Page 4 of Blood, Shadow & Claw

"May I check your injuries?"Kyle asked gently, already moving closer.

"Um, sure,"I mumbled, still dazed and confused.

As he examined me with practiced hands, the door opened again, revealing thetall, muscular man with short dark hair and piercing blue eyes.This time, he didn't have the vomit-filled garbage can; I supposed I could thank God for small favors. The gorgeous manlooked like a force of nature, exuding strength and authority, but there was something almost tender in how he watched Kyle tend to me.

"As I said before, this is Ajax Montgomery,"Kyle explained, not looking up from his task. "He's the one who found you and brought you here."

"Thank you,"I whispered, my voice still shaky. Ajax nodded, his eyes never quite meeting mine.

"Are you in pain?"Kyle asked concern etched on his face.

"Y-yes,"I admitted, the throbbing in my limbs growing more insistent with each passing second.

"Here, let me help,"he said, reaching for a small jar of salve from a nearby shelf. As he applied the ointment to my injuries, I couldn't help but feel grateful. And yet, the unease persisted, gnawingat the edges of my consciousness like a persistent itch.

"Where am I?"I finally asked, needing answers.

"An old cabin, deep in the mountains,"Ajax replied, his voice low and gruff. "It belongs to our pack."

"Pack?"The word sent a shiver down my spine.

"Never mind that,"Kyle said quickly, shooting Ajax a pointed look. "What matters is that you're safe, and we'll take care of you."

"Thank you,"I murmured again, though it did little to quell the storm of questions raging inside me. Who were these men? What was their connection to each other? And most importantly, why couldn't I shake the feeling that there was something more – something hidden beneath the surface of this strange encounter?

As they continued to tend to my injuries, offering comfort and reassurance, I wrestled with the unknowns, adrift in a sea of loneliness and vulnerability. But one thing was clear: I had no choice but to trust them, at least for now. And perhaps, in doing so, I might find the sense of belonging I had always craved – or at least the strength to keepsearching.

The moonlight filteredthrough the window, casting a soft glow on my makeshift bed. I lay there, restless, as the day's events replayed in my mind. I couldn't believe that just hours ago, I had been trapped in my car, battered and bruised, feeling like death was imminent. But here I was, alive, in a cabin high in the mountains with two strangers who seemed intent on helping me.

"Can't sleep?"Ajax's gruff voice interrupted my thoughts. He stood at the foot of the bed, his muscular arms crossed over his broad chest. He still hadn't looked directly at me, which was unnerving. Maybe he wasn't into plus-size girls?

"Too much running through my head,"I admitted, shifting uncomfortably under the blankets.

"Understandable,"he said, nodding. He hesitated momentarily before sitting on the edge of the bed. "You know, you can talk to us about anything bothering you. We're here to help."

I studied his face, searching for any hint of deception, but found none. His dark brown eyes held a sincerity that I couldn't deny. And yet, there were so many questions left unanswered. My unease grew stronger, manifesting as an itch beneath my skin that I couldn't quite scratch.

"Something doesn't feel right about any of this,"I said, finally opting for the truth. I was unable to contain my curiosity any longer. "You haven't looked at me once. Am I hideously scarred or something?"

Ajax sighed, raking his fingers through his thick, black hair. "No,"he admitted. "It's complicated. I feel a connection with you. But I have a feeling that if our gazes meet, it could mean something you may not be ready for."

Panic welled once again. "What's going on? Why am I here?"

Ajax's head snapped up, and his brilliant blue eyes locked on mine. I felt a jolt of awareness slash through me, almost like lightning struck me. I don't know how long we stared at each other. I couldn't even remember what had been said before.

All I knew was that this man, who he was, suddenly had become much more important to me. Something inside of me stirred. It was the weirdest feeling I had ever known, and it freaked me out.

"Something's wrong with me,"I cried out, pulling at the sheet and then attempting to remove my clothes.

It was hot, so blasted hot. Without thinking, I yanked the IV out of my arm, not caring that my arm had begun to bleed where the needle had been removed. All I cared about was the intense pain careening down my spine. Chills erupted down my arms, followed by the crunch of bones breaking—my bones!

This was it. I was dying. I had been right. Aliens had abducted me, and now I was going to die from whatever creature they had placed inside of me.

I would never reach a million followers on TikTok. That alone caused me to howl in anguish. However, the howl sounded far more feral than humanlike.

The proportions of the room were off. Everything that had been big before seemed very small. Why was it so damned hot? Tiny pins pricked at every pore, followed by coarse black fur covering my grotesque body transition.

Sharp claws replaced my manicured nails, and a snout replaced my nose. I had to be dreaming.Maybe there had been narcotics in that IV?It was a logical conclusion.

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