#Chapter37 Violet

Theodore The icy cold of the lake shocked me out of my shift, dousing the heat that had been driving me closer and closer to madness all night. I stroked up towards the weak light of dawn and climbed out. The scent of blood filled the air. My skin prickling in the cold. The buck lay nearby along with several other bloody, murdered deer, a few rabbit, and a fox. I climbe dout, panting and look into my shimmering reflection, hating it. I should be better than this. My father used to do the same thing, disappearing into the wilds every so often as my mother lay dying. I’d hated him for it—hated that he’d chosen this over releasing her. I hated even more how I humanizing it was to have to experience the unyielding push of the mating drive and having to be grateful that he had chosen this rather than force himself on her any longer. Violet’s face hovered in my mind, her strength drawing me in even as her words pushed me away. It would be so easy… I clenched my fists and push