POV: APHRODITE
The day after I establish boundaries with the twins, I decide to practice controlled shifting. Not full transformation, just partial shifts. Claws extending and retracting. Eyes changing. Letting my wolf rise and fall without losing control.
It's harder than it sounds.
Lyra sits nearby on a fallen log, watching but not participating. She can't shift. Can't access wolf instincts. But somehow her presence makes everything easier.
I extend my claws slowly, feeling bone reshape and nails lengthen into curved weapons. Hold them for a count of ten. Then retract them back to human form.
"Good," Lyra says. "But your breathing changed. Got faster when the claws came out."
I pause, realizing she's right. I was so focused on the physical transformation that I didn't notice my breathing becoming shallow and rapid.
"Try again," Lyra suggests. "This time focus on keeping your breath steady through the whole process."
