CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

Thorne's grip on me was unrelenting, his breath hot against my neck as we sprinted through the thick forest. His body was a shield, wrapping around me as we fought to stay ahead of the wolves closing in on us. His pulse hammered beneath my fingers, a rhythm that matched the urgency of our escape.

"I thought you were supposed to protect me," I gasped, heart racing, feet stumbling over roots and uneven ground.

"Just hold on," he growled, eyes flicking over his shoulder. His gaze was sharp, predatory, as if he could sense the wolves closing in. "We’re almost there."

I had no idea where "there" was, but at this point, I didn’t care. I was too lost in the electric pull between us, the undeniable bond that had ignited between us the moment Thorne had touched me.

As if to answer my unspoken thoughts, his hand slid down to the small of my back, pulling me closer, his lips grazing the edge of my ear.

"Don’t you dare try to run from me," he murmured, his voice dark with promise. "You’re mine."

I shuddered at the words. My skin was still burning from the touch of his hands on my body, and the memory of how he’d made me fall apart in the forest was enough to make me weak in the knees.

We pushed harder, faster, not stopping until we reached a clearing bathed in moonlight. The air was thick with tension, the kind of electricity that crackled when something dangerous was about to happen.

Thorne stopped in the center of the clearing, his head turning from side to side as he surveyed the surroundings. His chest rose and fell with every breath, a silent warning that something was coming — something deadly.

"Stay close," he muttered, pulling me against him, his arms circling around my waist.

A growl echoed through the trees, deep and menacing.

Thorne’s body tensed, his muscles coiling as he prepared to fight.

I could see it in his eyes — a wild, untamable rage. He was no longer the broken, vulnerable man I’d first met. He was the Alpha, the beast inside him awakened, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

"Thorne," I whispered, my voice shaky. "What’s happening?"

His gaze flicked to me, and for the briefest moment, I saw something raw in his eyes. "I’m protecting you," he said, his voice steady but laced with something fierce. "I promised I would. And I’ll keep that promise, no matter what it costs."

The moment the words left his lips, the wolves emerged from the shadows, their glowing eyes fixed on us.

Varun led the pack, his smile cold and predatory as he stepped forward, his claws gleaming under the moonlight. "You can’t protect him forever, Thorne," Varun sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "He’s mine."

I could feel my heart drop into my stomach as the wolves circled us, their eyes hungry. Every instinct in me screamed to run, but there was nowhere to go. Thorne was my only option.

"I’m not yours," I snapped, standing tall despite the fear that clenched my chest. "I’m his."

The words hung in the air like a challenge. And as I looked at Thorne, I saw the fire light up in his eyes again, his entire body radiating power.

"You hear that?" Thorne’s voice was low, a growl that carried the weight of his anger. "He’s mine. You can’t have him."

Varun’s lips curled into a mocking smile. "We’ll see about that."

In an instant, he lunged at us, his pack following close behind, their movements swift and lethal. Thorne reacted in a blur, shifting his body with a speed that left me breathless. His hands were everywhere, fending off the wolves with terrifying precision, his strength unmatched.

I could see the battle unfold around us — Thorne’s raw power against the wolves’ relentless hunger.

But I wasn’t helpless. I wouldn’t be. As one of the wolves charged at me, teeth bared and eyes glowing red, I grabbed the broken branch from the ground and swung it at the creature. The wolf yelped, momentarily stunned, but that was all it took for Thorne to finish it off with a savage blow.

"Stay close to me!" Thorne barked, his voice strained with exertion.

I nodded, clinging to him as he fought to keep the wolves at bay. The forest around us seemed to close in, the shadows thickening with every passing second. But Thorne wouldn’t back down.

He couldn’t.

Not with me by his side.

With a powerful thrust, Thorne threw one of the wolves into a tree, snapping its neck with a sickening crack. But even as he took down the last of the pack, I could feel something shift in the air. The wolves were gone, but the danger wasn’t over. Not yet.

Thorne’s body heaved with effort as he faced me, his amber eyes blazing with intensity.

"That wasn’t all of them," I said, my voice trembling.

He nodded, his jaw tight. "They’re just the beginning."

I could feel the weight of his words sink in, but I refused to show fear. I stood taller, pulling away from him just enough to meet his gaze.

"I’m not afraid," I said firmly. "I’ll stand by you. Always."

Thorne’s expression softened for a moment, his gaze flicking down to where my hand still gripped his arm. He placed his hand over mine, holding it there with a possessiveness that made my heart race.

"You don’t have to say that," he whispered. "But I’ll protect you. No matter what happens."

The air between us thickened, the unspoken bond between us stronger than ever. But before I could respond, the sound of something crashing through the trees reached our ears.

Thorne’s eyes widened in shock as a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness.

"I hope you didn’t think you were safe, Thorne," the voice sneered, cold and cruel.

The figure stepped into the moonlight, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man with eyes as black as night. His grin was wicked, full of malice.

"Because you’re not," the man said, his lips curling into a smirk.

Thorne’s entire body tensed, his eyes narrowing in fury.

"Who the hell are you?" Thorne growled, his voice a dangerous whisper.

The man chuckled, dark amusement in his gaze. "I’m someone who’s going to make sure you don’t win this fight. I’m your worst nightmare, Thorne."

I froze, the realization sinking in like a blade through my chest.

This was no ordinary enemy.

This was someone worse.

And just like that, I knew — we were in deeper than I could have ever imagined.

The man raised his hand, and with a snap of his fingers, the world around us shifted — the trees warping, the ground shaking as if it were alive.

Before I could even scream, a blinding light exploded from the man’s fingertips, blinding us both.

And then… nothing.