Maya smiled and let sleep claim her.
The first week was brutal.
Maya's fever spiked so high that Eve was convinced she was dying. She thrashed in bed, crying out in pain as her bones began to reshape, as her muscles tore and rebuilt themselves stronger.
Eve barely left her side. She sat in the chair beside Maya's bed, holding her hand through the worst of it, whispering reassurances when Maya woke screaming from nightmares.
"I've got you," Eve said over and over.
Her mates took turns bringing food and fresh water, checking Maya's vitals, doing everything they could to ease the transformation. Brynn and Catherine visited daily,
"It gets better," Brynn promised during one particularly bad night when Maya was sobbing from pain. "I know it doesn't feel like it now, but it does. Your body is fighting the change, but eventually it'll accept it. And when it does, you'll be stronger than you ever imagined."
"Hurts," Maya gasped. "Everything hurts."
