chance to ask an

ser and the shadows deeper. One by one, the others fell in behind her, moving like a silent tide. Ab

ry instinct Abby had screamed to stay alert. Her muscles ached from the earlier figh

t a second clearing, smaller, more secluded - almost

g moved

th caught i

d, its yellow eyes burning like twin torches in the darkness. It paced restlessly behind th

oup, her hands fol

said calmly,

led throug

themselves to rage, consumed by the primal beast inside until nothi

inued, her gaze locking onto Abby's.

rained from

at it," Marla said. "Yo

d vibrating through the ground beneath Abby's

dy screamed at her to run - but something

nched h

she said, her

the group, but Marla only smiled,

the cage and unlocked it. The door swung open w

snapped it

one step

ano

sed the threshold

r clanged sh

verything stopp

e feral

ng across the packed dirt. The feral turned fast, too fast, and Abby

ded to

ed to ou

harder - by fi

ste its energy lunging at her again and again. Each time,

er body, her instincts, were working as one now. Sh

coming som

e. She darted in close, grabbing a fistful of its thick fur, using i

own - but i

ng out over the

door fl

eral with silver-tipped poles, dragging it back into the en

n at her shaking hands, her

ad su

he lifted

g her. Not with pity

res

r, a rare gleam of

t of a true Alpha,

Abby harder

her, something ancient an