I was suffocating under the close proximity, the maddening pull of him-the way his scent, wild and furious, wrapped around me, binding tighter than any chain. A scent I shouldn't have even been able to pick up through the heavy perfume I wore… yet I did. For the first time ever.. t I didn't know if I wanted to break free. What's happening to me? Confusion, fear, longing …they all collided inside me. Just as the air between us crackled with something dark and dangerous , something neither of us could name, a violent roar tore through the forest. 1 jerked my head toward the sound, heart hammering A massive shadow crashed through the trees, charging toward us with terrifying speed. Huge Snarling a bear!" I yelled, as it barreled straight for us Ronan's wolf moved firs With a savage snarl, he released me and hurled himself at the bear, teeth flashing in the dim light The two beasts collided with a sickening thud, snarls and roars exploding through the clearing Half an hour bled away as I moved through the tangled wilderness, tracking faint hoof prints in the muddy earth, broken branches, and the heavy musky scent only one creature could leave behind. A bison. While I kept hearing the howls of other Alphas that kept coming from the distance one by one. It was a victory howl Someone had completed their hunt and already returned! Finally, as the sky shifted from inky black to deep navy, heralding the coming dawn, I found it. A bison. It loomed ahead , massive, brutal-its breath steaming in the cold air as it pawed the ground, ready to charge at the slightest threat Its sheer size made my stomach clench. I took a careful step forward and felt my heart sink. In my human form, I didn't stand a chance. Not against that. A direct hit from its horns would shatter every bone in my body, i clenched my fists. I had two choices- Shift or fail . Failure meant elimination Failure meant being dragged out of the Academy in defeat. Failure meant returning to my pack and becoming someone's Luna . Unacceptable. I locked my eyes on the beast, my decision made. I would take it down, no matter the cost. Glancing around, I checked for other Alphas Nothing No scent No sound but the restless wind. Chapter 21 A Shadow Satisfied that I was alone, I quickly stripped off my clothes and hid them behind a fallen tree. Breathless, I let the shift take over . Bones cracked, flesh stretched. And then Phina burst free. I stood on four powerful legs, white fur gleaming in the dim light. The world sharpened-the scents richer, the earth more alive under my paws . Locking my wolf's bright eyes onto the bison, I crouched low, muscles coiling , ready to strike. Time to hunt. When suddenly, a faint sound snapped my head around From the shrubs-a shadow moved. My heart slammed into my Someone was there. Watching. Since when…?