Chapter 10 +25 BONUS The full moon rose swiftly . Asher led me to the heart of the territory : a vast stone platform encircled by ancient pillars , bathed in moonlight that painted everything in ethereal silver . The air thrummed with primal energy , carrying the scent of snow , pine , and destiny . He held my hand tightly , grounding me to the earth . " Are you ready ? " he asked , his voice steady but charged . I nodded , holding my breath , feeling my heartbeat echo in my ears like a war drum . " Then let's begin . " The moment the moonlight engulfed me ; pain tore through my body - savage and relentless . My bones cracked and realigned , muscles twisted , and my skin burned from within . I gasped , overwhelmed , as if my body were being torn apart and rebuilt in one brutal stroke . " Pauline ! Look at me ! " Asher's voice rang out beside me , firm and steady , the only solid thing in a world dissolving into pain and light . He pulled me into his arms , his energy flowing into mine . I felt warm and stabilizing , like sunlight breaking through a storm . His scent - cedar , frost , and something unmistakably him - cut through the chaos . " Don't fight it , " he said through the bond . " Trust your wolf . Trust me . " Clenching my jaw , I held on . His power soothed the chaos within me , healing the damaged pathways from my disrupted first shift . I felt my limbs reshape ; my nails sharpen into claws . Every scent , every sound , every vibration became sharp and clear . Then , after one final , soul - ripping cry , the pain vanished like a receding tide . I had shifted . Looking down , I saw silver - white paws which were sleek , powerful , regal . I shook out my fur , my long tail flicking behind me . Under the moonlight , I shimmered , every strand glowing with an otherworldly sheen . Then came the surge . A wave of ancient Alpha power erupted from within me , sweeping across the sanctuary . It was older and deeper than even my father's - a power tied to the original bloodline of the Black Stone Tribe . The air thickened with it , the earth itself humming in response .