I found Rikka in the kitchen, cleaning her medical supplies. She looked up when I walked in.
"How is she?" Rikka asked.
"Confused and scared." I sat down across from her. "Something's not right."
"You mean besides the fact that she's turning?"
"That's just it. She should have turned by now. Her scent keeps getting stronger, but she never completes the shift."
Rikka set down her supplies. "That's weird."
"Yeah. I've been watching her." I ran a hand through my hair. "The other night, I checked on her while she was sleeping. Her body was burning up. Her bones were cracking. She was ready to shift."
"But?"
"Nothing. She just... stopped. Like something was holding her back."
"Maybe fear?"
"No. This is different. It's like she's being blocked somehow."
Rikka frowned. "That shouldn't b
