shifting 24
1105 Words
chapter 24
Amber shifts at five years old,
Sorry guys, im just going to do a few time jumps and then jump into when she is older, don't worry, she will have her own pov’s about when she was younger so you won't miss so much,
Drago pov
Two weeks ago, Amber turned five years old. We had a small birthday for her, and the little dragon pups came over and had ice cream and cake. We got her a new rocking horse and traded the crib for a bed. She loved it. She jumped on it a few times, then carefully placed all her stuffed animals across the pillows like they each had their own spot. I still can’t believe she is already five years old. It feels like just yesterday, I was holding her for the first time. Today, she has a play date with Alpha. We usually have play dates with the other little ones, but there was a problem with that. Every time another little boy came near Amber, Alpha would get mad and push him away. At first, we thought it was just childish jealousy, but it kept happening. So now we take Amber to the play dates alone and then let Amber and Alpha have their own time together. Levonna was putting snacks into bowls for them when there was a knock on the door. I already knew who it was. My sister Joy walked in with her mate Randy, my beta,and little Alpha right beside them.
We greeted them, letting the kids rush ahead like they always do. Their laughter filled the house as we placed them in Amber’s room so they could play. It gave us adults a chance to finally sit down and talk.
Lately, it feels like we’ve all been drifting in different directions. Randy buried in beta duties, Joy focused on Alpha, Levonna trying to get Amber ready for schooling, and me… dealing with pack matters. We were in the middle of talking about their future, what happens when they get older, how we’ll handle everything, when a strange noise came from Amber’s room. It wasn’t a normal sound.
A low growl… followed by a whimper. My body tensed instantly.
“What was that?” Levonna whispered.
I didn’t answer. I was already moving. We all rushed toward Amber’s room. My heart was pounding harder with every step. Something felt wrong… deeply wrong. I threw the door open. And froze. Standing in the middle of the room… was a small dragon. For a moment, my mind refused to process what I was seeing. The room felt too small for something like that, yet there it was, gold and white, shimmering slightly in the light. Then Alpha stepped forward. He moved directly in front of the dragon, spreading his arms as if shielding it from us.
No… not it. Her. Was that… Amber?" My daughter… shifted? At five years old? That’s impossible. I took a slow step forward, my instincts torn between shock and protection. Alpha lifted his hand toward me, stopping me. I paused. Then, I slowly lowered myself to my knees in front of him, keeping my voice calm.
“Alpha,” I said gently, “I know you are just trying to protect her… but this is my daughter. I will not hurt her.”
His eyes searched mine, like he was trying to decide if I was telling the truth. After a moment, he slowly stepped aside. I stood and walked toward the dragon. Toward my daughter. My heart tightened in my chest as I got closer. She was small… but powerful. I could feel it in the air around her.
“I know this is all new,” I said softly, trying to keep my voice steady, “but Amber is my daughter. How did she shift so young? What is your name? Does she know what she has done?”
I didn’t expect an answer. But I got one.
“My name is Nxy… I’m sorry, daddy,” the dragon said softly, her voice small and filled with emotion. “But the moon goddess told me I needed to come and protect her…" Will you forgive me?”
My breath caught. Daddy. She called me daddy. I glanced back at Levonna, who looked just as shocked as I felt. She quickly came to my side, her concern immediately turning to our child.
“Nxy,” she said gently, “is Amber okay? Did it hurt her?”
The dragon turned her head toward Levonna slowly.
“Yes, mommy…" Amber is okay. No, it happens really fast, so it wouldn’t hurt her… Are you mad at me too?”
Her voice trembled at the end, and something inside me broke. How could anyone be mad at her? Levonna’s expression softened instantly.
“No, sweetheart,” she said, her voice full of warmth, “we are not mad at you. We are just worried, that’s all.” I nodded, stepping a little closer
“But Amber is still just a child,” I added carefully. “You can’t shift right now, okay?
We have to keep you a secret. There are people out there who would try to take Amber… they would use you.”,The thought alone made my chest tighten with anger.
“Do you understand what I’m saying, Nxy?”
Nxy tilted her head slightly, thinking.
“Yes… I understand,” she said quietly. “But please don’t forget about me, okay?”
Those words hit harder than anything else. “We won’t,” I said firmly.
“Never,” Levonna added.
A moment later, Nxy shimmered, and then she was gone.
In her place stood our little girl. Amber. She was fully dressed in the same clothes as before, her small hands clutching the fabric of her dress like she didn’t quite understand what just happened.
I dropped to my knees in front of her instantly.
“Amber…” I whispered.
She looked at me with wide, innocent eyes. “Daddy… did I do something bad?”
My heart shattered. I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly against my chest. “No,” I said firmly. “You did nothing wrong.”
But as I held her, my mind raced. A dragon shifting at five years old… Speaking…Aware…Power like that doesn’t come without a reason. And it doesn’t stay hidden forever. I tightened my hold on her slightly. Because now… more than ever…I knew one thing for certain. My daughter was going to need protection from a world that would do anything to have her.
- Writer
