Chapter 2

It was futile for him to try to fight what was clearly going to happen, so he just laid his head on his knees and shut his eyes. How long had he been held captive in this particular location? A year? Two? He was completely unaware of the passing of time. Because there were no windows in the cellar, there was no way to tell whether it was the summer or the winter. He felt the constant chill of the floor beneath him.

He blocked out the sound of the woman sobbing next to him in his imagination. Women. They had always been the cause of his problems, beginning with his mother, who had deserted him when he was thirteen, and culminating with the cruel woman who had taken his mortal life and transformed him into a monster. He had always blamed them for his problems.

He had made the mistake of putting his faith in a long series of different women, including Raquel. He thought about the notion that she was probably going to be the final person in a morbid way.

The aroma of the unfortunate creature that was doomed to share his confinement was carried on a deep inhale. She was doomed to die, and it didn't matter if it was at his hands or Raquel's.

He let out a muffled groan as the agony tore at his critical organs. For the course of the previous five nights, he had resisted the need to feed on the woman. The torment that he felt inside grew more intense and intensely incandescent with each passing evening, like a fire that could never be put out. His veins were drying up, his fangs were in excruciating pain, and he was desperate for sustenance and respite. On the opposite side of the room, curled up in a ball, relief could be seen lying there. He could sense her watching him covertly and taste her terror as she waited for him to sink his fangs into her throat. She was waiting for him to plunge his fangs into her throat.

The rumbling in his stomach pushed him to use the opportunity to relieve himself of the physical pain that was wreaking havoc on his body and the mental misery that was wreaking havoc on the lady.

He grabbed her into his embrace while muttering "Forgive me," and then he put an end to both of their miserable lives by strangling her.

Gwen Zebedee approached the terrified puppy that was trembling on the examining bench and spoke to it gently. The Rottweiler was able to rapidly calm down, and its dark brown eyes took on an expression of trust rather than apprehension.

Melissa Holder expressed her amazement to Gwen by saying, "I don't know how you do it." "I spent the past ten minutes attempting to reason with that monstrous being, but I was unsuccessful." You just need to say one word, and voilà! "She's so tired that she's almost asleep."

Gwen scratched the dog's head while she spoke, and then continued, "I guess I just have a way with animals." And that was the case. Animals of all kinds, including dogs, cats, birds, deer, squirrels, horses, and even snakes, had put their faith in her ever since she was a young child. They never hid from her and never displayed any sign of fear, which, when everything was taken into account, was rather odd. Nonetheless, she was able to use this to her advantage in her profession.

“A way? It really is more like magic, girl." Melissa took a quick look at the watch on her wrist. "Because you do not require any assistance in this area, I will be leaving for lunch. I promised my mother that we would meet at the shopping center at twelve o'clock if I could find a way to escape.

Gwen nodded. Melissa was not just one of her coworkers but also her closest friend outside of work. "Will you be so kind as to bring me back a Coke?"

Melissa called back over her shoulder as she was leaving, "Sure thing," as she was closing the door behind her.

Gwen couldn't help but watch after her friend, Melissa, and wish that the connection that Melissa had with her mother was the same one she had with her own. On an approximately weekly basis, Melissa and her mother would have lunch together. They spent the day together going shopping, texting each other, and engaging in a variety of other enjoyable activities. Katie certainly was not to blame for the fact that she and Gwen did not participate in any activities that were enjoyable together. Her mother was only permitted to leave the compound on very rare occasions by her father. The fact that he had consented to her absence for an entire year continued to astound Gwen.

When Dr. Saltzman entered the examination room a few moments later, she turned her head to look at him. He had a chubby, red-haired wife who was also tall and good-looking, as well as six children who also had red hair.

When he saw the Rot laying still on the table, he couldn't help but shake his head.

As he pulled a pair of gloves onto his hands, he remarked, "I see you've worked your Indian magic again." "If it weren't for you, I don't know what I'd do."

While the veterinarian was conducting his examination, Gwen continued to pet the dog's head and speak softly to it in Lakota. Occasionally, she would whisper to the animal. The Rottweiler had been struck by a car and was brought in dripping blood from many cuts after it had been injured. One leg and many ribs were broken. The Rot had been rather peaceful up until they carried it into the examination room. Once inside, it bared its teeth, growling and snapping at everybody who got close to it. Gwen was the only person who was able to calm it down after she entered the room.

While the veterinarian was preparing the shot that would put the dog to sleep, he stated, "We'll need to sedate her to fix her leg and bind up her ribs." "Keep talking to her."

Gwen nodded. She mumbled, "There, now," as she continued to stroke the Rot's head. "There, now." It won't take long at all for Dr. Saltzman to get you back in tip-top shape.

"So, what are your plans for the evening?" Melissa inquired while they were leaving the workplace later that day. "Would you like to see a movie tonight?"

"Not tonight," Gwen said. "I have to take care of something."

"A date?" Melissa inquired while raising both of her eyebrows.

"No, nothing even even close to that. What did you have for lunch with your mom?

Melissa cautioned her listener, "Don't even try to shift the subject," as she shook her head. "It's that recurring thing that happens every month, right? You're going to take the day off tomorrow, aren't you? Gwen was given a little tap on the shoulder by Melissa. "I'm going to find out what you're up to sooner or later, whether you like it or not."

Gwen admitted to me, "Believe me, I wish I could tell you," as she dug her keys out of her purse while making her confession. "But I'm unable to. I look forward to seeing you on Friday.

"All right, girlfriend."

Gwen let out a sigh as she slipped behind the wheel of the vehicle after unlocking it. She wished she could explain to Melissa why she needed to take off one day every month, but she knew it wasn't going to be possible. She was obligated by the law of the pack to keep their secrets a secret, and the fact that they were what they pretended to be was the most closely guarded secret of them.

Gwen was subject to the harsh punishment for breaking the confidentiality agreement by revealing the information to human beings. In the event that she broke pack laws, the fact that her father was the Alpha of the Shadow Pack would not afford her any special privileges or protection from punishment.

There was only one law as far as the wolves were concerned, and that law was the law of the pack, which they all appeared content to obediently follow. What was wrong with her? Why was it that she was unable to comply without question? Are you completely comfortable following the established pack hierarchy? Should she be content to do as she was taught and to live within the bounds of the pack? Why wasn't she able to become the person her father had always envisioned her to be? Was it such a terrible thing for her to want to choose her own path in life, such as where she wanted to live and who she wanted to marry?

She prepared dinner by broiling a chicken at home and accompanied it with a glass of chardonnay, in the hopes that the wine would help her relax and settle her anxiety. She couldn't sit still because she was too restless, so she vacuumed and dusted, cleaned the oven, and scrubbed the floor. And during it all, she was acutely aware of the wolf pacing restlessly and eagerly yearning to break free from her.

She ate a hasty breakfast, grabbed an overnight bag, and then drove to her favorite hangout in the sacred Paha Sapa, which is the Black Hills of South Dakota. In the morning, she called Dr. Saltzman and told him she needed the day off.

These mountains and valleys have been traversed by ancient tribal elders such as Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Red Cloud back in the good old days. They had climbed to the peaks of the mountains in search of visions, they had hunted buffalo on the plains, and they had vanquished Custer in a battle that is still talked about by red men and white men alike. In a last-ditch effort to resist the white settlers and preserve the indigenous people's way of life in the Hills, Sitting Bull had rallied the various tribes to join forces against the invaders. She frequently pondered what her life might be like now if the Native Americans had been victorious in their conflict.

A wide area of pine-covered mountains with trees that were such a dark shade of green that they appeared black from a distance made up what was known as The Hills. This enchanted region was brimming with beauty and a sense of the unknown. The ideal location for her once-a-month get-away from the rest of the world.

Gwen was able to see the moon rise while she was wrapped in a fluffy yellow towel as she stood in a verdant valley deep in the heart of the Black Hills. The sound of it calling to her caused her to tremble all over in eager expectation.

The metamorphosis occurred in a rush of different bodily sensations, including the realignment of her bones and muscles, a shift in temperature as a thick pelt sprang from her skin, a rapid sharpening of her senses, and the sensation of the ground beneath the sensitive pads of her feet.