Chapter 7

The scent of blood still clung to the air. The forest was silent, almost as if it, too, was holding its breath.

Ronan wiped his blade against his sleeve before sheathing it. His silver eyes flickered to me, unreadable as always. "We need to move. More will come soon."

I nodded, gripping my dagger tightly. My hands were still stained with blood, but there was no time to think about it. Kieran wasn’t going to stop hunting me. And now that he knew Ronan was alive, things were only going to get worse.

Ronan turned sharply, leading the way through the dense forest. His movements were quick, smooth—like a predator that knew exactly where it was going. I struggled to keep up, my heart still hammering from the fight.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my breath coming fast.

"A safe house," Ronan said without looking back. "For now."

For now.

That meant we weren’t staying long.

That meant we were still running.

I clenched my jaw and kept moving.

---

By the time we reached the safe house, my legs ached, and my lungs burned. It was a small, abandoned cabin deep in the woods, barely standing, with vines creeping up its walls and windows covered in dust. It didn’t look like much, but I had learned not to judge things by appearance.

Ronan pushed the door open and stepped inside first. He moved with caution, checking the corners, scanning for threats. Only when he was sure it was safe did he nod for me to enter.

The inside was as simple as the outside—one room with a small fireplace, an old wooden table, and a cot in the corner. A few supplies were stacked in the corner: weapons, bandages, and food.

"This is yours?" I asked, eyeing the place.

Ronan shrugged. "I have a few."

He walked over to the weapons, inspecting them carefully. His face was as calm as ever, but there was a tension in his shoulders.

"You’re worried," I said quietly.

Ronan didn’t answer right away. He picked up a small dagger, running his fingers over the blade. "Kieran won’t let this go."

I already knew that.

"He'll send more men," I said. "Maybe even come himself."

Ronan finally looked at me. "That’s what I’m counting on."

A shiver ran down my spine.

"You want him to come?"

"I want him dead," Ronan corrected, his voice cold. "And he won’t stop hunting you until he is."

My breath caught.

I had spent so much time fearing Kieran, running from him, hiding from him. I never once thought about fighting back. Not like this.

But Ronan wasn’t running.

He was hunting.

And for the first time, I realized what that meant.

Kieran had every right to fear him.

Because Ronan wasn’t just strong—he was ruthless.

And if he was right, then there was only one way this ended.

With Kieran dead.

---

The fire crackled softly, casting shadows on the walls. I sat near it, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders. My body was exhausted, but my mind wouldn’t rest.

Ronan sat across from me, sharpening his blade. He hadn’t said much since we arrived. He never really did.

But silence with Ronan wasn’t awkward. It was steady, unshaken.

Still, my thoughts wouldn’t leave me alone.

"Why did you help me?" I finally asked.

Ronan paused for a second before continuing to sharpen the blade. "You needed help."

I frowned. "That’s not a real answer."

Ronan sighed, setting the blade down. His silver eyes met mine, sharp and piercing. "Because I know what it’s like to be hunted."

The weight of his words settled over me.

Because I did, too.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then Ronan leaned back against the wall, his expression unreadable. "Get some rest, Selene."

I wanted to ask more. I wanted to press for answers. But my body was heavy, and sleep was pulling at me.

So, I let my eyes close.

But even as I drifted off, one thought stayed in my mind.

Kieran was coming.

And this time, I wouldn’t be running.

---

I woke to the sound of a loud crash.

Ronan was already on his feet, blade in hand. His eyes flashed as he yanked me up.

"Go. Now," he ordered.

Before I could ask what was happening, the door exploded inward.

Kieran’s men flooded in.

There were at least ten of them, their eyes glowing in the dark, teeth bared in vicious snarls. I barely had time to grab my dagger before one lunged at me.

I ducked, slashing upward. The blade cut deep into his side, and he howled, stumbling back.

Ronan moved like a shadow, his blade flashing as he tore through them. He was fast, brutal. One moment, a warrior was standing—the next, he was on the ground, motionless.

But there were too many.

One of them grabbed me from behind, his arm crushing against my throat.

"Got you now, Luna," he hissed.

Panic flared. I struggled, kicking back, but he was too strong. His grip tightened.

And then—

A blur of silver.

Ronan moved like lightning. His blade sank deep into the man’s chest, and blood sprayed across my skin.

The warrior choked, his grip loosening.

I gasped for air as his body hit the floor.

Ronan grabbed my wrist. "We have to go."

More were coming. I could hear them outside, their howls echoing through the forest.

Ronan pulled me toward the back window, shoving it open.

"Jump," he ordered.

I hesitated. "But—"

"Selene, jump."

I didn’t think—I just moved.

The cold air hit me as I landed outside, my heart hammering. Ronan landed beside me a second later, grabbing my hand.

We ran.

The sounds of battle faded behind us as we tore through the trees, our feet pounding against the ground. My lungs burned, but I didn’t stop.

I couldn’t.

Not when I knew what would happen if they caught us.

---

We didn’t stop until we reached a steep cliffside. Below, a river rushed violently, crashing against jagged rocks.

I turned to Ronan, my breath coming in short gasps. "We’re trapped."

Ronan didn’t look panicked. His eyes studied the cliff, then flickered back toward the approaching warriors.

And then he looked at me.

"Do you trust me?"

I swallowed hard. "What?"

His grip tightened around my wrist. "Do you trust me?"

I barely had time to nod before he pulled me toward the edge—

And jumped.

The air rushed around us. My scream was lost in the roar of the river.

And then—

We hit the water.

Everything went dark.