And to lock my woman away, to lie to her....
“He doesn’t deserve to live,” I snarl. “Not after that.”
I’m stumbling backward, unable to take it anymore, the ferocity of life. The pretenders who target the vulnerablebecause it makes them feel tough.
Come and challenge the wolf, Pete. Come and howl with the wolf, fight with the wolf, and die with the wolf because I’m the wolf, and the wolf is me.
And I’m howling now, cracking from the inside, ready to set the world straight, ready to maim and slaughter any fucker who touches my woman, my human.
Mine, mine, mine.
“Ruby,” I croak, stumbling backward.
Suddenly, I realized I might’ve lied. I said another quick change wouldn’t kill me.
But my bones are expanding too fast. My passion is coming too suddenly, and my human body isn’t ready.
Blood and bone, blood and bone, blood and bone –over and over in my mind.
Images of deep reds and scents so powerful I can’t even understand them.
Run, Ruby, I mean to say, but now my throat is changing and human words are no longer possible.
Teeth and rage, blood and the moon, the glorious silver of the moon, bathing us, me.
I collapse onto the grass, shuddering.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
Ruby
I scream when he falls. It happens so suddenly, so violently, I’m sure he must’ve hit his head.
Even if the grass is soft, it doesn’t matter. Hedropped.
I rush toward him, his eyes flaring, his whole body twisting in an agonizing way.
Tears rush to my eyes when I hear the shiver in his voice, thecrackof his bones. He’s growling now more than anything, but I can tell he’s trying to wave me away.
“Ramsey,” I say, kneeling, pushing away a sob. “You have to look at me. You have to listen. Calm down. Please calm down. I know you said it’s not dangerous, but this doesn’t seem right.”
“Argh,”he roars, rolling over and over.
My eyes widen when I see claw marks in the earth. At least, I think that’s what they are. It’s dark. But then Ramsey rolls over again, kneeling, collapsing onto his forepaws.
His arms are already transformed, clothes shredded, but his body is still his.
His eyes are red, but his face is Ramsey’s, then it starts to shift.
“Ramsey.” I rush over, wrapping my arms around him, my heart thudding.
“The...claws,” he gasps.
He’s warning me.
“I’m already here,” I say in his ear, hugging him so tight, not letting myself flinch when I feel his bones changing shape in his back. “You didn’t hurt me. Youwon’thurt me.”
He rumbles and collapses onto his side, and I go with him. Tears are streaming down my cheeks, hot and filled with sadness and pain.