"What's happening?" Marinah asks.

"Don't move at all," Beck tells her.

Pain explodes at their voices and Beast gains another inch of my control. With unwavering concentration, I force my bones to reknit, the K-5 to recede, and my eyesight to readjust. Minute by minute the pain lessens and my human side gains ground. Beast gives a last internal grumble and pulls back. My teenage struggles with Beast were never this difficult.

After what seems like an eternity, I'm ...