ctoria like she was the world's ugliest surprise. Next to him, Elara clutched her dagger so tight her knuckles went white. You could se

black fur rippling away as she shifted-then bam, back in

just dripping with venom. "Kael Blacktho

oria and Elara. "Leave her alon

, she's the main event. The prophecy's healer-supposed to save t

but he wasn't backing down. "Tonight's the finish

s. "Sure, I'll leave. Right after I co

the stuff of nightmares, glowing eyes an

Absolut

ut backup was already here, claws tearing into Kael's arm, blood running hot. He sucked in pain through gritted teeth

e, almost hit the ground. Shoved her blade up into the beast's ribcage. Down it went, but she

"Elara, MOVE!" she yelled, busy yanking another bolt into place. Elara s

rass. He swung an elbow-a sickening crack. Tried to stand-bad idea. Two more wolves bowled into him, teeth sinking deep. He hit

arm, hacking and slashing, but it barely blinked, hellbent on ripping him

cient and terrifying. The air itself felt like it might explode, buzzing and tingling along Elara's skin, making her teeth hurt. Deep d

ou hear that and you know stuff's about to get weird. His shoulders ballooned out, muscle tearing and reknitting under his skin, kinda like body horror but with an artsy flair. And then

't wanna get slapped by those. And his whole face-ugh, you don't even wanna see that transformation in a ba

how turning the pain into pure muscle. Suddenly, his senses blew wide open. Blood, sweat-he could smell it sharp as a slap. Even t

run or die" kind of sound. Even the ground felt it. Vi

ike chew toys. When he landed, he was all muscle, standing there, fur bristled, eyes blazing, basically screaming, "Come at me, bro." The

Kael shaking the guy like a rag doll. Another wolf tried to get smart, came at him from the side, claws out. Kael spun on a dime

t, all the air evacuated her lungs. She rolled, barely missing getting her head bitten off, grit and cold pressing into her back. She jammed her dag

quick, using every bit of cover. Kael snagged a jagged rock as his new stage, leaped down from it, and just pancaked a wolf beneath him, snapping its spine like it was n

ows, teeth. No clean heroes h

ice, some beast out of a nightmare. Blink and you'd miss her: swipe of claws across Kael's ribs, then just shadows again while he spun around, pissed off and bleeding. He could smell her-god, that scent, musky-smoky, loaded with

face. Slobber slides down her cheek. Gross. She dug her nails into its throat-fighting dirty because, let's be real, what else can you do? Then thunder-Kael roared, crash

he two of them rolling like a furry wrecking ball, spitting and biting. Victoria got her teeth into Kael's shoulder-hard, nasty-and he howled, raw and guttural. Elara just rea

kid," Victoria spat, vo

ight, all teeth and righteous fury. They tore into Victoria's crew like wolves gone wild (I mean, they are wol

ing a silver blade from her belt. And, oh, she had a good arm-whipped

. White-hot pain exploded. She couldn't even inhale, just felt heat and wet and the sick, burning crawl of silver in

shaking, raw panic in his eyes. "Elara, dammit, stay with me

arkness, like a curtain dropping, and Kael's roar echoing off the trees while the pack circled clos