Discovery

"When I discover who I am, I'll be free."

― Ralph Ellison

(Freya)

The person staring back at her, was not the same person that had gazed at this very mirror this morning. Freya blinked a few times, expecting for something to change, for her face to miraculously turn back into the one from before the makeover. Sam had cut a few inches of her hair off, now it had a little bit of body to it, and completely transformed her face into something that Freya had only seen on the cover of magazines. "I can not believe this is me." She breathed touching the glass before her. "Sam are you part witch?" she asked shaking her head in disbelief.

Her friend laughed, "I just enhanced what was already there Freya." Sam stated putting the magical makeup back into her bag. "We need to get going though, we are going to be late."

Freya was mesmerized by her own refection, her usual dark forest green eyes, now looked three shades lighter, they gleamed against the dark lines of her eyeliner. "You are the best." Freya gushed turning to hug her friend tightly.

Shaking her head Sam smiled, "I'll teach you how to do your own makeup if you are interested in that sort of thing, you never acted concerned with it before."

"New day, new me, remember?" Freya laughed feeling genuinely happy for the first time since she could remember.

"Ah yes, I gottcha." Sam winked. "You honestly do not need it but if it makes you feel good about yourself then that is all that matters. What shoes are you wearing with that dress?"

Freya chewed on her bottom lip, "Good question." She stated and pulled out all the shoes in her closet. "Maybe the black flats?"

"Tisk, no way," Sam shook her head, "I brought you these to wear with it, just in case." She pulled out some red pumps.

Taking the heels in her hands, Freya slipped them on, and looked at them in the mirror with her dress. "You don't think they are too much?"

"You look like a bomb shell." Sam stated, "Now lets get out of here. Remember stand straight and be confident. You are stunning, give everyone hell tonight."

With one last departing look in the mirror, Freya let go of her past self, and vowed to be the best version of herself that she could be. No more meek and mild mannered Freya Summers, she refused to be pushed around and bullied any longer, eighteen years was too long. Today was the day that her world changed, and she was going to take advantage of every minute of it and look forward to becoming the woman that she always wanted to be. Straightening her spin, she raised her chin, she was fuckin hot and that was how everyone was about to see her.

~

It was a full house, the whole pack gathered around the ceremonial grounds of their ancestors, the place where everything important took place. In the middle of the area was a huge bon fire, it light against the fading rays of the sun, signifying the purification of one's spirit. Alpha Tom stood in the center next to the blaze, looking a great deal younger than Freya remembered seeing him, maybe with her vow to be different she was starting to see the world through new eyes. The group grew weirdly quiet as she and Sam started up the garden path. They had been the last ones there and everyone turned to see who the tardy parties were. The gasps from people as Freya walked by had her feeling self-conscious, the instinct to shrink into herself reared its ugly head, so she purposely stiffened. No more shying away from the attention, she was going to own her new transformation, so instead of wilting away Freya gave her brightest smile.

Freya and Sam took their designated spots in line with the rest of the eighteen-year-old Shifters of the pack. Searching the crowd for her Mother, Freya found her off to the side, wiping the tears from her face. "Now that all of you are here," Alpha Tom started off the speech giving Freya and Sam a pointed look, though it was softened by the expression in his eyes as he looked at her, was that pride? "Let us begin the Ceremonial Right of Passage." He announced.

There was an answering agreement from everyone around and Tom waved over an older woman, who walked to join his side. "This is a very dear friend of mine; her name is Rebeca and she one of the oldest Druids of her line."

The woman stared at all of them with a vague expression, going down the line, when those watery dull eyes landed on Freya, goosebumps raised her flesh. The air blew against her frame, sending chills racking her body, the fabric of the dress molded to her frame. A sense of foreboding circled the wind, it was thick of promise, something was going to happen tonight. "Nice to see such young faces ready to embrace their roles in The Crescent Blood Pack." She stated.

Freya snuck a peek at Sam, was she the only one who was getting the creepy vibe from the witch? Everyone else's attention was on the pack Alpha, watching him intensely, hanging on his every word. Shit, had he started talking again? Taking a deep breath and trying to shake off the bad vibes that had attached themselves to her body, Freya tuned her attention back on her Stepfather.

"Rebeca here will be the one giving you, your classifications, she will use her power to look deep into your wolfs soul. Bringing forth all your hidden power and calling on your inner animal, awakening their spirit. Once she has called forth your wolf and classified your status, you will then come see me and receive your pack mark, initiating said status and opening you mating link." Tom smiled solemnly. "Once you bare the packs mark, you will forever be apart of this pack, to leave would cause a great deal of pain. I would not encourage it. Rebecca will be going down the line so just be patient, try to savor this moment, it only happens one time."

Freya wiped her damp palms against the fabric of her dress, trying not to give away just how nervous she truly was, this was a huge night. This moment would define the rest of her life, after receiving her classification and her mark, there would be no turning back from who she is meant to be. Everyone would know what she was, who she was, and what she would be able to accomplish with her life. If that was not a scary thought, then she did not know what would be. Movement caught her attention, and she felt her heart skip a beat when Zander appeared by her mothers' side, handing her a camera. At the feel of her stare, he turned to take in her appearance, shock tarnished his otherwise slack expression. The way his sliver eyes looked like two liquid pools in the dance of the flames from the fire had her mouth parting slightly. How had she never realized just how good looking her stepbrother was before and why she was noticing it now of all times?

The flash from the camera had her snapping out of her thoughts, and she rolled her eyes at her mother, who was waving and mouthing for her to smile. Giving in to her pleads, Freya smiled brightly, her dimples prominent, and her heart light. No matter what the outcome of her status, she would always remember this feeling, the feeling of pride in her pack and in herself.