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

was still here the pain wasn’t as bad as the last time. It felt manageable… And

concentration to achieve.

try and get a reply from

took another moment before everything stilled. The world stopped moving,

“Rae?” Kieran asked.

IP

FDE

I moved my head,

still holding the creature hostage inside, its teeth snapping at me for control. But not this time. This time, I wouldn’t allow it even an inch of leeway. I was

that way for everyone. Whatever I was doing was clearly working and it

at Kieran in a way that I hoped conveyed my

To prove I was better. Well… here I

A wolf.

skin of the

going for a run?” Did

think I mostly

+

1

shifting himself.

then there was his wolf. When I’d first seen him in this form, It had very clearly been Kieran in control

in charge. It felt more… animalistic and playful

holding that side of

if he could, he

wanted me to follow him, I could feel my anxiety building

and by the time I was finally taking my first steps, moving for the very first time as myself in this form… I

thin.

broke. **Shift

2.2

But I managed to command this one last thing, saying it a second before it was too late. And, to my relief, my body started

now. “What was that?” Kieran asked, a few moments later. “Is everything

I replied. “I’m just…

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

ICT

did so well,” he said, coming over to

his arms, I was unable to

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,

Conquer… *t*

The beast inside.

you ready to leave?” Kieran asked as I left my

time to get to know the people better and settle in, and, though I was still

“Ready.” I smiled.

left for the dining

considered. Allison was seated next to me once again, happily chatting away. I was thanksul that she could carry the conversation easily without much help needed on my end. Truthfully, her presence 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

sounds nice,” I said, meaning it

words that then took me by surprise, not expecting the

went for a run,” she added casually, much to my discomfort. “I love having the time to do that. The wind always feels amazing against your fur,

mind instantly flashed to the shifting incident, feeling sick at the whole thing. And suddenly I

both.

much. The usual,” I vaguely

“Did you – ,”

I said, cutting her off. “I’m so sorry,

but I hadn’t meant it maliciously. I was just starting to feel

realising it was odd

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

words had been a badly timed sting. I didn’t know the feeling she spoke about, I didn’t know how

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