Chapter 558: Oscar? Violet?
Jeremiah hadn’t been kidding, the cold here stung the cheeks and brought tears to the eyes. The moment they disembarked from the chopper, they were swallowed by a crystal-white field, the snow so deep it reached up to their knees.
Violet shivered violently as they trudged through it, each step crunching underfoot. The mid-day sun hung overhead, pale and weak, casting a dull light that made the world feel like it was already evening.
"So..." Violet’s breath puffed white in the air, "I was thinking about our plan."
Griffin glanced at her, his grip tightening protectively around her hand as he guided her forward. "What about the plan?" His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it — a subtle readiness to adapt if needed. If Violet would let him, he’d gladly carry her on his back, but he knew better. Her stubborn independence wouldn’t allow it.
Violet hesitated, biting her lip before blurting out, "What if you didn’t need to sneak me in at all?"
Griffin froze mid-step, boots sinking deeper into the snow. Slowly, he turned to face her, his brows furrowing. "What?"
Closing the space between them, Violet looked up at him with a spark of determination in her eyes. "I’ve been thinking about this since the ride. If I can glamour myself to look human, what if I can glamour myself to look like someone else entirely?"
Her voice quickened with excitement, even as her teeth chattered. "I mean, come on. From all the books I’ve read, Fae are tricksters. Illusions, mimicry, that kind of magic runs deep in our blood. Why shouldn’t I be able to use that to our advantage?"
Griffin tilted his head, unsure. "I don’t know, Violet. I guess it’s possible. But these powers are still new to you, and I don’t know what it will cost to pull that off."
"But I can still try. Please." Her eyes pleaded with him, full of stubborn determination and raw hope.
Griffin sighed. Unfortunately, he could never refuse her anything.
"Fine, you can try. But the moment you show even the slightest sign of distress, I’m pulling you out. I mean it."
Violet’s face lit up with a smile so bright it seemed to shame the dull sun above.
"Fine," she agreed eagerly.
She released his hand, flexing her shoulders as if preparing for battle. Alright, she told herself, this is how it goes.
Closing her eyes, Violet focused. She conjured the image of the person she wanted to mimic, bringing every detail to the forefront of her mind. Then, she imagined her own body melting away, reshaping into theirs. It was like hiding her fae features, only it was much more intense.
And she wasn’t prepared for the pain that followed.
"Ugh..." Violet gasped, her body trembling as sweat broke across her brow.
"Violet...?" Griffin’s voice sharpened with concern. He didn’t like the sound of her ragged breathing. The groans grew louder, her face twisting with agony. She looked like she was being ripped apart from the inside out.
"That’s it," Griffin growled, moving toward her. "I said we’d stop if it came to this—"
He reached for her, but an unseen force lashed out violently, slamming into his chest. Griffin was thrown backward, hitting the frozen ground with bone-jarring impact. The breath was knocked clean out of him.
"Great," he groaned, flat on his back, glaring up at the gray sky. "I should’ve known better than to agree to this."
Violet’s flesh rippled, moving unnaturally like water beneath the surface. Her arms stretched first, bones lengthening until they no longer felt like her own. The sleeves of her coat split at the seams, fabric shredding as her muscles swelled, cords twisting and bulging beneath her skin.
Her legs gave way, unable to bear the violent changes wracking her body. She crashed into the snow, her knees sinking deep into the freezing powder. The cold bit into her, but she barely felt it beneath the white-hot agony of her transformation.
Her spine arched, a sickening series of pops echoing through the silent field as her back broadened, her chest expanding. It felt as though invisible hands were pulling her apart piece by piece, stretching her body beyond its limits.
And beneath the whole pain, there was her wolf Thalia, howling with confusion in the back of her mind. She could not understand what was happening.
"Violet!" Griffin ran over to her. Except when she lifted her head, what met him was the face of his beta.
"Oscar?" Griffin asked in pure confusion.
"Temporary," Violet answered tiredly, her voice rough. "It’s still me, Violet."
She tried to stand but staggered, and Griffin caught her quickly.
"Damn, that took a lot more out of me than I expected," she muttered. Even while speaking, her voice sounded deep, and masculine. Just like Oscar’s.
"Violet?" Griffin’s tone was skeptical now, his brows furrowed. "Are you sure this is just glamouring?"
"Of course," she said, frowning. "Why would you say that?"
"Because..." he hesitated, giving her a wary once-over. "You look and feel weirder than usual."
Violet let out a nervous chuckle. "I know, right? That’s what it’s supposed to be. Last time, when I glamoured my Fae features, you and Roman both saw me as normal, but I could still feel my ears when I touched—"
Mid-sentence, Violet reached down to her chest to prove her point and froze. Her hand met flat muscle, not the familiar curve of her breasts.
Blinking rapidly, she took a proper look at herself. Violet now had broad shoulders, thickly muscled arms, and her usual feminine body was completely gone.
"Oh... no."
With panic speed, Violet yanked open the thick coat, then lifted her gown. Her panties hung in tatters, shredded from the sudden growth. She peered down and screamed.
She had a dick.
"Holy shit, Violet!" Griffin yelled, immediately throwing his hands over his eyes to block the view. "Public flashing! Not cool!"
Violet screamed again, louder this time, horrified beyond words.
What the actual fuck was going on?!
She hadn’t imitated Oscar.
She had become Oscar.