Chapter 8: From Beast to Shadow
Volkin said, "Prepare yourself."
And that... was the last thing I heard clearly.
I blinked—and then the world twisted.
No, seriously. I didn’t even see him move. One second he was standing like a majestic wolf deity, and the next—
CRACK!
A bone in my shoulder snapped like a dry twig. Pain exploded through my body like fireworks set off in a coffin. My vision blurred. My knees buckled. I was airborne—airborne—before my back slammed into a tree. Bark exploded. My ribs screamed.
’System, a little help?!’ I screamed mentally.
[Assistance unavailable. Please enjoy the beating.]
’ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!’
But it wasn’t a joke. Volkin didn’t attack like a beast. He fought like a predator playing with its prey. He didn’t go for the kill—he went for the slow, humiliating breakdown.
He vanished again. My instincts screamed. I rolled, barely dodging a silver blur that snapped its jaws right where my neck had been.