My Hockey Alpha novel Chapter 481

Nina

I watched with bated breath as the weathered village leader, whose name I had learned was Kai, walked up to the hut where my friends and I were being held. As the others murmured amongst themselves, I kept my gaze fixed on the old leader.

“Sir, please, you have to listen,” I said as soon as he opened the door. “We have to-”

“Let me show you what happens to those who venture into Mila’s palace.”

Kai’s voice was low and steady, but his eyes were filled with the look of someone who had been through much in his life. I swallowed, pulling my shoulders back. “Show me,” I replied as calmly as I could muster.”

“Follow me.”

Kai didn’t turn to face me as we wove our way through the small homes and cooking fires. The distrustful stares from the villagers seemed to burn into the back of my neck, but I kept following the weathered old leader.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked, pushing aside some plant fronds on the pathway.

“There was only one who made it out of her palace alive,” Kai explained, his voice nearly lost beneath the vibrant sounds of the forest. “We have had to hold him apart from the rest of the village, because he’s too dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” I murmured, quirking an eyebrow.

Kai merely grunted in response.

Finally, we reached the small hut on the outskirts of the village. Kai gestured for me to enter first, his expression unreadable. Steeling myself, I brushed past him and stepped inside.

The dim interior of the hut reeked of hot animal musk, nearly causing me to gag. In the corner, a large shape shifted restlessly, letting out a low, rumbling growl that set my nerves on edge.

As my eyes adjusted, I made out the unmistakable form of a massive panther, its lips curled back to reveal yellowed fangs.

“Moon Goddess,” I breathed, instinctively taking a step back. The beast’s eyes snapped towards me at the sound of my voice, registering my presence. It became clear to me, then, as I looked into its cloudy, greenish eyes, that it couldn’t see me; it could only smell and hear me. It was blind.

“Here he is,” Kai stated, his gravelly voice startling me. “The only known survivor to escape the Dragon Queen’s clutches.”

My gaze flickered between the feral panther and the village leader, realization dawning. “Is he stuck like this?” I asked. “In his animal form?”

Kai nodded solemnly. “We have tried everything to bring him back,” he said, a flicker of sorrow crossing his weathered features. “But it is as if his human mind is gone, lost to the beast within.”

Frowning, I slowly approached the panther, keeping my movements slow and steady. Up close, I could see the telltale signs of insanity written across its snarling features-the wild, uncomprehending gaze, the constant twitching and pacing, the foamy drool leaking from between its bared fangs.

It was just like the Crescent rogues all over again. Well, almost like them. But close enough.

“I think I can help,” murmured, mostly to myself.

“There is nothing you can do, wolf girl,” Kai scoffed. “Trust me; we have tried everything.”

“So what’s one more attempt?” I asked, whirling around to face the old man. “We have seen a similar affliction like this before, in our… homeland,” I explained. “And we have a cure.”

Kai furrowed his brow. “A cure?”

“Will you trust me?” I asked. “We really could help.”

“Easy, there,” I murmured, my voice as soothing as I could make it. “I’m going to help you…’

Then, before it could react, I stabbed the needle into the thick fur of its shoulder, depressing the plunger and injecting the entirety of the glowing serum.

Instantly, the panther let out an ear-splitting roar of agony, rearing back on its haunches. We scattered, putting as much distance between us and the raving beast as possible. Kai gasped, clutching his chest with one hand and his staff with the other.

The panther thrashed wildly from side to side, clawing at its face and body, thick ropes of drool slinging everywhere.

For several agonizing moments, it just raged, roaring in fury and agony. “Did it work?” Lori cried over the cacophony, her eyes wide with terror.

“My boy!” Kai growled, whirling to face me. “You’re hurting him!”

“No!” I put my hand out to stop Kai from approaching the panther. “Just… Just give it a moment!”

I watched with my heart in my throat as the panther’s movements slowly became more lethargic, its enraged yowls quieting to pitiful whimpers. Its obsidian fur seemed to bristle, then smooth out… and suddenly, the coarse hairs began to recede, melting back into newly formed skin.

We all watched in stunned silence as the creature’s form contorted grotesquely, bones crunching and realigning with sickening pops. Within moments, the panther had vanished completely, leaving behind the prone, naked form of a middle-aged man collapsed on the dirt floor.

A human.

Kai let out a strangled gasp, his hand flying to his mouth as he stared at the unconscious figure. “…Isaac?” he rasped, his voice barely above a whisper as he took a stumbling step forward.