Page 55 of Teeth To Rip & Tear

Kill the stag.

I’d had enough of blood. Enough pain.

I just wanted some goddamn peace.

With the last ounce of strength I possessed, I pulled back, howling my pain to the sky.

The bloodlust disappeared as if it had never existed.

I was no longer a threat to the stag but became aware of the wolves behind me, inching toward the helpless creature.

I raced forward, putting my body between Dean and the stag. He dipped his head, no doubt believing that I wanted the honor of killing the beast, but I couldn’t.

The stag continued to writhe, tearing its skin and wriggling free. As I stared at the other wolves, my lips peeled back in challenge. I had the impression they were humoring me. The reddish wolf chuffed a sound suspiciously like a laugh.

I howled again. Staring each of the wolves in the eye. They froze, unable to move.

When the stag pulled itself free, it swung its antlers, and I danced out of the way to avoid being hit.

It dipped its head in a bow, drawing attention to the strange red amulet that hung from its throat. It glanced at the other wolves and then raced away, disappearing through the trees.

The white trail was gone as if I had imagined it.

The forest was silent.

I had failed my first hunt.

Chapter Twelve

I didn’t recognize the room when I was startled awake from a dreamless sleep.

The blankets were plain and scratchy, the walls were bare, and the bed was spindly and made of tarnished metal. It wasn’t a cell, but it wasn’t luxurious either.

Though anything was better than the dungeon with its iron bars.

If I closed my eyes, I could pretend it had all been a dream for a blissful moment.

Once I’d shaken the sleep from my groggy mind, I searched every inch of my room, finding baggy and colorless linen clothes in the small bedside cabinet. There were two doors. One led to the bathroom, and the other was locked.

I’d resigned myself to another day as a prisoner before a near-silent knock announced a guest—Kacia, the young wolf I’d met in the dungeons.

Kacia was slight, and the oversized linen clothes did her no favors. Her hair was a dirty blonde, pulled back in a braid. She gave me a shaky smile, and the previous night flashed before my eyes.

I was in deep shit.

I’d failed the hunt.

What had the Huntsman said about Kaleb? That he would ‘pay the price’?

My mouth filled with saliva, and I wanted to be sick. “Is Kaleb okay?” I whispered.

Kacia didn’t answer my question; instead, she took a deep breath and stepped back, pulling open the door. “I’m meant to show you to the canteen. It’s where the wolves eat during Samhain. There is a common space if you want to socialize. Some books, games, and other things.”

I digested the information, nodding as I followed her from my room.

“We’re not in the castle,” I said, studying the bare walls.

Kacia glanced at me. “The wolves stay in the kennels during Samhain. Many years ago, the building used to be much smaller. Built for the dogs. We weren’t allowed out of wolf form.”

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