CHAPTER SIXTY TWO
NADIA
The Wolf Within!
I had stayed back after class to prepare for the test that was coming up. The classroom was empty now, just me and the scent of books and old paper. I spread my materials out across the desk alone. Mark had offered to stay with me until I was done, but I declined his request. I just didn’t want him anywhere around me.
He had crossed too many lines, especially after I discovered that he was behind the heartbreaking letter I had thought Jack wrote when he left our school for another. The letter had made me feel so sad and angry, and I had been naive enough to believe it was genuine. I was furious at Mark, and while he seemed to want to help me, I found it hard to forget how he had deceived me.
“Do you hate me?” he had asked me immediately after I had turned him down.
I didn’t hesitate to respond. “No, but I don’t like you,” I blurted out.
Now, sitting in the quiet of the classroom, I found myself staring out the window. The school looked so calm, almost like it was holding its breath.
I stifled a chuckle, remembering my last encounter with Alex and Sandro. It wasn’t like I was excited about it but acting like I didn’t feel anything relieved me of the fact that they had outrightly rejected me.
The disturbing memories I had with Bethany and Lara rushed back to me, and it made my stomach churn. They always seemed to have it out for me.
Just as I decided that it would be best to leave, I heard the unmistakable sound of laughter echoing down the hallway.
I turned my head toward the door just in time to see them walking in-Bethany, Lara, and a few of their oversized friends. My heart raced, realizing with growing dread that they had spotted me. The last time I had encountered Lara, I had barely escaped with an apology and a bruised ego. Now, as they approached, I felt a cold wave of panic wash over me.
Quickly, I grabbed my bag, pretending not to know that they were coming for me. I tried to slip past them, but they blocked my path, forming a wall that made it impossible for me to escape.
“Look who’s hiding,” Bethany drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she eyed me with disdain.
“The little mouse thinks it can run away.” Lara laughed, her eyes flashing with malice.
“What do you want?” I managed to ask, trying to keep my cool.
“Oh, we just want to talk!” Lara said, her tone sugary sweet, but the menace behind her words was unmistakable.
“Yeah, we need to have a little chat about your new friends,” Bethany chimed in, her eyes narrowed. “You seem to be making them forget about us.”
They were relentless, and as they moved closer, I felt the walls closing in around me. “I’m not making anyone forget about you. Leave me out of this!” My voice trembled slightly, betraying the fear I felt inside.
Bethany stepped forward, her grin widening. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. It seems like you’re the one making it hard for Alex and Sandro to see who they really want.”
I shook my head, ready to give them a piece of my mind. “This isn’t about me! You’re just angry because you can’t control them anymore!” I swear, I didn’t know where this confidence was coming from. The natural me would cower at their words, but this version of me sounded confident, too confident for my liking.
“Oh, but it is about you,” Lara sneered. “And we’re going to make sure you get what’s coming to you.”
Their words dripped with malice, and I could feel my pulse quicken. “Please, just let me go,” At that instant, I sounded desperate. I had seen how they operated, and I knew this was about to go downhill fast.
“Let you go?” Bethany said with a derisive laugh. “We’re just getting started!
The last time I paid you a visit, I heard you had other plans. But now, no one is coming to save you.”
Then, she turned to the guys standing behind her, a wicked glint in her eye. “Hold her. I think it’s time we taught her a lesson.”
The boys moved quickly, closing in around me with a sinister intent I had seen before. I was trapped, and as fear rushed through me, I felt the familiar swell of anger rising from deep within. “You can’t do this!” I shouted, but my voice echoed, muffled by the walls as they stepped forward.
Before I could react further, they grabbed my arms, making it difficult for me to break free. I winced at their tight grip and looked at Bethany and Lara, who were giving each other knowing smiles.
“We are going to make sure you disappear,” Lara threatened, narrowing her eyes as she leaned closer.
“No one will ever know that we did it!” Bethany added darkly, and the laughter that escaped her lips sent chills down my spine.
“Let me go!” I screamed, feeling panic clawing at my throat.
But they ignored my demands and moved closer, winding up to slap me for their twisted enjoyment. They were so consumed by their cruelty that it felt like time had slowed down, each second stretching as they moved to strike me.
“Please! Just let me be!” I begged, desperation heavy in my voice.
With a fierce laugh, they both stepped back to prepare for another round of slaps. I’d felt fear before, but right now, anger replaced it. It surged in my veins like wildfire.
I didn’t need to be a victim today.
Suddenly, just as they started to move toward me, my wolf stirred deep within, sensing the threat and ready to protect me. My vision flickered for a moment, and I felt a rush of energy surging through me as my instincts took over.
It started with a tingling sensation in my eyes-my vision shifted colors, changing from brown to a piercing silver. I had never experienced the transformation before, and I’d fought for it for so long. Right now, with the prospect of violence looming over me and my life at stake, it unleashed.
Oh, the pain. It felt like my very bones were reconfiguring, cracking and reshaping with intensity I couldn’t begin to describe. It was excruciating; every part of my body felt like it was in two places at once as I tried to grapple with the change. I gasped, unable to contain a cry as it surged through me.
“W-What’s happening?” I heard Lara’s voice quiver with fear, and I could sense their shock as they took a step back.
My limbs were twisting and expanding, and I felt my muscles bulging beneath my skin. The screaming pain caused my surroundings to blur, and I mentally screamed, trying to hold on while everything shifted.
My mind warred with itself; part of me wanted to run and escape, while the other part embraced the freedom of my wolf’s power, urging me forward. I could feel the static electricity buzzing in the air like a storm ready to erupt.
Finally, after a wave of agony that seemed to last an eternity, the transformation settled, and I stood there, panting heavily in my new form. I had transformed into a powerful wolf, standing taller than I had ever been before, with sleek fur that shone with confidence and strength.
The shock on the faces of Bethany, Lara, and the boys was palpable; their eyes widened in disbelief as they registered the unforeseen turn of events.
“Holy shit!” one of the guys stammered, but before they could gather their wits, I lunged toward them with fury, adrenaline coursing through my body.
“Get away from me!” I snarled, the growl vibrating in my chest, as they stumbled backward. The fear radiating off them fed my wolf, igniting a sense of empowerment I had never felt before.
They tried to muster some bravery, shifting into their wolf forms as well. I could see them transform, their bodies twisting into dark shadows of their former selves.
Their wolves looked massive and dangerous, but I felt a spark of assurance- I was not just another victim anymore. I unleashed a fierce howl, echoing through the halls, challenging their threat as I charged forward, ready to defend myself.
My speed was unmatched as I lunged at them, aiming for Bethany, the one whose laughter had always haunted me. She tried to dodge, but I was faster. With one swipe of my paw, I knocked her to the ground, feeling the rush of triumph pulse through me.
The boys, still trying to figure out the situation, hesitated, eyes darting between their fallen friends and me. I could feel their fear; it filled the air, suffocating them, and I reveled in it.
Just then, I heard familiar voices shouting from the hallway. “Nadia! What’s going on?!” It was Alex and Sandro bursting through the door, their wolf forms ready to leap into action.
I locked eyes with them, my anger still coursing through me. I was a powerful creature now, strong and fierce.
“Get back!” I growled, not wanting them to get hurt. “This is my fight!”
But Alex didn’t listen. The moment he saw me struggling with the four wolves in front of me, he surged forward, his presence commanding and protective. “Nadia, stop!”
Lara yelped in surprise, and the boys quickly backed up, realizing they were no match for both of us. In that moment, I felt the uncertainty creep back in. My mind swirled as I saw them flee out the school doors, their howls of defeat echoing in the distance.
Alex looked between the chaos around us, wildly scanning the room, his expression mixed with confusion and concern. When his gaze landed back on me, he calmed, a relieved smile creeping onto his features.
“Nadia, are you alright?” he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.
But before I could reply, I bolted toward the window, filled with the primal instinct to flee. My legs pushed off the ground, and I vaulted myself through the open window. The rush of the wind flowed through my fur, freedom enveloping me as I raced into the woods beside the school.
Panic fluttered in my chest, though. I hadn’t meant to run away from Alex or Sandro-I was just overwhelmed, unsure of how to control this newfound strength . The forest welcomed me with open arms, the scent of trees and fresh earth grounding me as I slipped further into the trees, seeking solace.
I could hear the sounds of the school fading behind me, my thoughts consumed with questions and uncertainty. I had never thought I would ever transform. I was supposed to stay human and comply with what I had been taught. But something happened that day, igniting a fire I had never known existed within me.
Moments passed, my heart still racing, and I finally came to a stop, allowing myself to breathe. The woods were thick and vibrant, filled with life, just as my wolf spirit called out for freedom. What should I do now? I needed to think and understand what was happening.
All I knew was that things would never be the same again…