Page 23 of Never Submit

The monsters are rushing through the shadows, closing in on me with predatory intent. My vision sharpens, honing in on the danger, and somehow I speed up.

Faster, faster.

I need more speed.

I can’t feel my legs anymore.

There are four wolves that I can see—blurs across the scenery—but I’m sure there are more that I can’t. They’re hunting me, drawing in closer, and as I swerve around thick trunks and foliage, my skin begins to tingle all over.

Heat rises, and when I glance down, white fur sprouts from my hands again.

Holy fuck.

Then comes the pain. It hits like a truck, stealing the breath from my lungs and forcing me to halt.

My bones grind together underneath my skin, and muscles bunch unnaturally. They twine and twingeand shift as my body contorts in unnatural ways. My shoulders pop out of their sockets, adjust, and reconnect.

I scream until I run out of air.

My limbs elongate and straighten. My fingers stretch, the nails pushing out and sharpening into animal claws, and I scream some more, my entire body trembling.

I plead with my body to stop. I try to fight it, but the pain increases, bringing up nausea and more tears.

What is happening to me?

Collapsing, I fall onto my hands and knees, gasping for air. Staring down at white fur and black claws. My memory flicks to the moment inside the cage.

The strength, the hair, the animalistic senses… I hadn’t imagined it. It wasn’t a dream, and Andras wasn’t wrong when he commanded me toshow him my wolf.

But seriously, a wolf?Me?

Maybe not a wolf like Torin or Mathis, but…something different. I’m more like some kind of half-shifted freakshow right now.

Terrified and agonized.

As my muscles clench tightly, my chest heaves. I'm weak, disoriented, and struggling to adapt to the changes.

The snow crunches nearby and my gaze snaps toward the sound. Two giant wolves stalk out of the shadows cast by the setting sun.

Their eyes flash in the low light, their lips curling up in warning growls. I feel the sound through my system and my already raw nerves pinch.

They’re telling me not to run anymore, or else they’ll kill me.

How do I know that? I have no idea., I just know.

I whip around and catch two more wolves stalkingtoward me with hackles raised. They’ve surrounded me. It’s four against one.

There’s no way I’m going to let these monsters drag me back to Andras. No way.

Whatever it takes to get out of here, I’ll do it.

They must sense my thoughts because the moment I move, readying to launch off and bolt again, they all pounce for me in unison.

I’m thrown back, the pain of their bites and claws searing. I cry out and lift my arms to defend myself, striking back when I can, but each hit is much too feeble.

I’m clumsy compared to them.

The pain from the ongoing transformation threatens to overwhelm me. I fight with every ounce of strength I have left, battling both the wolves and whatever is happening to my body.

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