OLIVIA
It was like a compulsion. Something beckoning her from deep within herself.
It made her uneasy, it made her toss and turn. She could feel the droplets of sweat trickling down her back, the hairs standing up on her arms. She felt ill at ease in her own body.
~Literally~. As if she wanted to shed her skin, as if this body wasnât hers. Sheâd never felt something like this before.
And why was the inside of her palm so ~damn~ itchy?
Alex hadnât returned yet.
Knowing him, he was probably torn between watching over her and checking the perimeter himself. He couldnât do both; he couldnât be in two places at once. She felt like a sitting duck. ~Attack. Attack.~
That was all she could think about. Either she stayed here and put herself at risk or he went out there and put himself at risk.
~Bad. Itâs bad~.
~Mate.~
Baby.
Everything was at risk. ~Everyone~.
~Beta.~
Beta.
Why were her thoughts so scrambled?
Was it the exhaustion? Was it because she had passed out earlier? She couldnât think clearly. Learning about Will had put her on high alert, and all she could think about was what had happened. That night. The fight. The blood.
~He wouldnât stop~. He was never going to stop.
~Dieâhe has to die~.
Too many thoughts, way too many thoughts.
~They couldnât all be hers~.
~Was it?~ Could it be? Her wolf had been silent for so long that sheâd forgotten what it sounded like.
It had felt like they had merged into one during her heats, but since then, it had been quiet. Utter silence. But now? It was in her head, echoing, scrambling thoughts she couldnât handle.
The craving for blood, the desire for revenge.
Her wolf had a more lethal side than Olivia did. A hunger for retribution.
She had to leave this room. She felt trappedâ¦even though she didnât know where to go. Outside? It was risky.
Staying? It was risky. She extended her arm, touching the skin beyond her neck.
For a moment, there was a sharp flash of pain, a reminder of the attack, the claws and the teeth that had torn through her flesh years ago.
~Willâs attack~. Heâd been so brutal, so determined to kill her.
How he had failed was a mystery to her.
All the thoughts, all the distraction. It didnât alleviate the compulsion though.
Now it was her legs; they were restless.
Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, her feet hit the floor with a soft thud. Something felt off. ~Something isnât right~. She couldnât pinpoint it, but every instinct was screaming at her to leave the room.
Her skin prickled with unease.
Jason was guarding the door, though. If something was amiss, heâd know. ~Heâd have to~. Heâd be more aware than she was.
Regardless, she found herself standing, moving towards the door.
What could she possibly say? I need to leave? He wouldnât listen, he wouldnât let her go alone. Besides, where would she even go? What would she do?
Her heart was racing, blood pressure skyrocketing, and the first wave of dizziness was already washing over her. ~Get out. Get out now~.
Her knuckles brushed against the door, barely making a sound.
âOlivia? Are you alright?â
âJasonâI needâto get out.â
âDid you hurt yourself?â
She could hear him fumbling with the door handle, likely trying to unlock it. ~What should she say?~
What should she do?
âI need to go outside.â
The door creaked open and he peeked in. âWhatâs wrong? Do you need something?â
Heâd be more cautious, naturally. Alexander had discovered Will was still alive.
He wouldnât be lax or lenient. If anythingâ~anything~âhappened, it would fall on Jason. He wouldnât risk it. He wouldnât let her roam. ~Get out. Go. Now. Now. Now.~ Jason was a beta, but he was strong, wasnât he?
She needed to catch him off guard.
But how?
She threw herself at the door, forcing it shut. She heard him stumble backwards, but he didnât fall. He quickly returned to the door, pounding on it. âOlivia?â
Catch him off guard.
~Now~.
She fell to her knees, a gasp escaping her lips as pain exploded through her body. The shock left her breathless, the wind knocked out of her.
She could hear the sound of her bones breaking, a sound she was all too familiar with. Except, it used to be accompanied by excruciating painâand unconsciousness.
Not this time.
She felt her face elongate, her body shrink, her nails morph into claws. Her body was transforming, shifting, changing.
The overwhelming urge, the need, that had consumed her was slowly fading, replaced by relief. ~She could escape~. Her skin warmed, fur sprouting where there had been none.
~Now~.
She moved away from the door, allowing it to swing open slightly. She could smell him, sense him. ~Close. So close~. He was near. She didnât give him a chance to react before she lunged, knocking him flat on his back.
He shouted, yelled after her, but she ignored him. She used her newfound agility to sprint out of the room. Everything was a blur.
Go. Follow. Smell.
Her senses led her, and she followed the scent of fresh grass.
~So fresh. So gentle. Grass. Outside. Yes. Yes. The sky. Look up. The moon. Is it there? Birds. Are there birds? No. No. Donât stop.~
Run. Donât stop.
Just. Run.
And she did.
The wind whipped against her face, the scents overwhelming her. Everything was brighter, everything was louder. So much movement, so much noise. She was bombarded with information and didnât know how to process it. Stop. Go. Smell.
Listen. Too many commands to follow.
~Run.~
Run.
Further.
Closer.
There were screams. Lots of screams. But she couldnât distinguish the voices around her.
In the distance, she could hear Alexanderâs voice.
It was faintâtoo faint to understand the words. He was further east. She shouldnât go there. ~No, she should go there~. Mate was safe. Mate would protect her. But right there, right ahead. She could ~feel~ him.
How could she ~feel~ him?
Her paws dug into the soft, muddy earth, her ears flattening against her head. ~How? ~No scent. Nothing.
~How~?
âLiv, Liv, Liv.â A laugh. âLook at you now. A full-blown monster.â