Lorraine’s POV
I crouched low, barely breathing, as the cries echoed through the forest like a warning, agonizing, desperate, final. Each one felt like a blade against my skin, slicing closer and closer. The screams weren’t far anymore. Soone was dying just beyond the trees. And soone else would die next.
Elise trembled silently beside . I could feel it in the way her breath stuttered. Felix, on the other hand, looked like a spring wound too tight. His jaw clenched, muscles twitching like he was fighting the urge to leap into action. He turned to , whispering through his teeth.
"We should be out there," he hissed. "Doing sothing. Fighting back."
I grabbed his wrist before he could move. "No. We’re ferals, Felix. The lowest on the chain. We don’t have the strenth tin fight right now, today we just survive."
His eyes burned with frustration. "So we just hide? Let them kill everyone while we crouch like cowards?"
"We’re not cowards," I snapped, my voice low but firm. "We’re alive. And if we want to stay that way, we stay smart. We’re not strong enough to take them head-on. Not yet."
Felix said nothing, but his silence was angry. The distant screams throbbed in the air around us like a heartbeat.
We were hidden beneath a thick brush pile, surrounded by twisted roots and vines, nearly invisible unless soone stepped right on us
There was a sudden rustling sound and I stiffened.
My hand shot out instinctively, gripping Elise’s arm. She held her breath. A branch cracked. Then, a snap.
The sound of our trap springing.
Soone had tripped on it.
Felix imdiately peeked through a gap in the leaves. "It’s a noble," he whispered, eyes lighting up. "He’s alone. This is our chance."
"Felix, wait....!"
Too late.
He bolted before I could stop him, teeth bared in a silent snarl. He lunged toward the noble from behind, but the boy spun with terrifying speed, catching Felix by the throat mid-air.
"Nice try," the noble sneered.
I launched forward without thinking, aiming for his arm, but he turned and grabbed too, one massive hand clamping around my neck. Elise scread and tried to help, but he kicked her savagely to the ground.
"Pathetic," he laughed. "You ferals are even weaker than I thought."
His grip tightened. My vision blurred. My limbs flailed, useless, and for one horrifying second, I thought.....This is it.
Then, out of nowhere, a blur crashed into the noble like a wrecking ball, knocking him to the dirt with a grunt. His grip on our throats loosened and we dropped to the ground, gasping.
I blinked, choking on air, and stared at the figure now standing in front of us.
Adrian.
His eyes burned with rage as he faced the noble, fists already bloodied. He was fighting against his own for us, and he didn’t hesitate..... Adrian didn’t back down.
In seconds, the noble was out cold.
Adrian turned to us, out of breath, and grabbed my arm to steady . "We need to go. Now."
"Adrian...."
"There’s a group of Elites coming this way," he said. "The Ashthornes. You know if they find you, you’re dead."
I nodded, my knees still trembling.
Elise groaned as Felix helped her up, and I leaned into Adrian as we started running, deeper into the woods
We ran. Fast. Desperate. The branches clawed at our skin like the forest itself was trying to drag us back to die.
Adrian led the way, his hand gripping mine so tightly it almost hurt, but I didn’t complain. Elise stumbled beside , still disoriented from the noble’s kick. Felix flanked her, one arm steadying her as we pushed forward through tangled brush and damp leaves. Every scream behind us, every crunch of twigs, sounded like death coming closer.
And then we ran straight into them.
A group of Lycans.
We skidded to a halt, our breaths freezing in our lungs.
No. No, no, no.
My heart dropped like a stone. This was it.
We were done for.
One of the Lycans stepped forward with a twisted smile that made my skin crawl. I recognized her instantly. Varya. The sa savage who’d held by the throat in the Lycan dorm that day. The sa one who would’ve killed if Kieran hadn’t stepped in.
"You," she sneered, her voice low and venomous. "You actually managed to survive that day. Still breathing, huh?"
Elise trembled beside , and I instinctively stepped in front of her, shielding her with my body even though I knew it was useless. My body was already weak. I had no wolf. I had no chance.
But before I could open my my mouth, Adrian stepped forward.
"Let us go," he said sharply.
The other Lycans snorted and exchanged amused looks. One with silver eyes laughed, mocking. "You’re the sa noble that tried to die for this runt the last ti, aren’t you?" He leaned forward with a smirk. "What’s a noble like you doing licking a feral’s wounds? Don’t tell .... you’re in love with her?"
They all laughed.
"It’s not about love," I said coldly. "It’s about compassion. Empathy. Sothing you monsters clearly lack."
Varya’s eyes darkened. Her hand lashed out before I could brace myself.
Her slap landed with brutal force, sending crashing to the dirt.
"You lowly, wretched feral," she spat. "How dare you speak in front of us like that?"
Blood filled my mouth
Varya stepped over and crouched, grabbing by the throat and lifting clean off the ground with terrifying ease.
"You think you have guts now, huh?" she snarled. "Is it because our precious prince pitied you once and saved you once? Is that what’s giving you this stupid confidence?"
Her grip tightened. I choked, my legs kicking in the air.
Adrian lunged toward us, but one of the Lycans intercepted him and drove a foot into his chest, slamming him to the ground. Then he continued to kick him. Again. And again. I could hear Adrian’s grunts of pain, the sound of bones hitting dirt.
"Stop it!" Felix yelled.
Another Lycan grabbed him and threw him against a tree.
"Elise....!" I croaked, still dangling, still choking.
She ran forward, but a boot struck her side mid-motion. Her head whipped backward, and I watched in horror as it collided with a jagged boulder.
She hit the ground.
Blood started to pool beneath her skull.
"No!" I scread, the sound shredded and broken as Varya’s grip crushed my throat.
Varya just laughed, maniacal and gleeful, her fangs descending. "I think I’ll rip your heart out. Right here. Right now."
I stared into her wild eyes and felt death coiling around .
Then.....
"She’s mine," ca a cold, cruel voice.
Everything stopped.
Varya froze, turning her head.
Selene.
She walked forward like she owned the earth, with Alistair Ashthorne flanking her, tall, elegant, and stained with blood. Selene’s eyes didn’t even look at Varya. They were locked on .
"She’s mine," she repeated, voice like ice. "Don’t touch her."
Varya’s expression flickered with amusent before she dropped to the forest floor like a discarded doll. I gasped, dragging in precious air as I hit the dirt.
I looked up, my vision swimming... and that’s when I saw her.
Astrid Voss.
She stood a few feet away, partially hidden behind a tree, holding a black folder in her hands. Her expression was unreadable. Cold. Observing.
But I recognized that folder.
We’d seen it in her office the nigh Kieran and I sneaked in.
The black binder labeled: Deceased Students.
And I rembered the nas I’d seen inside it.
Elise Myles. Selene Ashthorne.
My heart stopped.
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