Both, of course.

How could she know what the garments were truly like until she’d moved around in them?

After a quick trip back to her room, and careful avoiding of the stone that had pleased her, she’d donned the ankle-to-thigh socks, wrist-to-shoulder sleeves, belt, neck…band?, and veil. She could only bear the quickest of glances in the mirror. Her butt wasn’t too bad, but her breasts came up well short of the stunning spheres of the other women.

Cerina donned the thickest of the robes, pulled up the hood, and strolled out into the world beyond the monastery. To her delight, no one interrupted or stopped her.

Cerina moved carefully through the dense undergrowth, her robes dragging slightly along the forest floor. Each step felt heavy, the layers of her attire weighing her down—not just physically, but mentally, as though she were carrying her defiance with her. The veil over her face made the air feel warmer than it was, the fabric clinging slightly to her mouth as she breathed.

The forest around her seemed unnaturally quiet, the only sounds being the soft rustle of her robe and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot. She tried not to think of the warnings she had been given, but the words echoed faintly in her mind. The forest and the monastery are at odds. And yet, here she was, moving deeper into the forbidden woods with each step.

A flicker of movement caught her eye. She froze. Through the veil, she could make out a shape in the shadows ahead—low to the ground, moving with a predatory grace. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized it was a wolf, its green eyes luminous even in the dim light of the forest.

It didn’t snarl or growl. It just watched her, unblinking, its gaze piercing through the veil. For a moment, Cerina was struck by its beauty—the sleek, dark fur, the way its muscles rippled beneath the surface as it moved.

Then, it rose.

Cerina gasped, stumbling back a step as the wolf stood upright, its hind legs elongating, its frame stretching into something unnatural and terrifying. It wasn’t a wolf—it was a humanoid creature, its body muscular and furred, but undeniably wolf-like in its form. Its snout curled back slightly, revealing sharp teeth, and its green eyes glowed brighter now, fixed directly on her.

When it spoke, she felt a mixture of terror and jubilation. Its voice matched what she had heard inside her head.

“It’s rare to find such a good girl,” it said with a snarling smile. “One so unable to resist her urges.”