Chapter 83

• Her Beast is massive—unrecognizable. Everything about Laila that once resembled the girl I knew has vanished, replaced by a monstrous, wolflike creature consumed by rage. Her enormous jaws snap up at Lucas, a vicious snarl rumbling in her throat. But beneath the aggression, there’s a sharp, trembling whimper—a sound of pain, confusion, and loss—as his hand tightens around her throat, pressing her down with brutal strength.
• I freeze, heart pounding violently in my chest. My legs instinctively retreat, carrying me back until I collide with Lucas’s throne. I cling to the armrest, breath shallow. Some part of me knows Lucas would never let harm come to me—not truly—but that knowledge is no match for the primal fear that takes hold of me. Laila is shifted, unrecognizable, dangerous. I’ve never seen a Beast in this kind of fury. And Lucas—he’s not far behind her.
• A deep, guttural growl escapes from Lucas’s chest. His whole body vibrates with the sound, shoulders twitching and muscles pulsing like he’s trying—struggling—not to shift himself. His fingers are embedded into the thick fur around Laila’s throat, pinning her down as she thrashes, hind legs clawing wildly. One of her kicks catches his arm. I flinch as her claws dig deep, slicing through flesh. Blood spills out in thick rivulets, soaking his sleeve before dripping down to the stone floor.