There.
Brown fur. A quick twitch of ears. It was unaware that I was close.
I waited.
The moment stretched, taut and perfect.
Then I lunged.
The rabbit bolted, but it was already too late. I was faster, stronger, and driven by primal instinct. I closed the distance in seconds, jaws snapping cleanly around its throat.
It was over quickly.
I carried the warmth of it for a moment, letting the kill settle me, grounding me fully in the now. Then I ate, tearing and swallowing without thought or shame. Blood and meat slicked my tongue, and the ravenous need deep inside me eased.
When I was done, I padded toward the sound of water.
The stream cut through the forest like a silver vein, cold and clear over smooth stones. I stepped into it without hesitation, the chill biting pleasantly at my paws. I rolled, once, then again, letting the water wash blood and sweat and lingering fever from my fur.
The current tugged at me, playful and insistent.
I submerged my head, blinking as bubbles rushed past my muzzle, then lifted it again, shaking droplets everywhere.
For a long moment, I simply stood there breathing.
Just enjoying the sensation of being alive.
I lifted my head and tasted the air.
Home was that way.
I ran again, but slower this time, letting the forest blur past in a way that felt joyful instead of frantic. By the time the Watch base came into view, my body felt loose and settled, the heat banked down to embers instead of flame.
I shifted just beyond the tree line, the change rolling throughme in reverse. Human skin replaced fur, hands replaced paws, the world dimming slightly as my senses recalibrated.
I didn’t bother covering myself.
I stepped out of the trees just as I was and almost walked straight into Griff.
He froze.
So did I.
For a heartbeat, neither of us moved.
Then his gaze dropped.
First, his eyes took in my bare shoulders. My stomach. The long line of my legs streaked with mud and river water, skin still flushed from the shift. I watched his throat work as his eyes traced over me—just once—before he dragged them back up to my face like it physically cost him something.
Heat rushed to my cheeks.
“Oh,” I blurted out, suddenly very aware of the fact that I was standing buck ass naked in front of a man who had watched over me my entire life and hadneverseen me like this. “I—this is?—”
“Christ,” he muttered, husky and rough, and this time he didn’t look away. His gaze lingered just long enough to make my pulse jump.
Heat flared hot and fast across my face, down my spine, spooling somewhere dangerous and low in my belly. I crossed my arms over my chest. It was too late to undo what he’d already seen, and now I was far too aware of the way his attention felt like a physical touch.
“I needed to shift,” I said, a little breathless despite myself. “And then I… didn’t exactly plan ahead.”
