Trees whipped past like dark slashes.
Kael's legs burned. Lungs burned worse. Every breath pulled smoke deeper into his chest.
The fire from the flares hadn't spread far yet—but the smell clung. Acrid. Wrong.
Liora ran ahead—sure-footed, quiet. She didn't look back to check if he followed. She just trusted he would.
He did.
Not because he wanted to.
Because stopping meant thinking about the scream that had cut off behind them.
His mother's scream.
They broke through the thick pines into a narrow ravine. Moonlight barely reached here—shadows thick on the ground. Liora slowed. Stopped. Hand on a tree trunk. Breathing hard but controlled.
Kael stumbled up beside her. Dropped to one knee. Hands in the dirt. Claws still half-out—retracting slow, like they resented leaving.
He stared at them. At the blood crusted under the nails.
Liora crouched in front of him. Close but not touching.
"You okay?"
He laughed—short, cracked. "No."
She didn't push. Just waited.
Kael dragged a hand across his face. Smearing dirt and blood. "She's dead."
Liora didn't answer right away.
Then: "Maybe."
Kael looked up. Sharp. "What?"
"She shifted full. In front of everyone. Darius didn't expect it." Liora's voice stayed low. "She bought us time. That's all I know for sure."
Kael's throat closed. "She told me to run."
"And you did."
"I left her."
"You're alive."
He snarled—low, animal. Stood fast. Paced three steps. Stopped. Paced back.
Liora stayed crouched. Watching.
"I should have stayed," he said. "Fought with her."
"You would've died."
"Maybe that's better."
She stood then. Slow. Stepped into his path.
"No," she said. Firm. "It's not."
Kael met her eyes. "You don't get to decide that."
"I get to decide I'm not watching you throw yourself away tonight."
Silence. Heavy. Wind moved the branches above them.
Kael looked away first. "Why are you still here?"
Liora exhaled. "Because I'm an idiot."
He almost smiled. Didn't quite make it.
She continued. "Because Darius will burn the whole territory looking for you now. Because hunters won't stop. Because you're the only one who can end this—whatever *this* is."
Kael rubbed his wrist where the chain had been. Skin still raw under the bandage she'd put on earlier.
"And because," she added softer, "I don't want to be alone when it all falls apart."
Kael studied her.
She looked tired. Not just physically. Something deeper. Like she'd been carrying the weight too long.
He nodded once. Barely.
"Okay."
She gave a small, crooked smile. First real one he'd seen.
"Come on. There's a spot not far. Old hunter blind. We can hole up till dawn."
They moved again—slower now. Careful. No trail. Just instinct.
The blind was half-rotted wood and camouflage netting. Tucked against a rock overhang. Inside smelled of mildew and pine sap. Barely room for two.
Liora checked the perimeter first. Then ducked in.
Kael followed.
They sat—backs to opposite walls. Knees almost touching in the narrow space.
No fire. No light. Just moonlight filtering through cracks.
Kael leaned his head back against the wood. Closed his eyes.
The wolf was quiet for once. Exhausted. Or grieving. He couldn't tell.
Liora broke the silence first.
"Your friend. The human one."
Kael opened his eyes. "Finn?"
"Yeah. The loud one who followed you from the city. He's probably still looking."
Kael's stomach dropped. "Shit."
"He's not built for this."
"I know."
Liora pulled her knees up. Wrapped arms around them.
"If Darius finds him first…"
Kael didn't let her finish. "He won't."
She looked at him.
Kael met her gaze. "I'm not losing anyone else tonight."
She nodded. Slow.
Then quieter: "I'm sorry. About your mom."
Kael swallowed. "Yeah."
They sat in the quiet after that.
Minutes dragged. Maybe an hour.
Kael's body ached—half-shift lingering in his muscles like bruises. He flexed his hands. Claws gone now. Just sore fingers.
Liora watched him.
"You're holding it back better," she said.
"Barely."
"Better than nothing."
He huffed. "You always this optimistic?"
"Only when I'm terrified."
He looked at her then. Really looked.
She wasn't looking away.
The space between them felt smaller.
Kael spoke first. Rough. "Why didn't you shoot me? Back when you were supposed to."
Liora's jaw worked. "I told you."
"Tell me again."
She exhaled through her nose. "Because when I saw you in that park… you weren't a monster. You were just a guy who'd had a really bad night. And I've had too many of those to pull the trigger on someone who still looked human."
Kael felt something loosen in his chest. Small. Dangerous.
"And now?"
She tilted her head. "Now you're still a guy who's had a really bad night. Just… hairier sometimes."
He snorted. Almost a laugh.
She smiled again—small, real.
Then her face changed. Listening.
Kael heard it too.
Footsteps.
Not wolf. Not hunter.
Clumsy. Human.
Branches snapping.
A low curse—familiar.
Finn's voice drifted through the trees.
"Kael? Man, if you're dead, I'm gonna be so pissed…"
Liora was up in a second. Gun drawn. Silent.
Kael stood too. Heart slamming.
"Stay here," she whispered.
"No."
She shot him a look.
He ignored it. Pushed past her.
Stepped out into the moonlight.
Finn stood twenty feet away—hoodie torn, face scratched, breathing like he'd run the whole way from the city.
Eyes wide when he saw Kael.
"Holy shit," Finn breathed. "You're alive."
Kael stepped forward. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Finn spread his arms. "You disappeared after that alley fight. Blood everywhere. Then some chick in leather drags you off. I followed. I'm not proud of it. I'm also not good at it. Got lost twice. Almost got eaten by something with too many teeth."
Kael stared. "You're an idiot."
Finn grinned—shaky. "Yeah. But I'm your idiot."
Kael felt something crack—relief, maybe. Or just exhaustion.
He crossed the distance. Grabbed Finn in a rough hug.
Finn hugged back. Hard.
Then pulled away. Looked past Kael.
"Who's the scary lady with the gun?"
Liora stepped out. Weapon lowered. But not holstered.
"Friend," she said. Flat.
Finn raised both brows. "Cool. I love friends with guns."
Kael turned to her. "He's harmless."
"Harmless gets people killed."
Finn pointed at himself. "Still here."
Liora studied him. Then sighed. "Get inside. Before something else finds you."
Finn obeyed—quick.
Inside the blind again. Three now. Crowded.
Finn sat. Legs stretched. Looked at Kael.
"So. Werewolf thing?"
Kael rubbed his neck. "Something like that."
Finn nodded. Slow. "Explains a lot. The anger issues. The never getting sick. The way you bench-pressed my couch once when you were drunk."
Kael almost smiled.
Then Finn's face went serious.
"I'm not alone," he said quietly.
Kael tensed.
Liora's gun came up again.
Finn raised his hands fast.
"Not like that. I mean—someone followed *me*."
Kael's blood went cold.
"Who?"
Finn swallowed. "I don't know. Black gear. Mask. Saw him twice on the way here. Lost him in the ravine. But he had my scent. Or yours. I don't know."
Liora moved to the entrance. Peered out.
Kael looked at Finn.
"You led them right to us."
Finn winced. "I didn't mean—"
A twig snapped outside.
Close.
Too close.
Liora spun back.
"Down."
Kael grabbed Finn. Pulled him low.
Then a voice—calm, amplified—from the dark.
"Silverblood. We know you're in there."
Kael felt the wolf stir again.
Hunters.
And this time, they weren't shooting warnings.
A metallic click.
Grenade pin.
Finn whispered, "Oh shit."
Liora looked at Kael.
Eyes steady.
"Run or fight?"
Kael bared teeth—fangs already dropping.
"Fight."
The grenade rolled through the entrance.
Rolled to a stop between them.
And the world went white.