The night everything changed.

Prologue

It started with pain.

Not the kind that stings or burns but the kind that rips through your bones and turns your scream into something not human.

I was outside, deep in the woods behind our house. My parents thought I was sleeping. I wasn’t. I had snuck out because my chest had been hurting for hours, like something inside me was fighting to get out.

And then it did.

My knees hit the cold earth first. My spine arched. My skin burned like it was on fire. I gasped for air, but it felt like my lungs were collapsing. My nails grew longer and sharper. My jaw cracked. I tried to cry out but only a broken growl came out.

My bones twisted.

My eyes blurred.

And then everything exploded.

When it stopped, I wasn’t on two feet anymore.

I was crouched low, breathing hard, heart beating like a drum. I could smell everything, the trees, the wet dirt, the deer far off in the woods. I could hear the heartbeat of a rabbit nearby. My body was covered in fur. My fingers were claws. My reflection in the window showed glowing golden eyes and fangs.

I was different.

I had turned into a monster.

I didn’t remember choosing to run, but my body moved like it knew how. Fast. Powerful. Wild.

But then… the atmosphere changed.

Someone was watching me.

I heard footsteps, too quiet to be normal but I wasn’t normal anymore. I could hear them as clear as day. I stopped and turned toward the sound, my instincts suddenly screaming.

A man stepped out of the trees.

He wore black clothes and in his hand was a silver blade. There was no fear in his eyes. Only purpose.

He raised the blade.

I growled, a deep, guttural soundand I turned to run.

A shout echoed through the woods. More voices. More footsteps.

They were all chasing me.

I ran through the trees, my paws slamming against the dirt. I could hear them behind me, fast, trained and deadly. My heart thundered in my chest. I didn’t know where I was going. I just knew I had to survive.

But one of them was faster.

He leapt out of nowhere and tackled me to the ground. The silver burned as it scraped my skin. I howled in pain and panic. I fought back.

I didn’t mean to kill him.

But when my claws slashed across his throat and the blood splashed everywhere, it was too late.

He fell back, eyes wide, choking on his last breath. I backed away, panting, shaking and horrified.

The next time I opened my eyes, I was naked and Freezing. My whole body ached. There was blood on my hands. My arms. My chest. My mouth.

I stumbled through the woods, crying, barely able to walk. My legs wobbled like they didn’t belong to me anymore.

I made it to the back porch and pounded on the door with what little strength I had.

It flew open.

“Camryn?” my mom gasped.

I collapsed into her arms. “Mom… Dad…”

They both looked at me. Their daughter covered in blood, shaking and crying.

“I... I killed someone,” I sobbed.

And that was the night everything changed.