Prologue Part 2

Rhiannon POV:

I'm not sure how long I was out, but when I woke up I felt like I wasn't actually awake at first. I couldn't really move, so I started to look around and realize I was inside my own mind. As I started retrace my steps and actions and wondering if maybe I was in a coma I saw a beautiful white wolf with streaks of red and gold. She saw me begin to panic and dropped down. Laying on her stomach with her head on her paws like she was trying to tell me that she was no threat. I tilted my head with curiosity. She began to army crawl toward me as I slowly got down to her level trying to let her know I was no threat to her either. As she reached me she nudged me with her nose, so I took that as an invite to pet her head.

Her fur was so soft and comforting. I asked her if she was lost like me and she just shook her head no. She let out a little huff sound like she was laughing at my question, then I remember I'm in my own head. "Right..." I chuckled nervously at myself. "Who are you and why am I in my own head? Am I in a coma, or worse dead?" I began to ramble a bunch of questions not really wanting the answers, but knowing I needed them.

As I began to lose myself in my panicked rambling, she put her paw on my leg to stop me. She then gave me a serious look like she was trying to read my soul or tell me something telepathically. After a few minutes I began to hear her speaking to me. "Rhiannon, my name is Calypso. I'm your wolf. I've been taking care of us for the last couple of days. I felt you begin to stir so I'm here to check on you." Her voice was so soft and gentle. But then I got confused.

"My wolf? I'm not supposed to get my wolf until I'm 16." Most wolves get their wolf at 18, but me being a royal meant my wolf would come a couple of years early, but I was only 10.

"Yes, that's how it's supposed to go, but you just dealt with a very traumatic experience. Trauma can cause a forced shift a lot sooner than its meant to. Luckily for you, I did my best to hold back until you got as far as you could. I didn't want to hurt you, and if I had come out sooner you would've definitely been hurt really bad." She was keeping her voice soft trying not to scare me, especially when I'm pretty sure my panic was visible on my face at the thought of what could've gone wrong had she been like other wolves and came out to protect me in the moment. "I promise, we're still very much alive, especially thanks to the wolf that hid you before he left."

I remembered the wolf she was talking about. But then I began to wonder... "Wait, where did he go?" Something about him made me feel safe. So I had some questions for him.

She looked at me with an unreadable expression. "I honestly don't remember much after you went down, I was slightly busy working my way to the surface. Although, I think he mentioned something about going to get help. I'm not going to lie to you, I wasn't sure whether or not he was trust worthy, so once I was out I took off. I didn't want to risk us getting her or being put in danger. I felt safe around him too, but I didn't want to take the risk." As she finished she looked to the floor like she was ashamed of her decision, or like she was worried I'd be mad.

"It's okay Calypso, I understand. If anything I should thank you." I gave her small smile as she looked up at me. "So, where are we out there? is it safe for me to come out?" She licked my face happy to hear that I wasn't upset with her.

"We're nearing a little human village I had sniffed out. I figured humans would be safer for us for a while. We can switch soon, I just want to get us as close as possible first. But once we switch you'll have to stay in human form for a while. I will be with you at all times, but I won't be able to come out as often, at least not without sneaking away. Although, any time we're not in this village, I feel like it was be safest with me out, because no one knows who I am because I'm technically not supposed to exist for another 6 years." She had a good point in both aspects.

Once we got to the outskirts of the village, we found a safe hiding spot to shift. She had found some clothes for me to change into afterwards. Once I was dressed, I snuck into the village and did my best to act like I belonged. I snuck into the classes to attempt to continue my education. Once I hit my teenage years I was able to join a gym. I even made some friends who when they learned about my past, well enough to know that I had trauma and that I was both homeless and an orphan, they would take turns having me spend the nights with them and they introduced me to this dojo instructor who helped me learn self-defense as well as how to stay one step ahead at all times.