Into a Wolf's Gaze

Chapter 1: What Sharp Teeth You Have

When I woke up, everything felt wrong. The ground beneath me was cold, damp, and unfamiliar. My limbs ached in ways I didn't understand, and there was this strange weight to my body—like I wasn't... me.

I tried to move, but the sensation of my hands scraping against the dirt froze me in place. My heart raced as I stared down, seeing claws where fingers should be, brown fur instead of skin. My breath hitched, and a panicked whimper escaped my throat—low, guttural, not human.

"Liam? Is that you?" The voice was shaky but familiar. I turned to see Ethan—or at least, what I thought was Ethan. A reddish-brown wolf sat a few feet away, his amber eyes wide with the same shock I felt.

"What the hell is happening?" I growled—or tried to. The sound that came out was rough, almost snarling, but somehow Ethan understood.

"I don't know. I—I can't feel my hands," he stammered, looking down at his paws, his voice rising with panic.

Ethan's panic was contagious. My chest tightened, and I scrambled to my feet—four of them, awkward and unsteady. My muscles screamed in protest, like I'd run for miles before collapsing here. I swayed, trying to find balance on limbs that felt alien.

"Guys?" A softer voice called out. My head snapped toward the sound, and I saw Ruby—her tawny coat catching the faint light filtering through the trees. She looked just as terrified as Ethan and me, her green eyes darting between us. "What's going on? Why... why do we look like this?"

"I don't know," I said again, frustration rising in my voice. "Where's Connor? And Leah?"

"I'm here." Connor's voice rumbled from the shadows, steady but cautious. He stepped forward, his sleek grey fur blending into the dim surroundings. His blue eyes flicked to each of us, calm but calculating. "Leah's just waking up."

Behind him, Leah slowly lifted her head, her creamy white fur dusted with dirt. She blinked, disoriented, her amber eyes unfocused at first. Then realization hit, and her ears flattened against her head. "This... this can't be real," she whispered, her voice trembling.

"It is," I said firmly, though the words felt heavy in my throat. "Whatever happened to us... this is real."

The group fell silent, the only sounds being of the rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of insects. My mind raced, trying to piece together the fragmented memories of the night before. The campfire, the laughter, the stories... then the growls. The glowing eyes in the darkness. The chaos.

"The attack," I muttered, the memory hitting me like a punch to the gut. "That thing... it attacked us."

Ethan's ears perked up. "The beast. You saw it, didn't you?"

I nodded slowly. "I think we all did. But why are we still alive? And why are we like this?"

No one had an answer. Ruby lowered her head, her tail curling around her legs. "Do you think... it did this to us? That thing?"

Connor stepped closer, his movements deliberate, like he was testing his new body. "Maybe. But standing here freaking out isn't going to solve anything. We need to figure out what's next."

"What's next?" Ethan snapped, his fur bristling. "We're freaking wolves, Connor! What next is there?"

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stand taller—even if my legs wobbled slightly. "Connor's right. We need to keep calm and figure this out. First, we need rest. Our bodies... whatever they are now... they're not ready for anything else."

The others looked at me, uncertain but silent. Slowly, they nodded. For now, they trusted me to lead. The weight of that realization settled on my shoulders, but I pushed it aside. There'd be time to grapple with it later.