The entire village gathered in the square as it was another memorable night, a night when their children who had just turned eighteen would be blessed by the moon with their wolves. The whole village looked at the seven children with pride and expectation as if all their hopes where on them, they were the future generation after all.

Among the excited children dressed in white, lined up in the middle of the square surrounded by the villagers was Silveen, a slender looking red headed girl. Her long red hair fell over her white gown to her waist and she could easily be taken for the most beautiful of the children that stood there that cold night.

She looked through the large crowd of villagers that had gathered to witness their shifting until her eyes rested on her parents and siblings. Her father a large hairy man was standing close to his mate who was the exact opposite, a tall and slim frame. Her eyes met theirs and what she saw there was not what she had seen in the eyes of other parents, when they looked at their children, she didn't see love, all she saw was curiosity.

Why were they more curious than excited, she couldn't help but wonder as she looked through the crowd at the other parents, who were either beaming at their children or whispering encouraging words.

The first loud scream snatched Silveen from her thoughts and she looked to her left to see the only other girl apart from her screaming in pain and falling to the ground. The ritual hadn't even started and her wolf was eager to come out, she screamed again this time and a hush enveloped the gathering as the other children began to focus on the full moon that had risen over them, as they had seen their predecessors do in the past.

The sound of breaking and cracking of bones caused a soft song to erupt from the mouth of the villagers and soon, all were singing in unison as many generations before them had as the other children began to join in the scream, the sound of solemn singing was now mixed with screams of pain and breaking of bones. The song grew louder as the children turned, drowning their screams in the words of encouragement embedded in the song.

soon, young wolves appeared where all the children had once stood, their clothes all torn to shred on the floor, they let out a loud howl in excitement and the whole village responded as the parents turned into wolves howling with their children in the moon light.

Something flash.

And slowly all the others began to take notice, turning in its direction as a deafened silence filled the assembly once again. They all stared at her wondering why she was still in her human form, they all stared at Silveen standing there in her white gown staring at the moon intently as if waiting to be gifted like the others or to disappear from their sight.

The silence turned to a whisper as people began to murmur, wondering what could be happening, what could be the delay, why was she not turning? Why was she taking longer? The murmur grew louder as more people wondered but instead of her first scream, a thunder rumbled as thick clouds covered the full moon.

The people now looked up in despair and shock at the ominous sign as the first drop of rain fall hit the face of the waiting teenager. The second drop, and soon a torrent, which caused all the people to run away for cover towards their home leaving Silveen standing alone in the rain, sobbing softly as she stared at the sky unable to see the moon that was to bring forth her wolf.

........

"What on earth happened there?"

Silveen heard her father Ramon, ask. His eyes dark with anger.

She looked at him silently oblivious of the answer.

"Didn't you hear me? Why didn't you shift? Why are you unable to shift?"

He asked as he shook her vigorously.

"Say something."

"I don't know!"

Silveen screamed bursting into tears and covering her eyes with her palm.

Her father looked from her to his mate confused not knowing what to make of this. Her mother Lupe, looked at her intently, sharing in the confusion.

"Silveen". Her mother said softly as she walked to her.

"Have you asked your wolf? ask her what went wrong, why you couldn't turn when you are already of age and strong enough."

Silveen looked at her mother who had now crouched in front of her, pain flashing in her eyes as she knew, she couldn't keep her well-guarded secret anymore.

"I never met her."