~Aurora~

　　"Hello, Aurora Fangborn…

　　It's nice to meet you, finally."

　　I gasped. So loud that it scared the wolf!

　　Wolf?

　　The reflection…it was a magnificent brown wolf with a white underbelly. It was a two shade, well built wolf I was staring at as a reflection in front of me!

　　"Whoa…"

　　So…the out of body experience was me being pushed into the body of my wolf!? Also, her voice sounded Godly!

　　'Thank you for saying that, Aurora.'

　　"YOU CAN HEAR ME!?" I screamed out loud! The wolf chuckled, yet she didn't sound like a wolf at all!

　　'I'll be brief about things later, Aurora.

　　But my name…is Maia.'

　　My eyes widened.

　　Maia…

　　Such a wonderful name…

　　"I'm glad to have you, Maia. Are we looking at the same thing?" I asked her, we lift our heads to face the formidable creature that is set to destroy us.

　　'You don't have to talk aloud, you know? We are always connected in our headspace. Besides, let me introduce you to your newfound strength; Me.'

　　"WHOA!" Maia sprung back onto the land and stride towards the growling beast! Oh, I can feel her paws!

　　That day, I realized that the wolf and I are one whole unit. We move, we talk and think together. There is no one, absolutely no one between us than the Moon Goddess.

　　The werebear was triggered to look at the wolf running towards it. It lifts its body up, standing on its hind legs and looking like a hideous yeti of a kind! My breath was stuck in my chest when Maia pounced high into the air and clawed the beast in the face!

　　Maia was ferocious, I could only come to defend myself with shock as I screamed…

　　"YOU ARE AN ALPHA!?"

　　'Took you long enough to find out, Aurora. Now, let me concentrate and get us out of here. This werebear will only grow stronger with defeat. I will have to keep beating him until my claws in his belly.'

　　"You'll…kill it?"

　　'Yes. And again, you don't have to talk out loud, Aurora. I can read your—' suddenly, both of our consciousness sensed the werebear trying to attack from behind! Maia, from her wolf's perspective, was my lens and vision. This seemed a little weird to me. Is this how all werewolves see when pushed back after a shift? A transformation? This is crazy…

　　'Go for his neck, Maia!' I suggested,

　　'Yes, that's what I've been aiming for. This werebear is more than experienced, don't you think?'

　　'Well, in his defense, it's winter season. It's expected that he's feral and fighting his best. I wonder if he's starving, too.'

　　'Hmm, by the smell of his breath, he might be starving for sure.' I chuckled at Maia's response. She's such a witty little girl! Little?

　　'Wait, how old are you?'

　　'I'll be as old as you, Aurora.'

　　Our conversation was interrupted by the beast which flung its fist onto Maia. Maia quickly dodged it, growling to assert dominance!

　　'Whoa…that sounded so cool!'

　　'I can do even more cool things as an alpha, you know?' I gasped, surprise and anticipation was filling me up! Maia jumped onto the werebear, making it push us down to the ground to defend itself!

　　'Watch how fast we can run now,'

　　'Hell yeah!'

　　Having the werebear distracted, Maia sprinted across the trees! The cold didn't even bother her. I may have an idea why I was feeling that kind of warmth within me for the past few days. It was because Maia was taking form in me! She was awakening. The process is subjective to each werewolf. Mine was increased vitality and heat. I was restless as well, although I controlled myself pretty easily.

　　Back to the scenario, Maia was panting softly as we looked back to see the werebear chasing us. The determination in the werebear's eyes was scaring us. If not Maia, I was scared as hell looking at the creature chasing us!

　　'Calm down, Aurora. I got this.'

　　'But Maia, many alpha of distinguished ranks and capabilities haven't defeated a werebear till date. Data had no suggestion either, because no one survived against it to write about it!' I exclaimed to Maia.

　　'Oh, you worry a lot alright. Just wait and watch, would ya?'

　　'Oh…well. Okay!'

　　Maia and I were reaching the top of the mountain. It was almost dawn already!

　　How long have we been fighting this creature!? It's almost always a dodge or a sneak attack that the werebear and I were doing to each other. Wait…that reminds me…

　　'Maia! Maia, I've lost my limbs to the attack! Will I…regain them after shifting back to my normal human self?'

　　'Of course you would! I control every process of your body from here onwards, do you understand? Everything. And naturally, since you're my host, it is my duty to keep you at your best health at all times! Don't you worry, Aurora. I've got this.'

　　'Thank you, Maia. You're the best wolf.'

　　Her womanly chuckle was attractive, but it seems like Maia is the best alter ego of my own personality! This is exactly how I'd perform if I were ever someone with powers. No drawbacks. Pure surge of energy and great confidence that I can heal from any wound, any loss.

　　'He's closing in, Maia!'

　　'I see him…' Maia looked around and traced a pattern of a sleeping basilisk.

　　'Maia…you wouldn't do that, right?'

　　'Of course I wouldn't! But the werebear has to be brought down! We have no other choice, Aurora. It's a survival challenge, isn't it?'

　　I closed my eyes to think. She's right. I shouldn't bother about killing an animal that would be a hindrance to my victory. Post victory, I'd have a lot of lives to save to make up for it. And if I wouldn't win, all those lives which are suffering without my rule would be my responsibility.

　　It is one, compared to many. A sacrifice needed.

　　'We are close to the end point, Maia. Let's make this quicker, and wait.'

　　'Alright.' The basilisk was awakened after Maia's paw stepped on it. We were past it, but the werebear had to encounter the basilisk and its rage! The basilisk bit onto the werebear's leg. It didn't take much long for the creature to snap the basilisk in half, but it's been bitten!

　　'That's it. He's lost…' I thought to myself, but Maia heard me.

　　'Not yet, Aurora. We need to behead it.'

　　'Then leave it to me…'

　　I wasn't familiar with shifting back to my original form. With Maia's instructions and assistance, I shifted back to myself. There was a thick trunk which when snapped in half, will aid as a sharp weapon. Tall and sharp.

　　"Argh!" Suddenly, I had way too much power in my arms than I could handle. All because of Maia, who watched the fumes of friction from the rubbing woods spread in the air. The tool was now ready to use.

　　And then…

　　I beheaded the Werebear.

　　Rest in peace, creature. You've been the toughest, most ruthless enemy I've ever faced.

　　But in the end…I won.