Chapter 3

ASTRID’S POV

A low growl echoed behind me, and the sound of twigs snapping made my heart jump into my throat.

They were here and they were closer than ever.

Judging by the amount of steps, it wasn't just one… I paused… those were human steps… not a werewolfs’.

I squeezed my eyes shut, whispering, “Please, please…” over and over, my hand clutched around my locket like it could protect me.

Then a strong hand yanked me up and I screamed at the force at which I was pulled to my feet.

A large palm immediately clamped over my mouth.

“Damn it! shut up!” a low, gravelly voice hissed near my ear.

I froze, my eyes flying open, and I found myself staring into the bluest pair of eyes I’d ever seen. They were sharp. Cold. Watching me like I was a prey and he was the predator while his calloused hands easily shut me up.

Who was this? Whoever he was, he had a dangerous air around him and I needed to get the hell away from him.

He towered over me, his face only inches from mine. His jaw was sharp, his expression unreadable but stoic.

My breath caught in my throat. He didn’t look like a rogue. No, he looked... dangerous. Controlled. Like someone who could kill without blinking.

“Don’t say a word,” he murmured.

His voice. Gods. It was so deep, it vibrated in my chest.

He let go of me slowly, but his eyes didn’t move from my face. Then, I noticed itㅡTwo others stood behind him, scanning the trees. Identical faces. Identical builds. All three of them… related?

My mind spun as I backed up slowly, limbs trembling, ready to run.

There was an unfamiliar growl all of a sudden and It came from the side. Before I could scream again, something lunged out of the darkness.

“LOOK OUT!” I shrieked.

The man with the blue eyes didn’t hesitate. In one swift motion, he shifted, fur erupting, bones cracking, form expanding.

A massive black wolf slammed into the rogue mid-air, knocking it away from me before it could tear me to bits.

One of the others shifted too, a lighter grey wolf barreling into the fight and I stumbled back, jaw dropping as I watched them.

That speed. That power. That unfamiliar scent.

Lycans. They were Lycans.

Holy hell. I didn’t wait.

I turned and ran again. My feet pounded against the ground even as pain screamed through my legs. My side ached, my breathing came out in ragged gasps.

I didn’t care. I just needed to get away. But my body… it had limits and clearly, It chose now of all times.

Suddenly, I collapsed again, knees slamming into the dirt and scraping against the floor. My hands dug into the cold earth as sobs tore out of me.

“I can’t… I can’t do this…” Tears streaked down my face, hot and helpless. “I don’t want to die…”

Then suddenly, I heard a whistle and I jerked my head up. Out of the shadows, one of them emerged, a smirk tugging at his lips as he walked toward me like he had all the time in the world.

“Well, that was a waste of energy,” he said, cocking his head. “You thought you could outrun us?”

“Please…” I whispered as I scrambled back on my butt. “Don’t kill me. Please.”

He didn’t say anything at first. Just looked down at me. His eyes dragged across my torn dress, my bloodied knees, the fear on my face with a slow scrutinizing look that made me cringeㅡfold.

“I’m not gonna kill you,” he said at last, his tone unreadable. “Not unless you try to run again.”

The other two appeared behind him. They were identical.

I couldn’t look any of them in the eye.

“Name,” the first one who had grabbed me earlier demanded.

Nope, that was risky, I wasn't about to divulge anything so I stayed silent.

His gaze sharpened. “I said…name.”

“I… I can’t—” I stuttered.

“If I ask again, it won’t be pretty,” he warned.

“A-Astrid,” I whispered. “Astrid Miller.”

“Pack?”

I swallowed. “Silver Hollow… I mean—” My voice cracked. “It used to be my pack.”

They all exchanged glances. “I knew it,” said the second one. “That pack is messed up and father was wrong. Tossed out by her own Alpha.”

“Typical Silver Hollow,” the third muttered.

What? I frowned, heart pounding. “Who are you?”

They all looked at me. Then the one with the coldest stare stepped forward. “Lucas Marlowe. That’s Logan.” He jerked his chin at the smirking one. “And that’s Landon.”

My breath hitched. The Marlowe triplets. The royal Lycans. The ones Silver Hollow had been preparing to receive.

“Oh my god…” I whispered.

Landon crouched down in front of me, eyes scanning me from head to toe.

“Looks like you got thrown out right before we arrived, huh?” he said. “Interesting timing.”

“I don’t know what I did,” I mumbled, trembling. “I swear…”

“You owe us,” he said flatly, cutting me off instantly.

Confusion filled me and I blinked. “W-What?”

“You’d be dead meat by now if we hadn’t shown up,” Lucas cut in. “You owe us your life.”

Suddenly, I could barely breathe. “What do you want from me?”

He stood to his full height and looked down at me. “We don’t trust Silver Hollow,” Lucas said. “They’ve been acting shady, and we don’t like being lied to.”

“What better way to get to the truth,” Logan added with a shrug, “than with someone who knows their dirty little secrets and won't mind spilling it?”

I stared up at them. “You… want me to help you spy on the pack?”

“Not spy,” Landon said with a smirk. “Just be our eyes and ears. Think of it as a guide… you don't owe them anything”

“Absolutely not!” I said quickly. “I’m not going back there! They hated me, kicked me out like I was nothing!”

“Do you have anywhere else to go?” Lucas asked coldly, his tone sounding bored.

My mouth opened, then closed. My heart sank as realization hit me. “No…” I whispered.

“Exactly,” he said. “Here’s the deal. You help us for the duration of our stay, and we’ll either take you back to the Lycan Kingdom or help you reclaim your position in Silver Hollow. Whatever you want”

“And if I don’t?” I asked, voice small.

“Then we leave you right here,” Logan said, eyes sharp. “In the dark. With the rogues.”

Tears stung my eyes because they were right. “Deal?” Lucas asked, his voice hard as stone.

Looking up at him with tired eyes , I held his gaze. “Deal”