The moon, a silent witness, cast long, dancing shadows through the ancient trees as I let Annika run. It had been too long, far too long. The demands of human university life—the endless lectures, the cramped dorm room, the constant pressure to maintain my 'normal' façade—had left precious little time for my true self.

Annika, my wolf, was a restless spirit, a vibrant pulse beneath my skin that craved the wild freedom of the forest. Every day I ignored her pleas, the tension inside me coiled tighter, a spring ready to snap. Tonight, though, the urge had become undeniable. I shed my clothes quickly, the cool night air a welcome caress against my skin, and shifted, the familiar rush of power exhilarating.

My paws pounded the soft earth, the scent of pine and damp soil filling my senses, a symphony of the wild. Annika surged forward, pure joy in every stride, weaving through the undergrowth with effortless grace. This was freedom. This was who I truly was. For a few precious hours, I could forget the lectures, the anatomy diagrams, the constant fear of discovery. I was just a wolf, running under the stars, boundless and free.