THE WOLF WITHIN ME

t of one dumb outfit with a T-shirt

d into my bedroom, sho

g a love story. The major plot involved a police officer going undercover to

be this gir

into a young woman? He's holding out for the proper opportunity to let

t my attention as I looked up. He raised

can d

her or "Miss Nova," none of the security guards even

wo people standing above me: Kira and Ivy. They were

while keeping my wrist fr

st of my father's house. Although I would like to claim ownership of the decoration, my father's interior design team made all of the decisions.

sponse was, "I'm not e

all following decisions without consulting me about my preferences. Six hours after

stake by the designer. My preoccupation with scrutinising mys

l balcony for a prince to save a princess from, perhaps steal a kiss from, or even set up a Taylor Swift music video. However, not even

for having read the

wn the stucco wall at night while daydreaming that I was a vigi

k inside by my father's security squad. They initially found it

lack of fresh air that resulted made the room feel more stuffy and unpleasant in addition to keeping me insi

en Kira's grey eyes turned to my as she asked,

ion and cartel leaders; outfit me with a silve

nking, she said, "Y

gh my veins, and my breath became laboured. Laughter began to boil up the back of my throat as my gut

ea what to

e of her sen

, "What?" My elbows thumped into my mattress, my

iberately, as if doing so would help me und

ching chuckles that came from me. My eyes started to water, and Kira's delighted grin b

isted and my back rounded as my shoulders heaved and my lungs burned. I ha

e maki

ed me into opening my eyes. I breathed deeply f

be jokin

the joke. I blurted out, "Like in the movies?

and her eyes were as dead serious as a sto

it of distrust formed in my stomach. They both looked back at me with fixed eyes,

... 100 per

I straightened my posture and gaped as the stillness bore heavily on me. "Are yo

ed to be. My skin tingled and my cheeks co

e flicked to Kira

," was so overpowering that I shuddered. "Your fat

of my throat dried up. There a

y to di

irteen. Even the fact that I had no other reason

er chest and asked, "Have you

s cor

d, "No." I then looked down at my hands

able? Why all the t

oze. I wrapped my hands about my stomach, which was r

No." "The injections were intended to pos

et of freezing water. Any traces of my laughter that

d every part of Kira-her precisely coiffed grey hair, the sharp edges of her nursing uniform, the

er, I felt it in my bones. My lower lip vibrat

nce I can't remember not knowing her to volunt

her would give h

on of physically altering my body for who knows what purp

rmones weren't alre

eins, fueled by a simmering wrath that grew the longer I sat there embracing myself. My eyes burned with a steely lo

erewolves first shift at fourteen, after the onset of mense

t I uttered "How? Why!

outh drew closer together, like a wall of know

t so she couldn't reveal any secrets she stored in her mental vault. The realisation weighed he

o are you up aga

arents withheld information from a child they believed was too young to understan

"protection" fit into either

ke a lie about m

ult of the intimate assault, and I bli

her thought it best to delay the transformation until as late as possible." You

s always

enance to become blurry. Regarding everything she said, I had no comprehension. A flee

whatever was in tha

rse carer and asked, "So..

anging in Ivy's empathetic eyes, my repeated question sounded ridiculous. Since Kira inserted those nee

tand the potential motives for

the injection site, the pads of my

t suppresses female reproductive hormones, was injec

her. I shouted between clenched teeth, "And these?" and ex

rate and wolfsbane administration,

palms as the words sc

d then effortlessly released them. I shuddered at the icy air's touch on my skin. I held my wrists tigh

aring them in my own would give them some context or explanation. They me

... ig

were those

wolf from appearing earlier,

nly makes t

hed like a fearful child, a

ckling the flesh there. With each rapid heartbeat, the gravity and seriousness of the conversation pressed into my chest, dr

r eyes fixe

ide? She's...

What. T

in my voice, but I continued, "I still don't believe you, but if I

usual, Kira's eyes were grey and expressionless. Ivy remained silent despite the sympathy in her eyes. She

ries of events. Additionally, if their interaction with him was anything like mine, they were u

I slipped into my bed. I wasn't sure if I was ready

pless, lonely little girl. I

h each breath, clenched my hands into fists. I had no knowledge about werewolves, but it was wicked of my father to have kep

hor

as I looked at m

hor

loor space between us, as I n

ly met, you have my utmost hatred

sters a

had been the foolish, ignorant girl who had sat i

n taken into account. Nev

a be

th straightened legs. Every step brought me closer to the death sentence of my former life, which may have left me feeling u

ge through my fingertips, one hand gripped the dresser's top edge firmly. The other hand was so tightly curled up against my

at a time, it tore through my throat, leaving my mouth dry and my breath depleted. I clench

like fuck

my reflection did not m

ng to make me

he mirror was undamaged with the exception of a few hairline cracks. Ivy's mouth gaped in the

en't enou

e, oppressive quiet as the weig

. I'm a moron. a foo

n my knuckles. My eyes closed and my fingers let go of my fist after a few moments of silenc

r option. Never before have I h

he

r out loud. The heat in my veins cooled, simmered into a dull ache in the middle of

ying, "We have little time, Miss Nova." She appeared to be coun

ew afternoon training. "Ivy here is a pack historian from the

hang my head till it r

e stood with his legs locked in an aggressive stance and his foolish, big arms crosse

." Flint would serve as my executor if b

ou ready to try

use of the glint in his eyes, which were hidden under light brown hair that was dangling across his forehead. Knowing that

. How is he so c

to the gym mats beneath our fee

urs, and I'll s

ooded his full set of brown-hazel eyes with pure black, his irises fi

is resumed sneer before my wordless gasp left my mouth. I took a f

pack, Princess. Now let's really get started. We're doing hand

ed, "Tra

is used ov

ats we stood on and were spread out on the gym floor. He took an off-center position and clenched two

with hefty steps. In contrast to his, my little, p

rch as I asked, "Now what, F

t me," in a sarcas

that I had never struck a human being with a fist despite the fact

ev

arked with red lines that serve

or my re

sensation inside at this time, as though my feelings had been removed and cast aside as unimportant

can

lips curled inward and then sprang out

by my nails as m

. I was never one

, maybe then you'll actually hit me." He baited me, and I nar

n rose. My cheeks began to get hot as heat raced up

hasis, "That's i

was aimed towards his face. He put me face-down on the mat, one arm crossed across my chest. My nose suddenly

out a loud exhale even though I was aware of how frail I still was and turn

and by curling his fingers

his encou

from me once more, shifted my forward motion as if I were weightless, and then shoved me backward. He

t, my chee

voice chided, "A

urned and simulated turning right before lunging left. Despite a shift in strategy, Flint pushed me down

bored look, "Stop lunging." Move around my blo

to, I

half-moon shapes by the

so that my butt smacked th

le shaking my fists. My jaw shoo

fingers, "Again,

te embar

ed, "Again," as I fell over

ks, but I still raised my hurtin

pinched my left cheek till my lips

!" and pummelling t

ng the cherry on top of m

ga