Shifted: The Wolfless Omega

“Three, Two, One… Happy Birthday!” All the people around me cheered, a full party in swing. “Blow out the candles!” They chanted, the beautiful three teared cake glistening with the pearlescent dust that had been added to it. “You don’t turn eighteen just any day!” I smiled at the scene as the Luna leaned forward and hugged her daughter from behind, Pricilla taking a large breath before blowing out the iridescent pink candles. “Quick! Take a bite and then let’s go to the sacred circle.” I stepped forward then and took the cake away, being super mindful of feet that may try to snake out and trip me. It seemed that everyone was going to leave me alone though, not wanting the wrath of the birthday girl at ruining her special day. I began to slice up pieces of the cake I had worked tirelessly over and handing them out to the gathered throng, being sure to save a large piece with a rose on top for Pricilla herself. I didn’t want her wrath either. “Oh, Grace! Where did you get this cake?! The icing is divine.” Luna Stella from the visiting pack came up to congratulate the girl, a half eaten slice in her hand already. “Oh, you know the staff; they have their ways.” She beamed, taking credit for my hard work. I was used to it though, always fading into the background. It was easier that way. “They do a fantastic job at meringue icings in general.” “Happy birthday, Hazel.” My mom came up and smiled at me, slipping something small into my pocket. “I’ll take over if you want to go to the spot I showed you.” I nodded and smiled at my mom, giving her a peck on the cheek. “Alright. I saved us a little cake too from the scrapes today to celebrate.” We could use a little celebration as well, especially with school just coming to a close. I quietly snuck away, glad that all of the troublemakers were too busy for once to hassle me or to cause a scene. I moaned a little though as I accidentally brushed my arm against a doorframe, the bruise that Pricilla had given me earlier causing pain to go down my arm. It was my own damned fault though for not looking out for her, especially since today was bound to bring out her nasty side. Any time something was about her, she took it upon herself to become a b***h to all of us staff, making sure nothing was out of place. OCD much? I snickered a little as I purposefully eschewed a flower display on my way out, a silent revenge for the bruise. I wasn’t allowed at the sacred circle with the other wolves, being an outsider even though I had grown up here; so my mom had made our own sacred circle in her backyard, just a mile inside the tree line and surrounded by large stones; like our own mini version of Stonehenge. “f**k; I need to run a little faster.” I looked up at the large moon almost at its zenith. A werewolf shifted at the moon’s highest during their first transition, something packs would celebrate together as a family. I was going to be by myself though, my mom having to work inside the house so I could shift at least. “Ah, finally!” I broke through the trees to the little clearing, smiling as I saw the leftover streamers and half inflated balloons my mom had strung up. We didn’t have much, but we had each other. I stripped off my clothing and went to the center of our circle, enjoying the small tea lights that were lit. I later back on the cool grass and looked up at the stars and the moon, smiling at the beautiful sight. “Any time now.” I could feel the pull of the moon over me, calling to something deep in my soul. “Awoooo!” A call went out from off in the distance, the pack echoing it from the sacred circle. I guess Pricilla shifted then. It meant my time would be any second now, making my skin shiver in anticipation. Any moment now. I sat up, thinking that maybe if I changed positions the shift would happen more quickly. “Hello?” I tried calling out to my wolf, hearing that they would talk to you first thing as you shifted. “Come out now, this isn’t funny.” Maybe she’s a trickster? I’d never heard of a wolf not shifting before, but I could be a late bloomer; at least, I hoped. I laid like that for an hour, then two, then three. I stayed out all night long, the tea lights having faded one by one. The streamers wilted and drooped with the dew of morning, the last balloon having dropped the remainder of its helium. Fuck. I watched the sun start to lighten the horizon, the moon having faded some time before. f**k no. Why didn’t she come? I let a tear fall then, a sob catching in my throat. She was supposed to come. My mother made her way into the clearing then, a smile on her face until she saw me huddled in the circle still, the bruises that still hadn’t healed on my naked body, and not one paw print on the ground. “Oh, my sweet girl.” She rushed forward then and pulled me into her arms, my tears finally giving way to sobs. “Sh-she never came.” I cried, feeling like every bit of the outsider everyone always claimed I was. “Shhhh, shhh; you’re just a late bloomer is all. It happens from time to time. Don’t worry. If it wasn’t this year, it’s bound to be next year.” My mom reassured me, patting me on the back and rocking me from side to side. “You have all the makings of a wolf, all the signs, you’re just a little late.” I sighed as I sunk into my mom then, hoping that she was right; because I couldn’t go through life knowing that not only was I unwanted in this pack, but also they were right about me all along; that I was a mistake, that I shouldn’t have survived.