Novel-novel oleh Paisley C

KIERANThe moment the second wave of rogues came charging at me, snarling like a pack of rabid dogs, I knew that if I didn’t fight like my life depended on it—because it actually did—then I wasn’t walking out of there. I could feel the blood pounding in my ears as I tightened my grip, my teeth grinding with each swing and strike.“You think you can corner me in your filthy territory and expect me to just roll over?” I growled at one of them before slamming him hard into the dirt. The stench of their breath mixed with the metallic tang of blood in the air made me sick, but I pushed forward, driving my elbow into another’s jaw before he could sink his claws into me. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Vee standing there, leaning casually against a tree like she was watching a show.“You’re really not going to help?” I shouted at her between blows, my voice raw with rage and disbelief. She didn’t even flinch—just tilted her head slightly, that infuriatingly calm expression still on her

RAVENI could literally see the fear in Kieran’s eyes, the way they darted from one rogue to another like he was trying to find an escape route that didn’t exist, and I knew right then that he was scared because the rogues had completely surrounded him.“Vee…” he muttered, his voice low but strained, “this… this isn’t good.” I stepped closer, my own eyes flicking to the snarling faces around us, but I kept my tone firm.“No, it’s not good, Kieran, but you need to keep your head straight, do you hear me? If you lose it now, they’ll tear you apart.” He shook his head quickly, his jaw tightening as one of the rogues stepped forward, baring his teeth with a mocking grin.“You really think you can walk out of here, Alpha’s boy?” the rogue spat, and I could see Kieran’s fists clench so tight his knuckles turned white.“Back off,” Kieran snapped, but there was a tremor in his voice that told me he was still calculating and not confident.The rogues laughed, a rough, ugly sound that echoed in

KIERANI clenched my fists, my breath coming heavier as I trudged through the thick forest behind Vee, every step echoing in my head like a bad decision. “You know this is insane, right?” I muttered, my voice sharper than I intended. She didn’t even slow down, just tossed me a look over her shoulder that made my chest tighten with equal parts frustration and disbelief. “Insane?” she scoffed.“Kieran, you followed me here, no one dragged you.” I bit back the urge to snap because deep down, I knew she was right, but that didn’t change the fact that I had just walked myself straight into what could easily be Lucian’s trap. My eyes darted around, every rustle in the leaves making me tense.“If his rogues jump me now, I’m dead,” I said, half to her, half to myself. “Not dead,” she replied too quickly, “just… outnumbered.” I stopped in my tracks, staring at her. “That’s supposed to make me feel better? Outnumbered usually leads to death, Vee. Or worse.”She finally stopped walking, turning

RAVENI glanced over my shoulder for what felt like the tenth time in less than a minute, my brows drawn low, because honestly, I couldn’t wrap my head around why Kieran was still there, still following me like some stubborn shadow that refused to disappear. “You do know,” I said, letting my voice drip with the kind of warning that should’ve made any sane man turn back, “that I might be walking you straight into a trap, right?” He didn’t even blink—just gave me that infuriating half-smile, the one that made it look like he knew more than he was letting on.“Yeah,” he said simply, “but if it’s a trap, it’s still better than sitting around and wondering what’s out here.” I let out a sharp breath, almost a laugh but not quite, shaking my head. “You really don’t know when to quit, do you?” I muttered.“Not when I think the person leading me knows something I don’t,” he shot back, his tone laced with something between challenge and curiosity. I stopped for a moment, narrowing my eyes at hi

KIERANI kept my eyes on Raven as she moved swiftly ahead of me, her figure weaving between the trees like she had walked this path a thousand times before. “Raven,” I called, my voice cutting through the quiet rustle of the leaves, “are you ever going to tell me where the hell we’re going, or do you plan to keep me guessing until we get lost?”She didn’t turn back, didn’t even slow her pace, just tossed her voice over her shoulder like it was a casual thing. “If you can’t handle a little mystery, Kieran, you’re free to turn around.”I scoffed, shoving a low branch out of my way. “Turn around? You think I’m the type to stop halfway just because I’m not getting answers?” She let out a laugh—short, sharp, and just this side of mocking.“You’re the type to get in over your head and then complain about it later.” I pushed forward, narrowing the gap between us. “I’m the type who doesn’t like being lied to. And right now, you’re not telling me anything, which makes me think you’re hiding so

RAVENI could feel it, the subtle prickle at the back of my neck, the faint change in the rhythm of the air behind me, the way my instincts kept urging me to turn around. But I didn’t. I just kept walking, my boots crunching lightly against the gravel path, my hands buried deep in the pockets of my coat, my face calm as though I hadn’t noticed a thing. Still, every part of me was aware, hyper-aware, and when I finally let my eyes drift ever so slightly to the side, catching the reflection in the faint shimmer of a shop window, my lips almost curled. Alpha Kieran. Of course it was him.“Well,” I muttered under my breath, just low enough for only me to hear, “this should be fun.” I tilted my head forward and kept walking, pretending to be lost in thought, though my mind was already calculating the quickest way to get him exactly where I wanted him. I didn’t give him the satisfaction of catching my glance—oh no, that would ruin the game. Instead, I slowed just enough to make it look like