Preface

I saw everyone slowly come out of the house to watch my big moment. My mother soon joined my father and I. They both bring me out to the middle of the backyard, a few meters away from the tree line. The exact spot that my two older brothers transitioned in.
Everyone looked to me then up at the sky as we watched the moon slowly climb. I could feel my breath stall itself in my airways. I started to feel energy roll through my body. I closed my eyes enjoying the blessing that is about to come my way.
I kept my eyes closed, but opened them when I heard gasps from the crowd. My eyes snapped open when I felt a gust of wind blow against me. I took in the state of the skies as I see the once clear ones now brewing up a storm. The clouds were growing darker by the second, and multiply in size with every breath I took. I watched with utter disbelief as the brightness of the moon was covered by dark storm clouds.
I looked away from the sky, still overcome with shock, and stared into the judging eyes of my pack members. Instead of the electricity that was running through my body a few minutes ago, my body was shaking in shame. I looked to my parents in hope of finding answers, but I was only met with equal confusion.
Then I heard it.
"She's cursed." The whispers.
"Grab the children."
"Such a bad omen."
"The moon goddess has abandoned them."

Célimène and her family left the pack she grew in to protect her from the shame of her failure to shift on her thirteenth birthday. As she struggles to accept herself, Célimène finds her and her family back at the one place she never wanted to go back to after a family crisis. What happens when she finds the strength she needs in a place so unaccepted.