprise, not expecting the

added casually, much to my discomfort. “I love having the time to do that. The wind always feels amazing against your fur, don’t you think?

to the shifting incident, feeling sick at the whole thing. And suddenly I felt the burning need

both.

um, nothing much. The usual,” I vaguely

“Did you – ,”

go to the bathroom quick,” I said, cutting her off. “I’m so sorry, I’ll be

bad about the abruptness, but I hadn’t meant it

asked, probably realising it was odd

I smiled at him. “Back in a minute,” I reassured. And I left towards the bathroom, moving before anyone could stop

by my own thoughts, feeling… unsettled and inadequate. Like I was out of place. I knew Allison hadn’t intentionally meant any harm, but her words had been a badly timed sting. I didn’t know the feeling

such a rush,” then came a voice to my left. 11 had interrupted my concentration