LYDIA'S POV

　　"Nah man, I like to chase my prey. And I am telling you I am going to win this game." Aaron boasted.

　　"I don't care who catches her first, but I want the last piece of her. Just like dessert, I want her taste on my tongue for a longer time." Someone else commented and this made my body tremble.

　　So….this was his plan.

　　As I listened to their conversation, a cold dread settled in the pit of my stomach, tendrils of fear wrapping around my heart like icy fingers. I couldn't believe what I was hearing - Manu, his friends, they were all plotting against me.

　　The realization hit me like a thunderbolt, crashing down upon me with the weight of betrayal.

　　And his friends, complicit in this twisted game of theirs, their words dripping with malice and sinister intent.

　　I felt sick to my stomach, bile rising in my throat as I struggled to comprehend the depth of their depravity. They saw me as nothing more than prey, a pawn in their twisted game of power and dominance.

　　But I refused to be a victim, to succumb to their vile machinations.

　　As the realization of their true intentions sank in, a surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins, fueling my determination to break free from their grasp.

　　As I stealthily slipped away into the shadows, my heart pounding with the urgency of escape, I was suddenly overtaken by a searing pain that shot through my body like a bolt of lightning. Agony rippled through me, coursing through my veins like wildfire, threatening to consume me whole .

　　I gritted my teeth against the pain, willing myself to remain silent despite the overwhelming urge to cry out. Every fibre of my being screamed in protest. I had to keep moving, had to get as far away from the pack as possible before it was too late.

　　With each agonizing step, I felt the telltale signs of my impending shift, the beast within clawing at the confines of my human form, desperate to break free. But I couldn't afford to succumb to the transformation, not now, not when my life hung in the balance.

　　But fate had other plans, it seemed, as I collided with an obstacle in my path, a solid mass of muscle and sinew that loomed ominously before me.

　　My breath caught in my throat as I looked up to meet the cold, merciless gaze of my tormentor. Manu stood before me, his sneer dripping with malice as he taunted me with cruel amusement.

　　"Oh, what do we have here?" he jeered, his voice laced with derision. "It seems someone is trying to flee from their fate."

　　I recoiled from his mocking tone, my heart hammering in my chest as I struggled to find my voice amidst the chaos of pain and fear.

　　But as I opened my mouth to protest, to beg for mercy, I found myself unable to utter a single word.

　　"Sweetheart you are lucky you haven't shifted yet, but…since you were already on the run I consider the game has already started." As Aaron's words sank in, a wave of fear washed over me, chilling me to my core. I trembled as his icy touch sent shivers down my spine, his breath hot against my ear.

　　"No….wh-what game? I don't want to be a part of any of your games." I stuttered.

　　"Boo…it's not up to you to decide for us." The other friend stepped forward and pushed me into the arms of some other guy who I am sure was another member of Manu's gang.

　　They were playing with me, reeling in my pain and misery especially Manu.

　　I don't know what have I done to him.

　　I pleaded to let me go but it only made all of them laugh.

　　They passed me around, pushed me, called me names and described what they planned to do with me.

　　Their filthy plans and their inappropriate touches were making me weak.

　　I was sweating heavily, their vile voices turning into an echo in the back of my mind, amidst the chaos, a blinding light suddenly pierced the darkness, illuminating the scene before me.

　　I suddenly screamed and my body distorted into an unusual form, they all laughed while I writhed in pain of me shifting into my wolf form.

　　"Don't resist me my dear, let it go." I heard a new voice in my mind and I knew it was my wolf.

　　"Yes, I am Nicki your wolf. Don't underestimate yourself Lydia, just hand over the reigns to me and I will take care of everything else." She said in a calm voice and I decided to trust her.

　　I handed over the control to her and soon enough I was on my all fours, the process of shifting was still painful but my whole world transformed when I experiences my first shift.

　　Everyone looked at me with wide eyes and I could see most of them trembling while others tried to step back.

　　Are they afraid of me?

　　I I didn't have time to process what had just happened; all I could focus on was the slim opportunity for escape that had presented itself in form of their distraction. I ran once more, the sound of their pursuit echoing behind me.

　　Ignoring their curses and voices, I pushed myself harder.

　　With each stride, everything around me turned into a blur. I was amazed at my wolf's speed.

　　I thought my wolf would be weak just like me, but she is definitely not weak.

　　I pressed on, determined to outrun my pursuers.

　　When I realized that Manu was closing in on me a surge of adrenaline, I bolted forward, the urgency of my escape urging me on.

　　Summoning every ounce of strength, I pushed myself to the limit, the sound of their footsteps growing louder with each passing second. But just as I reached the edge of the territory, I knew I wouldn't make it.

　　With a final burst of energy, I willed myself back into human form, the transformation coming more easily this time. Hiding in the bushes, I held my breath, praying they wouldn't find me

　　They shouldn't stay here for long, as it's a rogue territory.

　　I felt their footsteps getting closer and heard them whispering things like how they shouldn't be here and they can always come back to look for me.

　　I don't know for how long I waited there but after finally they left I sighed in relief.

　　Exhausted and shaken, I collapsed to the ground, the weight of the night's events crashing over me. Unable to fight against the overwhelming tide, I surrendered to the darkness that beckoned, allowing it to swallow me whole but before I was about to close my eyes, I saw two new but blurry faces. I wanted to fight but something told me that I was safe now, with the pain of my first shift and exhaustion I lost the battle with my consiousness.