The cool night air hit my face like a slap as I stepped onto the porch, my chest heaving from the chase up the stairs. The forest stretched before us, dark and foreboding, its shadows seeming alive with movement. Mal’s snarls echoed faintly, carried back by the wind, and I clenched my fists.
“We don’t have time to waste,” Logan growled, already halfway down the steps. He turned to me, his eyes sharp and commanding. “If she gets too far, we’ll lose her.”
“You’re not going after her alone,” I said, jogging to catch up.
“None of us can catch her like this,” Liam cut in, his voice tight with urgency. “She’s too fast, even for Logan.”
Logan slowed, his lips pressed into a grim line. “I hate to admit it, but he’s right. If we’re going to have any chance of stopping her-” He hesitated, looking between Liam and me before his gaze settled on mine. “-we’ll need to shift.”
The weight of his words hit me like a punch to the gut. I had never transformed fully before. Not like this. The few times I’d tapped into the wolf inside me, it had been fleeting, barely a scratch on the surface of the beast that lived in my blood. But now there was no time to hesitate.
“Will it even work?” Liam asked, his brow furrowed. “She’s already fully gone. What if she doesn’t recognize us even as wolves?”
“It’s a chance we have to take,” Logan said firmly. “We’re wasting time.”
My hands trembled as I stepped forward. “How do we do this?” I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.
Logan turned to face me fully, his expression softening for the first time that night. “It’s instinct,” he said. “Don’t fight it. Just… let go.”
I took a shaky breath, closing my eyes. The air around me seemed to thrum with energy, the sounds of the forest sharpening to a razor’s edge. I could hear every rustle of leaves, every distant howl. A part of me yearned to join them, to give in to the primal force clawing at the edges of my being.
“Focus,” Logan said, his voice calm but insistent. “Feel the shift. Let it happen.”
I did as he said, allowing the power within me to rise. At first, it was subtle-a tingling in my fingertips, a warmth spreading through my veins. Then, the change came all at once, a surge of energy that knocked the breath from my lungs. My vision blurred, and for a moment, I felt like I was being pulled apart and put back together all at once.
When the haze cleared, the world looked different. Sharper. Brighter. I could see every detail of the forest, every blade of grass bending under the wind. My senses were alive in a way I’d never experienced before. I glanced down and saw paws where my hands had been, their fur shimmering in the moonlight.
“You did it,” Liam said, his voice filled with awe. I turned to see him mid-transformation, his human form fading as a sleek wolf emerged. His fur was a rich, earthy brown, his eyes glowing faintly with the same golden hue I’d seen in Mal’s.
Logan’s shift was faster, more practiced. His massive form loomed over both of us, his dark fur rippling like shadow itself. His piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, and he nodded once. Good.
His voice echoed in my mind-not spoken aloud but understood. It sent a shiver down my spine.
We don’t have much time, Logan said, already moving toward the trees. Follow her scent.
I inhaled deeply, the crisp night air filling my lungs, and caught the scent of Mal almost immediately. It was sharp and wild, like earth after a storm mixed with something metallic-fear or anger, maybe both. It called to me in a way that was both instinctive and deeply unsettling.
I bounded after Logan, my paws thudding against the ground in rhythm with his. The forest seemed to rush past us, a blur of shadows and moonlight. Every sound, every movement, was magnified-the rustle of leaves, the snap of twigs underfoot, the distant calls of night creatures. My wolf senses drank it all in, but my focus remained locked on Mal’s trail.
Liam wasn’t far behind, his lighter frame weaving effortlessly through the trees. She’s moving fast, he said, his voice slipping into my thoughts. Faster than I expected.
She’s scared, I replied, surprised by how natural it felt to communicate this way. And angry. We have to catch her before she does something she’ll regret.
Logan didn’t respond, his pace quickening as he pushed ahead. His determination burned as brightly as his wolf’s scent-strong and commanding, with a touch of something darker. He wasn’t just chasing Mal; he was preparing for a fight.
We reached a clearing where the scent grew stronger, and Logan came to an abrupt stop. His ears perked, and his head tilted slightly as he listened. I strained my senses, catching the faint crack of underbrush ahead. She was close.
She’s heading for the river, Logan said, his voice sharp. If she crosses it, we’ll lose her trail.
Liam let out a low growl. We won’t let her.
We pushed forward, the sound of rushing water growing louder with every stride. The river came into view, its surface shimmering under the moonlight like molten silver. Mal stood at the edge, her massive frame silhouetted against the glow. Her fur bristled, and her head snapped toward us, teeth bared in a warning snarl.
Mal! I called, skidding to a halt a few paces away. I kept my stance low, non-threatening, though my heart thundered in my chest. It’s us. You don’t have to run.
Her glowing eyes narrowed, flicking between us as if she was struggling to recognize who we were. Her snarl softened for a moment, but then a sharp breeze carried Logan’s scent to her, and she lunged forward with a feral growl.
Logan met her charge head-on, his massive form colliding with hers in a burst of power. They tumbled to the ground, snapping and snarling, their movements a blur. My instincts screamed at me to intervene, but Liam stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
Wait, he said. She’s testing him.