Shirley's POV
When I got the news, the morning sun hadn't risen completely. At that moment, I felt as though my heart had broken. I kept thinking the same thing: Eric would carry out the custom of rejection.
Breathing was difficult. Even before the ceremony had started, I gripped my chest, sensing the anguish of our waning relationship. More painful than anything I had ever experienced was the idea of Eric publicly severing our tie in front of the pack. I felt like the pain in my heart was tearing me apart.
Luna Merida came over while I was fighting to remain calm, her eyes steady but sympathetic. She gently placed a consoling hand on my shoulder and whispered, "I know this news is painful, Shirley." But you must deal with this. It might be your only chance to fully comprehend your strengths.
I swallowed hard and shook my head. "Luna, how can I watch him turn me down? How can I watch him destroy our relationship in front of everyone?
Merida's face hardened, and there was an odd mixture of urgency and encouragement in her gaze. Sometimes we must confront the things that have damaged us the most to heal. This ritual could reveal something significant about you.
Trying to quiet the storm inside of me, I took a deep, quivering breath. "Do you think I ought to go?" With hardly more than a whisper, I asked.
With a kind yet resolute expression, Merida nodded. Indeed. Observe from a distance, out of sight. However, don't ignore this. Shirley, you underestimate your strength. Take this as a starting point to discover that power.
I agreed with a sorrowful heart. Luna Merida might have been correct. Even though this rite was terrible, maybe witnessing it would help me let go. I braced myself, ready to confront my worst fear.
I walked to the edge of the clearing where the ceremony would take place as the sun rose higher. The whole pack was assembled, their expressions solemn, waiting for the ceremony, and I could see them hidden amid the trees.
In the middle of it all, standing tall and solemn, with an unreadable countenance, was Eric. He no longer appeared to be the man who had once made me feel safe and smiled at me; now, he looked like a stranger. He was now prepared to break the final bond we had.
Even though my heart ached more, I made myself remain where I was, holding onto the nearby tree for stability. No matter how much it hurt, I had to finish this.
My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a voice. An elder declared, "Brothers and sisters of the pack." Alpha Eric will carry out the rejection rite today. He will sever his relationship with his partner, Shirley, through this ceremony.
Every phrase pierced me like a knife, but I remained motionless and suppressed the tears that threatened to fall. I was unable to turn away. Even though it was unpleasant, I had to see this moment.
Eric took a step forward, speaking the words of the ritual with a steady voice and a concentrated look. "As Alpha, I choose to break my relationship with Shirley. I let her go from my soul and heart.
I experienced an odd tugging sensation inside of me while he talked as if a thread that bound us was gradually coming loose. It hurt like something tearing inside of me; it was intense.
However, another thing began to emerge as the relationship grew weaker. My own spirit seemed to be objecting to the ceremony. A tremendous energy that I had never experienced before was beginning to grow inside of me. Like a wave of heat, the warmth I'd learned to manage with Merida started to swell and spread throughout my body.
As the force surged, pressing against my flesh, begging to be released, my breathing accelerated and my eyesight became blurry. I clenched my fists to control it, but the energy was too powerful and overwhelming.
Eric resumed the rite in the clearing, his voice unflinching. However, a powerful force, as though the ground itself were reacting to his rejection, pumped through the air as he finished speaking.
As the air crackled with energy, the pack gasped and looked around in bewilderment. I understood that I was to blame—that my abilities were exploding out of control as a result of my internalized grief and rage.
Eric staggered, looking around in confusion, his hand rising to his chest. "What's going on?" he mumbled, his face showing shock and bewilderment.
After exchanging anxious looks, one of the elders raised his voice. "Alpha Eric, the ritual has been interrupted by something."
As though sensing the source of the disturbance, Eric's eyes darted over the pack before shifting to the woods. He narrowed his eyes and fixed them on me. Our eyes briefly locked, and I saw the glimmer of recognition, the beginning of the knowledge that something completely outside his comprehension was taking place.
I took a step back when I felt my energy pulse. It was driven by the excruciating pain of the ceremony and was wild and uncontrollable. I couldn't stop it, even though I didn't want to injure anyone. Desperate to escape, my might was straining against all constraints.
The energy then bursts outward with a powerful blast, causing a shockwave to travel through the clearing. With their faces shielded from the sudden gust of force, the pack members let out a cry.
The contact threw Eric backwards, causing him to fall heavily to the ground. He lay motionless for a time, startled, and then slowly stood up. He was looking about with wide eyes and a shocked, bewildered expression.
He seemed completely shaken and muttered, "Who… What was that?" His eyes shifted back to the woods, where I was concealed, and for the first time, he appeared to perceive something out of the ordinary, something strong.
I sensed the weight of his gaze, as though he sensed my strength and presence in some way. His expression briefly wavered, as if he were seeing me differently and recognizing that I was no longer the frail, shattered girl he had known.
Eric stepped forward unsteadily, his face vacillating between bewilderment and something else possibly terror. His words were a whisper, and his eyes lingered on the place where I was hiding. "Shirley? Is that you?
However, the pack elder grabbed his arm and pulled him back before he could move further. "Alpha, a force beyond our comprehension disrupted the ceremony. We must stop this right away.
Eric paused, a hint of doubt blurring his eyes as he continued to stare at the woods. The elders, however, pushed him away and insisted that he perform the rite another day.
I felt the power surge wane as I remained hidden in the darkness, but the realization of what had just transpired remained. Eric had seen my strength for the first time. He had sensed a force within me that, up until now, even I had not fully comprehended.
My heart raced with a fresh, ferocious resolve. I would get more powerful. I'd get better at managing this power. And one day I would reveal my true self to him and the whole pack.
However, I realized that this was just the beginning as Eric left, continuing to stare back with that unsure expression. Everything would never be the same when a part of me woke up.