SHADOW OF THE ALPHA

ess pressed in on her from every side, the forest alive with sounds she couldn't place. Someth

e

e the growing weight of fear. She could hear it-whatever it was-following

eatures lurking in the woods, shadows that walked on two legs but weren't

hrough the trees. It

floor. Pain shot through her palms as they scraped against the rough ground, but s

of menace. Her heart pounded, and a chilling thought to

here, just at the edge of her vision, something large

voice trembling. She ha

of breathing-low, guttural

something moving fast, crashing through the undergrowth. Lyra turned

r, her legs screaming in protest. She didn't know wh

the forest opened up. Lyra stumbled into a cle

asn't

was tall and broad-shouldered, his silhouette sharp against the pale li

ly more than a whisper. She took a step cl

ted his head slightly, as though lis

he edge of the clearing seemed to shift. She

yes stared back at h

h and its eyes blazing with a predatory light. Its lips curled

move, couldn't think. She was frozen in place, he

ow and rough, like gravel sliding

t a shiver do

muscles bunching as

the man said, his

ve, her feet roo

the wol

she thought possible, throwing himself into the path of t

dened in horro

into a muzzle, sharp fangs glinting in the moonlight. By the time he landed, he was no longer a man but a mas

narls echoing through the clearing. They snapped and clawed

hend what she was seeing. This couldn't be real. Wolv

cruff of its neck and threw it to the ground. The smaller wolf y

fying. Teeth gnashed, claws raked through fur, a

ank to the ground, unable to te

ws. Its jaws closed around the smaller wolf's throat, a low, rumbling growl emanating from

sending it sprawling into the shadows. The defeated creatur

, broken only by the ragged br

yra, its silver eye

might attack her next. But

powerful limbs shrinking and reshaping into human form. Within moments, the man

. "You shouldn't be here," he said again, h

. She wanted to ask a million questi

his silver eyes boring

the forest made them both turn. The r

the how

ey grew louder, closer. The man's

d, his tone urgent. "The

scrambled to her feet, her body trembli

ulder. The man was still standing there, his gaze fixed on

he edge of town, echoing in her ears long af

, but one thought rose above the rest, sharp a