Over the next couple of weeks, I refused to speak to anyone and mostly stayed in my room or in my office. I was bereft and depressed about what Senex had told me. I couldn't come to terms with it; I just couldn't. In my solitude, I tried to convince myself otherwise. Denial was my only way of avoiding a mental breakdown. Most of my time was spent recovering from a mild concussion and hypothermia while also trying to wrap my head around what happened that day with that Alpha, Tsuki, and the endless thoughts about him that seemed to invade my mind. 

The heat period only lasted a day, but it was the most miserable I'd ever felt in my life. The pain was unbearable, and the hot flashes felt like I'd been thrown into the sun. According to Senex, my body was developing as it would have if I had presented in my teenage years. My complexion brightened from a dull copper to a warm russet color, my body grew thicker with muscle, and even my hair had taken on a luscious shine. However, my pheromones were also growing stronger by the day, with the scent of amber permeating my room.

Oddly enough, both Izzy and Jodi seemed to be avoiding me as well, which was weird, but I was thankful to not have them hounding me. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't get him out of my head or my dreams. Those eyes—those hypnotizing eyes that glowed like sparkling rubies under the moonlight—haunted my thoughts perpetually. I hated the way he looked at me, and I also hated the things Senex had said to me. They were too ridiculous to be true. Then, to make matters worse, he seemed to be camping outside of every room I was in. So, no matter what time of day I attempted to leave, he was there, waiting to talk. Ever since I'd woken up, I was also plagued with sporadic hot flashes that I had no clue how to relieve.

Then there was that crazy woman who treated me as if I'd done something to her—the one who looked like an Omega. She shifted into a grey and black wolf, nearly ripping my throat out, but just like in the forest, Tsuki protected me, like I was his "property," as if I were some weak Omega. In my angered thoughts, the glass cup of ice water I was holding shattered from my tightening grip, and blood stained my palm. I thought it was from a shard of glass, but then I saw claws—my fingers had turned into claws.

"AH!!!" I gasped, shaking my hand as if it were on fire.

"What's wrong?!" Senex said, rushing into the office I was sitting in and coming towards me.

"N-nothing! Nothing, I'm fine. I saw a spider and dropped the cup," I lied, hiding my hand behind my back.

He eyed me suspiciously before looking at the blood on the ground. "Lad, you're bleeding," he said, coming closer to me, and I backed away.

"I cut my hand on a piece of glass while trying to clean it up. I'll go bandage it and get a broom. Stand there and don't let anyone else step through here; I'll be right back," I said to him as I rushed off without giving him a chance to speak.

"O-okay..." he said, confused. "We really should talk, pup!" he shouted from the room, but I ignored him.

I rushed to my room and slammed the door, leaning against it, out of breath, before sprinting to the bathroom. There were still small glass particles and fresh blood on my now normal-looking hand. I turned on the water and watched as the blood went down the drain. I expected to feel a sting as water ran over the fresh wounds, but it never came. Turning my hand over, I looked at my palm in disbelief. There was no cut, no gash, nothing, almost. My hand began to steam lightly, evaporating the little bit of water that was left on my hand until it was completely dry. 

"This can't be happening...." I said to myself, hesitantly touching my palm before feeling it in a frenzy and still feeling no cut. I looked at myself in the mirror and then back down at my hand. "I'm losing my mind," I thought to myself. The memory of what Senex had told me flashed in my head, and a chill went down my spine. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying not to panic. I grabbed my jacket off the bed, then snatched my room door open, and was halted by Jodi.

"Whoa!! Where's the fire, Lyn?" she said, shocked by the door opening so suddenly.

"S-sorry, Jodi. Excuse me," I said as I squeezed past her.

"Hey, wait!" she said, grabbing my wrist. "Senex said you cut your hand, but you ran off before he could look at it." I snatched my wrist away from her, recoiling from her touch. The pain of physical contact had gotten worse lately. It all felt like a scalding heat from everyone that wasn't Tsuki. 

"No, I'm fine, I—"

"Just let me take a quick look. I know you don't like to be touched, so can you just show me really quick?" she said, pointing to my hand.

I lifted it up hesitantly, not sure if I was hallucinating or not. Out of nowhere, she grabbed onto me, gently twisting and turning my hand every which way before muttering with a frown, "What the hell was he talking about?"

I snatched my hand away from her again, feeling disgusted by the contact. "See? I told you. Perfectly fine," I said, throwing on my jacket and walking off.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked, shocked, jogging after me.

"Just for a walk to get some air and to clear my head," I said, speeding up, trying to get away from her to avoid more questions.

"You really should be taking it easy, y'know. It's still very cold out, and you—"

"I'll be fine, Jodi. I won't go far, and I'll have my phone," I said, trying to reassure her.

"Well, then I'll come with you," she said, now matching my pace.

"No," I scoffed. "I don't need a babysitter. I'm not a child."

"N-No, that's not what I meant, I—"

"What's going on with you?" I asked, frustrated, cutting her off as we both came to a stop. "You and Izzy have been avoiding me like the plague since I woke up! Why are you so interested in me now?"

"I just—I mean we—we need to talk to you about something," she said nervously, avoiding my gaze as she shifted back and forth on her feet, making me concerned.

"Okay.... Is everything alright?" I asked, stepping towards her, which made her even more nervous.

"Uh, I should get Izzy. We all need to discuss this together," she said, rushing off.

I watched her with a furrowed brow before turning to leave. Whatever it was that was going on with them would have to wait, especially right now. Looking back over my shoulder one more time before exiting the metal door, curiosity almost got the best of me. Now that I think about it, they really hadn't been themselves lately. They seemed off, especially considering what had happened recently. Senex would normally have those two as backup when it concerned me, trying to avoid them.

"Sorry, guys. We'll talk later," I whispered to myself, pulling my jacket tighter around my frame as the chilled breeze of winter hit me.

After walking in the forest for almost 30 minutes, I heard the familiar call of a raven from above. I held out my arm, and within seconds, the beautiful black bird landed on my forearm. "How does she always know? Were you watching me for her, Ravi?" I asked with a gentle smile, scratching the bird's head before he took off with a few loud calls. Ravi flew toward a nearby tree, and just as I was about to yell out, hoping to make him avert his path before the collision, he disappeared into the bark.

"Oh, right," I said with a heavy sigh, putting my hand to my forehead. 

Slowly, I walked up to the tree and hesitantly put my hand through the portal, feeling the change in temperature. I looked around thoroughly to make sure I wasn't being followed before walking in. It was warm on the other side, and I was happy to finally be out of the cold. The snow-covered forest, full of trees with barren branches and cloudy gray skies, was now filled with lush greenery, countless beautiful flowers, and glorious sunshine that slipped through the canopy making the forest floor look like it was painted in gold dust and bright green moss. 

It was so hot, in fact, that I had to take my jacket off as I walked through the forest. Ravi guided me until we reached a small wooden cottage covered in vines. Peach trees and rose bushes were out front, both in full bloom. Butterflies fluttered all over the place, dancing on the light breeze that blew pink and red petals everywhere. The closer I got to the door, the more I heard the clank of pots and pans, followed by the smell of delicious cooking food.

"It's open, Rosie," a voice said from behind the door.

With a smile on my face, I opened the door, revealing a fragile-looking figure covered in a golden aura standing in the kitchen. The cottage was filled with all of the same trinkets I remembered from my childhood, along with a few new ones. Crocheted blankets were still on every piece of furniture, and wolf figurines made of gold occupied every nook and cranny. I watched as the dining table set itself and the spoons swirled around in the pots on their own, in awe. This was the only place where seeing magic truly felt magical instead of terrifying.

The fragile figure turned to look at me with almond-shaped eyes dusted with gold eyeshadow, golden irises, and gray hair that trailed behind her like a raging wave, littered with peach blossoms and rose petals. Her sun-kissed chocolate skin glowed from her golden magic; not even the wrinkles and crow's feet could take away from her beauty. Despite being a 98-year-old woman standing at only 5'6", the flare in her eyes still burned as bright as her smile. She turned to wipe off her wet hands on a towel, and I caught a glimpse of the golden tattoo on the nape of her neck through her hair. It was a butterfly that glowed a bright gold color, signifying the mark of her mate. Parts of her body seemed to shine like they were literally dipped in gold as if that were part of her normal skin tone. I always marveled at the sight, but it seemed to become more pronounced with her old age as a pattern had recently started forming around her face with a bright glow. 

"Staring at me isn't going to change the fact that I'm a claimed wolf, Rosie," she chuckled while holding out her arms.

I rolled my eyes at the joke, blushing at the childhood nickname I hated with an embarrassed smirk. "Hi, Grandma," I said, smothering myself in her loving embrace, inhaling deeply the scent of fresh peaches. This was the only person in the world I didn't feel disgusted by when being physically touched. With my grandmother, I felt safe.

"Come, dear. Tell me about what's happened over a cup of tea. Dinner is almost ready, and you need more meat on your bones. It'll do you some good to have a warm meal for a change," she said, placing a golden hand on my cheek before guiding me to the dining table. I started to ask how she always knew what was going on with me, but my grandmother was never the type to give straight answers. I often found that to be more frustrating than endearing at times.