Chapter 17: Howls in the night

Talia I heard the sound again, except this time in my dreams. I ran as I was being chased by a beast of incredible size. He howled, the sound coming closer than the previous time he did it. I wanted to shift into my wolf, but I couldn't. "Pregnancy," they said. "You have to stay in your human form once you reach the end of the first trimester, or you risk a miscarriage." But I was faster in my wolf form, I thought to myself as my legs pushed faster than I could have imagined. No. I shook my head, and I heard the howl closer yet again. This time, it was accompanied by a growl, and I was immediately tackled to the ground by a force so strong it knocked the air out of me. "Uh!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I saw nothing but large yellow teeth coming for my neck. "Wake up, Talia. Nightmares are bad for the baby, don't you know?" I woke up to find Ariel looming over me. "You've had this dream twice now." "How do you know that?" I asked, sitting up from the threadbare cot.