"Oh, it's bad." I cried, inhaling in quick breaths and avoiding myself to scream loudly. The pain appeared out of nowhere and it rushed straight into my bones. It felt like splinters were being poked into my flesh repeatedly and the edges were sharp. "Oh, I can't take it, King." My head fell low while I closed my eyes and rolled on the bed.

The ache began from the pit of my stomach and it spread everywhere quicker than anything else. One moment, I was in relief, living and relishing the peace and the other moment, I was screaming, thrashing, and crying in pain.

Something twisted deep within me. Pain stung on my fingernails. My skin seemed like it was set on fire. I opened my eyes and took a short glance at my fingers, finding them turning into vicious claw.

My head turned to the window where the moonlight flooded in from. A single glance at the full moon caused my insides to tremble. "What's happening to me?" I asked, grabbing onto King's arm.

My sharp claws slashed through his skin, forming a cut and I was unable to control any of it. Pain. Pain. Pain. There was too much of it.

"You're shifting, Eos. Look at me." He grabbed my face in his hand and forced my head up. "The pain will only last for a few minutes if you allow your body to turn. If you continue to reject the transformation, the pain will never end."

I drew my legs together and held myself as the pain spread to every inch of my body. My nerves jumbled, tightened, and ached. My body turned into a deep shade of red and it became unbearable.

I lost count of the time midway through the day. Last, when I was aware of the time, it was still four in the afternoon. Suddenly, the evening was here along with the full moon, casting it's mystical powers on me.

I shook my head. Tears spilled on my cheeks, warm and hot. "I don't want to. Please."

"Eos," He grabbed me to his chest. "Don't fight it. It will only get worse."

"I don't want it—I don't want the curse." I snapped, my voice loud and rough. For a minute, I couldn't recognize my own voice. It changed along with my body.

"It's not a curse," He whispered in my ear before setting his nose on my hair. "I promise you, Eos, it's not a curse and even for a minute if you ever feel like it's a curse, I'll end it for you." He said, sounding promising.

Heart racing, mind spinning, I held onto his shoulders and wrapped my body around him. My head fell between his neck where a powerful scent struck me. I froze and stopped screaming before dwelling into the comforting scent.

My eyes closed. I released a long breath before letting it go.

The minute I stopped fighting against my own self, the pain lessened. A chill gripped me from all sides, and I began trembling. There was a rush inside me before a horrific throaty roar filled the air. Shrieking, I fell back on the bed and away from King.

He got up and stood a distance away from me. Short bursts of breath made their way out of my throat. I kept my focus on my breathing while my bones snapped and cracked. The cracks were bearable and so was the bared pain in my body.

My world shifted in seconds. Red cast over my eyes and my eyes fell on the full moon in the sky. A tiny pain shot at my jaw and my gums. My teeth grew out. I opened my mouth wide while the unrecognizable canines fell over my lip and bruised it. My hair grew thicker and in a matter of a few more seconds, my cold skin was covered with a black coat.

"You're shifting, Eos. It's good." I heard King's voice from a distance.

My focus moved from the pain and to him and his voice. When I saw him, I was able to ignore the pain. My body went limp and shifted into something I couldn't recognize. My own slow yet steady grunts filled the air.

I huddled on the ground, moving away from the bed. When my eyes landed on the bed, I found the sheets and the comforter torn—cut and split into a few pieces. I blamed myself for that, but it was done unknowingly.

King lowered himself to me while I panted heavily. Everything continued to ache from my jaw, teeth, limbs, and chest. His hand fell over my back and his finger moved in a motion as if he was petting me.

"You're done." He said, proudly.

I looked down at myself and I was able to see my stretched-out hands that were hairy paws. I felt myself being on all fours, standing above the ground but I was unable to feel anything else.

Numerous thoughts ran through my head. My heart was filled with panic, a thousand thoughts and questions.

I opened my mouth to say something, but the only thing left my throat was a shuddering growl. Words couldn't be formed or spoken.

"It's okay. You can always shift back. This state is temporary. I don't want you to fear anything." King appeared in front of me. He moved his hand away from my back and to my head where he rubbed his fingers through my fur gently. His eyes moved across my face, he studied me for a long minute before his lips curled into a smile. "You look beautiful, Eos."

My heart jumped at his words. I prodded forward and melted in his embrace while falling flat over his lap. I let out a throaty purr before closing my eyes. He leaned in and kissed my face. His lips lingered over me as if he didn't want to part them away.

The world around was silent. It was just me and him alone in an empty room. The sky outside grew darker and darker. From a distance, I could see the clouds moving in a motion to cover up the full moon. The moonlight was bright tonight or maybe it was just me.

I didn't know. I didn't care.

This—the animal inside me, felt good, it felt meaningful and strong.

There was pain surging in from everywhere, gushing through my limbs and healing me from within.

I felt strong and powerful.

"Do you want to shift back?" King asked, resting his hand over my chest.

I shook my head and dug deeper into his lap, hoping to rest for a long minute before returning to my usual form.