Chapter 39

Alyssa

The beast within me stirs, restless, testing the fragile barrier of my humanity. Its presence has been growing by the day, seeping into my consciousness in flickers and dreams. I wake with the musky scent of the forest in my nose, the metallic tang of blood on my tongue.

The elders have warned me to gain control. If I cannot rein in this power, it will consume me whole. But how can I leash something I do not understand? I am walking a knife's edge in the dark, claws grasping for purchase, waiting for the fall.

Dawn breaks cold and sharp over the compound, bathing weathered cabins in a glow of gold. I fold my arms across my chest as I step outside, breath frosting the air. The pack is already awake and active, voices rough with laughter and life. My heart swells at the sound of them - my unlikely family. I do not know what I would become without their guidance to ground me.

A familiar figure separates from the crowd and lopes towards me, raven hair falling carelessly over hi