Chapter 79

Lauren

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was warmth.

The kind that sinks deep into your bones, the kind that lingers in the air, making it thick and heavy. My body ached in a way that left no room for confusion, and when I shifted slightly, the soreness between my legs confirmed what my hazy mind was already piecing together.

Oh. Oh no.

I inhaled sharply, the scent of sweat, musk, and him filling my nose.

Alexander.

My heart leaped into my throat, and I froze, eyes wide as I turned my head. There he was, lying beside me, his bare chest rising and falling with deep, even breaths. His dark hair was a mess, a sharp contrast against the pillow. The sheet barely covered his hips, and I had a very inappropriate flashback of what was underneath.

God.

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way my stomach clenched at the memory. The way his mouth had felt against my skin. The way he had whispered my name like it was the only thing in the world that mattered. The way I had let him—

Stop.

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to focus.

This was bad.

Not because I regretted it. That was when I wasn’t… me. Oh god, but he didn’t know that. Oh no, no. No. No. NO. Then I flinched, my eyes zapping to the moonlight in the window. A whole different problem.

Because it was the full moon.

I shot up so fast I nearly got whiplash. The world tilted, my body protesting the sudden movement, but I didn’t have time for weakness. My head whipped toward the clock on the nightstand.

11:42 PM.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

Panic surged through me like a bolt of lightning. My skin was already burning, my body vibrating with restless energy. The shift was coming.

I needed to go.

I shoved the covers off and stumbled out of bed, barely managing to find my clothes in the dark. My fingers fumbled as I yanked my shirt over my head and slipped into my jeans, my pulse thundering in my ears.

Behind me, Alexander shifted slightly, mumbling something under his breath. I held my breath, waiting, but he didn’t wake.

Good.

I turned and slipped out the door, my heart hammering as I ran.

The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth when I reached the Pack Court, the clearing deep in the woods where our kind gathered during full moons.

Liam was already there, standing by the iron barred cage.

He looked pissed, teeth nearly showing.

“Are you serious, Lauren?” His voice was a growl as I skidded to a stop. “You're barely on time. Do you even understand how dangerous this is?! I was this close to going and dragging you here!”

“I'm here, aren’t I?” I snapped, already breathless. My skin was burning, my veins molten, my muscles twitching beneath my skin.

Liam exhaled sharply, shoving a hand through his hair. “You seriously stressing me out. Get in the cage. Now.”

I clenched my jaw but did as he said, stepping into the reinforced steel enclosure. The heavy door clanged shut behind me, locking me in.

The full moon hung high in the sky now, its silver glow pressing against me like a vice.

Then—

Fire.

It started.

A brutal, all-consuming heat crawled beneath my skin, wrapping around my spine and squeezing until I could barely breathe. My bones ached. My muscles spasmed.

I dropped to my knees with a strangled gasp, fingers clawing at the dirt floor of the cage.

It felt like my entire body was at war with itself.

I gritted my teeth, trying to fight it back, but it was too much. Too hot, too strong, too powerful. A whiplash of black shadow burst out my back like a bomb. Liam’s eyes widened, stepping back.

I let out a choked cry, my head snapping back as another wave of agony crashed over me. My vision blurred, my breathing shallow.

I barely registered the sound of footsteps approaching.

Alexander

The moment I stepped into the clearing, I knew something was wrong.

Lauren’s scent was thick in the air, but beneath it—beneath the sweat, the earth, the raw, electric energy—there was pain.

And then I heard her scream.

The sound gutted me.

“What the hell is going on?” My voice boomed as I rushed forward, my eyes locking onto Liam, the strange erutping scene. He was standing stiffly in front of a cage—an actual cage—where Lauren was on her knees, shaking, black fire nearly consuming her.

What the hell…

I saw red.

“What the f@#$ is this?” I snarled, stepping toward her, but Liam blocked my path.

“You don’t understand—”

“Move! Before I take your neck!”

“No.”

His voice was firm, but his stance was tense, like he was preparing for a fight.

A growl built in my throat. “She’s in pain, Liam! Get out of my way or—!”

“She’ll survive. If you —”

I clenched my fists, barely restraining myself. “Open the door! Now!”

Liam’s jaw ticked. “I can’t. She’s turning.”

I stilled.

Turning?

Lauren’s… wolf?

But she couldn’t how did they. My eyes widened. No. They didn’t.

My memory flashed back to the bedroom. The first time we had since… it wasn’t her.

I took a step back, blinking. But Lauren’s cries brought me back.

I looked past Liam, eyes locking onto her shaking form. Her breath was ragged, her fingers curling into the dirt like she was holding on for dear life.

The moonlight hit her face, and I sucked in a breath.

Her eyes—

They weren’t hers.

They were wolf eyes. Yet… not her usual ones. The one’s I’ve seen in the past were green like moss in the sun, not… this.

Black and wild and completely gone.

Liam took a step closer, lowering his voice. “If you let her out now, she won’t be Lauren. She won’t know you, she won’t know me. She’ll be pure instinct. She could hurt someone.”

I barely heard him.

Because Lauren’s shaking stopped, hitting the ground like someone shot her from behind.

“Lauren!” I pushed past Liam instantly, ripping open the metal door.

Then—

She moved.

Too fast.

Too sharp.

And suddenly, she wasn’t human anymore.

A feral snarl ripped through the air, and my stomach dropped.

Her body shifted, cracking and breaking, her limbs elongating, her bones snapping into something inhuman.

Then—she lunged.

And everything exploded.

I barely had time to react before the door of the cage burst open, metal groaning under the sheer force of her impact.

Liam yelled something, but I didn’t hear it, because Lauren was already on me.

She crashed into my chest like a battering ram, her claws tearing into my arms, her teeth bared. I stumbled back, barely managing to keep my footing as she pushed past me, her body a blur of motion.

She was running.

Running wild as a wolf. But that wasn’t her usual size or color.

I spun just in time to see her disappear into the trees, the sound of snapping branches and rustling leaves fading fast.

Silence fell over the clearing.

I turned to Liam, breathing hard. “You weren’t going to tell me this? Running around with my Luna and you—you have no idea what this will do! She’s a Lyan! What wer you thinking!?”

Liam’s expression turned grim instantly, “A Lyan… what? No, Lauren’s some low born…she…” He shook his head. “God, okay, that—that doesn’t matter now!”

“Doesn’t matter?!” I snarled, closing the space between us. “She’s on a rampage!? What did you do!?”

“We just let her loose into the night!” He narked back, “We need to move!”

My heart pounded.

Lauren was out there.

And she wasn’t herself.

I took a deep breath, rolling my shoulders, already preparing for what had to come next.

“Then I’ll find her.”

And we bring her back.

I always did.