Chapter 3: Transformation.

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The morning air was crisp, a gentle breeze rustling through the trees as it carried the scent of rain-soaked village. Prem stirred awake with a groggy sense of unease. His body ached, bruises from the night before reminding him of his father's rage. He rubbed his sore arms and pushed himself up slowly, glancing toward the corner of the yard where he had left the injured wolf. The events of the previous night were a hazy blur, and part of him half-expected to find nothing at all, convincing himself it might have been a feverish dream.

 The events of the previous night were a hazy blur, and part of him half-expected to find nothing at all, convincing himself it might have been a feverish dream

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But what he saw made him freeze in place.

The wolf was gone.

In its place, lying motionless on the damp ground, was a man..........a man with a lean, muscled body, his skin pale and shimmering with a faint sheen of sweat.

a man with a lean, muscled body, his skin pale and shimmering with a faint sheen of sweat

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Prem's mouth went dry. He took a shaky step backward, nearly tripping over a patch of weeds. The man appeared to be around his mid-twenties, with long, black hair that clung to his forehead. His eyes were closed, but Prem could see the slow, shallow rise and fall of his chest. The man was alive....and stark naked.

"W-WHAT..." Prem stammered, his voice trembling. He clutched the wooden railing behind him, knuckles white. "Who... who are you?!"

At the sound of his voice, the man's eyes fluttered open. They were the same amber eyes as the wolf's, deep and piercing. For a moment, their gazes locked, and Prem felt as if he were staring into something ancient, something both fierce and vulnerable. The man blinked slowly, confusion clouding his features.

"Where... is..." he rasped, his voice rough and weak. "Where... am I?"

Prem swallowed, his throat dry. "Who are you?!" he repeated, his voice cracking. "And where is... the wolf?... What's going on?"

The man's lips twitched, almost like he was trying to smile but had forgotten how. "Wolf..." he whispered. "It's... me."

Prem's eyes widened. "You... you're the wolf?"

"Yes..." The man's head lolled to the side, exhaustion etched into every line of his face. He tried to push himself up but failed, collapsing back with a pained groan. "Please... help me."

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