The Birth of a Bridger

Elaine Mercer was forty-five when her life, quite literally, ended.
It happened on an ordinary Tuesday. A sharp pain, like glass splintering beneath her ribs, stealing her breath away as she stood in her kitchen. The teacup in her hand fell in slow motion, shattering against the tile as the kettle screamed and the world dimmed. She remembered thinking, So this is it, with a strange, exhausted calm. Years of chronic illness, autoimmune flares, and fatigue that clung to her body like wet wool—the quiet erosion of her strength—had already taken so much. Maybe this was simply the last bill coming due.
Then everything went dark.
And then… it didn’t.

She woke gasping on cold earth beneath a sky that shimmered violet instead of blue.
Shading her eyes from the brightness, Elaine sat up slowly, expecting pain, expecting something, but her body felt… light. Whole. The constant ache in her joints were gone. The tightness in her chest? Gone. When she inhaled, her lungs expanded fully without the familiar, sharp hitch of inflammation. The air moved through her like silk, deep and effortless, filling her chest with a vitality she hadn’t felt in decades. Even the dull, familiar fog in her mind had lifted, leaving clarity so sharp it almost hurt as she came to a standing position, almost afraid of toppling over.
“What the hell…” she whispered, feeling disoriented. She knew it was impossible, but she was changed somehow. Even her clothing was vastly different from her usual sweatpants, oversized t-shirt, and slippers she wore around the house. She barely made an effort to dress more appropriately for being in public, thinking, what was the point?

But this? My god, she was in what looked like a cosplay wet dream. All she could think of was Xena: Warrior Princess with the amount of leather she was wearing. She had to admit, though, she rather liked it, and it did fit well. But why? Where the hell was she?
The forest around her was wrong, beautiful, but wrong. Trees twisted upward in elegant spirals, their leaves glowing faintly like embers. The air hummed, not with insects, but with something deeper, something alive. The air was intoxicating, fresh and clean.
“You’re awake.”
Elaine startled, turning to find a woman standing a few paces away. She looked human at first glance, but her eyes gleamed like polished silver, and her ears tapered delicately to points. She stood tall with authority and a glimmer of surprise on her face.
“Where am I?” Elaine demanded, and then paused, surprised at how easily she moved. No more dizziness. No weakness.
The woman studied her. “Between worlds, for now. You crossed during death.”
“I died?”
“Briefly,” the woman said with a shrug. “Your body failed. The dominant power you held in your mortal body gave up. Which would explain your illness over the years; it’s unfortunate, really. Mortals have never been able or allowed to harbor such power, so your organs finally tired and gave out. Your spirit, however, did not. Your soul is very strong despite your body’s weakness. It is how you ended up here.”
Elaine pressed a hand to her chest. Her heart beat strong and steady. Stronger than she ever remembered. What kind of power was this woman talking about? OMG was she a fairy? Elaine couldn't help but stare at the entities pointed ears.
“This realm,” the woman continued, “claimed you. It does that sometimes. Especially with those who are… unfinished.”
“Unfinished?” Elaine let out a humorless laugh. “Lady, I was barely functioning.”
The woman’s lips curved slightly with amusement. “Yes. And yet, here you are. Whole again.”
Elaine looked at her hands—steady, strong, unmarked by years of illness. Something thrummed beneath her skin, like quiet electricity.
“What did you do to me?”
“I didn’t do anything, the power has always been yours,” the woman replied. “However, this realm gives… and takes. That is something you’ll learn that soon enough.”

Elaine didn’t get long to process what the woman had said before everything went sideways.
A growl, deep and primal, ripped through the forest. Birds took flight; there was a terrifying sound as if trees were being felled.
The silver-eyed woman stiffened. “Ah. That didn’t take long.”
“What didn’t?” Elaine said with panic in her voice.
All at once a massive wolf burst through the trees, along with other wolves flanking him.
Not a just a wolf though, Elaine realized instantly. Too large and too aware. Golden eyes locked onto her with startling intensity—not hunger necessarily, but something far more unsettling.
Possessiveness.
“Oh no,” the silver-eyed woman muttered, backing up slightly. “That’s inconvenient." Elaine turned to look at her looking for clarification to that comment.

The creature slowed as it approached, shifting mid-stride, bones cracking and reshaping until a man stood where the wolf had been. Tall and muscular with broad shoulders, dark markings that looked like tattoos across his vast chest, dark hair pulled back away from that beautiful face, and eyes that still burned gold. This man was a sight to behold and exuded dominance.
Elaine drew in a sharp breath just from the sheer attraction she felt. It had been a very long time since she had felt this way about anything, but this… what was he? A werewolf? My god, she thought to herself, this has to be a dream. All those monster books she would stay up until all hours of the morning reading had finally come to visit her in the afterlife.
He looked at Elaine like she was the answer to a question he hadn’t known how to ask.
“Well,” he said, his voice rough, his jaw tightening while looking her up and down slowly. “That explains it.”
“Explains what?” Elaine snapped, taking a step back. Was he going to grab her?
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he inhaled deeply, as if memorizing her scent.
“You’re mine,” he said simply, standing there exuding testosterone.
Elaine blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“My mate,” he growled, taking a step forward.

Elaine began taking steps backward while throwing her hands up in front of her to ward him off/
“…I’m going to need you to rewind about ten steps,” Elaine said with panic rising in her voice.