I wish I could share Lisa''s optimism, but the weight of this newfound knowledge settles heavily on my shoulders. If what Selene says is true, then I''m not just different from other shifters. I''m different from everyone.


    There''s something else you should know, Selene says, her voice taking on a somber note. Your connection to the elements is like a beacon. Other sensitive beings might be able to sense it, to feel the power that lies dormant within you.


    My heart sinks at her words. "What does that mean for me?"


    It means that you''ll be in danger if you leave the safety of the Westwood pack lands, Selene replies, her tone grave. There are those who would seek to exploit your power for their own gain, or worse, to eliminate you as a threat. Though most shifters lack any true memory of our time as Great Wolves, as Lycans, the instinct is still there... if they''re strong enough.


    I slump back against the couch, my shoulders drooping under the weight of this revelation. It''s not enough that I''m an outsider among my own kind, or that I''m caught between two powerful alphas—though Clayton has been absurdly kind about giving me the distance I need.


    Now, I have to worry about being hunted down by god knows who, all because of some mystical connection to the elements that I never asked for.@@@@


    "I can''t even leave?" I whisper, my voice small and broken. "I''m trapped here, like some kind of prisoner?"


    Perhaps for now, for your own protection, Selene says, nuzzling her head against my leg in a gesture of comfort. Until you learn to control your powers, until you can defend yourself, it''s the only way to keep you safe.


    Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, hot and stinging. I blink them back, refusing to let them fall.


    I''m stronger. I''ll become stronger yet. I''m not going to cry over this.


    "So, what am I supposed to do?" I ask, my voice hoarse with emotion. "Just sit here and wait for someone to come and teach me how to be a magician?"


    We''ll figure it out, Selene assures me, her voice filled with a quiet confidence. You''re not alone in this, Ava. You have me, and you have Lisa. We''ll find a way to help you, to keep you safe.


    "I just want to be normal," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "I want to be able to live my life without constantly looking over my shoulder, without wondering if the next person I meet is going to try to kill me."


    Shit, I sound like a whining kid.


    Lisa wraps her arm around my shoulders, pulling me into a tight hug. "I know, sweetie. But you''re not alone in this. We''ll get through it together, one day at a time."


    I nod, unable to find the words to express the depth of my gratitude for her support. Lisa has been a rock for me, a constant source of comfort and understanding in a world that seems determined to tear me apart.


    "So, what does this mean for you now?" Lisa asks, her brow furrowed in concern. "If your soul was in this place between worlds, does that mean you''re... different now?"


    It means that Ava''s connection to the elements has been strengthened, Selene explains, her voice taking on a thoughtful tone. Her experience in the realm of Lycan souls has awakened something within her, a power that was always there but lay dormant until now.


    I frown, trying to wrap my head around this new information. "So, I''m like some kind of elemental shifter now? Is that even a thing?"


    No, Selene replies, her voice tinged with amusement. Your connection to the elements is from your magician origin. But, yes, I suppose elemental shifter would be an appropriate way to describe you.


    "Great," I mutter, sarcasm dripping from my words. "Just what I need, another way to be a freak."


    Lisa squeezes my hand again, her expression fierce. "You''re not a freak, Ava. You''re special, and that''s not a bad thing. It''s what makes you who you are."


    I want to believe her, but it''s hard when everything about me seems to be a reminder of how different I am, how much I don''t fit in.


    Your power is a gift, Ava, Selene says, her voice filled with a quiet intensity. One that comes with great responsibility, but also great potential. You have the ability to wield the elements in ways that others can only dream of.


    "But I don''t even know how to control it," I protest, frustration bubbling up inside me. "What if I hurt someone? What if I can''t handle it? What if it comes out of fucking nowhere and blows up an entire city or something?"


    That''s why we need to find someone who can teach you, Selene replies, her voice calm and reassuring. Someone who understands the nature of your power and can help you harness it.


    "But who? Who could possibly understand what I''m going through? You told me before that the magicians died out a long time ago as they turned into shifters."


    We''ll find someone, Selene assures me, her voice filled with a quiet determination. There are others out there who possess similar gifts, who have walked this path before. We just need to know where to look.


    "And how the hell are we supposed to find that out?"


    Her ear twitches. I have my ways.