We were in the living room where he released my hair and kicked me again. I dove to one side trying to avoid the blow.
“You’re nothing. Do you think you get to dump someone like me?”
“Finley,” I gasped as something twisted inside of me.
It burned. Like acid inside my veins.
“I’m going to make sure you remember me for the rest of your shitting miserable life,” he said as I glanced over my shoulder.
His face was pink. Angry. Drunk.
He pulled out a pocket knife.
My back cracked from my neck to the base. It stretched until my eyes watered. I tried to breathe but the pain was unbearable. I placed my hands on the floor and began to pant.
Something inside my ribs was rearranging.
Leave it to me. I’ve got you.
What?
My nails clawed at the wood.
Curled black. Not mine.
“What the fuck?” Finley gasped.
Something fell to the floor. Bounced. Stopped.
The pocket knife.
Cackling echoed in my mind.
My head snapped up.
Claws scrambled on the floor until I faced Finley’s denim. My jaw opened wide and I clamped down. My jaw locked into place.
In the same way that the wolf in Croatia did to my leg.
Finley screamed and fell to the floor but I didn’t let go of him. I sank my long teeth in deeper. Something compressed and burst. His terrified whimper turned to sobs of pain.
That’s one ball gone.
Finley grabbed my head, trying to pull me off.
His fingers slid in my fur.
But I was in shock. It was my body but I wasn’t in control.
No, it wasn’t my body.
Hello, Nika, the voice purred.I’m your bad side. Your wolf.
No!
I tried to release Finley, but she refused and shook her head, snarling and growling. Then Finley punched us. The blow landed on our jaw.
She didn’t let go. She doubled down.
