Chapter 123

HAZEL

The cold stone floor is my only comfort. I curl up, my body aching from the beatings and the chains that bite into my wrists and ankles. I’ve lost count of the days. The room is dark, the only light coming from a small window high up on the wall. I shiver as the door creaks open, knowing what’s coming next.

“Wake up, mutt!” One of the captors yells, kicking me in the ribs. I gasp for breath, the pain sharp and immediate.

They pour dirty water over me, and I feel it soak into my clothes, the smell making me gag. They do it for no reason, just to see me suffer. I can hear their laughter, their cruel jokes about how weak and pathetic I am.

“Please.” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “Please, stop.”

But they don’t stop. They never do.

I can feel the drug they injected me with earlier start to take effect. It’s a special kind of poison, one that makes my wolf lose control. My body begins to shake, and I can feel the shift coming, my bones cracking and reshaping. I try to