“I don’t know.” The words come out as small as I feel.
Gunnar breathes in deeply. “So you haven’t transformed yet. Your scent is repressed too.”
Some students snicker.
“A berserkr who can’t go berserk?” one of the boys calls.
Gunnar shakes his head, ignoring the cajoling of the other students. “What were your parents?”
“My dad was a… wolf.”
“Then so are you.”
I swallow hard. That’s what I’mafraidof.
“What kind of animal we are is inherited,” Gunnar continues. “I think it’s time we begin today’s lesson. We’ll start with some practice. Try to transform as smoothly as possible, while maintaining control.”
Everyone breaks off by themselves. It reminds me of track when we do warm-ups as a group. Letting my animal out is thelastthing I want to do. But I have to learn how to get myself under control before the Unity Celebration. I have to prove to my foster parents I’m fine.
Chewing on my lip, I glance around nervously, not knowing where to look first. Kris snarls. Their canines grow longer, curling upward into tusks.
Tala starts to change before my eyes. She flicks her hands out, nails lengthening and sharpening into claws. Her skin ripples, sprouting dark fur, as she drops to her hands and knees. Bone crunches. Snaps. My heart pounds as I watch her in horror. It’s like something out of mynightmares. And then a sleek black wolf stands on four legs where Tala was moments ago.
Now I’m in a class full of wolves and boars and bears.
I’m not ready for this. It’s too much. Way too much.
“Transform,” Gunnar says from behind me.
Startled, I spin around, my breathing shallow.
Why the hell would anyonewantto do that?
“I don’t know how,” I admit.
Gunnar sighs, rubbing at his forehead. “Get angry. Surrender yourself to your rage.”
“No.” That’s way too dangerous. I back away from him, shaking my head so hard my hair sways. “I’m sorry, I can’t do this.”
I run past the room of wild animals and straight for the exit.
The sleek black wolf cuts me off, blocking my escape.
Tala.
I stumble back, putting as much distance between us as I can. I don’t even know if she’s in control anymore, or if this is just a predator hunting its prey now. In her glowing yellow eyes, I can see my own reflection, my face full of terror. Is this how Emilía felt before she was killed?
How Mom felt?
Tala’s rumbling growl brings me back to that night. The animal sounds I heard through the door blend with the snarls of my classmates as they transform. I worry my lip between my teeth, looking around as they grow fangs and claws and tusks. The growling grows louder and louder as Tala prowls closer and closer.
I snarl, unleashing a low, guttural sound.
My arm twitches, my muscles starting to spasm.
I can feel…somethinghappening.
No.No.
