Page 20 of Bound to the Beast

I sputter and gag, trying to add some more moisture into my dry mouth.

As I stare into Adam's menacing smile, confusion swirls within me like a tempest. What does any of this have to do with him? My mind races, desperately searching for answers, but he remains silent, reveling in my bewilderment. Suddenly, a realization strikes me like a bolt of lightning.

The truth is dawning on me, and my eyes widen with terror.

Adam... he's a shifter.

The words tumble out of my mouth before I can even fully comprehend them. "You're a shifter, aren't you?" I accuse, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and newfound understanding.

Adam's grin widens, confirming my suspicions. His eyes gleam with a feral intensity, and without warning, he extends an offer that sends shivers down my spine. "I can give you an exclusive story, Grace. You'll finally have the front-page news. Wait, let me correct myself – you’ll be front-page news. But first, I want you to witness something."

In an instant, Adam's form begins to contort and twist, his body contending with an otherworldly force. I watch in horror as he transforms before my eyes, his human facade replaced by that of a monstrous creature—a wolf.

My heart pounds in my chest as I stumble backward, my mind grasping at the fragments of a long-forgotten memory. The wolf... it's the same one I saw as a child—the one that took Becky's life. A chilling realization settles over me, freezing my bones. Adam is the rogue shifter, the killer responsible for my friend's tragic demise.

Fear claws at my senses, urging me to run, to escape this nightmare. But I’m still tied to the chair. There’s nowhere for me to go. The hopelessness of my situation fills me with despair.

I should have listened to Ethan. I understand too late that he only wanted to protect me. That I had no idea what I had gotten myself into, and that I wish he was right here with me.

But then, my luck turns.

Adam smiles. “Why don’t we make this a little bit more… fun?”

With a predatory expression, he slashes the ties keeping me to the chair.

As I turn to flee, Adam cuts me off with a ferocious growl, his wolfish eyes locking into mine. He towers over me, his presence suffocating, as he taunts me with a voice that drips with malevolence. "You should have just let sleeping dogs lie, Grace."

Anger surges within me, fueled by grief and the unwavering determination to uncover the truth. "I would never let my friend's death go unsolved," I retort, my voice laced with defiance, even in the face of this monstrous creature.

Adam's snarl reverberates through the room, his frustration at my refusal to back down palpable. With a baleful glare, he confesses, his sinister admission punctuating the air between us.

"Becky was my first kill. I was still in line to be Alpha back then. But I realized the pack mentality wasn't for me. The rules were suffocating. I’m so much better than they are, Grace, superior to the pack and any Alpha that may come after."

His words hang heavy in the air, each syllable a chilling reminder of the darkness that resides within him. I can't help but draw a parallel between Adam and Ethan. The realization hits me like a punch to the gut, filling me with a renewed determination to save Ethan from this grim fate.

Ethan is my mate. The connection between us has been determined by the universe itself. I won’t allow anyone to come between us. Least of all this… monster.

Time becomes my weapon as I desperately try to buy myself a moment of reprieve. "Do all those who turn feral become killers like you?" I inquire, my voice laced with a mix of hope and trepidation.

Adam's snarl intensifies, his eyes narrowing with disdain. "No," he hisses, his voice dripping with venom. "I am one of a kind. How dare you compare me to anyone else!"

With those words, the tension between us reaches its breaking point. Adam lunges at me, his monstrous form propelled by a feral instinct, his intentions clear. Panic engulfs me as adrenaline surges through my veins, propelling me to fight or flee.

But before I can react, Adam's transformation into a wolf is complete. The room trembles with his predatory presence, and I find myself face to face with the embodiment of my nightmares.

I slowly move backward towards the door. I don’t dare look back, using my instincts to remember how far I was into the room. My heart pounds in my chest as I brace myself for what lies ahead, unsure if I will emerge from this deadly encounter unscathed.

14

ETHAN

As I burst into the office, my heart pounding in my chest, a scene of chaos unfolds before my eyes. The air crackles with tension as a massive wolf lunges toward Grace, its snarls filling the room. Without a moment's hesitation, my shifter instincts kick in, propelling me into action.

In the blink of an eye, my transformation is complete, my human form replaced by that of a wolf. I launch myself at the menacing creature, colliding with an earth-shattering force. The impact sends us crashing into the office furniture, chaos reigning around us.

My blood surges through my veins, fueling my every move as I engage in a fierce battle with Adam. We exchange slashes and bites, each of us fighting tooth and claw for dominance. The scent of blood hangs heavy in the air, mingling with the sound of growls and snarls.

As the fight reaches its climax, I find myself with Adam's throat held tightly in my jaws. Victory seems within my grasp, vengeance coursing through my very being. But then, through the haze of my feral rage, I hear Grace's desperate plea.

---