She vanished just as the year ended. She had decided she would no longer take the road most traveled by and for those that can’t understand, she decided to leave them behind. As the clock struck midnight, Elara stood on the threshold of a new year, the air thick with the scent of fireworks and the faint echoes of celebration, but all she could feel was an insatiable yearning for something different. With a resolute breath, she turned her back on the shimmering lights of the town and faced the shadows of the wilderness that beckoned her like a siren's song.


“Elara, where are you? Everyone’s worried. Just call me back, please,” had played back in her head like the deafening toll of the weekly tornado siren since they first noticed she had left the party hours before the clock toll.


They didn’t understand, no one ever seemed to get it. The weight of traversing down the same familiar landscape at work and home made her feel like she was in a prison—watching herself live daily unable to move within herself, as freely as she would like—unable to recognize herself. The only moment she felt like herself was when she passed by the woods between work and home. The towering trees and darkness between seemed to put a sense of danger in others, but for Elara it has always given her a sense of peace.


The forests loomed ahead of her as she pushed forward–whispering secrets of freedom and adventure. Her heart raced, as she plunged into the darkness, leaving behind the familiar sounds of the city streets— along with the festive laughter and clinking of champagne glasses of social events she had to reluctantly attend due to “company policy.” Freedom. The word consistently ran through Elara’s mind like Sha’carri Richardson—resilient, inspiring, and fierce. As she ran, the full moon seemed to be her spotlight and the forest her stage. With every step, her strength and determination grew. She could feel herself relaxing, shedding the weight of expectations and doubts, transforming her into the person she had always longed to be. Not one atom of her mind, body, or soul was reluctant to the upcoming path she’d chosen to traverse—the one less traveled by.


The moonlight wrapped around her like a warm embrace, fueling her resolve and igniting a primal fire within, that she had kept hidden for decades. She was breaking free from the chains that had held her back, embracing the wild, untamed essence of her soul. A tingling warmth spread through her limbs as she pushed on through the forest moving towards the summit in the center of the forest. She could feel herself transforming, her heart racing not just from the thrill of the run, but from the stirring of something ancient and fierce—a burgeoning power that hinted at the beast lurking just beneath the surface.


For so long, she had hidden her true nature to conform to a society in which her parents had flourished. She didn’t want to hide part of herself out of fear. Her close family and friends managed to contain themselves and only freed themselves during the harvest moon. During the last phase, she found what she didn’t realize she even longed for. No one seemed to notice. They were too busy rush releasing their energy to transform back into….them. They mocked our very kind with unrealistic versions of us on the big screen and even the overweight screen that everyone’s granny seems to refuse to throw away instead of upgrading. Upgrading is exactly what she had planned to do— no one was going to stand in her way.


The world around her continued to fade away, leaving only the sound of her footsteps and the whisper of the wind. Ahead of her, she could sense him. Her forever. He had brought her out of her shell, awakening a wildness within her that felt both exhilarating and terrifying. As she drew closer, the air thickened with an electric energy that sent shivers down her spine. Shadows danced among the trees, and she could see him standing there, his silhouette framed by the moonlight. A deep, primal connection surged between them as if the very night conspired to bring their souls together.

His gaze locked onto hers, and she felt an unspoken understanding pass between them. The world around them faded even further, leaving only the two of them, bound by an unseen force. She stepped forward, heart racing, knowing that at this moment, they were destined to embrace the wildness within each other, ready to uncover the depths of their shared journey. If her family knew of her plans, she would never receive their blessing. This was the only option for them. She knew their union would be a challenging path because she had a lot to learn about life in the wild—not just for one night but for the rest of her life. As if hearing her thoughts and feeling the anxiousness that shot down to her toes, he nuzzled his face against hers, a gentle yet firm gesture that eased her nerves and spoke volumes about their bond.


As they, finished fortifying their forever bond, watching eyes of ember and ice began to flicker to life around them, glimmering with curiosity and warmth. The fallen snow crunched softly underneath unfamiliar feet coming to greet her and welcome her into the family. With each step and nod of approval, the prison she had lived in for the past thirty decades began to destroy itself brick by brick, bar by bar.

The pack continued to tread lightly through the glistening, their breath visible in the crisp air as they moved in unison to the center of the forest where the Alpha, her new beau, would finish the unity ritual during the highest peak of harvest moon atop the stone anchor. In the center of the forest was a rock that Mother Nature had sculpted similar to Pride Rock.


As they traversed up the rock, the moonlight cast a silvery glow over the newly-wed couple, while the eyes of the pack glistened with awe and a newfound hope. Before leaving, her to stand at the highest point of the rock, his piercing eyes gave her a look of reassurance that she hadn’t felt since her toddler years. It was in that moment, that she wanted nothing more than to be content, obedient, and patient.

He continued to step forward, his muscles glistening in the light with every step he took. A rush of emotions consumed her, as he began to lead the pack in a soft ritualistic howl of unity and acceptance. The chorus of howls drifted calmly amongst the whistles of the night wind—flowing through her ear like a sweet lullaby. Overcome with emotions and an invisible force guiding her, she stepped forward to his side and began to harmonize with the pack. As their voices flowed around her, she felt a full release from her past life. She would no longer let it weigh her down but push her forward into a new dawn full of love, belonging, and the fierce spirit of the wild. Elara vanished just as the year ended, while Queen Naomi began to rise from the pit of her soul that she had hidden for so long. Finally, she was home.