"I can't go back with you anymore," I said to Adela as I stepped out of the water.

I had followed her to the stream and had washed and scrubbed myself clean of all the blood, both dried and fresh that was on my skin and hair while she waited.

"Why is that?" she asked nonchalantly.

Why was she pretending she didn't know what was happening or what had happened? She did know, she had to. If she didn't, why wasn't she asking me?

"Can't you see? I would only cause harm to your pack. I have no control over my blood rage and at any moment I could go...