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Fated Attraction

As Eliot navigated the busy downtown streets, the tension in the air was evident. Like an unsaid order, the echoes of his metamorphosis echoed through his body, pulling him in the direction of something—someone—that he was yet unable to comprehend.

Even though the streets were crowded, he seemed to be filtering out the outside world since his perceptions had changed. The sounds of the city subsided into a murmur. Clouded by the strange dream, his mind kept returning to the woman—Leah.

His thoughts kept returning to her whenever he attempted to concentrate on anything else. To the tug. The unmistakable bond that had clung to him as they looked at each other. It was far more than a simple attraction. He was powerless to stop it since it had an electric, raw, and ancient quality.

As he entered the café, the door chimed. When he noticed her seated near the window, his breath hitched. The woman that plagued him as he slept was the same one he had dreamed about.

Despite Leah's back being turned, there was no denying their enthusiasm. As Eliot approached her, his heart thumped in his chest, drawn to her as if he were being held to her by an unseen force.

Their eyes met once more as she turned, and that magnetic force shot through him like a lightning strike. Her response was quick, and she tensed. She didn't grin. She remained silent. There was enough tension between them to pierce.

"Are you keeping up with me?" She spoke in a low, reserved tone.

Eliot swallowed, heart pounding. "I... I feel as though I've known you for a long time, but I'm not sure what's going on. I feel as though I should be here.

As though gauging her escape, Leah's eyes tightened and darted to the door. "You're not correct. I don't know you.

Eliot wasn't certain he believed her, though. He had a gut feeling that they were connected. because they had shared a common experience. Something they didn't really comprehend.

The weight of an unspoken truth seemed to change the air once more before he could reply. There was something sinister lurking on the edge of his consciousness. Something hazardous.

The snarl followed.

Vibrating across the air, low, guttural. Eliot's heart pounded in his chest as his muscles stiffened. It wasn't from the café or the street. It was... near.

Leah's face lost its color. "We must depart. Right now.

However, it was too late.

The snarl returned, stronger this time, as soon as they were outdoors. In the shadows, just out of the lamps' range, a black figure moved. Every hair on the back of Eliot's neck stood on point as his senses blazed. There was a problem, something much more serious than either of them.

Leah firmly took hold of his arm. She said in a quiet, desperate voice, "Stay close."

The thing leaped out of the shadows before Eliot could even respond. It had eyes that flashed a dangerous crimson, and it was big—too big for a human. It growled, exposing rows of sharp fangs that shone in the low light.

With terrified eyes, Leah drew Eliot away. "Go!"

However, Eliot didn't require a second explanation. He was carried toward the alley by his feet, which were moving more quickly than his brain could comprehend. Leah was directly behind him, and her presence stood in stark contrast to the turmoil he was experiencing. His body resisted the tremendous impulse to shift, while his mind jumbled.

Eliot's heart pounded in his ears as they turned the bend. The creature's snarl echoed through the night, and he could feel it closing up on them. His heart seemed to pulse in time with the roar, and his skin pricked. The proximity was too near.

In human shape, he was unable to outrun it. But the beast he could not contain, the wolf inside him, was coming to life.

Leah gave him a quick glance as her eyes widened in insight. "You have no idea what you're up against."

Eliot's body quivered as the metamorphosis advanced more quickly than he could manage. In the span of a breath, his body tore apart and reformed, his bones shifting and shattering with pain. His senses seemed to be growing more acute than before. There was nothing to stop the wolf from rising to the surface.

It was too close to the beast. However, the first blow arrived before Eliot could completely move. He flew backward into the brick wall as a strong, clawed hand swiped across his chest. He was out of breath from the impact, and his vision briefly became blurry.

Leah ran toward him and yelled. Her speed was unnatural, and she knocked the thing back with such power that Eliot was dazed.

She said, "Get up!" in a desperate, raw voice. "You must fight even though you're not ready!"

With his wolf instincts taking over, Eliot gritted his teeth and forced himself to endure the pain. He was still unprepared, but the metamorphosis was complete. His mind was hazy from the surge of primordial force, and his limbs were unsteady.

With its claws aimed toward Leah, the beast rushed once more.

Leah moved quickly, deliberately, and with control. She battled and moved in a way that Eliot could see was instinctive. However, he was baffled as to why she felt so at ease during the altercation. Why did she remain so composed in the face of peril?

Eliot's thoughts were racing as the beast turned to face her, its red eyes glimmering with hunger. Though he wasn't prepared, he could feel the wolf tearing at his thoughts. Not quite yet. He lacked the strength to restrain it.

He yelled, "Leah!" but she ignored him. Rather, she confronted the beast directly, and Eliot sensed a sinister force emanating from her even from his own position.

She easily dodged beneath its arm as the thing swiped at her, moving too quickly for it to follow. She knocked it off balance by slamming her elbow into its side. Eliot briefly realized that the beast was more than a simple predator. Something calculated, something intelligent, was in its gaze.

Still getting used to the wolf's strength, Eliot took a step forward. He made himself stand up straight, but his legs shook under him. He couldn't allow this beast to harm Leah, yet he was still too human in many respects. Taking what was already his was not something he could allow.

He snarled and attacked, his claws automatically outstretched. The beast twisted with unnatural speed as he aimed for its back, deflecting his blow and knocking him to the ground. He struck the ground hard, and the world whirled.

His thoughts begged him to stand up and defend himself, but the change had left him too confused. He didn't have complete control over the wolf.

Sharp and forceful, Leah's voice echoed. "You must keep it under control! Pay attention!

As Eliot focused on the creature, everything else faded into the background and his vision grew narrower. He wanted restraint, but he could feel the wolf pushing him to shred and tear. Inside him, the beast screamed, demanding to be let go.

Sensing his change, the creature turned to face him. Its posture stiffened as it snarled. Then it started talking.

"You're not strong enough," it growled. "This isn't your battle."

Eliot stopped. It wasn't just an animal voice.

Eliot's concentration was broken by the creature's remarks, which rang out in his head like a thunderclap. The glint of recognition in its eyes caught his attention as he gave it another look.

Eliot said, his words tinged with disbelief, "I know you."

With its fangs too sharp to be natural, the monster flashed a sly smile. "Boy, you're not the only one with memories that are stuck in the past."

His heart skipped a beat. His surroundings seemed far away and surreal. Did this happen to be one of them? Like him? A wolf in competition?

Eliot shook his head, attempting to dispel the confusion in his mind. "Who are you?"

The creature grinned more. "I will be the one to ensure that you never remember."

Something twisted deep inside Eliot, a memory struggling to get to the surface, and a piercing ache pierced his chest. Clinging to his chest, he gasped.

Leah's voice broke the mist. "No, Eliot. Never pay attention to him!

However, it was too late. With its claws extended, the beast was already on the move once more.

Before Eliot's thoughts could react, his body did. Eliot let go of all that had previously made him human, and the wolf charged forward, stronger than ever.

With its claws pointed at Leah's throat, the beast attacked. Eliot's eyes turned crimson. The last traces of Eliot's control vanished as the wolf inside him rose to the surface.

He hurried forward mindlessly, his body shifting with each step. His wolf form burst into being, domineering, fierce, and powerful. His eyes narrowed as he concentrated on the monster, and the air changed as his senses became more acute.

He roared as his claws slashed through the air, confronting the thing. The force of the two collisions blasted shockwaves across the air.

rips down the alley.

As the fight between the two wolves played out in front of her, Leah watched in startled stillness. Eliot was no longer the man he used to be; it was a struggle for survival and supremacy.

However, the creature wasn't either.

Eliot's heart thumped in his chest as the two creatures engaged in conflict. He was fighting for more than just his life. He was fighting for his soul.

And the truth was starting to come out—the truth that had been kept from him for so long.

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