The knob turned with a faint creak under my hand, and I pushed the door open before I could stop myself. My chest heaved with shallow breaths, fear and curiosity twisting in equal measure.
And then—I saw him.
Lucian stood at the center of the wide hallway, framed by the pale crescent moonlight streaming through the tall windows. His back was bent unnaturally, every muscle trembling as though something inside him was tearing its way out. His breath came in ragged growls, deeper than any human sound I had ever heard.
My eyes widened in disbelief. His hands…no, his claws, scratched against the marble floor, leaving jagged lines as if the stone itself were butter. His shoulders bulged, bones shifting, contorting. His jaw cracked open too wide, and for one horrific, breathtaking moment, his
