Morgan's PoV
Melanie stands before me, her breath coming out in short puffs of fear that mirror my own labored breaths.
"Morgan," she breathes, her voice barely above a whisper, "Is that really you or have I completely lost my fucking mind?"
I can feel the weight of her gaze on my fur-covered form, heavy with shock, curiosity, and something else- something that tightens my newly changed heart in its cage of ribs. I stand here in front of her as still as possible, so as not to spook her. My eyes, still green but now luminous, hold hers.
Her hands flutter to her mouth, a dam against the scream or gasp that never comes. Instead, her eyes search mine, seeking the man she knows within the beast before her.
"Is this why you've stayed away from the world? Why you hide?" Her questions are muffled against her hands, piercing the thick tension between us.