The moment seemed ripe for release, and with a trained swiftness, Marisol's body contorted into a blur of fur, embodying the untamed spirit of her wolf. The ground beneath her paws blurs as she sprints wildly, each leap pushing her closer to a semblance of freedom. Yet, even in the wild abandon of her wolf's run, the echoes of her fears lingered.

Exhaustion eventually catches up with her, both as a wolf and a human. She shifts back to her human form with short heaving breaths. The ...