A King's Weakness (Book 1)

Chapter 13

IT'S DARK WHEN I WAKE UP, and it takes me a minute to put everything together. I must have slept much longer than I meant to, but even after all that rest I still feel like shit.

I'm sweating profusely, and my skin is so hot that I know I must be feverish. The oversized T-shirt I threw on before I climbed into bed is now drenched, clinging to my steaming body. My dark hair is plastered against my face, wet strands sticking to my clammy cheeks.

I must be really sick, because I'm hallucinating. I'm not in my bed—quite the opposite, actually. I'm curled up in the fetal position on the cold, damp ground. The only light present is from the moon, but I can see surprisingly well in the darkness. I'm in the middle of the forest—or, at least, I think I am.

How high is my fever?

My stomach roils dangerously, threatening to make me violently ill. I feel like death; my entire body aches, muscles trembling painfully, and I am burning up. I can't even tell if I really am in the woods, or if I'm just hallucinating it all.

After grabbing a fistful of dirt, I decide that I am, in fact, not imaging this.

How the hell did I get all the way out here?

My stomach churns again, and I manage to raise myself to all fours before gagging. The only witnesses to my predicament are the stars twinkling brightly above me, mocking me with their cheery light.

Once my stomach is empty, I try to get to my feet, to figure out where I am and how to get home, but I quickly collapse back to the earth. My bones can't hold me, they feel like they will snap from the simplest effort.

I've never felt like this before; I truly feel like I am dying. What the hell is happening to me?

And just like that, in the space of a heartbeat, with the flutter of a single breath, I remember.

The full moon.

My entire body radiates a blistering heat, making my skin feel like it will peel away from my bones with the slightest pressure. Waves of nausea hit me one after another, and I struggle back onto my hands and knees as I dry heave.

I thought I would at least have a choice when the full moon came. I certainly didn't imagine my first shift would feel like this.

"Something's wrong," I gasp out loud, breathing heavily. There is no one around to hear me, but the sound of my own voice makes me feel a little better, like I'm not completely alone.

I need to go home, to get some water, to get help.

My muscles spasm, igniting my body with red hot flames of agony, and I scream. It feels like my blood is boiling, and my spine arches upwards as my muscles continue to contract. I don't want to be alone for this—I'm terrified. I don't know what is happening, and I don't want it to happen at all, let alone like this.

The sound of my wrist snapping reaches my ears before the pain reaches my brain. Another scream rips its way free from me, scratching my already raw throat.

"Help," I croak weakly, praying that someone will hear me. Maybe I'm not far from home; maybe Kage is already looking for me. "Someone help!"

My ankle is the next to break, and my right shoulder isn't far behind. When I vomit this time, it's from pain.

I really am going to have to go through this alone.

When my left hip cracks, I nearly black out. I never knew a person could feel this much agony, it should be impossible. I don't even realize I'm still screaming until I eventually stop, my voice dying down to a whimper.