Nemesis 10

Chapter 10 

The full moon rose swiftly. 

Asher led me to the heart of the territory: a vast stone platform encircled by ancient pillars, bathed in moonlight that painted everything in ethereal silver. The air thrummed with primal energy, carrying the scent of snow, pine, and destiny. He held my hand tightly, grounding me to the earth. 

“Are you ready?” he asked, his voice steady but charged. 

I nodded, holding my breath, feeling my heartbeat echo in my ears like a war drum. 

“Then let’s begin. 

The moment the moonlight engulfed me; pain tore through my body–savage and relentless. My bones cracked and realigned, muscles twisted, and my skin burned from within. I gasped, overwhelmed, as if my body were being torn apart and rebuilt in one brutal stroke. 

“Pauline! Look at me!” Asher’s voice rang out beside me, firm and steady, the only solid thing in a world dissolving into pain and light. 

He pulled me into his arms, his energy flowing into mine. I felt warm and stabilizing, like sunlight breaking through a storm. His scent–cedar, frost, and something unmistakably him–cut through the chaos. 

“Don’t fight it,” he said through the bond. “Trust your wolf. Trust me.” 

Clenching my jaw, I held on. His power soothed the chaos within me, healing the damaged pathways from my disrupted first shift. I felt my limbs reshape; my nails sharpen into claws. Every scent, every sound, every vibration became sharp and clear. 

Then, after one final, soul–ripping cry, the pain vanished like a receding tide. 

I had shifted. 

Looking down, I saw silver–white paws which were sleek, powerful, regal. I shook out my fur, my long tail flicking behind me. Under the moonlight, I shimmered, every strand glowing with an otherworldly sheen. 

Then came the surge. 

A wave of ancient Alpha power erupted from within me, sweeping across the sanctuary. It was older and deeper than even my father’s a power tied to the original bloodline of the Black Stone Tribe. The air thickened with it, the earth itself humming in 

– 

response. 

Asher stared, his silver–gray eyes wide. 

“You…” he breathed, brushing the fur on my head with reverence. “You’re stunning.” 

My wolf whimpered softly, nuzzling into his palm. 

He chuckled, eyes warm. “Seems your wolf likes me.” 

Through the bond, I answered clearly, “I like you too.” 

His smile deepened, slow and certain. 

“I know. And I love you more with every breath.” 

Then something shifted again. 

The antidote, activated by moonlight and my bloodline, surged through me. The invisible chains suppressing my strength shattered. My full power returned, brighter and sharper than ever, filling my veins with a wild, unstoppable rhythm. 

My wolf lifted her head and howled–a cry of return, of claim, of war. It echoed through the heavens, rolling over mountains 

1/2 

Chapter 10 

and rivers like a call no one could ignore. 

I, Pauline, heir of the Black Stone Tribe, had come back. 

+15 Bonus 

Asher stepped beside me, his Alpha aura flaring to meet mine. The force of our combined energy made the very air tremble, the moon seeming to blaze brighter in answer. 

“It’s time,” he said, locking eyes with mine, the promise of battle burning between us. “Let’s go reclaim what’s yours.”