I was suffocating under the close proximity , the maddening pull of him - the way his scent , wild and furious , wrapped around me , binding tighter than any chain . A scent I shouldn't have even been able to pick up through the heavy perfume I wore … yet I did . For the first time ever .. t I didn't know if I wanted to break free . What's happening to me ? Confusion , fear , longing … they all collided inside me . Just as the air between us crackled with something dark and dangerous , something neither of us could name , a violent roar tore through the forest . 1 jerked my head toward the sound , heart hammering A massive shadow crashed through the trees , charging toward us with terrifying speed . Huge Snarling a bear ! " I yelled , as it barreled straight for us Ronan's wolf moved firs With a savage snarl , he released me and hurled himself at the bear , teeth flashing in the dim light The two beasts collided with a sickening thud , snarls and roars exploding through the clearing Half an hour bled away as I moved through the tangled wilderness , tracking faint hoof prints in the muddy earth , broken branches , and the heavy musky scent only one creature could leave behind . A bison . While I kept hearing the howls of other Alphas that kept coming from the distance one by one . It was a victory howl Someone had completed their hunt and already returned ! Finally , as the sky shifted from inky black to deep navy , heralding the coming dawn , I found it . A bison . It loomed ahead , massive , brutal - its breath steaming in the cold air as it pawed the ground , ready to charge at the slightest threat Its sheer size made my stomach clench . I took a careful step forward and felt my heart sink . In my human form , I didn't stand a chance . Not against that . A direct hit from its horns would shatter every bone in my body , i clenched my fists . I had two choices- Shift or fail . Failure meant elimination Failure meant being dragged out of the Academy in defeat . Failure meant returning to my pack and becoming someone's Luna . Unacceptable . I locked my eyes on the beast , my decision made . I would take it down , no matter the cost . Glancing around , I checked for other Alphas Nothing No scent No sound but the restless wind . Chapter 21 A Shadow Satisfied that I was alone , I quickly stripped off my clothes and hid them behind a fallen tree . Breathless , I let the shift take over . Bones cracked , flesh stretched . And then Phina burst free . I stood on four powerful legs , white fur gleaming in the dim light . The world sharpened - the scents richer , the earth more alive under my paws . Locking my wolf's bright eyes onto the bison , I crouched low , muscles coiling , ready to strike . Time to hunt . When suddenly , a faint sound snapped my head around From the shrubs - a shadow moved . My heart slammed into my Someone was there . Watching . Since when … ?