What am I?

Suddenly, my heartbeat started to pick up pace and my senses sharpened. The beat got louder and louder with each passing moment until my lungs began to protest against the lack of oxygen. A familiar ache spread throughout my body, and prickling sensations of heat and ice spread through my veins.

It was like my body was separating from the inside and being born again. In the space between breaths, I felt the change take over. Then everything stopped—everything except for this strange sense of calm.

My breathing evened and I could hear birds chirping in the trees. For some reason, they sounded happy. That was a good sign.

"Are you dead?"  A low, deep voice broke the silence, and I felt the person kneel beside me. He touched my cheek lightly, his fingers brushing the dried blood from the corner of my mouth. "My lady... My lady... please don't be dead."

The sound of his cry echoed in my ears and I smiled, closing my eyes.

"How dare you cry for such a weakling. If she can not handle a hit from her supposed mate, then she was never worthy of the title of a Luna!" I heard Mother Luna's mocking voice again. "She's just an unwanted burden! She's been from day one. I don't know why we wasted food and shelter on such a useless waste…"

This time, however, her voice didn't fade away immediately. Rather, it lingered in my mind, repeating the same insults over and over. It hurt. Like being stabbed repeatedly in the stomach, it hurt to hear her say these awful things. My breath caught in my throat.

"Throw her to the dogs to feast. She's not worthy of a funeral." Alpha Ashur's voice cut across the air, causing my breath to quicken.

"Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea," Alexander mocked, his tone filled with sarcasm.

"No! No! My lady is still breathing. We should be taking her to see the doctor and not  killing her." My servant, Luke's voice rang in my ear again.

"How dare you put your mouth in the conversation of someone that is above your rank! You dare stand up to the alpha?!" Mother Luna's angry shout pierced the haze of pain surrounding me.

"He deserves the same death as her. Feed him to the dogs too since his loyalty lies with a dead loss than his alpha." I heard Alexander reply.

Struggling to regain my consciousness, I heard footsteps approaching Luke and me and then his cry ripped through my ear, "Please, Alpha!! I don't want to die! My lady has been so kind to me and that's why...!! Alpha... Please!!"

Suddenly, I felt them yank him from over me, and then something else awoken me. Something else tore through my body in a painful jolt, making my body arch painfully against the cold ground.

My bones felt as though they were being twisted and reshaped by unseen hands, the sensation both excruciating and oddly exhilarating. Every fiber of my being seemed to be on fire, burning with a fervor that defied logic. The ground beneath me felt like it was shifting, molding to accommodate the transformation taking place within me.

As I gasped for breath, my chest heaving with the intensity of the change, I could hear the world around me morphing into something unfamiliar. The chirping of the birds grew louder, their melodic tunes now laced with an underlying sense of urgency. The wind carried whispers of ancient magic, swirling around me like a protective cloak.

Through the haze of pain and uncertainty, I became acutely aware of a presence hovering close by, a palpable aura of power and authority. The deep, resonant voice called out to me, filled with a mixture of concern and awe.

"My lady, you are transforming. Embrace it, for you are destined for greatness," the voice murmured, sending shivers down my spine.

With a newfound sense of purpose coursing through my veins, I summoned the strength to open my eyes. What I saw took my breath away. The world around me had shifted, colors vibrant and sharp, details crisp and defined. I could see every blade of grass, and every leaf on the trees even though we were still in the hall as if I had been gifted with a predator's keen vision.

As I pushed myself upright, the ground no longer felt solid beneath me. It yielded to my touch, pulsing with a life force that resonated with my own. I stood, feeling the power coursing through me, a primal energy that connected me to the very heart of the earth.

The figures of those who had betrayed me stood before me, their faces twisted in shock and fear. Mother Luna's disdainful gaze met mine, but this time, I felt no fear. I felt a surge of newfound confidence, a sense of self that had been dormant for far too long.

"I am not a burden. I am not weak," I declared.

And what came out next was a roar like no other, so loud that it shattered the bulbs and glasses of champagne.

Darting my gaze towards Luke, I frown at the guards holding him. A surge of rage awoken in me and I rushed for them, slamming my paw against a guard's chest.

"Release him!!" I bellowed.

Not giving them the chance to react, I leaped onto the nearest guard. I rammed my teeth through the guard's skin and tore it apart, letting the blood flow freely. His scream turned into gurgles of agony as I pulled my mouth away. Before the second guard could react, I pounced again, knocking him down and pinning him underneath me.

"Luke is my servant! Neuri's servant will not be harmed by anyone! If anyone dare lay hands on what is mine, I will kill them without hesitation, and that includes you!" With that threat, I released the two guards and stepped back.

"She spoke to herself in the three-person and called herself, Neuri. Horatio, what does this mean?!" Alpha Ashur's voice rang clearly from the other side.

"She is the reincarnation of..." Everything suddenly went dark for me, and I could hear nothing and only see the darkness as I screamed, a voice only I could hear, "I am the reincarnation of what?! What am I..