Remember to vote and comment!

VICTORIA DASHED IN THE DIRECTION of the house. She hadn't a car, so it was no use driving there. How could she anyway? It wasn't like she knew how to drive. Her mind was crammed with so many questions. What happened to Jason? Was he going to die? Was he already dead? Does this mean I am free to leave?

For a New York minute, she truthfully had a heart, and her eyes watered at the thought of Jason dying. Or perhaps it was just the wind since her feet were moving super fast.

What would Rita do? Victoria hadn't found her in the kitchen or anywhere in the dome. It was like she had just disappeared; not even the other kitchen workers knew where she went. She would be so devastated. Jason was all she had left in the world.

She remembered the time Rita told her about the time she found Jason in England abandoned in the orphanage after her husband died. She knew immediately that he was not like the other kids. She knew he was out of the ordinary; he was supernatural. Now, Rita's Jason was getting closer to the light, minute by minute.

Pushing her forelimbs backward and forward, she barreled to her destination, leaping over holes in the surface of the road, eluding insects and small animals that she came across, and bobbling her legs as fast as they could carry her.

It was already getting dark. The sunset sky was ruby-red above Victoria. She avoided going through the forest. She felt like insects were crawling on her skin when she moved closer to it.

Her legs were wearied and the wind was just tormenting her eyes. She wiped away several tears; not because she was sobbing.

Then she saw it. The house came into view on the other side of the street. Several more sprints and she made it. With much thought, she bounded up the driveway. She saw three cars in the driveway. One was Liz's, the other was Bruce's, and the final, a black sedan which was Rita's. Rita knew about Jason and didn't bother telling me? Victoria felt very hurt.

She immediately spotted Liz waiting on the porch. The other girl ran to her. Her make-up was smudged with tears. Why was Liz crying? She didn't even like Jason.

"Victoria! Thank goodness you're here." There was a hitch in the other girl's voice.

"What happened? Is he okay?"

Liz took hold of Victoria's arm and pulled her inside the house. "Come see for yourself."

The house was dark. She could barely see where she was going. Liz let go of Victoria. She walked further into the darkness, and then turned suddenly, grinning happily.

Victoria was confused. "Liz, what's going on?"

"Happy birthday, Vicky."

"What?!"

"Lucero!" A voice cried out, startling Victoria.

Suddenly, all the lights came on, revealing several other people behind Liz. She could make out the faces of Jason, Mark, Bruce, Parker, Rita, and some other people from school.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They screamed. Small pieces of brightly colored paper were thrown from several corners of the room.

Her friends smiled at her, and all she could do was stare at them with wide eyes and eyebrows raised, frozen. She redirected all resources towards staring.

"Are you crazy?! Victoria asked, aghast. "I thought you said Jason was 'dying'?"

The smiling faces of those staring at her suddenly turned glum at Victoria's reaction. "It was a prank!" Liz voiced out. "We knew you were feeling angry because you thought nobody remembered your birthday."

Is that why they think I get angry?

"My birthday?!" Victoria shouted, and walked closer to the crowd in front of her. "My birthday isn't till..."

Seventeenth of August, which is today's date. Today is my birthday. I had been so lost in all this magic stuff that I forgot.

Bruce who stood behind Rita—surprisingly holding a gift—finally spoke. "You didn't forget your birthday, did you?"

"Of course not!"

Rita looked at her with hopeful eyes. "Well...do you like it?"

"Like it?... I don't like it." Rita looked like she was going to scream everyone out of the house. "I love it."

A happy smile immediately appeared in her face, along with the others. Victoria opens her arms wide as her friends—except Bruce, of course—pulled her in for a hug.

They did all this for me.

Every year, on the night of her birthday, Victoria, Rio, and her dad would all go to a big oak tree in the forest for a midnight picnic. Victoria's mother had lived that tree so much. She went there every Wednesday night to just gaze at the surrounding.

No other person in the clan would have thought to give her a present on her birthday— if they remembered at all. But... These people who she hadn't known until about two months ago, planned all this for her.

Victoria released herself from the big as the music began to blare. She took the time to stare at her sixteenth birthday party. A plenitude of sealed presents stood in the corner of the room, shrouded in smooth, sheeny wrapping paper.

Famished teenagers clustered around the table which was filled with food. They snagged at chips and guacamole, sliders, and filled their mouths with burgers. A vast cake stood in the center of the table with blue icing.

The house was a bunch of smells. The chemical smell of just–cleaned floors, and fragrance of air fresheners smelled the most.

Victoria was astonished. "How did you all do this?"

Parker stepped forward, eager to answer a question —as always. "Well, it was Jason who had the idea." He explained. "Liz and I got the news around, Jason cleaned the house, while Rita made the snacks."

"You guys are the best!"

"Well, that's an understatement." A familiar voice said from behind Victoria. It was Rita and she was now holding the large blue cake in her hand, but there were now candles on the cake.

"Rita, it looks awesome," Victoria exclaimed. "I can't believe you had time to make it."

"I didn't make it."

"I did!" Mark, who had been quiet, finally shouted.

Victoria blinked, not believing what she had heard "Wait," she eventually uttered. "you made the cake?"

Mark pressed his lips into a thin line. "No, Bruce and I made it."

Today could not get any more surprising.

"Wait for a second! You and Bruce...together...without someone being ripped apart?" Bruce hid face from view.

Parker looked relieved. "Finally!" He said. "Someone is surprised."

"Enough chitchat," Rita said, drawing everyone's attention back to the cake. "It's time for Victoria to allow her candles. Parker, do you mind?" She added, gesturing at the unlit candles.

Parker snapped his fingers. "Fotiá."

The candles began igniting themselves one by one until they were all lit.

"Okay Victoria, make a wish!" Liz shouted.

A wish... What would I wish for? Maybe to see Rio one last time, or to have my family back, or perhaps that...

I wish... I knew who I was.

She closed her eyes and then blew out the candle. Everyone cheered her on, clapping and whooping loudly. They all left to enjoy the party, except for one person.

"Wait up!" Jason called her as she tried to go to the kitchen. "Happy birthday Victoria Lawrence."

She was strangely emotionally stirred. "Thank you."

"I got something for you," He announced. He fished through his pocket and brought out something, which he put in her hand.

It was a long black pen that had golden spirals designed around it.

"It's... The pen...well, thanks, Jason," said Victoria.

Jason saw her staring, and smiled at the sight. "This is a shadow pen."

He reached into his pocket and drew out a piece of paper. He scribbled down a few words with the pen and then, closed his eyes, thinking of something. The paper turned black, into smoke; he released the paper, as it turned into black vapor, hovering in midair like a tiny cloud. Snappily, the paper had completely disappeared.

Jason turned her around to look at Bruce, who was busy arguing with other teenagers. "Look over there,"

Out of thin air, a dark smoke appeared beside him; the piece of paper appeared which Bruce caught. He stared at Jason, and for some reason, nodded.

"Wow." Victoria gaped at it with rekindled interest.

"This is how we send messages without technology," said Jason, as he gave Victoria back the pen. "After writing, you must think of who you want to send it to, and then, let it go."

She put it in her pocket. "Thanks. It was nice that you got me something. I rarely get gifts."

"Nobody should get nothing on their birthday." The pressure between them appeared to rest on Victoria. Victoria stared at the boy in front of her. He had planned all this for her, he had even gotten her a gift. Who was Jason De Vries?

"I should go," Victoria was sure she was making him comfortless with the prolonged gazing, but she didn't seem able to stop herself.

"All right." She felt relieved, as she turned around for him. There was a party going on around her — her party; she should have some fun. After all, you weren't sixteen every day.

* * *

The party had appeared to drag out for hours of dancing, eating, and twittering. Victoria had never enjoyed herself so much. She didn't know what she hardly came to a party. Sure, she did feel a little dizzy, and she was also sure that someone had slipped fury into the punch, but it didn't matter; she was having so much fun. Liz and she had been talking for a few hours. It was almost midnight, and her birthday would be over.

Jason had her dancing like a crazy person. She was so tired that she dragged herself to one of the couches. A few of the people at the party had left, some had fallen asleep on some of the couches, on the floor, and a couple on the stairs. Even Rita had gone to her room to sleep.

Victoria remained silent as she took in her surroundings. She felt bad; How she wished her father, mother and Rio were there with her. The party was awesome, but in a way, Victoria thought it was too much. The thought made her body suddenly feel hot. She scratched abstractedly at her arms. The AC is probably broken.

Her clothes were getting discomforting. She scuffed her arm more, without thinking. A dribble of cool blood ran down her arm. She briskly pulled back Her hand, looking at her arm. The wound was already closing up, the blood returning to its original location. I need fresh air.

She walked to the snack table that style beside an open window. She stood beside it, staring at the driveway. She saw several teenagers laughing outside, some arguing over unimportant matters. The cool breeze was cooling her, a little. She glanced down at the table and saw Her almost finished birthday cake with a cake server sinking into it. She spotted a small bowl that was untouched and contained a red thick liquid. Victoria could smell that it was blood.

Victoria used to the server to cut herself a slice of the cake and dipped in the small bowl. The icing was already sticky, and the cake was almost dry, but the blood gave it a moist feeling. Victoria swallowed and continued to stare out the window.

Unanticipatedly, her stomach twisted; She felt sick. Her stomach wrenched, unexpectedly, innards swinging and stirring, causing the redhead to arch herself forward, moaning and grating her teeth. She felt like she was going to puke.

She had to get away; away from everybody. Disregarding vociferations of "What the heck?" and "Holy cow!", She jostled her way up the stairs, towards her room. When she finally got upstairs, she suddenly stopped and leaned on the white door that stood beside her, clutching her stomach.

She began making her way to her room, when she stopped, hearing the exigent whisper of two male voices, which she immediately deciphered to Jason's and Bruce's. The door was opened a little, so she could Jason sitting in his bed and Bruce leaning against the wall.

"...Victoria," Jason was saying. "I've been trying and trying to tell her since the day she faced the ribylllin. I am worried that if I tell her she will kill me. What do I do?"

"Look, man," Bruce strokes his chin. "You can't hide the truth from her forever. She's gonna find out, eventually."

"I know, but put yourself in my shoes." Jason's voice was brittle. "I can't be rejected, not again."

"Victoria isn't Leena!" Bruce snorted. "She did this to you, but Victoria isn't Leena."

Who was Leena? What does he want to tell me? She thought, confused.

"I know, I know." Jason ran his hands through his hair, his hands were shaking. "What do you expect me to say? Victoria, I want to tell you that I like you. I like like you, but all this won't matter when you find that I was also the one that sent your father to the little coffin in the sky!"

What? Jason killed my father? Was he joking?

"I'd refrain from using the words 'like like' if I were you," Bruce chuckled. "I doubt that would pacify her urge to utterly annihilate you."

Victoria leaned more on the door without thinking, and it flew open. Jason and Bruce were startled when they saw Victoria at the door, but Jason the most.

"Victoria?" He said, as himself and Bruce stood and began walking towards her.

She raised her hand at the door "Parakolyo." It shut closed before the two boys could reach it.

Victoria backed away from the door slowly. She then turned immediately, running into her room. She banged the white door closed, tremulous limbs trying fiercely to lock the door. There was a slight, sharp sound as the deadbolt moved into place. She slid down the door, suddenly and heftily, as a billion thoughts yowled in Her mind. Jason...he was the one who killed my father. He lied to me. How could he?

Victoria did not know whether to cry to walk out and rip Jason to shreds. She felt hot again and scratched her neck eminently. Blood trickled down her neck, and she removed her hands and stared at in shock. She saw that her previously painted nails, had turned into long claws. She was shocked to see that are normal light-colored claws had become black and longer. She rose to her feet and walked slowly to her mirror. She gasped, terrified by what she saw.

She didn't see herself as she always did; red hair, pale and slightly sallowish skin, green eyes, and, lean physique. Everything was different; her hair had turned white at the root, her skin had been more pale and gaunt, and, her eyes had gotten darker. It was too much to take in. She stepped back, away from the mirror.

She put her hands to her ear, almost going deaf. It was caused by a knock on her door. The knock had been silent, but to Victoria, it was like standing next to an airplane engine.

"Victoria, it's Liz. Are you okay? Open the door, let's talk about it." Liz said and continued to bang the door. "Victoria?"

Her senses had heightened tremendously. She could smell Liz and other presences. Two to be exact; Boys.

"Victoria it's Jason. I know you heard me. Please open the door!"

How dare he? Victoria thought. She wanted to let it out. She wanted to cry, but all she felt was anger. She had to let something out.

She screamed and charged at the mirror, punching it so hard, there was also a hole in the wall. She had to escape from here. Anywhere but here.

She stared at her a hand and gasped in horror. The wound had begun to heal. This was strange; a wound like that would take at least an hour to heal fully, but it was healing, and worst of all, something grew from the wound. It was white; Victoria touched it and gasped once again.

Hair!

"Victoria, it's Bruce. Please open the door or we'll break it down!"You

She had to get away now. She stared at the window in the room. "Shandiazan!" The window exploded. Glass was flying everywhere. Victoria could hear screams, as several people dodged the falling glass.

Victoria breathed in and began walking towards the hole in the wall. As she jumped, She suddenly remembered something. For some reason, the words popped into her head at that moment.

At the eleventh hour of your sixteenth year, the Vent of Victory will call and your true self will it bear.

Victoria neared the ground, but she never felt herself touch it. Instead, she felt something hit her from behind, and then she fell into darkness.

* * *

Jason was frightened when he heard the explosion in the room. What had he done? He and his big mouth. Victoria had heard him; she knew what he had done. She knew he was the one who killed her father.

"What was that sound?" Liz asked, a worried expression on her face.

Jason heard a thud from the other side of the door. He could take it anymore. He took several steps back, and so did Liz and Bruce. He charged at the door, and hit it with his palms, ripping it off the hinges.

The whole looked like someone looked like an angry person had taken an aluminum bat to it; Two bats to be precise. There was a hole in the wall. There was glass all over, and worst of all, there was a massive hole in the wall, exposing the driveway.

"She's trying to escape!" Bruce exclaimed.

"Well, thank you, Captain Obvious," Liz replied sarcastically.

Jason had started this, and now he was going to end it. "I'm going after her." He said.

It was time for Bruce to look worried. "Dude, as much as I know how strong you are, I don't think that is a good idea."

Jason didn't listen. He charged for the hole, ignoring Liz's and Bruce's shouts of objection. He jumped through the hole and landed in one knee. He triggered his senses and listened around for Victoria.

He could smell her scent coming from down the street. He raced after her. What is she doing now?

He spotted her. She was almost at the junction. She walked strangely as if she was not aware she was walking at all.

Jason's eyes almost widened as he heard the sound of an engine coming from the other side of the road. And from the sound he heard, Victoria would be hit if she didn't move.

He had to save her. He began to run. He ran as he had never run before in his life. He had to save her; he had to save Victoria.

The car was already visible, it's headlight shining brightly into Jason's eyes. But Victoria still kept walking, not bothered by her impending death.

"Victoria!" shouted Jason. "Get out of the way!"

Victoria didn't even budge. She kept on walking like she hadn't heard him. Was she doing it on purpose? Had finding out the truth about her father pushed her absolute insanity.

The car was now a few feet from colliding with Victoria. Jason wasn't sure why the driver hasn't stopped at the sight of Victoria at the junction. Jason increased his speed, pumping his legs faster.

He was almost there. All he had to it to take a few steps. The car was just about to hit her, when Jason jumped, grabbed Victoria, and rolled over, using his body to break her fall. His bones ached. He felt like he had been beaten up. The car had stopped, it's headlight still shining on himself and Victoria.

Victoria didn't move. Jason stood up and looked at who was driving the car. He stared at the foggy windshield.

Jason didn't believe what he saw. He stared at the darker haired, bright-eyed, pale doof named Diego. You've got to be kidding! He thought.

Diego held the steering wheel tightly. His eyes wide, and eyebrows raised in shock. He suddenly unblocked his seatbelt and leaped out of the car.

Jason rushed at him. "Are you insane?!" He boomed. "You could have killed Victoria!"

Diego was clearly scared. He had gotten paler and was sweating. "I didn't see you, I swear!" Diego explained. "It was like she appeared out of thin air."

Jason was confused. Victoria was basically strolling, and Diego claimed to not have seen her. What the heck is going on?

"Jason..." said Diego.

Jason didn't even look at him. He was trying to think of a logical explanation for what had just happened.

"Jason..." Diego said once again.

"What?!" Jason shouted.

He heard footsteps coming towards him and turned to Bruce and Liz, but Parker and Mark had joined them.

"Jason," Liz spoke. "where did Victoria go?"

Jason looked behind himself to see that where Victoria laid before, was empty. When had she gotten up? I thought she was unconscious! Jason thought.

"I can hear footsteps!" Mark exclaimed.

"Yeah, I hear them too. It's coming from the woods." Diego also said.

Jason turned towards the trees that stood at the see of the road, leading into the forest.

They all ran into the woodlands, following Victoria, and listening to her footsteps.

Jason could hear her breathing roughly, as if she wanted to scream, but was holding it in.

They kept on following Victoria, until they divided, hoping to corner her. Jason finally saw her. She was running, but she looked different.

She kept on running until Bruce and Diego blocked her from the front. She tried running left, but Liz and Mark were there. She turned left, but Parker was there, his hands ready to cast a spell...if he had to. Jason was behind her, so she had nowhere to run.

Diego moved closer to her. "Victoria, please stop this!" He begged. "I don't know what's going on, but we can figure this out together."

Jason tightened his lips. He agreed that he was jealous seeing Diego talk to Victoria like that, but... He was being selfish.

Victoria had found out the truth and he was still thinking about how he doesn't want any guy near Victoria.

He looked at Victoria. There was definitely someone different about her. Her hair was turning white, and so was her skin. She looked paler than usual. She fisted her hand, and Jason could see blood and another white substance on her hands. Her eyes though looked like they were blank.

"Victoria, just please calm down and let's talk this out," Mark said.

Liz looked very scared and worried at the same time beside Mark. She was holding an adamant knife that glistered a lucent white. Jason also felt that Victoria was going to get violent.

"Get out of my way!" yelled Victoria.

"We are not going anywhere," Parker said.

Jason had not spoken, and he didn't want to. He felt that he had no right. He had caused this, and his talking would only make Victoria angrier.

"I warned you," she verbalized. "Ripo!" She hit her left foot on the grassy earth, and a powerful gust of wind shut out from around her, blasting the people surrounding her to the ground.

Jason and the others quickly stood up, but Victoria had already begun to run. She was almost out of sight, when suddenly she screamed, falling to the ground.

They all ran to where she fell. She was still screaming. Jason saw that her shoulder had bent to an unnatural angle. Her hair was almost completely white and her skin was turning more white.

Victoria dug her nails in the ground as she kept on screaming, Her stomach seemed to be moving under her t-shirt; moving. Victoria got on all fours and arched her back. Her back began to rise, her bigger–than–life t-shirt ripping in the process.

Liz walked up to her and tried to touch her, but Victoria snapped her head in the other girl's direction, her teeth, atrociously long, pastel white, and look sharper than usual. Liz immediately returned to her post.

Jason saw Victoria's spine begin to move, and then it snapped and became hunched. Jason's eyes widened in horror. He knew what was happening to her.

"She's shifting, isn't she?"Diego asked.

Jason nodded.

"Wait, you're telling me she's shifting into a werewolf!" Liz shouted.

"Not precisely," Parker answered. "She could turn into a werejaguar too."

"I knew we shouldn't have let her stay!" Bruce yelled. "I knew she was trouble."

Mark looked puzzled. "A vampire who can do magic and shift? The Order would send her to Kokkalaz."

He is right, Jason thought. The Order thinks Victoria's is a spy. If they find out, they would portal her to Kokkalaz.

Jason had heard many things about that place. It was said to be located in the north pole, and guarded by Dilitrios; Spirits that could inflict torment only by a stare, and cannot be killed any means known to the supernatural and non-supernatural worlds.

Victoria would definitely not survive that!

Victoria was thrown unto her back as she let out a deafening scream. She used her claws to rip off her shirt, revealing her moving ribs. Her internal organs were probably shrinking, and trying to adjust to her new form.

She set her teeth together tightly, as her arms began to grow longer and locked up. Then, they snapped, healed themselves, and bent to that of an animal. Her legs too began to elongate, snapping into pieces and mending automatically.

Victoria's red hair had turned completely white, and was growing longer, and so were her eyebrows. Several white spots appeared around her body. Suddenly, hair began to grow all over her body, covering her white fur. Jason remembered how it felt; like a thousand ants were pinching your skin.

Victoria's muscles began to grow until all her clothes ripped off. Her shoulders grow. She tried to scream, but her screams had turned into a screeching howl. Victoria began to roll around, afraid of what was happening to her. Who wouldn't?

Jason had to help.

"Victoria calm down!" He shouted. "If you fight it, you could die."

Victoria kept on rolling, howling in pain and fear. Jason, in a flash, ran to her side, holding her down. She had closed her eyes. Jason couldn't tell what she was until she opened her eyes

"Victoria, open your eyes." He said, but Victoria refused. "Victoria, open your eyes!" He put his werewolf voice into action, and Victoria began to whimper.

She slowly opened her eyes, and Jason half-expected to see normal below eyes staring at him. But, he slowly released Victoria who still was undergoing her shift. He stood up from her side and staggered away from her.

"What is the color of her eyes?" Parker asked.

Jason didn't answer. He was still in shock.

"Jason," Bruce demanded. "What are the freaking colors of her eyes."

Bruce and Diego charged at Jason and held him tightly.

Diego was turning red. "Jason, answer me for crap's sake!"

Jason was about to answer when he heard the loud sound of bones cracking into place, and someone moving in the grass. They turned to see the white creature, rising from the ground. It was a wolf.

On seeing this, Bruce and Diego both released Jason, putting all resources to state at Victoria...or what used to be Victoria. It was her first time shifting. So, she was not aware of anything; she was a mindless killing machine.

The wolf was almost as big as Jason himself. Its legs were long and brawny, made for quick movement. It's sleek white pelage whirled with tufts of silver. Victoria looked beautiful in her wolf form, but she looked vicious as she raised her head, and opened her eyes.

Her eyes had changed, not too yellow, green or blue, but a fiery bright, deep purplish-red color. From her throat, came a low growl, and Jason understood what she said perfectly.

Get the heck out of my way!

They all stood their ground surrounding the wolf. He wolf did the strangest thing. It remained still glaring at them reprehensibly. It began to rub its two forelimbs on the grass rapidly. Parker recognized what she was doing, and screamed.

"Everyone get behind me now!"

They all did as he said immediately. Just immediately, a blue ring surrounded the wolf and blasted outwards towards the others.

Parker thruster his hands out. "Velofor friktós!" A transparent shield rose around them. Every other nearby object, not protected by the shield, we're hit by blue light and began to disintegrate.

The wolf took this as its cue to escape, and scampered I to the woods at divine speed, not looking back. The light finally disappeared, and Parker took down the shield, stumbling a bit. He was worn out.

Jason couldn't track the scent of the wolf, and all the pieces of clothes had atomized. There was no way to find her in time. If The Order found out what had just happened, each one of them would go to Kokkalaz.

Victoria wasn't a werewolf, werefox, or werejaguar. She had a rare fur coat and had purple eyes. What was she?

* * *

Author's Note

Hello! How was the chapter? As I said, this chapter was originally joined together. Just imagine reading 7000 words. Annoying, right?

To be honest, writing the shifting part was tuff. I hope I did justice to it. If I didn't, just comment, and I will try to fix it.

Remember, vote, comment, and share!

#Joaquin.