C7 The First Shift

A few moments later, I stood on all fours, my white fur shimmering under the moonlight. I took a deep breath and lifted my head proudly.

My friends and family turned around and gasped.

"She is white," Luna Gloria said.

I looked at her and cocked my wolf head. Is that something special?

'We are a pure white wolf, Emma. Nobody is a pure white wolf,' Eliza said.

'What do you mean?' I asked her. 'There are white wolves. I have seen them before.'

'Yes. But none of them are pure white,' She said proudly. 'They all have a spot in a different color, or their paws are different. We are all white.'

"What does that mean?" Amy asked quietly.

"I don't know," my brother said, not taking his eyes off my wolf, "but she is beautiful."

"She is," Jacob said quietly.

I looked at him and immediately felt disappointed. No sparks. No connection. He is not my mate.

'We are not his,' Eliza said. 'We belong to somebody else.'

'What do you mean, Eliza?' I asked, surprised. 'Do you know who our mate is?'

'I do,' she said,’ you will know soon.'

'Who is he?' I asked. 'How do you know?'

It wasn't expected for a wolf to know who his or her mate was. They only knew when they saw them. But not before. What was going on?

'I am not talking to you about it,' Eliza said. 'Now, stop thinking about this and focus on your friends and family. Andrew is trying to mind-link you.'

I pulled my focus away from our conversation and focused on my brother's voice inside my head. Now that I shifted, I could mind-link the entire pack.

Emma? He called me. Emma, can you hear me?

Yes. I responded. Sorry, I was talking to Eliza.

You are beautiful, Emma. He said proudly. Do you want to go for a run?

Yes! I said with excitement in my voice.

My brother told the rest of the group to shift, and we all went for a run. Eliza met all the wolves, and I could tell she loved them all. And they loved her. Especially Asher. He was attentive and careful with Eliza, just like Andrew was with me.

When I had enough, I mind-linked Andrew to tell him to go back. All the excitement and nervousness got to me, and I was tired.

We got back to the clearing and took our clothes into our mouths. We all went behind a tree to shift and change.

Shifting back hurt as well, but not like the first time.

'Each time we do this, it will be easier,' Eliza said. 'After a while, it won't hurt at all.'

I returned to the clearing, and my friends and family were already there. They hugged me and gave me a lot of kisses. They were proud of me and happy that I finally had my wolf. Nobody mentioned that I was pure white again, so I just decided to forget about it. It was nothing special. I was nothing special.

Luna Gloria left first. We stayed at the clearing for a while, just chatting and laughing. After a few minutes, we started walking back.

Jacob walked beside me, and Andrew and Amy were in front of us.

"So, we are not mates," he said with sadness in his voice.

"I guess not," I responded, not looking up at him.

"That doesn't mean we can't be," he said. "I would choose you as my mate. I love you, Emma."

I looked up at him, surprised. But before I could say anything, my brother interfered.

"Jacob, no," he said strictly. "At least not yet. I know you love my sister, but she is only 18, and there is a chance she will meet her true mate. If she doesn't in a few years, and if you don't find your mate by then, you can make her your chosen mate. If she wants to get a chosen mate. But not before she has had a chance to find her true mate."

I looked between Andrew and Jacob.

Jacob wanted to fight, but he knew my brother was right. I loved Jake, but I deserved a chance to find my true mate.

After a few seconds of Andrew and Jake just glaring at each other, Jacob nodded and lowered his head.

"You are right," he said quietly, "but I will wait for her."

"I am sorry, Jake," I said and took his hand in mine.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," he said and gave me a small smile.

Amy was quiet the whole time, but I could tell she was sad. She really had hoped Jake and I would be mates.

We continued our walk through the forest, and soon we were back at our house. Jake and Amy bid their goodbyes and went home.

Andrew and I went back inside the house, and I looked at my watch. It was 10 p.m.

"Hey, do you want to watch another movie? It is not too late," Andrew asked and took off my jacket to put it away.

"I would, but I am so tired," I said.

He smiled. "Yeah. The first shift does that to you."

"I will just go to bed," I said. "Thank you for today. I loved it."

"I loved it too, little one," he said with a big smile. "Asher and I love your wolf."

"We love you too," I said and smiled.

I climbed upstairs, and Andrew went to the living room.

I hopped into the shower and put on my pajamas. I got under the covers and closed my eyes immediately.

I don't think I had slept for long when I was awoken by a loud knock on our front door.