I woke up to someone knocking on my door. I groaned, exhausted from last night party. I peeled my eyes opened just enough to see through my lashes and saw the sun was rising from the window. I closed my eyes, ready to go back to bed. There was another few knocks at my door and I realized they seem pretty rushed.

I through my blanket off with a groan and forced myself up yawning loudly. There was more knocks at the door and I grumbled under my breath as I got up, "I heard you, I'm coming." I said as I walked over to the door. I swung the door open and stared up at Ulric. I blinked a few times, trying to get the sleepiness out of my eyes, "Ulric, I don't wanna-"

"This is serious," he said, grabbing my shoulders and pushed me inside. I was to sleepy and tired to halt myself but I did push his arms off. I glared up at him, feeling my mood darken at the moment. He closed the door behind him before turning to me, "You can't marry Zakaria-"

I groaned, "Enough of this, Ulric. Leave or I'll call him up here. I can't take-"

"Aeriela, he's been lying to you all this time. Has he ever told you Yuliya?" he asked. I stared up at him, trying to process what he had just said. Yuliya? No, I never heard that name before and Zakaria-or anyone-has mentioned that name. "Tatiana?"

I scoffed, "Who? No, I don't know who they are. What does it matter?"

"It matters allot-Aeriela, Yuliya was original engaged to another girl before." he said, reaching out towards me but I stepped back.

I groaned as I ran my hand through my hair, "Yes, I knew he was engaged before but she left him because she didn't think he was good enough. Now leave, I know who Zakaria is."

"No, that was a lie." he said, confusing me as I narrowed my eyes on him. "And Tatiana, that's their daughter."

I felt that a bunch of bricks been through on me as my heart dropped. I brought my hand up to my chest, "Wha-no, that's crazy. Zakaria doesn't have a child."

"Yes he does." he said. "And she didn't leave him because she didn't think he was good enough. Her father got pissed because she got pregnant before the marriage, broke the engagement, and Zakaria apparently didn't see any use in marrying her anymore. He used her, in allot of ways."

I started to breath heavily as this heavy pressure got heavier on me and I had so many emotions running inside. I wasn't sure if it was angry, pain, betrayal, or annoyance. I shook my head, "No, I refuse to believe that." I said as I turned away and walked over to my bed. I brought my hand up to my mouth, "Get out of here, Ulric. Why are you always running things for me-"

He grabbed my arm and turned me around, "Aeriela, please. It's true, she came to me with a woman who translated for her. It's not a lie, I'm being serious."

I glared up at him and brought my hands up to his chest, pushing him away and he fell on his back to the ground, "No!" I said. "I refuse to believe that, that isn't true! Get out of here, now!"

He stared to stand up, "Aeriela, I'm telling you the truth. He's only using you for-"

I brought my hand up to his chest and pushed him away but he stumbled back, "No." I brought my hand up to my head as I rank my fingers through my hair, "No! No, not again. Ever. I don't believe you, Zakaria would never do that to me."

He took a step towards me and I bared my teeth as I growled. His eyes widen as he looked at me and that confused me because he looked taken back. Suddenly this heat in my chest hit me hard and I took in a sharp breath as this heat just seem to spread across my chest to my whole body. I didn't know how to explain it but I felt like my hand was over top of fire. Just an inch away.

I took deep shallow breaths, "What's happening?" I asked. I took deep breaths, "I feel li-like I'm hav-having a hard time breathing-ahh!" I cried in pain as something my spine felt like a needle was being dug inside.

Mat

I woke up to the sound of Aeriela screaming. My first instinct was throwing my blanket off and jump off the bed. I breathed heavily as my legs ran me out of my bedroom over towards Aeriela. I pushed the door open and saw Aeriela on the ground in pain with Ulric beside her with his hand on her back looking up at me concern.

Aeriela opened her eyes and her eyes burn bright yellow. My eyes widen when I realized what was happening.

"What is going on?" Tamaz said as he walked down the hallway. Zakaria stepped out of his bed rubbing the sleep off his face.

I looked back inside and hurried over, pushing Ulric away before any of them could see him near her. Ulric and Zakaria already don't like each other, seeing Ulric beside her will only piss Zakaria off more. This engagement can't be ruined in any kind of way, this has to be a happy time for Aeriela.

I kneeled down beside her as I wrapped my arms around her, "Oh look, your birthday May twenty-ninth. It's your big day."
Aeriela growled, "This is really painful-ahh."

*

I couldn't help but grimace and cover my eyes slightly as Aeriela transformed. I watched her bones crack and turn to get into place to become a wolf. She was sweating, even though for us we could feel the breeze going. She cried in pain, wanting it to stop but we couldn't do anything.

I took a step towards her but Killian grabbed my hand, "Let her be. Trying to stop it gonna make it worse."

I frowned as I looked back at her, watching the painful process of a first transformation happen. This was the time the wolf wanted to come out but since her human body was never like she needs to 'remodel' her body to prepare for the next transformation.

"Why couldn't this happen while we were home?" I whispered, sighing heavily. "With our pack, family. It's tradition for the whole pack to witness this. It's just us."

Killian took my hand, "Ellie knew the risk of coming here, she knew it could happen. Even, this will be her pack soon to."

I snorted, "How ironic isn't it?" I asked and Killian sighed heavily. "I thought maybe Aeriela was right, maybe she is a year younger than we though. I'm not so ready to give her up to them now, Killian."

"Ellie is an adult now, we can't do anything about it." he said. With my hand still in his, he rubbed the back of my hand against my belly, "We'll still be here for you."

I couldn't help but smile as I looked up at him and nodded before turning back to face Aeriela transformation.

Aeriela.

I breathed heavily as I laid chest down onto the ground. I was covered in sweat and tears, feeling like I was in an oven. It was only minutes-terrible long minutes-but it felt like hours. I always heard it seem time slows down but I never took it serious until now. It serious feel like time slowing down and I was just baking in an oven.

I felt a pair of eyes on me-which was weird since I had a few pair of eyes on me-that made me look up right across from me. Ulric was kneeling down a good couple feet away from me, with his knuckles against his lips as he stared at me.

I so badly wanted to be comforted, for someone to tell me I could stop and take a break. I wanted to stop it, fight it so I wouldn't feel any more pain. I held my arm out a little towards him, just wanting any kind of comfort. Even if he just held my hand.

I felt it happen then. I felt all my bones moving-which was more uncomfortable than expected but didn't hurt since they were pretty much almost in space-and I watched as the hair on my arms quickly grow as I transformed.

And everything felt sorta of fuzzy after that. My body felt numb even though I stood up perfectly fine and stretched my body out. The first shift, I won't always have control. I looked around to see them watching me and I huffed heavily out my nose.

Mat took a step forward smirking widely, "What a cute red wolf you are." I growled at her taunt but she just giggled, "Come on, I know you wanna stretch those legs." she said, turning and ran away.

My wolf legs pushed myself ahead running beside her, feeling the cool hair breeze through my fur. All the pain and heat, it was gone. It felt good, like a big relief feeling as I ran. I heard the others joining behind us and we all ran together as a pack through the big open forest. I looked around, seeing everything much clearier. Everything smelled so good and fresh, it was incredible. I was experiencing everything they always talked about and it just felt so good.

*

I didn't noticed that everyone had gotten split up until a few moments ago. I slowed my slightly aching new legs but the feeling was so incredible. I circled around as I looked up at the sky and saw some birds. I jumped happily into the sky as if I could jump as high up there to catch them like fireflies in the summer.

I felt someone join me and I stopped jumping seeing Ulric. Rationally, I knew I was mad at him and shouldn't but something made me going over to him. I tackled him to the ground and ran my muzzle against his fur. He nuzzled his face against mine, playfully lifting my arm and played with me.

*

I felt something touch my arms and my eyes opened a little. I saw trees in front of me and I realized I was still in the woods. I saw my human hand in front of me resting and I was wondering when I had fallen asleep.

I felt something touch my bare back, moving back and forth touching me as I heard someone breathing. My blood turned cold as I quickly lifted myself up and turned to see Ulric behind me. It was his bare chest touching my chest and it was his hand touching my arm. He was fast asleep but he suddenly reached his arm around trying to look for something.

He groaned as his opened and he looked up at me for a moment. He sighed heavily as he reached his arm out towards me, "Just a few more minutes-"

I quickly back away shaking my head. I stood up from the ground feeling really quickly, "Did we. . .?"

He lifted himself up, "No, relax. Just played allot and you got really tired."

I scoffed, "So you just decided to cuddle me?"

He shrugged, "You honestly didn't seem to mind. You were pretty relaxed."

I scoffed as I angrily hit him, "Someone could have saw us! Oh god, if someone did then Zakaria is gonna be pissed." I said as I brought my hand up to my face and ran it down. "This is all your fault! And don't think I forgot what you tried to make me think about him earlier!"

He stepped towards me, "Why don't you believe me?"

"You never give me a reason to!" I yelled at him. "Now that I have transformed, I can marry him. I won't ever believe what you try to tell me about him, I do know him. At least marrying him, I know I won't ever get hurt again."