Rise to Reign: Growing Up Young

Pale Pink Shimmer

*Grace POV*

We hadn't been sparring long before I started to get aggravated with Olive and Freya. They were messing around and not taking training seriously, and I wasn't in the mood to get yelled at by our uncles.

"Stop messing around you guys! We are going to get in trouble!" I yelled. They started to mock me, which only made me more angry.

"Besides, it's not like you are in charge of anything yet, and our dads are the alphas. So, we can do whatever we want around here," Freya sneered.

Her taunting me reminded me of how her older sister, Abbie, treated me. Like I was nothing under her feet.

I decided to use my anger in the sparring, but something happened and all I could feel was pain. "ARRRGGGHHHHHH!! HELP ME!!! What's happening?!?!?!" I screamed as I fell to the ground.

Instead of helping me, my two cousins stood there staring and talking at each other. "Is she shifting?" Olive asked. Freya shook her head and said she didn't know. "I don't know, Olive. It's too early for her to shift, she still has over a month before she turns eighteen," she stated.

My uncles and Sterling must have heard my screams, and were next to me fairly quickly. "Help me!" I begged as I screamed louder.

I felt my nose start to elongate, and my skin started to itch like crazy as fur started to sprout all over. I heard Phoenix give orders to Gunner and Sterling, and they both disappeared from my sight.

Nix stooped down beside me, and started to whisper things into my ear. "I need you to relax and stop fighting against it, Grace. Your wolf knows what to do, but if your Fae blood fights the shift, it can kill you. So, just listen to me and relax," he stated.

I tried to do as he asked, but I struggled with it. The more I tried, the more my wings tried to release. I finally heard the voices of my mother and grandma Mel.

"Baby, it's mommy. Listen to me very closely. I need you to concentrate on me and grandma. We will get you through this, and once you focus, it will go pretty quickly," mom whispered in my ear.

They started to speak in a language known only among Fae Witches. My grandma told me to lift my snout and drink the liquid she was about to pour into my mouth.

"It will help you relax, sweet girl. You're almost there baby," she gushed. I loved my grandma so much. No matter how upset I was, one touch from her and I would instantly feel better. My mom said it was like that with grandma Gretchen too.

I felt the cool liquid hit my tongue, and I swallowed every last drop that grandma poured into my mouth. She started to whisper to me again with my mom, and my muscles started to relax.

I felt my whole form transfer into something different, and once the pain was gone, I opened my eyes. It was an odd feeling because, even though it was me, it didn't feel like me.

I heard everyone gasp, and I started to look around. I tried to speak, but it only came out as a growl. "Hello, Grace. My name is Feryn. I am your wolf. I tried to stop the shift, but it was too late. I'm sorry," my wolf apologized.

I wasn't sure how to answer, or if I could, I was too focused on those around me to figure it out. I looked down at my paws, and was shocked to see that they were a light pink color. It made me curious to see what the rest of me looked like.

Without warning, I took off running. I knew there was a stream close by, and I needed to see my reflection. Feryn ran so fast that the trees seemed like one big blur. I stopped at the forest edge, and contemplated if I really wanted to see myself this way. I slowly walked towards the water, and what I saw in the stream was unbelievable.

"Feryn, are we pink?" I asked. She started to snicker and replied,"Not technically. We are snow-white, but with your Fae blood, and since you have already received your wings, we have a pink shimmer."

My coat was beautiful, much more amazing than my dark hair in my human form. My eyes were glowing the silvery lavender again, and as I stared at myself longer, my wings popped out. I wasn't sure what all to make of this, but I loved it.

I heard paws thumping from behind me, and I turned to face my family. I lowered my head, but Sterling came up and placed his finger under my chin. "Queen Grace, don't you ever bow your head to another person, Wolf or Fae. You look amazing, Gracie. I have never seen another wolf like you," he gushed.

My mom and dad had stepped behind trees to put on some clothes, and when they approached me I noticed they had something for me to put on as well.

My dad held a blanket so no one could see me, and mom talked me through shifting back to my human form. It was much easier than my earlier shift.

I slipped on the long t-shirt, and came from behind the blanket. I glanced around the group of family that was now gathered, and my grandma started to weep. "Gracie, your, your hair," she whispered. Confused by what she was saying, I ran back to the water's edge and looked back into the water.

"Mom...." I called out. I turned to face her, and started to cry myself. "It's pink!" I exclaimed. She nodded with a smile on her face.

"Honey, this isn't the first time your hair has been pink. You were born with pink hair, and to save you from teasing, we had Luke do a glamour spell that would hold until you got your wolf. I'm sorry we didn't tell you before now, but I wasn't sure how you would take it," she explained.

I would never have gotten angry with them for trying to protect me, but the shock of knowing my hair had been pale pink this whole time was a little overwhelming.

The sun was starting to set, and my uncle Nix suggested we start to head back towards the training fields. Mom and dad flanked both sides of me, while Sterling and grandma followed. I decided to tell my parents about my wolf.

"Her name is Feryn," I said. "That's a good name," my dad said. Mom chimed in by pointing out that it was very close to the name of Sterling's wolf's name.

"I wonder if she is related to Sterling's wolf. Her name is very close to the name of the wolf he is supposed to be," she stated.

I couldn't help but be curious about what she said. How would they know anything about his wolf when he doesn't even know himself?

"Mom, what do you mean by that? Sterling doesn't even have his wolf yet, and I don't even think he knows anything about him," I asked.

My mom went on to explain the whole story about how uncle Maddix released his first wolf back to the goddess so that they both could live. She told how the moon goddess told Maddix that his wolf, Franz, would be given to Sterling so he could remain in the family.

"Franz is a very strong wolf who got caught in a terrible situation. I think him and Sterling will do great things together," she stated.

I nodded my head in understanding, and then I heard Sterling say something. "Um, he spoke to me today. I was telling Phoenix and Gunner when you screamed out. He told me something, and honestly, I'm scared for Grace," he admitted.