Page 87 of Wolf Heart

All these years of terror and now Casey has a taste of what I went through. The chase and comeuppance are thrilling and I haven't felt this much excitement since my dad let me fly a rainbow kite he made me.

He dashes through the forest, but I catch him easily. I pounce, pinning him to the ground.

His eyes sparkle with terror.

I stretch out my claws to shred him, but Raven stands in the way. He’s shifted back to human. A deep, ugly wound is ripped across his chest. Blood runs down his side, and his wolf eyes are just as terrified as Casey’s.

“Stop,” he barks.

“Stop?” I’m not sure if I’m speaking or just thinking about it. “You want me to stop."

Casey punches me in the jaw and I fall backward. He does a weird, hysterical laugh sound and scrambles away.

"Juniper," Raven says, grabbing my arm, "he's not worth it."

But my prey is getting away. I shove Raven back, jerking out of his grasp, and dive for Casey, feeling like I'm flying more than running.

Something crashes into my side mid-air. A heavy weight tackles me to the ground, knocking the air out of me. It’s a huge black wolf that growls low in his chest and my wolf’s hackles rise.

"You fucking bastard," I yell in a voice that's a mix of my own and something guttural.

Casey limps off through the woods, disappearing as the wolf on my back holds me down.

I twist around.

My claws slash at the new attacker. The wolf backs away, shifting into Raven. He stares at me like he's never seen me before.

"What the hell are you?" His voice is a husky whisper.

I jump up, looking down at myself. Black claws that are twice the size of a wolf have replaced my nails. No fur is on my skin, but the same blue color as my hair. I lick my lips and find double-sets of fangs.

The freakiest part? I have no idea what I am or what creature I've partially shifted into. Is this the reason why my wolf hasn't manifested? Raven said I was no wolf... then what the hell am I?

"Juniper, it's me, Raven," He calls out and my stomach lurches into my throat.

I can't stand to think of them looking at me like I'm a monster. Like how Raven is staring at me like I've grown an extra head.

My claws retract and my blue skin turns to its normal color.

But I can't stay with them. Knowing that I'm not one of them. Not really.

I haven't felt this powerless since my dad died.

My whole life I've wanted to shift, to change. Never expected to turn into a grotesque hybrid whatever this is. And I won't be able to take their looks of pity or revulsion. I'd gone most of my life with other wolves having one or both in their gazes. To see it in Aspen and Dex's eyes will gut me.

I can't. I won't. A hollow ache rips at my heart.

I bolt away from them as fast as I can. The air is damp and sweat beads across my back, but I don't stop.

There's no way I'm going back for them to reject me. I'm better off alone and hunting for my mom without anyone else.

I've gone this long without anyone's help.

Part of me wants them to catch me. To tell me that it doesn't matter what I look like or that I can't shift into my wolf, but they still want me. But after a few minutes, there's no one following me.

I tell myself that it's better this way. That they were going to give me to the witches anyway. That I don't need them. Despite my bold thoughts, my heart feels like it’s being crushed.

I run and run. Tears blur my vision as the forest stretches on, never-ending.

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