The breath hitched in my throat as the presence in the shadows drew closer. Instinct screamed at me to run, but I had no idea where I was, and my body was too frail to fight. I clenched my fists, forcing my mind to work through the panic.
A growl. Low, guttural, primal.
A beast.
The bushes parted, revealing eyes like molten gold staring at me. A wolf, larger than any I had ever seen, its black fur rippling with unnatural shadows. Magic clung to it like mist, tendrils of darkness curling from its paws. It was hunting me.
My heart pounded. Run? No. It would tear me apart before I could take three steps. Hide? Impossible. I was exposed, vulnerable. Fight? I had no weapon. No power. Nothing.
Nothing except my mind.
Think. Think.
The memories of this new body whispered to me. This world had rules, laws of magic and survival. And deep within me, something stirred. A flicker of power—faint, but real.
The wolf lunged.
Instinct took over. I threw my hands up, and the air around me cracked. A pulse, invisible yet violent, exploded outward. The wolf halted mid-leap, its body jerking as if something had slammed into it. It tumbled to the ground, snarling in confusion.
I stared at my hands. My pulse raced, but it wasn't fear anymore. It was exhilaration.
Power.
It was weak, barely enough to stagger a single beast, but it was there. I had magic. A chance. A weapon.
The wolf wasn't finished. It rose, shaking itself, those golden eyes locking onto me once more. But this time, I wasn't frozen.
This time, I had a plan.