The Southern Imprint (Paul Lahote x oc)

Chapter 8: First Shift

Olivia POV.

I screeched in surprise. Literally. I sounded like a bird. I felt like a bird.

'Hey calm down it's ok.' A voice said in my head.

'Who said that?' I asked, looking around. I spotted a large gray wolf that I know recognized as Paul. I then looked around and found my parents still on the porch. My mom's face was stained with tears and my dad looked like I was moving halfway across the world.

"I'm sorry Olivia we should have told you sooner. I thought we had more time." My mom said, as she started across the yard towards me and Paul.

'They knew!' I squawked and tried to fly away. Key word: tried. I ended up just flopping away like a fish. 'this is just a dream' I thought. 'I will wake up in my room and continue on like nothing happened.'

'This isn't a dream.' Paul said in my head.

'Someone else shifted?'

'Who was that!?!'

'The one and only Jacob Black. Who are you?'

'Olivia.'

'Olivia!' A new voice said. It sounded very familiar. 'It's Jared here. Didn't know you were a wolf.'

'Is there like a pack of y'all or somethin''

'Yup' Paul said, well more like thought.

'Ok there is a pack of y'all. Yay. How do I shift back?' I question.

'Just think of yourself as being human again.' A new voice said as a giant black wolf came out of the woods.

'And you are....' I ask.

'Sam Uley. Pack Alfa.' They have an Alfa. Cool. 'Glad you think so.' Oh shucks they can hear my thoughts. 'Yes, we can hear your thoughts.'

I started to try and shift back but it wasn't working. I was about to give up when my parents finally caught on to what was going on. "You can only shift back after you learn to fly. And once you do you're going to be really tired." My dad said.

'Fly? We're wolves we don't fly.' Jacob said.

'Y'all are wolves. I'm a hawk I think?' I responded.

'You're the hawk shifter?' Jared said. 'I never thought I would get to actually meet one.'

'So there are more of us?' I ask. Hopefully one of them can teach me how to fly. I don't want to be stuck like this for long.

'Nah your the last one was like 20 something years ago.' Aw shucks. Guess I'm stuck like this for awhile.

'Jacob and Jared get back to patrol. I don't want to hear a peep out of you unless there is a vampire. Understood.' Sam ordered

'Yes Alfa.' They both said.

'Later feather face.' Jared called out jokingly then the line went silent. At some point in our conversation Paul had shifted back and found some new shorts. Hopefully I wasn't naked when I shifted back. That would be embarrassing.

Paul crouched down next to me. He held out his arm for me to climb on and I carefully did so. He stood up carefully and turned to my parents. "So what's the first step to flying?"

"My father said it takes a few days to get the hang of it." My dad said. A few DAYS! I have school and the bonfire was only 2 days away. I can't wait days to shift back.

'Don't worry, when I first shifted it took me two weeks to shift back.' Sam piped in. Well that's just great.

'I don't have weeks like you did. I have school.'

"We'll just say you're sick. That's what the rest of us did when we first shifted." Paul said.

'You can still hear me?'

"Yes I can." Paul said with a smirk. "But only because we're impr--" he cut himself off. I wonder what he was about to say.

"You'll need to stay with Sam for a few days while you learn to fly." My mom said. "If that's ok with him" she looked over to the black wolf who nodded. She knew?

'I will be happy to help her learn to control her shifting.' I nodded a little, still trying to process everything.

"I'll pack a bag for you for when you shift back." My mom said walking back into the house.

'Wait what will I eat?' I couldn't eat regular food. Could I?

"She wants to know what food she will eat." Paul translated.

"She can eat anything as long as it is small. She doesn't have any teeth so bread and seeds will be good. But anything should be fine as long as it is in small bites." My dad answered.

That's not too bad. At least I won't have to eat field mice. That would be gross. Paul chuckled a little. Stay out of my mind you weirdo.

"Sorry, can't help it." My mom came back out with a duffle bag and handed it to Paul.

"Please take care of her. Don't let her do anything stupid." She stated.

"Yes ma'am." He said and started to the front of the house before he remembered something. "Hey can I borrow her car? I don't have mine here."

"Sure. Let me go get the keys." My mom disappeared in the house only to come back a few seconds later with my keys. "Here." She said handing the keys to Paul. He took them and started to the front of the house. Again. Once we got there he unlocked the car and climbed in.

"I'm guessing you want shotgun." Paul said jokingly. After setting me down on the seat he started the car. He started to back out and I almost fell off the seat.

'Can you move me to the seat back, please.' I ask. He held out his arm and lifted me up. I sat on the shoulder of the passenger seat trying not to tear holes in the side with my talons. Harder than you think. We finally made it to what I assumed was Sam's house. As we pulled up a man about 20 came out with a young woman in tow.

"You must be Olivia, I'm Emily." She said kindly. I think we'll get along well.

The man walked over and awkwardly said, "I'm Sam. We got a room set up for you. Emily is making salmon tonight so hopefully you can eat that." And with that he turned and went back inside. From my perch on Paul's shoulder, him and I shared a look before following Sam inside.