Chapter 8: Shift
When Hazel returned home, her grandmother had prepared a delicious afternoon tea. The dining table was adorned with maple syrup waffles, blueberry jam sandwiches, and a side of vegetable salad. Hazel didn’t hesitate to grab a waffle and take a bite, savoring the sweetness of the syrup.
“Oh, dear, you’re back,” her grandmother descended from upstairs, looking somewhat tired.
“Grandma, Kane is dead,” Hazel spoke these words with the same casual tone one might use to comment on the weather.
Her grandmother nodded, seemingly unbothered by whether he was alive or dead. After all, her daughter had been killed by Kane, so her grandmother couldn’t find any sympathy for a murderer.
“Is Theo with Alpha?” her grandmother asked as she handed Hazel a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice from the kitchen.
Hazel sipped the juice and said, “He’s a Beta, so he must be dealing with the aftermath.”
“What about you?” her grandmother smiled at Hazel.Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.
“I think I want to get some rest,” Hazel said, then headed back to her room.
At seven in the evening, Hazel rose from her bed. She had slept for a long time and her head felt a bit groggy. After getting herself ready, she descended the stairs. Her grandmother had prepared dinner for her, but Hazel had little appetite.
“Grandma, I want to go out for a walk,” a thought had popped into Hazel’s mind, and she remembered a place.
Deep in the woods, there was a clear spring with pristine water. Hazel used to go there with Putnam and his friends to play around. She had fond memories of the place and felt it was a good opportunity to visit.
However, the Pack handbook had classified the once-visited spring as off-limits, and Hazel had no idea why it had become restricted. She suspected it was the work of Alpha Cyril.
“In that case, finish up your meal and then leave,” her grandmother said as she cleared the empty plate.
Hazel waved her hand to signal that she didn’t want to eat and then left the house.
She made her way to the deep forest alone. The scent of blood still lingered in the woods. Hazel figured a lot of people must have died here, battles were like that-life or death. In that light, Kane’s death was not a great loss.
Hazel carefully retraced her memories and quickly reached the clear spring. The water was just as clear and pure as she remembered. No one else was around, not even the sounds of animals, just the gentle murmur of the spring water.
Around the spring was an open area, the only place in the forest where moonlight could be seen and felt. With the thick canopy of trees, moonlight barely seeped through, but this was the one spot it graced.
After making sure no strangers were nearby, Hazel undressed and hung her clothes on a tree branch.
“You’re really daring,” Rita scoffed.
“What?” Hazel walked further into the spring, her body exposed, showcasing her fair skin and her rounded hips. She looked like a mermaid.
“I mean, what if someone shows up?” Rita shouted.
Indeed, it was a question worth considering. Hazel had yet to complete her shift, and she couldn’t allow Rita to take over her body.
“Let’s talk when someone shows up,” Hazel was lost in her thoughts.
“Hazel, what I mean is, what if Alpha shows up?” Rita yelled, feeling that Hazel’s behavior was becoming increasingly rebellious.
“He won’t show up. Kane was just decapitated today, and he has other matters to attend to,” Hazel was convinced Cyril wouldn’t be here.
Hazel reminisced about her time with Putnam. He used to be her neighbor, living next door with his mother, but Hazel had never seen Putnam’s father. His striking looks made him a popular figure at school, and Hazel had been infatuated with him. Back then, she was young, and she and Putnam were childhood friends.
Jay was Putnam’s school buddy, and they were inseparable.
Their favorite pastime was visiting this place. Putnam would always climb to the highest point and leap down into the spring, creating splashes that showered everyone.
Thinking of those times, Hazel emerged from the spring, quickly climbed the rocky wall to the mountaintop, where she had a panoramic view of the spring below.
With a leap, she dived into the water, excited about the prospect of landing in the spring.
Hazel shouted as she jumped down, but the next moment, she found herself falling into a warm and broad embrace.
“Why are you here?” Hazel couldn’t believe her eyes; once again, she was face to face with Alpha Cyril, this man seemed to be everywhere.
When Hazel realized her nudity, she let out a scream.
“Let go of me, release me,” Cyril’s eyes burned hotly as he gazed at Hazel. He was surprisingly obedient, and immediately let go of her, causing Hazel to tumble to the ground.
Hazel quickly plunged into the spring, submerging herself up to her neck. She had been seen naked by Cyril. Nothing could be worse than that.
“Hazel, you’re running wild again,” Cyril watched Hazel expressionlessly, not caring about what had just happened. Werewolves didn’t have many boundaries when it came to their bodies. But he admitted, Hazel’s nakedness had triggered a surge of hormones, leaving him filled with desire, all physical, devoid of any emotional connection.
“Hey, I just came here for a bath, your hands were reaching too far,” Hazel pushed her wet hair back. She was constantly vigilant not to expose an inch of skin.
“Have you forgotten this place is off-limits?” Cyril’s tone was cold. This woman had a myriad of ways to provoke him.
“Damn, you’re causing trouble again,” Rita shouted in Hazel’s mind. She knew that Hazel had once again created a mess.
“Rita, you’re my wolf; you should be on my side,” Hazel responded to Rita, but her gaze was fixed on Cyril. Under his white shirt, one could almost see the taut lines of his muscles, a sight that could drive any girl insane.
“That’s not something you should be concerned about. You should leave immediately now,” Cyril’s expression was dark, wondering why Hazel always enjoyed causing problems, finding provocation fun.
“I didn’t know this place was off-limits.” Hazel bit her lower lip tightly, appearing genuinely clueless, but she was secretly delighted, hoping to see Cyril get angry.
“You didn’t know?” Cyril’s gaze was sharp, and he could see through Hazel’s falsehoods. She was clearly trying to provoke him.
“I forgot,” Hazel said, and she could sense Cyril getting angrier.
“Oh? You forgot? You forgot that you trespassed into a forbidden area,” Cyril said, removing his clothes as he spoke, and began walking slowly towards the water.
Hazel watched his movements, her eyes widening. She seemed to have forgotten how to breathe, especially when Cyril removed his pants. Her whole body stiffened.
Cyril was getting closer to Hazel, and she felt breathless. It was only when Cyril’s hand touched her softness that Hazel let out a muffled sound.
“You… let go of me.” Hazel tried to push him away, but when she spoke, it came out as a whimper. She didn’t want to do this here; she was afraid of being seen. Hazel was helpless as Cyril tightly held her hands, unable to resist the powerful Alpha Cyril.
Damn Cyril, did he even know what he was doing?
“Look at me, aren’t you capable?” Cyril moved closer to Hazel, her breasts pressed against his body, and his member was rubbing against Hazel’s thighs, making her forget how to breathe.
“How many times do you want to forget?” Cyril’s actions grew more aggressive. “Are my rules nothing to you?”
Cyril removed his hand from Hazel’s breast, and he descended further, just like the last time, but this time he went even further, caressing Hazel’s core. Seeing her cheeks flush red, Cyril’s eyes sparkled.
“Don’t do this.” Hazel’s body was trembling. Her inner wolf was already excited, and Cyril’s continuous stimulation only heightened it.
“Answer me, who am I?” Cyril continued getting closer to Hazel, and her entire body was pressed against him, leaving her unable to move.
“Cyril.” Hazel gritted her teeth, trying not to make any more embarrassing noises. She didn’t want to appear weak in front of Cyril.
“Hazel, who am I?” Cyril’s voice was rough and authoritative, making one instinctively submit.
“Alpha, you’re my Alpha,” Hazel yelled. She couldn’t take the torment anymore. Cyril’s body pressed tightly against hers, his hands roaming over her, making her tremble uncontrollably.
Cyril chuckled darkly, then lifted Hazel out of the water. The moment they left the water’s surface, Hazel quickly escaped from Cyril’s embrace. Her heart pounded in her chest, her body was aflame, and she was releasing wetness between her thighs.
“Hazel, remember your words. I am your Alpha,” Cyril’s scorching gaze seemed to penetrate Hazel, making her feel hot all over. She felt humiliated. “You must learn to obey orders.”
“Cyril, you’re insane, you’re truly insane!” Hazel was furious beyond measure.
“So, what are you going to do?” Cyril’s eyes sparkled with amusement, seeing Hazel’s rage. It seemed to provide him with some entertainment.
“Cyril, I’ll tear you apart,” Hazel roared. When she saw Cyril squint his eyes, seemingly angered by her words, Hazel had lost all emotions at that moment.
“Hazel.” Cyril roared, his eyes turning bloodshot.
Rita sensed the impending danger.
“Hazel, surrender your body to me, and I will protect you,” Rita’s voice echoed in Hazel’s mind.
Hazel could feel her anger rising. “Rita, what should I do?” Hazel stared directly at Cyril.
“Hand over control of your body to me, trust me,” Rita guided Hazel, and moonlight illuminated Hazel’s face.
Hazel followed Rita’s words. She took a deep breath, allowing Rita to take control of her body and mind. Every bone in her body felt like it was about to break. She let out a piercing scream and then fell to her knees.
The pain was excruciating, and Hazel struggled to keep from vomiting. She concentrated on stretching her body after the shift.
After a while, Hazel stood on all fours in the clearing. Her white fur shimmered in the moonlight, and she growled at Cyril, her eyes filled with pride, fixed on him.
“You’re a white wolf,” Cyril’s eyes held disbelief. He could sense that this was Hazel’s first shift.
No one had ever shifted into a white wolf before. This was the first and only one he had seen. His eyes betrayed a hint of shock.
Hazel looked incredibly beautiful.
With a fierce roar, Hazel leaped onto a tree, biting her clothes, and then rapidly climbed to the mountaintop. She left the forest as quickly as she could. She didn’t know if Cyril would be angry about it, but she was genuinely furious.