Page 62 of Ruthless Alpha Beast

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But never again.

Then I slam my fist, and for a second, it feels good until I feel pain.

The pain is light, but it’s enough for me to retract my hand and nurse it with the other.

Was that a good idea?

No.

Do I feel better?

Yes.

If only a little.

I turn around and stare out hopelessly into the night.

What the hell am I doing with my life?

I sigh, think about sitting down, and then notice something strange in the sky. It’s far away, but I can see it all right.

Something large and shadowy, a milky white. A cloud?

But it can’t be.

I squint my eyes to get a better look, but it’s blurry, still so far away.

I step forward, and beneath my feet a small twig snaps.

It pauses. Turns, and then its smoke-like body is heading my way.

What the hell is that?

It looks monstrous.

Panic rises in my chest, and I look for an escape but realize I have no idea where I am.

How did I get here again?

I freeze. With no idea where to go, I’ve somehow decided that I don’t know how to move.

I want to, but my body doesn’t budge.

The monster is here now, contorting and shifting with every second, its shadowy body like a mixture of flesh and smoke.

The thing is huge, all beast.

I step back a little.

Now I recognize what it is. The monsters that Jasper warned me about.

My heart is pumping out of my chest. The monster dips down low, headed for my face, and with nowhere to run, I stumble back.

My shoe catches onto something, and I fall to the forest floor.

It didn't expect me to go down, and so it glides above me, the floor offering a narrow escape.

I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. Adrenaline spurs me to go, but I know that if I run, it’ll chase me.

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