The feeling was no where near familiar. It was like a new sort of pain every time she shifted. All of her bones felt as if they were breaking and joining together at the same time. White fur covered every inch of her skin faster than her eyes could catch. How did it seem so effortless when she watched other wolves shift?
Her hands formed into paws as she gripped onto the ground in agony. Her bones cracked and the seconds felt like hours of agony until all at once-it stopped.
The pain was gone as if it was never there. Her clothes were in shards around her and the only thing that was savable was her cloak. A small mercy, at least she didn't have to run back to the palace completely naked.
"You want to know what it's like to be strong? I will show you where to start." Cordelia growled in her mind. It vibrated through her body and surrounded her all at once as if she was the one speaking.
A low growl sounded behind her, Doris turned to be met with two striking blue eyes peering out at her through a wolf form. She knew those eyes anywhere.
"William?" She tried to say, but it came out in a whimper.
William planted his paws on the ground as if he was preparing himself to strike at her. Doris went to back up, but Cordelia made her stand her ground.
"Fight the part of you that wants to cower away. Become the version of yourself you want to be." Cordelia whispered. "I can hear all of your thoughts. I know how badly you want to be the tough one. Be her."
"It's not that easy!" Doris shouted in her mind over the sound of William's growl. What was he doing out here? How did he know what she was doing? "I've lived my entire life being the weak one."
"It won't be easy if you never try." Cordelia hissed. Doris took a step forward and Cordelia allowed her. William started to circle her and she mirrored his steps. Part of her started to doubt if it was really him, but of course it was. No one else in the world had eyes like his.
William's growl turned more vicious as he stepped closer to her. Doris fought the instinct to step back and stood her ground.
Before she had a chance to register what he was doing, he lunged at her. Cordelia took over and made Doris move seconds before he tackled her to the ground. In his annoyance, he went after her again.
This time, Cordelia let Doris decide for herself. Doris forced herself away but got knocked on her side at the last minute. William circled her down form as if he was waiting for her to get back up and fight him. A spike of rage hummed through her body and made her get right back up.
His eyes taunted her. He didn't have to say a word for her to know what he meant. Doris charged at him and he swept aside effortlessly. It only made her go after him again.
"Don't be so eager, he knows what you're doing. Try to surprise him." Cordelia hummed. It was strange to have complete control over her wolf when usually she fought her to the deep core.
Doris slowed her steps and circled William again. He mirrored her movement and seemed to wait for her to make the first move. Slowly, her steps moved in a bit more each time they completed a circle until she was close enough to strike him. Her eyes caught every movement he made and every breath he took. It could have been minutes or hours, but she knew she had to wait until the right moment.
When his eyes flickered to her feet, she lunged at him. He noticed it a breath too late and she was able to take him right to the ground and nip at his neck just to draw a bit of his blood. William shook her off him as if she was nothing and sent her skidding across the clearing.
"He's holding back for you, Doris. Remember that. If this was a real fight, you wouldn't have made it out alive after the first time he got you down." Cordelia reminded her.
Doris shoved the voice away from her and could have sworn she heard Cordelia laughing in the back of her head.
She planted her feet on the ground and lowered her head in a fighting stance. William understood immediately and followed her lead. She lunged for him and this time he let her take him to the ground to release all of her rage.
She didn't want him to go easy on her, she wanted to learn and she knew she never would unless he fought back. But he didn't. He let her roll him around and drag him back to the clearing like he was some sort of dummy she was testing her strength on.
He could crush her with no hesitation-she knew that. She watched him take down a whole camp of rogues that tried to kill him on his own. Here in this clearing, he let her take control and figure out her stances for hours until she finally had enough.
Doris howled to the moon that loomed above them. A black cloak fell over her shoulders and she looked over to see William covered in his own. "That's enough for today."
Cordelia let her hold on Doris go and she shifted back into herself, quickly clenching the cloak around her body. "How did you know I was out here?"
"My wolf told me where to find you." William helped her stand and step back into her boots. "I knew what he wanted to do the minute I saw you."
"How did he..." Doris sighed and shook her head. The heat of the battle was quickly wearing off and making her shake from the cold. William led her back to the palace.
"Our wolves can sense the other's emotions if they're close enough. He must have felt what your wolf needed." William narrowed his eyes at the guards that glanced at Doris until they turned to face the walls.
"I feel like I learned nothing." Doris mumbled.
"That's not true. You learned not to cower away from me. I could feel you starting to retreat and then instead pushed forward." William led her down the hall towards her room. She was only glad her cloak was so damn long. "It took me years before I was able to do something like that when one of my older brothers had challenged me to a fight. Usually they forced me into it and I had no choice but to push forward. I felt you consider that choice and decide against it."
Doris bit down on her lip. Small steps. "Would you ever fight back if I needed you to?"
"I will when you're more prepared. That might not be for a long time." William pushed open her door and Beth fell off the couch.
"Doris! Where have you been?" Beth neared her and nervously glanced up at the prince. Her eyes were red from sleep.
"I was just out for a walk... will you please get me some clothes?"
"Of course!" Beth bowed. Doris didn't miss the glint in her eyes, it made Doris want to shove her friend over.
After Doris was dressed, she dismissed Beth for the evening and joined William on the couch. He watched the fire and it was then she noticed that Beth must have gotten him an outfit as well because he was fully dressed.
"I'm sorry for always going against your wishes." Doris said quietly. His head snapped to look at her across the couch. "I don't know why I always want to do the opposite of what you say."
William quietly watched her for a moment as if he was trying to gather what he wanted to say.
"It drives me mad when you don't listen to me." He finally said.
"I know, I know it does. I know I was a fool in the north and got us into trouble-" William moved himself closer to her and watched her mouth as she spoke. "I have this horrible rage inside me when people tell me what to do. I can't explain it-"
"It drives me mad in a good way, Doris." William whispered. Doris thought she'd misheard him for a moment.
"What? I thought you hated that-"
"You're the only person who has ever told me no and challenged me. It infuriates me, but I love you even more for it."
The world must have stopped, she felt as if all the sound was sucked out of the room. " You... you what?"
William grabbed her face and forced it closer to his. "I said I love you even more for it, dammit."