{Lyra}I barely had time to scream as Odessa launched herself directly at the monstrous creature. They collided in midair before being forced back by the impact. She moved very fast, way faster than I did when I shifted for the first time, but her movements were a bit clumsy.She managed to hit the creature square in the chest with her front paws and clawed wildly at its scorched skin while it screeched and snapped its fangs at her throat.“Odessa!” I charged in without thinking.The creature reared back and flung its claws, nearly catching her. She managed to dodge it by a whisker, and I caught its attention with a growl. It twisted to face me just as I sprang, ramming into its ribcage with enough force to lift it off the ground.We tumbled, rolled, and I bit down into what I guessed was its shoulder. The taste was incredibly disgusting, like biting into charcoal and rot, but I didn’t let go until Odessa lunged in beside me, slashing at its exposed side.We fought side by side for wh
{Lyra}No matter how badly I wanted to, I couldn’t look away. My eyes were glued to the huge frame of the creature that literally took up the entire doorway. The lights in the asylum had come back on, but they flickered nervously, only adding to the eerie feel. Thanks to the light, I could see the charred body of the creature with two glowing red eyes that pierced through the darkness, and locked on Odessa.The creature took one slow, deliberate step forward, its long, jagged claws curling against the floor with a scraping sound that made my skin crawl.The second it moved, the stench hit me almost immediately. It smelled like burnt skin and rot, and my stomach twisted while Odessa whimpered behind me. I didn’t know what the creature was, but every cell in my body screamed that it wasn’t something I would like to get better acquainted with.Its eyes were locked directly on Odessa, and I knew I couldn't let it get to her. “Grab on!” I shouted, already bending forward. Just moving se
{Lyra}“Stop! Please Stop!” I screamed, but my voice was easily swallowed by the sound of the machine and Odessa’s piercing cry.Her scream tore through the room, beginning to sound less and less normal by the second, but Maek just grinned in pleasure as he watched.“Odessa!” I cried, pulling against the restraints so hard the skin on my wrists began to burn. “Hold on!”“There’s no use, struggling.” He said with a laugh when he looked at me. “Those restraints have magic imbued in them. The more you struggle, the tighter they become.”I grunted in response; there was nothing else I could do but watch as tiny sparks flew from the machine and snapped loudly in the air.Odessa screamed again, making the lights above us flicker as electricity crackled through the band on her forehead and surged into her body. Her head jerked backward, and for a moment, I thought she was going to pass out until her eyes flew open and her hair started to float.Every strand of her hair rose, waving gently in
{Lyra}“Odessa?” I gasped as I slowly stepped into the room. The smell of dark magic was so thick it clung to the back of my throat.Odessa was strapped to a metal chair that was bolted to the ground, looking like it belonged in the crazy part of the asylum. Her wrists and her ankles were tied down with tight black bands that pinned her down to the chair. She was still unconscious, but there was a glowing silver band with wires fixed into it, placed around her head.Her head was tilted to the side, and her breath came in short gasps.“My word,” I gasped at the sight in front of me. Then my eyes flickered to Doctor Maek in his white coat and glasses, standing a few feet away from her, humming to himself while scribbling something on his clipboard. “She’s responding well,” he muttered, tapping his pen on the page. “Fascinating brain activity…”“WHAT the hell do you think you’re doing?!” I practically barked as I slammed the door open so hard it bounced off the wall.Doctor Maek jumped
{Lyra}The wind whistled past my ear as I tore through the streets of Crownshaven in a streak of silver. My huge paws slapped against the pavement, and startled pedestrians jumped out of the way as I bound past them. Somewhere, someone shouted, “Is that a wolf?!” as I leaped clean over a parked sedan before their sentence finished. I honestly didn’t care about the stares, I had emergency Bloodhound business to take care of.Lucia urged me on as our hearts beat in perfect rhythm. I barely remembered the route to the asylum; I just followed the scent trail burning in my nose. My heart thudded in time with my pounding feet, and I didn’t stop even as I crossed the bridge into the quieter part of town. I recognized the curve of the road, the faded red mailbox half-buried in weeds. I was getting close.The air grew colder as I left the last trace of town behind and reached the stretch of isolated freeway. Soon, the moon glinted off a long, narrow road, and in the distance, the gray metal
{Dominic}You would think by now I’d have learnt my lesson and stopped letting Evangeline out of my sight. She hadn’t shown up at Allen’s tower, which meant that she could be anywhere. The second I ended the call with Ryker, I tried calling her, but for some reason she wasn’t picking. I kept trying and trying until finally, the line connected.“Oh thank the moon goddess, you’re okay.” I breathed a sigh of relief.“My apologies Alpha, but the Luna just left.” came a different voice than Evangeline’s.“Mirabel?” I asked, a bit unsure.“Yes, Alpha.”“Why are you with her phone?” I asked in confusion.“She left in a hurry and when she shifted, I picked her phone up from the driveway.” Mirabel answered.I let out a sigh, at least she was alive and in Crownshaven. “But why didn’t the portal open in Allen’s tower like it was supposed to?”“Thank you, Mirabel. Inform me the second she gets back.” “Of course, Alpha.” she replied and I cut the call to focus on my own situation. I was alone i