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“I’m not a child and I’m trying to understand your species. This thing is like a virus. Tell me, is there any way to cure it?”

Maddock huffed. “It is not a virus. You cannot cure a species. Only the transitioned call it that.”

“What kind of species alters its host?”

Raine glanced at Maddock. “I will explain the origins of the shadow shifters once we determine your animal.”

She stomped to the open area in the middle of the circle. “Fine. Let’s get this over with. Let’s resume the trial. I want to know what I’m dealing with.”

Raine joined her in the middle of the ring. “Remove your shoes.”

He pulled off his leather boots and unbuttoned his jeans at the top. Dark hair peeked through the partially buttoned fly.

Dannika tried not to be distracted by his perfect, half-naked form, but something inside her rose to appraise the sexy male about to attack her. The instinct to bite, claw, and mark him was primal.

Her face remained like stone as she ran fighting scenarios in her head. She was small and quick. He wouldn’t expect her to scratch him.

She removed her shoes, flexing her toes on the grass. Even the ground felt different. There were rocks and branches mixed with fallen leaves, but nothing hurt. Her skin was thicker, tougher, and she was about to find out the magnitude of those differences.

Raine walked around her. “Are you ready, Dannika? This doesn’t end until your animal emerges. It could take seconds, hours, or days. As your mentor, I am—"

“Do not call yourself that,” she interrupted. “You are not my mentor. You might be my teacher. My captor. But never my mentor.”

Raine narrowed his eyes. “Would you prefer master?”

She huffed. “You wish.”

Raine returned to the opposite end of the circle. “Call me what you wish, but I alone am in charge of your training.”

“Prick,” she whispered under her breath.

The snorts and chuckles surrounding them alerted her to the reality of shadow hearing.

Raine’s shadow warrior emerged, but it was a shadow form of a clan member. He kept the alpha shadow locked down.

Ryder leaned toward Steele. “I could never hold my alpha back when he emerged, could you?”

Steele shook his head. “No. I challenged for leadership that same year. Raine isn’t struggling. His control is impressive.”

Dannika blocked out the surrounding conversation. She reached for the dark form inside her. The strange hunger that accompanied the shadows rose with the immortal power. The feeling of invincibility was addicting and scary.

She focused on the predator before her. Her prey. Her prize.

The mist that rose from his body distorted a split second before he attacked. She filed the information away as she dropped to the ground and rolled beneath his feet, only to pop up behind him. Raine dissolved and reformed behind her, wrapping his arm around her neck.

He had her where he wanted her, but she had planned for this. She raked his arm with her claws before he hissed and snatched his arm away.

She smiled in satisfaction as silver blood dripped from his wound before it turned black and healed.

His iridescent blue eyes focused on her. “That mutation will be an asset when you fight the reapers. If you live long enough to get the chance.”

The lack of emotion in his voice chilled her heart.

His torso thinned, contorted, before his wolf emerged growling. Black mist rolled off its fur in waves of anger and retribution. This was not the man who would protect her. This was a monster that would kill her. He crouched low against the earth, baring his teeth before he launched at her.

There was a feeling of duality before the consciousness within her roared to the surface. It latched onto her soul, infusing it with primal power and anger. Her form distorted. Ripples of smoke rolled off her body before her bones liquefied and reshaped.

The world around her wavered as it imbued the darkness with variations of white light. She put her hands in front of her face to ward off the attack, but Raine knocked her to the ground. She sucked in black air as her wolf burst from her body, turning on Raine with a snarl.

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