Marked by Moonlight

Chapter 3: The First Shift

I don’t remember falling asleep, just the heat that wrapped around me, thick and stifling. My dreams were restless, filled with movement and noise. I was running…no, not really running, more like moving swiftly and confidently through trees that bent and whispered as I went by. The ground beneath me felt familiar, like it recognized my steps.

Then, I woke up gasping.

Moonlight flooded my room, brighter than I’d ever seen, almost silver-white. My sheets were twisted around me, damp with sweat, and my heart was pounding against my ribs, so hard it hurt. For a moment, I just lay there, listening.

The village was silent.

Too silent.

And then it started up again.

The heat.

It rolled through me in waves, sinking deep into my muscles and bones. I sat up, clutching my arms as my skin prickled with discomfort. Every little sound seemed amplified…the creak of the house, my own breathing, the distant rustle of leaves outside.

Something inside me shifted.

I slid off the bed, barely steady on my feet. The floor felt strange under my feet, like I could feel every tiny c***k in the wood. My breath came fast and shallow. Panic crept in, icy and sharp.

“No,” I whispered. “Not now.”

Suddenly, pain flared in my chest, stealing the air from my lungs. I doubled over, gasping as the buzzing sensation exploded into something fierce and alive. It felt like my body was stretching from the inside, rearranging itself in ways I’d never imagined.

I bit down on my sleeve to keep from screaming.

Outside, a low howl answered.

It wasn’t far.

I staggered toward the window, my vision blurring at the edges. The forest seemed closer than ever, the trees glowing softly under the moonlight. I could see paths between them now,clear, obvious paths I’d never noticed before.

When I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the glass, I froze.

My eyes weren’t fully mine anymore.

They glowed faintly, amber threading through the brown.

Fear crashed over me.

Footsteps pounded downstairs.

“Stay inside!” my mother shouted. “Please!”

Her voice cracked, and guilt twisted painfully in my chest. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to scare her. But the pull toward the forest was stronger now, like a tide pulling me forward no matter how hard I tried to resist.

Another wave of pain hit, sharper than before.

I cried out as I dropped to my knees. My hands trembled, fingers curling as strength surged through them. Every instinct screamed at me to move, to run, to shift.

The word popped into my head.

Shift.

The door rattled violently.

Not breaking.

A warning.

Then the whisper returned, steady and calm this time.

*You’re safe. Don’t fight it.*

Tears burned in my eyes. “I don’t know how,” I whispered.

The pain eased just a little, enough for me to breathe. The heat settled, no longer wild but focused. Controlled.

Slowly, shakily, I pushed myself to my feet.

The growling inside me softened, turning into something like balance. I wasn’t changing completely…not yet. But I could feel it waiting, just beneath my skin.

A soft knock sounded at my window.

I turned.

The same amber eyes stared back at me, closer now. The figure stood just beyond the glass, tall and solid, the moonlight outlining broad shoulders and dark fur. He didn’t seem threatening. He wasn’t rushing me.

He was guarding me.

The realization sank deep in my bones.

This wasn’t a curse.

It was a calling.

My breathing slowed. The pain faded to a dull ache. The glow in my eyes dimmed, though it didn’t disappear completely. Whatever had started tonight wasn’t finished,but it had listened.

The figure outside inclined his head slightly, like a promise.

Soon.

Then he vanished into the trees.

I sank onto my bed, exhausted and trembling, but alive in a way I’d never felt before. The forest no longer seemed like something to fear.

It felt like home.

And deep down, I knew this was just the beginning of what I was becoming.