Lyra's POV
Fire raced through my veins as my bones snapped and reformed. The agony of fur sprouting from my skin made me want to scream.
"Shift back."
The torture reversed itself. My wolf form dissolved, leaving me gasping on my hands and knees as human skin replaced the protective coat of fur.
"Again."
"Jesus," I rasped, collapsing forward. Sweat dripped from my forehead onto the gym mat beneath me. "Can you give me just one second to breathe?"
I heard footsteps approaching across the rubber flooring.
A shadow fell over me as someone knelt beside my trembling form. I forced my head up to meet Alaric's intense silver eyes.
"This rapid-shift technique works exceptionally well with younger wolves," he murmured, his voice surprisingly gentle. "It pushes your body to adapt faster and forces acceptance of the transformation. It's brutal, but effective."
My lungs burned with each ragged breath. "How many more times before it actually works?"
