Bite or Howl

Chapter 23

Phoebe POV

I'm drowsy. And I'm tired. My head hangs down, chin pressed up against the centre of my collarbone where there isn't technically much of a bone. But at this very moment, I can't tell. My hands are forced upwards, clinging onto something above me as my body rakes downwards to the stone cold floor. My eyes are semi-open, fighting to keep steady but my vision is cloggy. I feel like a drunk on a hangover, no energy yet still fighting to remain humane. My legs are folded in, prompting my body up on top of them. From where my head hangs, I can see the hem of my dress, laying steadily just over my thighs as a cold breeze slowly blows on it, lifting it slightly. I let out a small laugh, feeling crazy but sensational all at the same time. Like a drug.

But then Catherine's voice comes into the ring, blowing into my ear. "Phoebe!" My drowsiness takes over me, lifting the edges of my mouth upwards and curling into a small smile. "That's my name." I mutter, smiling giddy. "Wake up, Phoebe!" Another scream from Catherine. I can almost feel a part of my body shaking me up, all shouting in some synchronisation, "Get your shit together!" But my brain is still fuzzy with a warm feeling, like beer being coated over it. Or rum. Rum, beer? I don't know anymore. But then that fuzzy feeling inside of me breaks in a snap, kicking me in the gut with reality and alert. There's this tingling feeling around me that wakes up all my senses, pulling my eyelids open. Chase. He's in trouble.

The anger and rage pours out of me, mirroring the exact emotions Chase beholds at this very second. I don't know why, but I know it's not right. I snap back into my thoughts and take in my surroundings, breathing in the familiar scent of wolf and meat. I'm in the werewolf dungeons.

"Phoebe! Thank god you're awake." Catherine sighs, pulling my attention towards her. I look over to where she sits. She's on the opposite cell to me, tied up in metal chains that cuff around her hands. Hand-cuffs. They rain up with metal chains that are engraved into the stone wall behind her, carrying her hand sup and draining all the blood from them. Catherine has always been pale, but not this pale. Her skin glows a blinding white that holds a slight blue undertone to it, alerting the blood-loss from her. "I need blood." She croaks. "Badly."

My hands are held up just like hers, hanging weakly above me. Slowly, I start to get up. My legs untangle themselves and slowly start to knee myself up. "Don't worry, Catherine." I say. "I'll help you. I'll find a way to get to you. Just drink my blood and you'll be fine." I assure her. So I think. I look behind me, the chains are engraved into the walls like Catherine's. It's held with metal bolts that weigh a ton. No human could ever possibly break them. But a werewolf could.

"Catherine." I yell, getting her attention. She looks up at me, her head hung low while her eyes sit at the very top of her eyelids as they look up at me. I whisper, "I'm gonna get us out of here." And with that, my mind reaches to the very back of me, opening the forbidden door that converts me into the monster that lives inside of me. My eyelids close and my lips part, slowly preparing myself. My bones snap in an instant, feeling as if a hole is being digged into my body. The pain is unbearing. I haven't shifted in years so my body has settled in my usual appearance. But this, this was something else.

I could feel my body slowly decomposing, transforming itself into an animal. My bones shift in my body and my blood re-circuits, moving from left to right and dragging me along with it. My breathing picks up and I can't seem to gasp for air, all I inhale is empty, cold, nothing. My fingers change to claws. My ears turn up straight. My nose turns into a snout. And my body turns into a wolf.

Catherine sits there, perplexed and fixated onto the floor. Her eyes grow wide and she swallows down her saliva, creating a loud gulping sound. The air is thick around me and I can hear my heavy breathing. "Phoebe?" She whimpers. I slowly nod, reassuring her. My wolf isn't scary like Felix's. Felix is a lycan, more physically fit and dominant. Mine is more sweet yet I'm sure Catherine has never seen someone shift into a wolf before. It must have been a lot for her. Slowly, I step forward. My back feet are connected to the chains so I plan to run forward and rip it along with me. Taking a step forward, I grind my front paw against the dungeon floor before pouncing forward with all my strength. The chains hold onto my paws, seeping into my skin as I jump forward, tearing it open. I howl in agony but push harder, gripping the chains with my paw and pulling harder. Catherine's eyelids slowly close as she weakens. The color on her face drains along with her energy.