Aida

After hours of discussion and arguing back and forward, here we are in a secluded area of the woods just outside the pack grounds of Strand, preparing to shock my wolf into existence.

I have officially lost it. Call the institution; they were right all along.

But at least this time I'm not alone because Jemma is standing next to me with an expression that can only be described as exhilarated. She really is an adrenaline junky. Argent has conditionally agreed to try this, but Jemma must be shocked first, and then we can gauge the affect. Only then, if he is satisfied that it is safe-ish, I will go next.

Oh my. What the hell am I doing?

Am I ready for the shift? Am I ready for an electric current running through my body? What will happen when I do shift? If I do? What if I don't?

So many questions. And literally, so little time.

James says, "Right, so Konami said we need to start with small shocks to awaken her wolf and then build until we cause the shift. Shit. This is crazy." I can tell he's second guessing his decision to help.

The only thing that we could all agree on is that I really do need to shift. When we go to Strand tomorrow, we need to be on guard, and it would be much easier if I could be in wolf form. Even if I don't get into an altercation, which I'm sure Argent would never allow to happen, I could at least run away faster in wolf form.

But he's so worried. It's all the unknowns ... and the known. He knows how confusing things are when you first shift. The emotions. The senses. It's all an overload and usually, when people begin to shift, its gradual, and they've been learning and preparing their whole lives. Not a matter of hours.

Shit. Honestly, I'm scared. But I'm also a little thrilled, otherwise there would be no way I would allow three perfectly sane people to shock me with a jump lead and a wrench. It's the best we could do at short notice and without drawing too much attention to ourselves.

Nothing says normal like asking to purchase equipment to use to electrically shock each other when at the local hardware store.

"What are we waiting for? We need to do this before I chicken out." My legs shake as I say this out loud, more for my benefit than anyone else's. I shoot Argent a look, and he shakes his head. I know he's the most unsure about this.

"Okay, are you ready?" Konami speaks over the phone.

"As I'll ever be!" Jemma steps up to the metaphorical plate and picks up the metal wrench from the car tyre change kit. James is to her left holding the jumper leads that are attached to the car battery.

"Here goes nothing! Well, nothing smart, anyway." Argent has not let up on the sarcasm since we decided to start this ill-fated experiment.

He turns the key in the ignition, and the car comes to life.

"Okay, when you're ready, touch the jump lead to the wrench in her hand," Konami says over the phone.

Argent grimaces. "Guys, I have a bad feeling about this." He's still behind the wheel, and he looks as though he may throw up at any second. . He told us what to do and what to do if shit goes wrong. Now it's up to us.

James inhales a deep slow breath and as he exhales, he brings the lead down on to the wrench.

A loud crack sounds out in the field and feels like it is covers us like a blanket. Jemma stands frozen in place, wide-eyed, mouth open, slightly seizing from the power running through her from the connection to the lead.

James drops the leads and takes hold of a thick branch by his feet and hits the wrench out of her hands.

She drops on all fours and arcs back and forwards, writhing and arching into an awkward A- shaped back-bend. A low moan escapes her mouth, and I feel my insides begin to turn. She resembles a contortionist, limbs bending and stretching in unnatural positions until she finally stiffens in one final pose and the loud cracking of her bones becomes too overwhelming for me to stand to watch any longer.

I turn my head and cover my ears.

But now the sound is gone, and when I turn, I see the familiar red merle wolf standing where I last saw Jemma's shaking human form.

"I'm fine Aida." She reassures me over the link.

"I don't know if I am. That looked ... awful."

"It's okay. It's fast, and then it's done." She comes to my side and nuzzles me softly, I'm not even a tiny bit reassured by her, but I appreciate the effort.

"Babe, you don't have to do this. I still maintain that it's absolute madness." Argent is by my side and takes my hand in his.

"I second that," James says, still in front of us and standing next to Jemma with his arm on her long furry flank.

I shake my head. "Guys, I can do this. I swear. Just give me a minute to vomit, and I'll be fine." I try to laugh my insecurities off, but no one is buying it. Hell, not even I can joke my way out of this. I am absolutely terrified, and what I just witnessed didn't help any. If anything, it made it ten million times worse.

Suck it up, Aida, I pep talk myself. You've seen so many horrible things. This is just one more. One more horrific, nightmare inducing thing ...

Fuck.

"Okay. I'm okay. Let's just bloody do this before I lose any shred of the guts I have left, physically and metaphorically."

The two most important guys in my life stand before me, both wearing pained expressions. They're as worried as I am. Maybe. I'm pretty worried.

"Aida, you don't have to do this," Argent urges me, frowning. "We can figure something out." He's practically pleading with me at this point.

"Arge, I'm going to be ok. I know you won't accept anything less."

I move over to where Jemma stands in wolf form. She pushes the wrench towards me with her muzzle. I pick it up and flip it over a few times in my hand.

I lift my head and watch James get into position by the open car bonnet. Argent moves slowly towards the open car door, never breaking eye contact with me. He grabs the first aid kit out, including the automated defibrillator that we borrowed without permission from the front desk of the motel.

I nod at them both, and Jemma steps two giant paws back but stays close to my side. "Here goes wolf-making history, guys. We should film it, really. It would break YouTube," I joke. I take a deep breath to calm my racing heart and look up into Argent's eyes, which are locked on me through the car windshield.

I love you. He mouths the most precious three words to me, and I feel like my heart beats out of my chest.

If I wasn't having a heart attack before, I am now.

"Do it!"

The steps begin. I close my eyes. Argent kicks the car on. I can hear James move towards me with the leads in hand until I can feel his warm breath on my face.

The connection from the lead to the wrench is like lightning in a bottle. Time stands still. The shock hits my hand and burns slightly on my palm, which has been forced open by my body's instant reaction to the pain.

A warmth starts to stretch out from my hand, it sources through my veins, and I can feel it searching for something central, swimming upwards towards the beating force of my being.

My heartrate is out of control. I can hear every single, rapid beat in my ears. The thrumming sound is so loud that it takes over every other sense.

The warm sensation is building. I feel like I'm on fire on the inside.

I hear a wolf cry out in the distance.

Is that Jemma? Is she okay?

My eyes remain shut. There is nothing but black and red-hot fire all around me. Time stands still. Or does it? Am I dead? I cannot hear or feel anything but the wild roar of my heart and the raging fire coursing around me.

I hear a crack in the background of my darkened world. And another. Followed by more and more. Breaking. Something is breaking.

The wolf howls louder now. Right next to my face. Shit. I hope it doesn't eat me while I'm standing here in my coma. The heat has surrounded my entire body. I swear that if I could open my eyes at this moment, I would be standing here in flames. I am engulfed by the red-hot heat, yet I don't feel pain.

The wolf lets out a deep growl and sounds like it's literally on top of me. I cannot feel a thing.

Aida.

Argent? My mind is searching, but I can't do anything. I'm dead. Am I dead?

Aida, open your eyes.

Argent? Seriously. What the fuck is happening? Why can I not see? I feel frozen. Red-hot and frozen in place.

I feel my eyes begin to flutter open. The light is blinding and comes in fragments.

I open my eyes completely and try to hold them open and when I finally do, I see two beautiful male faces and a red wolf staring at me. The heat dissipates slowly. My heart rate relaxes a little.

Thank god. I'm alive. Crap. It didn't work. Electric shock really is a trip.

I try to stand, but I feel odd. My limbs aren't listening to my brain. Everything feels ... heavy. The shock is still wearing off.

Aida, honey, are you okay? Can you hear me?

Yes. Can you hear me? I feel ... fuzzy.

You're beautiful.

I try to laugh out loud. Only this man would think that I look beautiful post shock. But instead of a laugh coming out of my mouth I hear a ... grunt. A low growl.

I instantly drop my head to look down. Instead of seeing my regular two human feet I see two giant white paws. I try to move my limbs, and the white paws move in succession. I swing my head to the left and see a huge white tail swish behind me.

What the actual fuck?

Aida, hun, are you okay?

Argent ... did it work? Am I ... Am I ...

Yes, babe. It worked. What do you feel? What can you hear? Close your eyes and listen carefully. I'm going to shift, and we can take this step by step together. And Aida?

Mmm?

I freaking love you.

I close my eyes and think about everything he just said. It worked. I'm a wolf. And also, he loves me.

Well, fuck. This is the weirdest and best day of my life!

I stay still like he said. I couldn't move just yet even if I wanted to. I feel heavy and laboured. And I feel like I'm outside my own body, if that even makes sense. I listen to the sounds around me.

It's all so loud. And clear. I swear I can hear cars on the highway, but that's like a twenty minute drive from here.

I try to focus on something closer, and I single in on the beat of my heart. It's different. It's louder and slower. I hear the breath of something large next to me. I sense the warmth radiating from it. I inhale and smell something earthy and sweet. I feel a warm breath on my face.

Open your eyes, babe. I'm here.

I open my eyes again and immediately recognise the wolf form of Argent right in front of me. He's both dazzling and warm.

He nudges me with his nose, and I go to laugh but let out a large grunt again. I turn my head from side to side. It's slower and heavier, but I feel like I have a little more control.

Can you stand up, babe? His voice coaxes me, and his eyes, the same comforting Argent eyes, blink at me slowly. His head comes to rest under mine, and he slowly but steadily helps me up onto all fours.

All fours.

I pad around in a small circle. It's an odd feeling, like crawling but not. It feels natural but doesn't. And my tail swishes as I walk, like an extra limb.

Now that is just plain odd. How do I go to the toilet with that thing?

Not today, that's for sure.

I walk towards Jemma and Argent, and James comes out from behind the car in his wolf form now too. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the window of the car as I walk by.

I freeze and stare at myself.

Holy shit. I'm huge! My body is all white like James's wolf except for my left ear and left back paw, which are tipped in black, along with the very ends of the fur along my back.

I lift my head to the sky and let out a loud howl. The others come to stand with me and join my song.

We did it!

Yes, we did, babe.

Now, let's go for a fucking run!

After you, baby.

Catch me if you can!

I start forward and immediately crash headfirst into the open door of the car. It seems that my awkwardness has also extended to my wolf. I hear a roar of laughter in my head.

Hey! I'm a learner, assholes!

Now, let's try this again!

I shake my giant head and stand up waiting for the others. Jemma and James take off for the woods, heading away from Strand. Argent waits for me to follow and runs a little behind me on my left.

Holy shit I love this!

You ain't seen nothing yet, babe. Let's go!

We all four run into the woods and up into the hills. This is a bloody game changer, and I love it already. I can't believe I was scared about this. It's freedom. It's exhilarating. And it's everything and more than I saw in all those years of dreams.

I run like there's nothing in front or behind me. I have a feeling this freedom may not last long, but for now, I'm going to enjoy this.