Page 82 of Tangled Fates

With three bears staring me down with venom dripping from their exposed claws.

Alpha? Is that you? Is that really you?

I looked down and found cream-colored paws staring back at me instead of the amber-colored fur I had become accustomed to. I looked back up into the face of the bear standing maybe ten feet in front of me, and I gazed into its big, round eyes. I saw my reflection. The reflection of the brown eyes that stared back at me took me a second to cope with, but then, I realized what had happened.

Somehow, I had body hopped.

Okay, I said as I cracked my neck, let’s do this.

Alpha, what do I do? Tell me what to do?

I steeled my gut and relinquished control of the body. You fight, and I’ll give you the strength you need. Just stay smart about things, all right?

The body leapt into the air, even though I wasn’t controlling it, and the second the wolf’s teeth sank into the bear’s face, I gritted down on my own. the bear’s neck snapped before it plummeted to the ground, then a piercing pain shot down my back.

Ah, shit! I exclaimed.

Alpha, it hurts. Their claws.

The venom. Get away from their grasp. Get away, and I can heal you.

The wolf managed to wiggle away and I squeezed my eyes closed, conjuring that same starlight aura that had seemed to attach itself to me. I braced myself, clenching my gut and girding my muscles as I shoved the aura from around my heart to the outer layers of the wolf’s body.

And as a burst of light ricocheted outward, it knocked the other two bears back.

Before kicking in the wolf’s self-healing gear.

What’s your name? I asked.

Billy. The name’s Billy.

Well, Billy, I said as I gazed down at the bears that had been knocked unconscious, I think you can take it from here.

Help meeeeeee!

I squeezed my eyes closed. Gotta go! Stay safe, fight strong, and for fuck’s sake, stay away from their claws and fangs.

Can do, Alpha. Thank you so much.

I latched onto the helpless voice that had called out for assistance and found myself in yet another wolf’s body that wasn’t mine. Only this time, there were two panthers circling the all-gray wolf. The body felt young, teeming with hormones and coursing with an anger that was almost uncontrollable.

I closed my eyes and focused that emotion outward, and before I knew it, I had tapped into the wolf’s muscles.

You do what you need to survive, and I’ll give you strength. Understood?

The female voice reached out to me. Thank you so much. Mommy hasn’t taught me how to fight yet.

Her soft voice broke my heart. I won’t let anything happen to you, Miss…?

Anasia. My name is Anasia, Alpha.

Well, Miss Anasia. That’s a very pretty name. But what we’re about to do isn’t going to be pretty. Are you sure you’re ready?

Do I really have a choice?

I’d make the conspirators for this attack pay for what they’d done to our children. No, you don’t. Not if you want to live.

Then, let’s do this.

---