Page 53 of Savage Crown
His voice was calm, but I could sense the fear beneath the edges, a quiet trembling he was trying to hide.
Was he afraid I would attack her?
I would never. I would die before I hurt my family.
But even though I believed that… believed it fiercely… the hunger in my gut felt wild and unfamiliar, like a beast pacing under my ribs. My mouth began to water. The smell of her skin, warm and human, made something coil in my stomach.
“Oh, alright.” My mother squeezed his hands and left the room.
Kaelric walked over to my window and opened it wide. A cool breeze rushed into the room, carrying pine and bark and thedistant scent of animals. My wolf surged in my chest, eager and restless.
Suddenly, I wondered why humans spent so much time inside.
The walls felt too tight, too thin, too… wrong.
Outside was where I was meant to be: trees, warm soil, running water, the night sky. I longed for it with an ache that filled every inch of me.
Kaelric shifted until he was standing beside me. He eyed the open window.
‘First one to get a rabbit wins.’
His tone was playful and challenging.
Before I could answer, he launched out the window, body shifting midair into an effortless, beautiful beast.
Instinct took over. I tore off after him, paws hitting the grass, the earth cool and perfect beneath me. The world snapped into sharp clarity. Kaelric was already halfway across the yard, but a thrill lit through my body. I pushed myself faster and found I could catch him with startling ease.
As we sprinted across the park and into the dense woods, every leaf and twig seemed impossibly loud. I could hear the flutter of wings overhead, the scuttle of something small near a tree trunk, the whisper of wind threading through branches.
My wolf noticed scents and sounds I never would have before. The forest was alive, speaking to me in ways it never had.
I thought hunting a rabbit would be horrifying, but it was exhilarating.
The chase. The blur of trees. The soft heartbeat I could hear beneath the soil.
When I lunged, catching the rabbit between my teeth, I felt a jolt of pure instinctive satisfaction. It wasn’t cruelty. It was survival. Nature. Balance.
As always, Kaelric let me eat first.
There was reverence in the way he watched me, ancient and vulnerable.
After two hours of running through the woods together, weaving between the trees, we made our way back to my house and jumped through the open window.
Kaelric coaxed me through shifting back to my form, his voice steady as he talked me through each breath. It hurt, but it was less painful this time, like my bones remembered the way.
I took a quick shower, scrubbing away dirt and fur, brushing my teeth, and trying to smooth my wild hair before seeing my family. My reflection looked the same, yet everything beneath my skin felt different.
My mom had dinner ready, and I was surprised to find that I was still hungry. Ravenous, actually. The table was covered in warm dishes and candlelight, and the familiar smell of pumpkin made my chest tighten with nostalgia.
Just as we were sitting down to eat, there was a knock at the door.
My mom glanced at Kaelric and me holding hands, and her face fell a little. “Oh, Cassian normally comes for dinner on this night, but?—”
“Cassian is welcome,” Kaelric said, smoothly and sincere.
My heart melted a little. I knew the two men were friends, but there was a sore spot where I was concerned. Tonight, Kaelric didn’t flinch from it. He leaned in.
“I’ll get him,” I said. I set my fork down and walked over to open the door.
