Danger Lurking

Jenn’s POV

Run!

The word exploded through my brain at the same time that my body reacted. The moment the silver wolf took a step towards me ,instinct screamed louder than thought.

Fear detonated in my chest and my body reacted before my mind could catch up. I turned sharply in the water and surged forward, dragging myself out of the lake in a frantic scramble that left my knees stinging from the sharp gravel at the shore.

My feet barely hit the floor before I was running.

The forest swallowed me almost immediately, branches whipping at my face and arms as I pushed forward blindly, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Behind me, the sound of heavy paws crashing through undergrowth sent fresh terror spiraling through my veins.

Desperately, I reached for the mind link I shared with my fated mate. “Wade!” I cried as my feet hit the rough forest ground, forcing the bond open with everything I had. “Wade, I’m in danger. There’s a wolf –“

Nothing answered me and our connection only stretched into silence.

My heartbeat thundered harder as panic fused with disbelief. I pushed again, harder this time, pain sparking behind my eyes as I strained against our bond.

“Wade! Please, answer me!” but still, there was nothing but silence. It felt as though I had slammed straight into a cold, solid, and impenetrable wall. Either he had shut me out completely – or something was blocking him from me.

I hoped with everything in me that it was the latter. Still, I didn’t have time to think about that, because for the first time since this nightmare began, real terror took hold.

I was alone.

The sound behind me grew louder, the vibrations of pursuit echoing through the forest floor. My wolf howled inside me to go faster, and I obeyed, muscles burning, lungs screaming as I forced speed from a body already close to failure.

There was no time to stop and shift. I knew the moment I did that, I’d be in his claws. I had no idea what he wanted with me, but every instinct inside screamed danger.

Whimpering, I risked one glance over my shoulder.

The silver wolf was tearing through the forest with terrifying grace, his massive form weaving effortlessly between the trees. Moonlight filtered through the canopy and gleamed off his fur, turning him into living silver fire. His red eyes were locked onto me with unwavering focus, predator to prey, and the distance between us was shrinking far too quickly.

A guttural snarl ripped from his throat and he leapt into the air.

I screamed as instinct betrayed me and I stumbled forward, falling flat on my chest. I expected his claws to dig into me at that moment. I expected him to tear me apart without mercy. In a blink of an eye, I’d be dead.

Except, I blinked once, and again, but I was still alive. For some reason, he never reached me. When I looked up, I saw exactly why.

Another massive blur of silver had slammed into him midair with devastating force that sent both wolves crashing violently through the undergrowth. The ground shook beneath my feet as they rolled across the earth in a frenzy of snapping jaws and tearing claws, their growls thunderous and feral.

My jaws went slack with disbelief and relief.

I had no idea who the newcomer was, but he was my savior. Unlike my pursuer, he was much larger, and his fur was a deeper shade of silver, streaked faintly with gold that simmered and glistened when it caught the light.

He was the same wolf I saw yesterday. Power rolled off him in waves, pressing into my senses with a dominance that stole the air from my lungs.

The silver-and-gold wolf slammed the other into a tree with bone-jarring force, splintering bark and sending debris raining down. The second wolf snapped back viciously, claws tearing through flesh as they collided again, neither backing down.

Terror finally regained its grip on me.

My wolf shrieked inside my chest, and I tore myself away from the sight before instinct could betray me further. I turned and ran harder than I ever had in my life.

The forest tore at me as though trying to pull me apart, but I forced my way through, guided only by the distant scent of our pack house. My chest burned, vision blurring as darkness threatened to close in.

By the time the trees thinned and the familiar stone walls of the pack house came into view, my legs were shaking violently beneath me.

Voices rose in alarm as guards spotted me stumbling into the clearing, my bare feet bloodied from torn earth and sharp stones, my body trembling with exhaustion and shock.

“Jenn?” Alva’s voice cut through to me.

I barely managed to turn before my knees gave out, and the world tilted violently. Strong arms caught me mid-fall, keeping me upright as everything threatened to go dark.

“Jenn, goddess, what happened?” Alva cried, clutching me tightly. “You’re shaking – you’re bleeding, you’re freezing – what the hell happened?”

Behind her, Beta Simon appeared as if summoned by panic.His sharp gaze took in every detail at once – the blood on my feet, the scratches on my arms, the pure terror that was still etched across my face.

“Luna,” concerned flickered in his voice. “What happened? Were you attacked?”

“There were two of them,” I gasped, struggling to pull air into burning lungs. “Two silver wolves. One of them chased me from the lake… and the other intercepted it.”

Simon stiffened visibly.

“Two?” he repeated.

I nodded weakly. “Yes. When I left, they were still fighting. I was attacked, Simon. Where is Wade?” I asked at the same time that my eyes scanned our surroundings only to find no sign of my Alpha and partner.

When Simon didn’t answer immediately and hesitated, that told me everything. My heart sank slowly. “Simon,” I whispered. “Where is my mate?”

His gaze finally lifted to mine, and there was no avoiding the truth in his eyes now. “He’s at the infirmary, Luna.”

My heart stuttered to a stop. “The infirmary?” I echoed faintly. “Why?”

Before he could respond, Alva spoke softly, her eyes flickering to Simon’s. “It’s Morgan, Jenn. She persuaded him to follow her to a fitting so she can get dressed for the ball.”

Something inside my chest cracked painfully. “So while I was being chased through the forest, struggling for my life,” I said numbly as a tremor ran through my body, “he went for a fitting with Morgan?”

Alva didn’t answer. She didn’t need to say too much for me to understand.

Simon’s jaw tightened and his hands clenched into a fist. “The Alpha was in the middle of preparing a patrol when Morgan suggested the outing. He went at once.”

Of course he did.

I laughed softly, but the sound broke apart halfway through. “Of course, he did.”

My legs finally gave in properly this time, and Alva had to lower me down onto the steps. My entire body felt weak now, the fear and adrenaline draining out of me all at once and leaving nothing but cold heartbreak in their place.

“He didn’t even know I was missing,” I murmured.

Simon shifted uncomfortably. “No one realized you had left the pack grounds until the guards saw you come running back.”

Alva hugged me tightly. “Jenn, you could have died out there.”

“Yes,” I whispered. “I know. But I was saved,” I said quietly after a moment. “By that other wolf.” Who wasn’t my partner.Because mine was too busy attending to another woman, to the extent that he blocked out our connection.