Marco lept forward, now a huge wolf. His silver pelt was almost glowing in the firelight, his eyes a brilliant orange. Lavinia fell back, unable to break her fall as Marco’s heavy paws landed on her shoulders.

Her head hit the ground with a resounding crack. Spots of color blossomed in front of her eyes, almost blinding her. The room seemed to go quiet. Lavinia felt like she was underwater; everything around her was a mess, a blur of action.

A low rumble brought ...