Are You Ready?

The moment Gray opened his eyes, the room around him came into sharp, chaotic focus. Thick tree branches twisted tightly around his arms, legs, and torso, pinning him to the remains of his bed. The cabin was a disaster—deep claw marks raked across the walls, broken furniture scattered everywhere, and chunks of the wooden floor splintered as though a beast had raged unchecked. 

It didn't take much to piece it together. His werewolf instincts had taken over during the two weeks he had been submerged in that internal battle. Whatever his physical body had endured, it had clearly pushed him to the brink of madness. These branches, no doubt the work of Paddy, had been his saving grace. 

But his attention was quickly drawn to the muffled shouting from outside. 

Through the cabin walls, Gray could make out voices—familiar ones. 

"Two *days* on the mainland, and he still hasn't come out?" Dawn's voice was sharp, his frustration palpable.