Initiation (Wolf Blood Academy Book 1) by RaShelle Workman (best book club books for discussion txt) 📕

slow motion. I knew our fight looked like the others, a ferocious tangle of fur and teeth, barking and whining. His teeth went for my throat and pierced my skin.

I tried to fight him off, afraid of what was happening. Did he intend to kill me? It felt like it. Warm blood leaked from my wounds as he pinned me down once more, growling deeply. “Wyatt, stop,” I tried again with my mouth. Then shouted in my mind, you win!

Wyatt shook his head as though unsure what to do, but he bit me again, this time sinking his teeth into my other shoulder.

Pain radiated through my arm.

In the face of his fury and my agony, there came a snap inside my head. Human worries faded into the background, and the wolf took control. She—I wanted Wyatt to stop, to get away from me show him I wasn’t to be dominated. I rolled to get away and jumped to my feet. We were practically nose to nose. He barked and snapped.

I wasn’t having that. My anger became furious, and so big it seemed to leave my body, rise, and hover above me.

What the holy hell? A monster from the Shade! How are you doing that? Wyatt said into my mind as he backed away.

Doing what? I was confused. There was a snap, like a rubber band inside my head. My anger was replaced with confusion, and I lowered my head, submitting to Wyatt. Because I just wanted the whole frightening moment to be over.

The coliseum was quiet for one breath and then two.

Finally, my dad said, “The winner is Wyatt Wright.”

The crowd clapped slowly as though confused. In a few beats, it got louder and louder.

I breathed in a quick breath. I did it, I thought. I shifted, and it wasn’t that bad. All I felt was relief. I glanced at Wyatt, but he was already out of the cage and trotting away.

Without understanding, I trotted off the field and back into my little enclosure.

As soon as my door shut and the locked clicked, I glanced over at Fallon. He was changed back into his human form and wearing his clothes once again. “How did you do that?” he asked, his voice hovering between disgust and awe.

I shook my head. “What?” I tried to ask, but the word came out garbled.

“When you shifted, it was the craziest thing. It looked like one of the spirits of the monsters from the Shade Rasa came out of you. Like you possessed its spirit, or it possessed you.” He shuddered and went over to his bench, sitting down, but kept his focus on me. “There’s been speculation that using the power of the monster whose blood we possess should be possible, but you’ve proven it.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Maybe it’s because you’re a silver wolf. That’s like the rarest wolf color in existence. I thought they were myths or just fairy tales.” A wondrous smile crossed over his lips. “Apparently not.” Fallon carefully came back over to the cage. “Did you see the spirit of that monster—I think it was a lupangus—hovering above your head? I swear it was going to kill Wyatt.”

“I wasn’t,” I said, feeling defensive even though there was a part of me that had felt murderous. After a deep breath, I swallowed. “Tell me more about the spirit thing,” I tried to add, but it came out garbled and growly. Damn wolf couldn’t speak.

Fallon tilted his head to one side. “Not sure what you said there, but yeah, the spirit thing was outlined in blue and looked ominous, like a cross between a snake and a wolf. I’m thinking lupangus, but I could be wrong.” He paced and mumbled, rattling off different things that made no sense to me, and I got the feeling he was a total monster blood nerd.

Some kids have a thing for dinosaurs, trains, or even video games. This guy… I barked, hoping that would stop the gibberish.

He clamped his mouth shut and came in close. “You didn’t feel the spirit?”

“No,” I began, and then just shook my head. Now that I was shifted into my wolf, I had no idea how to turn back. Not to mention the places where Wyatt bit me stung.

“That’s crazy. Theoretically, I guess it’s possible. There’s a one in twenty-two thousand five-hundred-and-five chance the spirit was just there and showed itself at the exact right moment…” He let his voice trail off, but not for long.

I couldn’t listen to him anymore. All I could think about was Wyatt and why he’d almost killed me. I wanted to ask Fallon why being a silver wolf was a big deal, but he was too focused on the monsters.

In the back of my mind, I heard my father speaking to the crowd.

More clapping.

Then the noises faded, and I guessed people were leaving.

After a while, the guy who'd led us to our prison cells passed in front of them and opened the doors. When he reached Fallon, he pressed open the cage. “Mutant by association,” he said.

Fallon stopped rambling, glanced over, and then shrugged. “I don’t know that girl, which makes me no more of a mutant than you.”

“Watch yourself, initiate. Calling me names will get you thrown out,” he seethed, speaking between clenched teeth.

Fallon hung his head. “Fine.”

Then the guy came over to me. “Definitely a mutant. Dean Valene must be so proud.” He laughed harshly. “No wonder no one knew he had a kid.”

I didn’t respond, not that I could anyway, in my wolf form, but I waited anxiously for him to unlock my door.

He just looked at it. “You want out?”

I heard myself whine.

“Too bad. Since this was your first time shifting into your wolf, it might take days before you change back. Of course, then you’ll have failed your initiation.” He snorted and came in so close I could smell his stinky breath. “Do yourself a favor and just stay in here. The sooner you’re expunged from the program, the better.