Prowl (Winter Pass Wolves Book 3) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Vivian Wood, Amelie Hunt
an accident."
Her uncle rose from his seat with a smirk that spoke volumes. So… not an accident, then. Apparently Avery wasn't the only one with devious intentions, playing the long game.
"Come."
Her uncle led her out of the War Room, startling henchmen and secretaries alike who were hovering by the door, no doubt listening in to every word. Her uncle's face dropped into a scowl and everyone else melted away as if by magic. Avery followed him numbly, out of the command center and across the Compound yard. Her uncle drew to a stop in front of one of the smaller, unused concrete bunkers that would theoretically someday house a specialized unit of Hunter forces.
Her uncle pressed a fingertip to the biometric reader and leaned forward to allow the security computer to scan his retinas as well. With a mechanical whir, the thick steel door swung open a few inches, beckoning.
Even from outside, there is no way to miss the furious snarls coming from inside the building.
Her uncle opened the door, ushering Avery inside. The motion-activated lights flicked on one by one, harsh gray halogen beaming down onto a gleaming wire cage that covered perhaps an eight foot by eight foot area. Inside the cage was the biggest wolf Avery had ever seen up close. He was black as midnight and nearly frothing with fury as he paced back and forth, bright yellow eyes trained on them.
She'd seen werewolves in person a time or two of course, being a Hunter and all, but this one… There is something very different about this wolf. He was… not right. Unnatural, even in the context of werewolves.
Avery could only stare as her uncle continued their conversation from the war room.
"This lovely creature is for you, Avery. Well, more for your child than for your personal edification."
"My— my child?" Avery asked.
"It won't be easy, of course. We've already made all the adjustments we can to wolf boy here, but the scientists assure me that a few prenatal surgeries will achieve the results we want." Her uncle pause, raking his gaze over Avery's form. Looking for weakness. "As I said, this project is very important. Not only will he give us the first of many enhanced shifters that we plan to create, it will also prove your loyalty to the Hunters once more. It might even save your life."
He let that hang in the air for a long time, let his words soak into Avery’s skin. She held in her shudder, unable to respond. It took a moment to get her thoughts together.
"When?" was all Avery asked. Saying anything more would certainly give her away.
Surprise flitted across her uncle's expression before the corners of his lips lifted. He sensed victory, Avery could tell.
"There are three days until the next full moon. We’ll have your implant taken out today, make sure you're ready. Not that you'll be allowed to shift," her uncle said hastily, noting the moment of unabashed excitement that Avery couldn't hide. "Shifting is a death sentence here, Avery. All the guards know that they are to shoot to kill on sight. We just need to take the implant out to make sure that you’re fertile. We'd like to accomplish this in as few takes as possible, as I imagine you will as well."
Avery trembled, and her uncle gave her a genuine grin.
"I'll leave you to two introduce yourselves…" her uncle said with a shrug, turning and heading outside. Leaving Avery with the huge, angry werewolf.
To her surprise, the second her uncle was gone the wolf calmed. He walked right up to where Avery stood, careful not to touch the razor-sharp wire of the cage. He sat, the gesture almost polite, cocking his head as he looked up at Avery.
"Hey," Avery said, crouching before him. From this close up, she could tell that the wolf easily had hundred pounds on her. He was awesome in the truest sense of the word.
The wolf shocked her a second time by shifting, the popping and cracking of his bones reshaping making Avery flinch. He quickly pulled his knees up to cover his own nudity, his
Her uncle rose from his seat with a smirk that spoke volumes. So… not an accident, then. Apparently Avery wasn't the only one with devious intentions, playing the long game.
"Come."
Her uncle led her out of the War Room, startling henchmen and secretaries alike who were hovering by the door, no doubt listening in to every word. Her uncle's face dropped into a scowl and everyone else melted away as if by magic. Avery followed him numbly, out of the command center and across the Compound yard. Her uncle drew to a stop in front of one of the smaller, unused concrete bunkers that would theoretically someday house a specialized unit of Hunter forces.
Her uncle pressed a fingertip to the biometric reader and leaned forward to allow the security computer to scan his retinas as well. With a mechanical whir, the thick steel door swung open a few inches, beckoning.
Even from outside, there is no way to miss the furious snarls coming from inside the building.
Her uncle opened the door, ushering Avery inside. The motion-activated lights flicked on one by one, harsh gray halogen beaming down onto a gleaming wire cage that covered perhaps an eight foot by eight foot area. Inside the cage was the biggest wolf Avery had ever seen up close. He was black as midnight and nearly frothing with fury as he paced back and forth, bright yellow eyes trained on them.
She'd seen werewolves in person a time or two of course, being a Hunter and all, but this one… There is something very different about this wolf. He was… not right. Unnatural, even in the context of werewolves.
Avery could only stare as her uncle continued their conversation from the war room.
"This lovely creature is for you, Avery. Well, more for your child than for your personal edification."
"My— my child?" Avery asked.
"It won't be easy, of course. We've already made all the adjustments we can to wolf boy here, but the scientists assure me that a few prenatal surgeries will achieve the results we want." Her uncle pause, raking his gaze over Avery's form. Looking for weakness. "As I said, this project is very important. Not only will he give us the first of many enhanced shifters that we plan to create, it will also prove your loyalty to the Hunters once more. It might even save your life."
He let that hang in the air for a long time, let his words soak into Avery’s skin. She held in her shudder, unable to respond. It took a moment to get her thoughts together.
"When?" was all Avery asked. Saying anything more would certainly give her away.
Surprise flitted across her uncle's expression before the corners of his lips lifted. He sensed victory, Avery could tell.
"There are three days until the next full moon. We’ll have your implant taken out today, make sure you're ready. Not that you'll be allowed to shift," her uncle said hastily, noting the moment of unabashed excitement that Avery couldn't hide. "Shifting is a death sentence here, Avery. All the guards know that they are to shoot to kill on sight. We just need to take the implant out to make sure that you’re fertile. We'd like to accomplish this in as few takes as possible, as I imagine you will as well."
Avery trembled, and her uncle gave her a genuine grin.
"I'll leave you to two introduce yourselves…" her uncle said with a shrug, turning and heading outside. Leaving Avery with the huge, angry werewolf.
To her surprise, the second her uncle was gone the wolf calmed. He walked right up to where Avery stood, careful not to touch the razor-sharp wire of the cage. He sat, the gesture almost polite, cocking his head as he looked up at Avery.
"Hey," Avery said, crouching before him. From this close up, she could tell that the wolf easily had hundred pounds on her. He was awesome in the truest sense of the word.
The wolf shocked her a second time by shifting, the popping and cracking of his bones reshaping making Avery flinch. He quickly pulled his knees up to cover his own nudity, his
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