Chapter 2

• Megan POV
• I woke up with a gasp, gripping my chest and heavily perspiring. Since the day I escaped, two years ago, I have been plagued by that nightmare. I curled myself into a ball and squeezed my eyes and ears as I relived the excruciating memories. The agonizing cries and seeing the others suffer a horrific demise when I might have intervened and made an effort to save them. the scent of burning flesh and the way their bodies smelled after being burned. As I crunched and shattered their necks, I saw the light leave their eyes as their souls left their bodies and fell limply in my jaws. My father tormented me in a variety of ways, each in his manner. Whips, knives, and his continuous taunting. I shouted and gripped my ears even tighter till I could only hear ringing.
• I stepped back and surveyed the hotel room I had spent the night in as I waited for my breathing to calm down. It was poor quality, but it was inexpensive and the only item I could buy with the money I had been given by someone else in exchange for selling that godawful chain and collar at a scrap yard. The aroma of old woman's perfume, mildew, and cigarette smoke permeated the whole space. I knew that I wasn't going to sleep again, I took off my baggy top and put on a standard T-shirt and pants that I had purchased from a homeless shelter. I grabbed what little I had and stuffed a couple of water bottles in my bag that someone had left in the damaged refrigerator. I fastened my boots and threw on my sweater. I walked to the front desk and checked out even though it wasn't even light outside.
• I walked since I didn't have a vehicle and I didn't trust anybody enough to take a ride. I hated moving. I didn't hate my wolf since she was the only one who didn't harm me and was responsible for keeping me alive all these years. Simply put, everyone hated my wolf. For her, my dad tormented me; the guys beat me more severely and for a longer period. Due to my wolf, they all teased and made fun of me. I was only in my wolf form when I had to hunt or sleep outdoors rather than in run-down hotels or abandoned buildings.
• For the last two years, she has kept me alive. She gives me access to her power and endurance. She assisted me with scavenging and self-reliance. Fighting rogues and scavenging for food caused me to regain some weight and build some strength. I left the foyer and made my way behind the hotel, into the woods. I searched the area for additional smells to confirm that this was unexplored ground and not territory already held by a pack. Similar to yesterday night when I checked into the hotel to make sure it was secure, no distinct odors were there.
• I entered the jungle while being vigilant and pointing my nose downward to detect odors. Spring would soon arrive as the earth was coated in a thin layer of snow. I kept going for a few hours. The sky became pink and purple as the sun began to emerge from behind the mountains and tall trees.
• I didn't become hungry until practically dusk when noon had already passed. I just killed a huge deer that had been putting me off. I took off my clothing to ruin them and hung my bag from the low branches of young spruce. I spent some time sniffing the ground to get Muskeg used to the smells so I could return to my group. When I did, I sprinted out in search of my prey while keeping my nose to the ground and ears alert. My nose was overwhelmed with the musty earth, and I came upon a little rabbit path. It was a few minutes old. When I finally came upon my target, I chased after it and knelt so that it could see me atop a higher rock. I ducked low and tensed the muscles in my back legs in preparation to pounce. I extended my claw and jumped on top of it. I quickly killed the animal and started ripping into the succulent flesh.
• Then the stench of decaying flesh filled my brain, and I suddenly woke up. The mischievous wolf emerged from the shadows and met my gaze. It was gray in hue and somewhat bigger than I was. I gave a warning growl, telling them to back off and stay away from my food since I wasn't sharing. I was ignored as it drew nearer. I roared once again, this time baring my fangs. It roared back at him this time, and three more rouges materialized behind him. I got up from my unfinished dinner since I didn't want to fight and I was outnumbered. Feeling safer in my wolf shape, I raced back to my bag and grabbed it up with my jaws. They followed me, not directly behind me but enough so that I could see them. They accelerated their speed as I ran more quickly."Shit." My mental wolf shouted that. Indeed, sh*t.
• They pursued me as I fled as quickly as I could. They were unable to gather up the pace, thus they were somewhat in the rear. I didn't see the one rushing at me until it was too late since I was so preoccupied with the ones behind me. He used his heavyweight to knock me off my feet and over. The others bit me where they could as he buried his claws deep into my side. I tried to kick my foot out of one's jaws with my hind legs, but all it did was make his teeth grow even deeper. The other bit into my shoulders and assisted in keeping me on the ground by holding me down.
• I let my wolf advance when I sensed her do so. She tore out the jugular vein from one exposed neck by clamping her mouth down on it. We simply threw them off and fled as a result of my wolf's activities drawing their attention. They growled more angrily before suddenly coming to their senses and following me. I was unable to run quickly because of my hurt paw and the agony that went up and down my leg. My wounds were bleeding profusely, rendering me weaker due to blood loss.
• The other wolves quickly came up to me, and one of them leaped on me, burrowing its claws into my back and burying its fangs into my shoulder, which was already hurt. I yelled and threw the wolf off my back by slamming it firmly into a tree. She cried and didn't get back up when I heard the creature's bones crack.
• The two surviving wolves came closely after me as I started to sprint once again. Because I murdered two of their own, I knew they were going to kill me. This would only come to an end. I was in a battle, but I was becoming worn out. The two wolves began to surround me when I stopped moving.
• One came at me from behind, while the other came at me from the front. While the other, a brown one, attempted to slit my neck, the bigger one—a blonde—dug into my back and flank. I pressed the brown one's shoulder beneath my weight by grabbing a little portion of it. I ensured that it would not stand up by tearing a sizable portion of its side. I was knocked down by the blonde, who then grabbed my neck. With my front paws, I made an effort to push it away so that it wouldn't go close to my neck.
• My eyesight began to blur as a result of the blood loss. I could feel my body wasting away and deteriorating. The wolf's breath had a rotten flesh and wet dog odor to it. With all of my last effort, I shoved him away, and he fell into a tree. He was growling and kicking his lips as he stood up and stalked towards me. I saw that my eyesight was fogged and that I had shifted back. I anticipated my fatal strike as I saw him pounce, but it never materialized. Before I lost consciousness, I heard a man's voice.