Chapter 9. The Wall

The walls seemed to close in on her. The air became suffocating, making it difficult for her to draw a breath amidst the torrent of tears flowing down her cheeks.

Much-needed oxygen was stuck in her throat, unable to make its way down to her lungs. She clawed at her neck, gasping in pain from the strenuous effort.

Her shoulders began to shake forcefully as memories slammed into her. Memories that she had fought so hard to push into a locked folder of her mind.

"Manara! Take Cinnia inside, now!" She remembered her dad yelling.

Her father had turned into his spotted brown wolf before her very eyes for the first time since she was born and attacked the snarling wolves advancing on him.

Amongst the wolves was one man, his face twisted in a sick grin. Peeking from the window after her mother ran out to help her dad, she saw him for a split second before he transformed into a hulking coal-black wolf and shattered her father's ribs.

That split second was enough