Page 124 of Wilds of Wonder
“Maybe not,” I said. “We could find another way. There has to be other openings like this.”
Aron made a strangled sound, and all of our heads snapped in his direction. He hunched over. He shot up, ramrod straight, his head bending backward, veins popping in his throat.
We all stepped back, except Driscoll, who put a hand on his shoulder. “Aron? What’s going on? Why are you so veiny all of a sudden?”
He didn’t answer, face turning a dark shade of red, all his muscles straining.
“Is he sick?” Annalee said with wide eyes.
“I don’t think so,” I said slowly.
His teeth lengthened to sharp canines that poked from his mouth. “Step away from me,” he said through clenched teeth. “I can’t control myself. Don’t. Want. To. Hurt. You.”
Driscoll’s eyes widened in understanding.
Maverick pushed me and Annalee behind him. “He’s transforming.”
Bloody fucking frost. That was all we needed right now.
But Driscoll didn’t move, keeping his hand on Aron’s arm as fur began to sprout across his body. “I know that you won’t hurt us. You might say you have no control, but you’re like the most controlled person I’ve ever met. You’re too in control of every emotion. I think it’s time you actually let loose.”
“Driscoll,” I warned. “Step back. Please.”
“Listen to her,” Aron gritted out as he violently hunched over again, his clothes and skin ripping open as a furry back sprouted up.
Driscoll stayed planted to his spot. “No. I think you all are wrong and being kind of close-minded right now.”
My mouth dropped open. “Driscoll, he tried to kill us in his wolf form. Multiple times.”
“But he didn’t!” Driscoll shot back as Aron’s hands and feet transformed to large paws with razor sharp claws.
“She’s. Right,” Aron screamed as his nose turned into a long snout.
There was almost nothing left of his human self, save for his eyes, which were rapidly changing from their ice blue to a dark red. He finished transforming, and now the white wolf towered over Driscoll, who stood firm, though I could see the slight tremble in his hands. The wolf threw his head back and let out a howl that split the air.
“Wow,” Annalee breathed.
“Do you know how to calm him down?” I asked, Maverick still standing in front of us, fire flickering from both of his outstretched hands, even though we knew it was useless against the white wolf.
Annalee raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think I need to.”
The wolf looked down at Driscoll, teeth bared, but he didn’t attack.
“Hey, Hot Wolf Man,” Driscoll said weakly. “I know you’re in there somewhere.”
Something slipped around my waist. At first, I thought maybe it was Annalee’s arm. But it squeezed tight enough to hurt.
I looked down, realizing it was a vine from the wall. We’d gotten too close while trying to stay away from the white wolf. Fuck.
The vine wrenched me backward, and Maverick whirled. “No!” he ran toward me, but I shoved out a hand.
“Stay back,” I warned. “We don’t need it getting you too!”
Driscoll’s head snapped up, his eyes filled with horror while Annalee’s face twisted in fear.
“What do we do?” Driscoll yelled.
Maverick threw a ball of fire at the vine, but it dissipated, just like it had when it encountered the white wolf, ever a reminder that our magic didn’t work well here, not against these foes.
