Once Upon a Wolf

PART II: Chapter 22

PART II

CHAPTER 22

My newfound body ran against the breeze under the moon's watchful eye. The tug to its lunar aura was overwhelming. My wolf took off in a sprint, my suddenly powerful legs propelling me forward with the incredible speed I now possessed. The ground beneath my paws felt cool and alive, and each stride within the forest sent a biting fear up my spine — yet oddly, a thrill of exhilaration raced through my veins.

Is this really happening?

The cool night air, mixed with fresh rain, was a rush against my wolf's fur, carrying with it scents both familiar and foreign.

The world had transformed, and so had I.

But my new wolf body was clumsy as I ran on all four legs for the very first time. I couldn't control the animal as I fell over logs and bumped past trees, unable to handle her own chaotic speed.

The wolf had a will of its own.

Without warning, my wolf stopped and lifted her snout — smelling the fragrant night's air. The scent of earth and moss mingled with the intoxicating aroma of prey! My stomach rumbled with hunger, recognizing that I was no longer just a guest in this wilderness but a predator now, too.

Oh shit! I thought, trying to fight back the urge to kill and eat... but it was hopeless. My wolf had other grizzly ideas.

My wolf paused and her ears pricked forward, as her keen nose caught a whiff of something deliciously enticing—a deer, perhaps, or a rabbit. My wolf's savage instincts took over, and she began to stalk with my unwillingness forcing her back, but I couldn't control her!

My wolf caught sight of her target. A poor and defenseless rabbit near the root of a tree. Its fluffy white fur shimmered beneath the moonlight, highlighting how vulnerable it was. My wolf's eyes zeroed in on the prey. A rush of adrenaline coursed through my veins as I felt her primal instinct to kill. In an explosive burst of energy, she pounced. Her sharp claws found grip, and her jaws closed around the warm, pulsing life of her victim.

It was a primal thrill I couldn't ignore as I felt my wolf's excitement for her first kill — Our first kill!

The sensation of her teeth sinking into flesh, the rush of warm and fresh blood on my tongue. She tore into her meal with a savage hunger that was both terrifying and exhilarating.

As my wolf devoured her kill, I felt a strange mix of emotions. Guilt. Excitement. Disgust!

With the taste of blood still lingering on our tongue, my wolf ran through the forest again. My heart pounded in rhythm with the pulse of the forest and my wolf didn't know where she was running to. I still didn't know the forest like the others, but in a short distance, a sparkle caught my wolf's eye.

The lake! I said inwardly.

I've only been here one time for a swim with the others, but glad to see its glistening waters ahead. I dashed towards it, thankful to see a familiar place. As I jogged over, I slowed down my legs. The lake was serene and silent, like the attentive full moon above it as I inched closer to its waters.

My paws padded the soft ground, feeling the earth's energy pulsating beneath me. The lake stood gently as I bowed my head, the moonlight twinkling over its rocking waves. My heart raced as I gazed at my reflection in the water, my hazel green human eyes, now a shade of vibrant green, mesmerized by the wolf staring back at me. The woman I once was still there, but now taken over with the wild, primal essence of my inner wolf.