Morning came with a surprise. Looking at myself in the cracked mirror of Gideon's cabin, I noticed something different in my reflection. My eyes, once a common green, now shone with an intense golden hue.
"Gideon," I called, not taking my gaze from the mirror. "My eyes... they've changed."
The old hunter approached, examining my reflection with interest. "Interesting," he muttered. "It seems you're progressing faster than I thought. Golden eyes are a sign that your power is growing."
"Will they change again?" I asked, fascinated and a bit alarmed by this new development.
Gideon nodded. "It's possible. In the most powerful werewolves, I've seen eyes that change color according to their level of power and control. But that's something we'll see with time."
We went out to the forest to continue my training. The fresh morning air filled my lungs, and I felt the wolf's energy running through my veins.
"Today," Gideon began, "we're going to explore the different forms you can adopt. So far, you've transformed completely into a wolf, but there are more possibilities."
He looked at me expectantly, and I nodded, eager to learn more.
"Focus," he instructed. "Think of your human form, but allow some of the wolf's characteristics to manifest."
I closed my eyes and concentrated. I felt a familiar tingling run through my body, but instead of the complete transformation, it was as if the wolf was peeking just under my skin. When I opened my eyes, Gideon was smiling.
"Well done," he said, offering me a small hand mirror.
My reflection surprised me. I was still mostly human, but my golden eyes shone intensely, my ears had become slightly pointed, and I could see that my canines had elongated. My senses were sharpened, but not as much as in my full wolf form.
"This form is useful for moving among humans without drawing too much attention, while maintaining some of your enhanced abilities," Gideon explained.
We spent the next hour practicing how to quickly change between my human form and this new semi-lupine form. It was easier than the full transformation and less exhausting.
"Now," said Gideon, his tone becoming more serious, "we're going to try something more challenging. The hybrid form."
"Hybrid form?" I asked, remembering the images of werewolves from horror movies.
"It's the most powerful form, but also the most difficult to control," he explained. "It combines the best of human and wolf, but it can also unleash your wildest instincts if you're not careful."
I prepared myself mentally, breathing deeply. This time, when I initiated the transformation, it was different. I felt as if the wolf and the human in me were fighting for control, each trying to dominate. The pain was intense, more than in any previous transformation.
When it finally ended, I found myself standing on two legs, but completely changed. My body was covered in fur, my hands had become powerful claws, and my face had elongated into a muzzle full of sharp teeth. I was the living image of the werewolf from legends.
"Control yourself, Alex," Gideon's voice sounded distant. "Don't let the wolf take control."
It was a fierce internal struggle. Part of me wanted to howl at the moon (even though it was daytime), run through the forest and hunt. But my human side clung to control, reminding me who I was.
Little by little, I managed to stabilize. When I looked at Gideon, I saw a mixture of pride and concern in his eyes.
"Well done," he said. "Many lose control the first time they reach the hybrid form. Your willpower is impressive."
We spent the rest of the day practicing changing between the three forms: human with lupine traits, full wolf, and the hybrid form. Each transformation became a little easier, a little less painful.
As night fell, exhausted but satisfied, we returned to the cabin. While we ate dinner, Gideon watched me thoughtfully.
"Alex," he finally said, "you've progressed more in a few weeks than many achieve in years. Your golden eyes and your ability to handle the hybrid form are proof of that."
"What does that mean?" I asked, feeling there was something more behind his words.
Gideon sighed. "It means you may soon need more than what I can teach you. The pack I told you about... they could help you develop your full potential."
The idea of joining a pack still unsettled me, but a part of me, the wolf part, longed for connection with others like me.
"What if I'm not ready?" I asked.
"Nobody is ever really ready," Gideon replied with a sad smile. "But sometimes, we have to take a leap of faith. Think about it tonight. Tomorrow we can discuss your options in more detail."
That night, lying on my sofa bed, I reflected on everything I had learned and experienced. My new forms, my changing eyes, the growing power within me... it was all exciting and terrifying at the same time.
As I fell asleep, I dreamed of running through the forest in my wolf form, with a pack by my side. But in the dream, my eyes were no longer golden, but a bright electric blue. Was it a vision of the future or just my imagination playing tricks on me? Only time would tell.