Chapter 3

*Maggie*

“Please!” I sob “No m-m-more. It hurts.”

Another shock wave ripples through my body, my teeth clench, and my back arches painfully. Every single part of me aches, every muscle feels as though it is ripping and will never heal again.

“Mommy! Daddy! P-p-please.” I cry out. 

I look around the room frantically and Dr. Malcovic walks closer with a needle. I know what is coming, every day since my parents have left me here has been the same. Shock therapy, then their needle of pain. After, they will leave me in a thin patient gown in a padded room locked away in the darkness, waiting for the beast to take me over. Every day I blubber and sob with physical pain, but they feel no sympathy and why would they?

I'm a freak of nature. A beast when the pain overload is too much for me to bear on my own. There is a monster inside of me and they want to play with it, poke it, make it violent. And they are winning. Holding on to my humanity is becoming harder and harder. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try I can never escape. I am their little science project. Signed over by my fearful parents who no longer want anything to do with me.

The needle punctures my sensitive flesh and instantly the cold feeling shoots through my veins bringing with it the shivers, the mind-numbing feeling of my mind freezing out, and then the sound of snaps. First, my wrist, snapping back towards the elbow at a sickening angle. Then my elbows, popping and twisting as white fur pushes my skin out of the way.

My knees are next, the grotesque pop resounds through the room, my cries and screams grow silent as one vertebra at a time creaks and snaps, I twist and writhe on the bed I am latched to hoping soon the air will come back to my rearranging lungs. Suddenly the change stops. The bones cease to break but the pain is present. I begin to pant and thrash my head waiting for the end. But it doesn't come. I pause when I see myself in the one-way mirror.

My eyes are bloodshot, my legs and arms are protruding in awkward angles and my body has small tufts of fur sprouting out in random spots. I stopped shifting. Panic rises when I realize what is happening. They aren't letting me shift completely. They are stopping me and the relief that comes along with finally fully shifting is now out of sight.

The pain rushes back to me as I scream out in pain. Each and every break of my every bone registers and I begin to convulse. Vomit fills my mouth and consciousness wains, I try to force myself to fully shift, to make the pain leave. Human or wolf form, anything is better than this limbo of nothing but pain.

A shock touches my cheek, soft, angelic, and like a drug sweeping through my body taking away all that is wrong. It radiates through me, touching each and every piece of my broken body putting it back together again. I close my eyes tight, tears streaming down my cheek at the relief.

Then opening them back again, I realize I had fallen asleep, and that my reality right now is just as scary as the nightmare I was just in. A beast with a reconstructed torn-up face is crouching beside me stroking my cheek. I lash out, punching it in the grotesque face, and scurry back against a tree trunk, screaming in fear. My hand tingles joyously at the contact with its skin and I look at it shocked. Then from my chest bubbles up a feeling and my lips part.

“Mate” I whisper. 

I have no idea what the word means, why it came to my mind, or why this ugly beast makes me feel strangely calm. It saved me from my haunting memories, the demons that plague my mind. The beast slowly stands with its back to me. I realize it's a man and I blink through my tear-covered eyes allowing them to focus. 

“No,” he whispers. “I’m not your mate.”

“I’m sorry” I whisper, not really sure why I’m apologizing, he is the creep who felt he had the right to touch me.

“What are you doing in the woods?’ he asks, refusing to turn and face me.

“I’m just passing through” I lie. 

I've become an excellent liar in the years since my escape from the mental hospital. I’m here for the Ultima. The elusive wolf that is leaving a trail of changed humans behind it. The wolf that lit everything I know on fire with a single bite to my wrist, leaving me to go up in flames and come out as black as the very ashes of my life. But this deformed man doesn't need to know that. He spins to face me crossing his arms across his broad chest and I swallow when I take him in. 

His eyes captivate me. His left eye is hazel and full of sorrow, whereas his right eye is a striking blue that I find myself getting lost in. I open my mouth to speak but I find myself speechless. How could I have called this poor man a beast? He has scars covering half of his left face, they look menacing and as if they long ago healed. I take a step forward reaching out to touch them.

“What’s your name?” he asks. His voice is fierce and demanding and it startles me. I jump and pull my hand back.

“I said I'm just passing through.”

“What's your pack name?” he asks, ignoring my response.

“What's your pack name?” I shoot back at him annoyed.

He smirks at my outburst. 

“Calm down princess, I’m trying to help get you home,” he says, his torn lip curling up into a small smile.

“Who says I need your help?” I say growing irritated.

“Fine. Continue south,” he says, turning on his heels and heading north.

“No!” I shout after him.

He stops and looks over his right shoulder. His right side is flawless and mind-numbingly attractive, I find myself stumbling over my words.

“I-i-i don't have a destination,” I tell him.

“I told you. Your destination is south.” He says. Starting to walk again.

I stoop down and grab my backpack, stuff my blanket in the back and follow behind him. I know he can tell I am following him, but he says nothing and doesn't slow down. He leaps spryly over logs and exposed roots and I find myself drawn to every muscle movement. I have no idea what is wrong with me or why the voice in my head is panting ridiculously. I mentally kick myself for spouting such a stupid word when I tried to talk. 

I mean Mate? really? what kind of moron just says 'mate' out of nowhere? I mean I've heard and used it before but that was in reference to a shoe, not a greeting. Maybe it's a weird werewolf greeting? I've not had much help in learning about what I am other than the crash course of 'we shift and have super powers' which was super not helpful.