But Agathawas quiet.
“Regardless of what you’ve told me, you’ve not explained this.” I flapped the poster. “This is a hefty reward for someone’s life.Even more,for both. You say you don’t know about any of this, you say you’ve never contacted him, and yet here is a decree from the Lady Skol and her council. Her guards and inspectors are putting these posters up in every village.Thatis why I rode ahead the other night, to see if this poster was in more than one place. And it is. You are both being searched for.”
Feyra went to speak and I held up a hand to stop her. Rage surged within her.
“I understand your rage.” Feyra’s face practically somersaulted. “Your friend drips with fear though. I can smell it. Fear at being discovered? For lying? To you? Me?” I wasn’t backing down. This Lassigian could do nothing to me. “Either you tell the truth now, or you can tell it to the guards when we exchange you for the ransom money.”
“What?” Agatha snapped.
Even Roman’s head snapped up at that.I hadn’t told him that part.Feyra pulsed with fear and anger. If she knew how to shift, she could’ve long ago and made things a lot more interesting. But her inexperience was saving her here.
“What evidence can you give me that you are not lying?” I said.
Both girls said nothing. The rage in Feyra grew, exponentially. It kept doubling. She was surging. She was going to shift.
And she didn’t even know it.
Roman lunged for Agatha, grabbing her and rolling away, as Feyra screamed in pain. Her back arching, mouth open in a howl, she transformed…
I shifted instantly, meeting her eye to eye as she transformed for the first time into her wolf form.
Her scream turned into a howl. Her arching back became the shape of a hulking she-wolf digging her enormous claws into the dry earth of the land.
A moment of doubt cascaded across my mind. She was enormous! She was an alpha wolf. She was from an incredibly strong bloodline. Why had it taken her so long to transform? How had it–
But I didn’t have time.
Her wolf had awoken, taking in her anger and rage. Her fear. And now was roaring and looking at the very thing that had created it—Me.
I roared back and tackled her around the middle. Rolling into the dust and crashing into the creek, I tried holding her down. She was writhing and gnashing at me. Her wolf was, rightfully,insanelypissed off.
I should’ve expected this. She never was going to last until the full moon. Not with this power. Not with this wolf inside.
I leapt from her and took off for the plains, there was only one chance for me to beat her in a first time shifting rage, I had to tire her out.
I sprinted away from the camp, the shale and rocks flying up as my claws ripped across the harsh landscape. I heard her following. Glances back showed her lathered jaws and sharp teeth.
She. Was. Pissed.
I turned and faced her, she balled into me without much time to react. Her claws ripped at my flesh as we rolled. I stuck my hindlegs under her ribs and pushed upwards, launching her into the air.
She landed with a hard knock. She was winded. But she stood.
She was tough.
Real tough.
But clumsy. She came at me head on, I dodged and kicked out, connecting with her hips. She spun out and collapsed into the dirt. She was getting more angry. The pulses of energy emanating from her were growing. She was peaking in her transformation.
Most people on their first shift were wild to their impulses, running the lands and giving into their bestial inclinations. Most killed animals and caused destruction. Some, if in the proximity of an alpha male, gave into their sexual desires. It could last anywhere from an hour to a whole night.
But I was making her angry. Tiring her out with the heat and frustration. She would get overwhelmed.
I spun her out again by the hips as she came. She roared in frustration. She came again, but dodged my kick, sinking claws into my ribs. I screamed in pain.
I had to end this before she hurt herself, or me. And I didn’t want to mark her for a mate, yet.
She came at me again and I rolled backwards, catching her but not letting go. I booted up at her ribs, winding her, then rolled over.
