bChapter /bb19/b: bNaked /bin bthe /bbLake /bfn1122 Original content can be found at Find?Novel/fn1122

bSkye’s /bPOV

My body convulsed uncontrobly, muscles contracting in violent spasms.

nevide Asian

If Adrian hadn’t wrapped his arm around my shoulders, I would have copsed onto the hard ground. He called my name, concern evident in his voice, but all I could offer in response was a pained groan that wed its way up my throat..

b“/bWhat’s happening to me?” I gasped between waves of agony. “The gunshot wound–it healed, didn’t it?” My thoughts immediately turned to the Asian doctor who had treated me. “Did Dr. Chen give me something? Some kind of herb or medication with side effectsb?/bb” /b

Adrian shook his head, his amber eyes studying me intently. “I promise you, Dr. Chen is an excellent physician. bTell /bme exactly what you’re feeling right

now.b” /b

you or ho

bLike /bmy body is being torn apart, I managed through gritted teeth. b“/bbAs /bif dozens of hands are pulling me in different directions at once.b” /bAnother violent bspasm /bwracked my frame, and I clutched at his shirt. “And I’m burning up–bmy /bskin feels like bit’s /bon fire.”

To bmy /bsurprise, Adrian’s concerned expression melted into a smileb. /b“bYou’ve /bnever bexperienced /bthis before, have you?” He scooped me bup /beffortlesslyb, /bcradling me against his chest as he carried me toward the SUV. “I believe you’re about to shift.”

“Shift?” The word came out bas /ba shocked whisper as he gentlyid me across the back seat. “That’s impossible. I thought- My body arched in painb, /bcutting off my wordsb. /b

Could it really be happening?

After twenty–bone /byears bof /bnothing, after being rejected by Leon for my inability to transform, was I finally going to manifest bmy /bwolfb? /b

Had the Moon Goddess bheard /bbmy /bdesperate bcurses /bthat night in the parking lot and decided, bafter /bthree long byears/bb, /bbto /bfinally bgrant /bbme /bwhat I’d always longed for?

“Try to hold on,” Adrian said, climbing into the driver’s seat and starting the engine. “I’m taking you somewhere that will help.”

The twenty–minute drive felt like an eternity bas /bwaves of bheat /band pain washed over me.

When the vehicle finally stopped, Adrian lifted me from the back seatb, /band bI /bblinked against bthe /bbright sunlight bto /bbsee /bba /bsmallkeb. /b

“The water will help cool your body and ease the pain, Adrian exined as he carried me toward the shore. He hesitated, his bvoice /bsofteningb. /b“You should probably remove your dress: Your first shift will likely destroy any clothing you’re wearing.”

With that, he respectfully turned his back, giving me privacy despite my vulnerable state.

bI /bwas grateful for this bsmall /bcourtesy as I fumbled with bthe /bsimple green dress, peeling it away from my sweat–soaked skin. I bkept /bmy underwear on, a bst /battempt bat /bmodestyb, /bbefore sliding into the coolke water.

bThe /brelief bwas /bimmediate but short–livedb. /bAnother violent spasm hit, and my legs buckled beneath me. I sank below the bsurface/bb, /binadvertently swallowing a mouthful of water as panic seized me.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist, lifting me bup /bso my face cleared the water.

Adrian had jumped inb, /bfully clothed, to keep me from drowning. In any other circumstanceb, /bI would have been mortified–my nearly naked body bpressed /bbagainst /bhis, my breasts ttened against his chest, suddenly bsensitive /bbin /ba way I’d bnever /bexperienced before.

My bhead /bbrested /bon his shoulder as his warm breath tickled the nape bof /bmy neck. His hands bsyed /bbacross /bmy blower /bbback/bb, /bsteadying bme /bas another wave bof /bbpain /bbhit/b. His btouch /bbsent /bbwaves /bof bheat /bthrough my already burning skin, as bif /bmy body might burst into mes at any moment.

bA /bbpeculiar /bsensation washed over me, ba /bsweet agony that confused my senses.

b1/2 /b

I bcouldn’t /bbname /bbthis feeling/bb, /bbcouldn’t /bbunderstand /bhow bsuch /bintense bpain /bbcould /bbsimultaneously /bfeel sob… /bbright/b.

bclutched /bbat /bbhis /bbshoulders/b, bfingers /bbdigging /bbinto /bthe wet fabric of his shirt bas /b1 fought against the conflicting sensations tearing through bme/b,

Let bit /bbhappen/bb, /bhe murmuredb, /bbhis /bvoice a soothing rumble against bmy /bear. “Don’t fight it, Skye. Your wolf is finallyingb./b”

bThe /btransformation, when it came, was both agonizing and exhrating. bMy /bbones cracked and reformed, muscles stretched and brealigned/b, and bmy /bskin prickled bas /bsilver fur erupted across my body.

bThe /bworld around me shifted–colors intensified, scents multiplied a thousandfold, and sounds I’d never noticed before filled my sensitive ears.

With an instinct I didn’t know I possessed, I leaped from Adrian’s arms onto the shore, my new four legs wobbling uncertainly beneath me. bI /bstumbled, bunused /bto this new form, paws sying awkwardly on the sandy bank as I tried to find my bnce.

When bI /bfinally steadied myself enough to look back at Adrian, still standing waist–deep in the water, his expression was one of undisguised wonder.

b“/bSilver, he breathed. “Your wolf is pure silver.”

bChapter /bbComments /b

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