Alyssa The beast within me stirs, restless, testing the fragile barrier of my humanity. Its presence has been growing by the day, seeping into my consciousness in flickers and dreams. I wake with the musky scent of the forest in my nose, the metallic tang of blood on my tongue. The elders have warned me to gain control. If I cannot rein in this power, it will consume me whole. But how can I leash something I do not understand? I am walking a knife's edge in the dark, claws grasping for purchase, waiting for the fall. Dawn breaks cold and sharp over the compound, bathing weathered cabins in a glow of gold. I fold my arms across my chest as I step outside, breath frosting the air. The pack is already awake and active, voices rough with laughter and life. My heart swells at the sound of them - my unlikely family. I do not know what I would become without their guidance to ground me. A familiar figure separates from the crowd and lopes towards me, raven hair falling carelessly over hi
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