The Curse Of Black Hollow Pack

owl W

st had thinned, but the air still car

wasn't quite the same as yesterday. His pupils were dilated. His skin, pale but tinged with something el

he clock, the distant hum of the fridge, the soft creak of the floorboards abo

night must have taken out a tower-or maybe the tow

unwrapped the bandage, the wound wasn't healing like a normal cut.

seen worse. Been through worse.

elt a

eded a

m hard, but it didn't sting like it used to. In fact, it felt almost good. The breeze smelled of pine

aw. What the hell

is thoughts. When he arrived, the chief was already waiting, a coff

wrestled a ghost,"

into a chair. "The guy from l

frowned

Right in front of me. Bones snapping,

up down slowly. "You've been through hel

d on the desk. "You th

h people's heads," the chief said

low growl vibrated in his throat before he caught hi

ds-it's the same symbol my father used to draw. He knew

ed. "Your father was obsesse

ned. "No, Chief. Some

oor swung open. Officer Harper stepped in, p

's hea

her

And sir-" Harper hesitated

wn, its roof caved in, its windows long shattered.

eling beside a man half-buried in mud,

The man's eyes fluttered o

to you?" Aide

his lips. His voice came out cracked a

do yo

.. they

lse quicken

.. 'He's one

nails dug deep, his gaze locking onto Aiden's with wild intensi

still. The life dr

st tight, heart p

ked up at him. "De

turning away. But hi

one of

on his arm. It pulsed

iden sat in his jeep outside the church, staring at the darkened

asn't

s-a woman's silhouette. Her movem

ed out of th

es catching the moonlight

But it wasn't her beauty that froze him-it was the faint scent of forest and bl

d softly. Her voice was calm but

replied, hand brushing agains

ho knows wh

closer. "T

nt, searching his face. "You've already f

"What do you k

e moved closer, her eyes glowing brig

head. "No. That

n't choose the willing-

s hit lik

ou need to stop fighting it. Every time you den

away. "You'

why does your heart race w

y, illuminating her face-pale, s

you?" he

e Alpha of the Black Hollow

ather's journal had mentioned her-Lyra o

, then tell me h

t, Aiden. But you can control it. Or it

. His throat tigh

til she was a breath a

"No... that's not possible. He-he

lowly. "He died protec

back, shaking.

, haven't you? Faster. Stronger. Angry for no reason. That

ed-his father's late nights, the strange herbs, the

muttered.

one with the wound. The mark beneath the s

in," she whispered. "And

uld stop her, she v

w days blurr

than ever. He could hear the flutter of wings three blocks away, smell every drop

ight-he h

e distance.

. The whispers followed him down hallways. H

is hands slammed against the table, leaving deep dents in the

ning again. His vision blurred. The full moon hung

g as his bones twisted, muscles spasming. His re

e. He clawed at the pavement, tee

throat-but halfway throu

ke that, the

the trees. He was naked, cold, and miles from to

st time in years, his mind was quiet. The constant hum of guilt and r

th color and scent. He could smell every t

rd it-a rust

the shadows, her

t change," she said softly. "Fe

his chest heaving. "Wh

she said. "The curse di

d. "No. I'm a cop

ad. "Then you'll ha

ched between them,

you. They can sense what you've become. Yo

s clenched. "

ething like admiration. "You're

f howls rose through the valley-dozens

e sound, something wild

e I find out wh

en welcome to the

the mist began to retreat, but the

ne, the pack gathered-wolves with hum

pped forward, sca

ed, "the lost he

, howled once, and

unt ha