LIAM: WE HEARD THE SOUNDS OF YELLING AND SLAMMING OF DOORS, BEFORE THE DEAFENING SOUND OF A GUNSHOT RANG THROUGH THE AREA.

I felt more than I saw the spray of wood chips hit my arm as I passed the tree that had gotten shot. They were aiming for me. I swerved slightly, trying to use the very same tree as cover for my sprinting.

Branches and weeds tripped me up as I sprinted, some ghosting over my injuries and causing stinging pain shooting up my back. I realized absently that the neck injury stopped hurting sometime during my escape.

Another gunshot, and I heard the yelp of an animal go down. I blinked back tears at the thought of them ending a life over this escape attempt, but we were too far gone to turn back now.

The men couldn’t keep up with us, and I knew it, we just had to run and never stop running until hopefully we found a road. I followed the wolves in front of me, swerving every now and again in hopes of avoiding any stray bullets, trying to keep the trees between us and them.

We made great headway, before I felt something unnatural claw its way through my throat. For a moment, my head felt like it was full of that smoke from earlier, its taste still clinging to the back of my tongue.

Then I felt a little tickle. It was easy to ignore at first, but soon became nearly unbearable. Like there was something itchy crawling around under my skin.

I ran out of time.

While I was thinking, I tripped over a large rock, sending myself sprawling into the dirt. I didn’t give myself any time to shake off the daze before I stood up again, running for my life as if I never fell in the first place.

The wolves were faster than me, though, and they all ran ahead before I could catch them. I cast a brief glance behind me. The men were so far away, they had no hope of managing to hit us with their pistols unless it was accidentally. There still wasn’t enough space between me and them for a first change, though.

So I kept running.

BRIAR: DEACON WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF EXPLAINING THAT WE HAD TO GO INTO THIS PRETENDING TO BE INVESTIGATORS, BEFORE SUDDENLY THE SOUND OF A GUNSHOT RANG OUT AROUND US.

“Scratch that.” Deacon said. “Marie, get the gear.”

She nodded, climbing over the console between them to join me in the back seat before pulling the seat down in order to access the storage in the back. She pulled out a large duffle bag, containing a pair of rifles. My eyes bugged.

“If anyone asks. We were here on a hunting trip.” Marie told me as she brought the bag with her to the front seats once more.

“What if there are bodies?” I asked, still freaked out.

“We’ll mostly just try to scare them off.”

Another gunshot, followed by a yelp. This one was closer.

“Briar, whatever is about to happen you need to remember to—!”

Deacon cut himself off, slamming on the breaks as a wolf dashed in front of the car. I hadn’t even heard it over the sound of chaos around us. Focusing, I heard more wolves, scented them. I knew Liam was out there.

We all hopped out of the car, yelling to the wolves to come this way. That we’re here to save them. Some ignored us, running for their lives. Others paused, keeping a wide distance from us while breathing heavily. Marie passed a rifle to Deacon, and the pair walked ahead into the brush.

“Over here!” I called, taking on the responsibility for them while they focused on their hunting rifles. I heard shouting as the men who kidnapped these wolves got closer. Deacon fired his weapon. Suddenly there was silence aside from the running of the wolves.

They realized they weren’t alone. The jig is up.

Some of the other wolves joined those who paused to rest, likely scenting the wolf on us as well, and thus, trusting us enough to give them a break.

“Hey! Over here!” I called again, waving my arms in the air to call more over.

As if to help, one of the wolves who paused to rest let out a bellowing howl. One that the others joined in for.

LIAM: HOWLING, FROM UP AHEAD.

My head hurt, the howling didn’t help. It’s like it made every neuron in my brain fire all at once, a prickling sensation throughout my skull followed by a pulse. Someone else shot a gun, I couldn’t tell who. It was coming from up ahead, but the howling of the wolves told me to follow.

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Someone was yelling.

I collapsed, just as I came into view of whoever was out there.

Another pulse, and I was fully on the ground among the dirt and bugs, writhing in pain. The sensation of skittering in my skin only got worse, and a spattering of fur began sprouting across my arms.

I could still taste smoke.

Someone was by my side, talking to me. My head hurt so bad and the rushing in my ears drowned him out until all I could hear was that howling.

I couldn’t even think enough to remember the advice we gave Pete. I couldn’t think enough to remember anything. Who was touching me, didn’t they know I was in pain?

I growled against my will. Then again because it alleviated some of the ache in my bones.

Something popped, and creaked within my body. I could feel my bones getting longer, sharper. Like growing pains everywhere all at once, crackling against my skin and threatening to hatch.

It stopped, but the agony continued. I tried to move but I couldn’t, not until another wave of growing pains struck, and I gasped out. How long has it been since I breathed?

Everything was bleary in my vision, I couldn’t see who was talking to me even if I wanted to.

I felt my jaw pop and snap as it rearranged against my skull, lengthening into a point. My teeth too, sharpened and snapped at the hand that held my shoulder. I tasted blood. I smelled it too.

Finally after several agonizing minutes, with the occasional gunshot firing in the distance, everything came together into one solid mass and I gave out, falling unconscious once again.

BRIAR: I WASN’T EXPECTING HIM TO BITE ME, ALTHOUGH I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE SUSPECTED IT MIGHT HAPPEN.

I shouldn’t have been touching him whilst he shifted, it was my bad. I knew that, but it still shocked me.

I waited in tense silence as the gunshots slowly ceased entirely, and the wolves stopped their howling. I turned to Deacon and Marie, who were watching intently ahead through the scopes of their rifles.

“Are they dead?” I dared to ask.

“No. They’re surrendering.” Deacon said, scope still trained on the men from far away.

“How did you manage that?”

“Shot a gun out of someone’s hand.” Marie stated proudly, I knew she was an excellent shot, but that really shocked me. “He might need to go to the hospital for a broken hand, though.”

I shook my head. As long as they weren’t shooting at us anymore.

Now that the firing had stopped, I was finally able to take notice of the car that followed us down here.

“Forgive me if I’m wrong, Briar, but isn’t that your boyfriend's car?” Deacon noticed the tail as well, and I frowned, only one logical explanation coming to mind.

Peter’s head peeked above the dash, making eye contact with me.

He got out of the car, looking sheepish.

“I couldn’t let you go off to find him alone.” Was all he said.

“Peter, you could have died!” I struggled to keep my voice level.

“So could you! So could he! I’m sticking this out!”

“No, Peter, get in the car!”

“He said it’s fine now, the bad guys surrendered!” He tried, shaking his head stubbornly and stepping closer.

“Peter, do not take one more step.” I stood up, raising my voice at him. I was so close to losing Liam, I wasn’t about to let him step into danger as well.

“Do as he says, boy.” Deacon pressed, taking a wary step away from the ruckus.

Peter refused, he opened his mouth to speak but I interrupted him.

“I won't take any excuse right now, this place is too dangerous—…” I trailed off, hackles raised as a loud snarling came from behind me.

It was a red wolf, bigger than Peter and a little fluffier. Standing in the place Liam had just passed out in.

“Liam, you—.” I breathed a sigh of relief as I turned fully to come near him, only he snarled even louder. “Liam?”

The wolf barked its rage, stepping forward with malice in its eyes. It looked like it was about to pounce at me.

Deacon shoved me aside, gun at the ready and trained on Liam. “Get outta the way, he’s gone feral.”

“No!” I panicked, running back and shoving Deacon away, grabbing the other side of the gun in my hands and angling it away from Liam.

“He’s gone bad!” Deacon grit, struggling to regain control of the gun. I snarled in response, allowing what little dominant traits I had come to the surface to try and snuff out the threat to my Liam.

Marie was busy with keeping the surrendering men in check, and keeping them from coming closer, or else she’d have shot him herself.

“Liam..?” A soft voice spoke, I panicked as I realized Peter had approached Liam.

“Peter! Stay away from him!” I half-turned until the gun was almost seized from my grip, and I had to return my attention to struggling him off.

“Liam, it's okay. The bad guys don’t have you anymore.” He whispered to his uncle, ignoring the snarling of the wolf before him.

He reached his hand out, slowly, so slowly, and touched his nose.

Liam immediately rounded on him, biting the tips of his fingers with an enraged snarl that suddenly… died.

Liam went quiet all at once, at the same time as Peter winced and pulled his hand back.

The sight nearly killed me with sadness, and all at once, Deacon ripped the gun from my hands and aimed it at Liam once again.