Page 9

My wolf clawed its way to the surface, all panic and adrenaline. My body transformed, flesh turning into fur, teeth tofangs.

All four of my paws touched the ground and I ran. My life dependedonit.

The raiders were hot on my tail. Their shouts filled the air, loud and cacophonous. They spoke English words, but I was in too much of a terrified daze to understand them. My heart thumped a mile a minute as I ran desperately through thetrees.

But the raiders knew these woods better than I did. Even in my wolf form, I was no matchforthem.

A single wolf against dozens of armed humans. I couldn’t win. What a joke. What an idiotI’dbeen.

A spear grazed my flank and I yelped, turning hard. A second one whizzed by my face. In my confusion, I paused. That was all the opportunity theyneeded.

A man leapt on me, throwing his arms fiercely around my neck and hanging on tight as I tried to buckhimoff.

“I got it! Grab it now!” heshouted.

The others swarmed me. Hands all over me. I was smothered,trapped.

“It’s asmallone…”

“Don’t matter. Still has all itsparts.”

“I call dibs on theliver!”

There was no way out. The humans grabbed each of my legs to make sure I couldn’t move. One of them snapped my muzzle shut with his glovedhands.

With the last ounce of my strength, I ripped my snout from the raider and threw my head back, letting out one last, sorrowful howl - a cryforhelp.