Kieran's POV
The moon wasn't even visible yet, but I could already feel her pull in my blood.
I paced the reinforced chamber like a caged animal, my skin burning with the need to change. To tear. To destroy. Each full moon was bad, but this one felt worse – like my blood had been replaced with liquid fire.
"Three hours until moonrise," I growled to myself, looking at the heavy silver-reinforced door.
I'd locked myself in early tonight. The Midnight Queen was coming, and my pack needed their Alpha, not a dumb beast. But the rage was rising faster than normal, clawing at my insides with razor-sharp talons.
Sweat soaked through my shirt as I fought the change. My bones cracked and reset themselves, wanting to shift but meeting my stubborn reluctance. I wouldn't give in. Not yet.
The protective runes carved into the walls glowed faintly blue, intended to contain werewolf magic. But as another wave of pain crashed through me, one of the runes flickered and went dark.
