The second Daniel turned his back to signal one of the rogues, I moved.I twisted hard out of his grip and ran. My feet tore through the forest floor, sharp roots and rocks scraping my soles, but I didn’t stop. I ducked under low-hanging branches, lungs burning, heart smashing against my ribs like it wanted out. I didn’t know where I was going, just away, anywhere away.A roar erupted behind me, feral and amused.“Nice try, princess,” Daniel’s voice thundered through the trees.Before I could react, something slammed into me from the side. I hit the ground hard, bark and dirt scratching my cheek. Daniel yanked me up by my hair, dragging me backward. My legs scrambled for footing, but he had me—like a damn beast hauling in its prey.“You’re not escaping what’s coming next,” he growled into my ear. “Don’t even dream about it.”“I told you the truth!” I shouted, struggling against his grip. “I left Bluestone. I’m not the Luna anymore.”He didn’t respond at first. Just walked, forcing me
Evelyn(Two Years Ago)The gravel crunched under my boots with every step, the sound scraping through the silence like it was mocking me. I hadn’t even realized I was crying again until a cold breeze brushed against my cheek, making the wetness sting. My fingers came up instinctively, wiping beneath my eyes, but it was useless. The tears kept falling.I could still smell Tyler on my sweater, like the bastard hadn’t just told me, to my face, that I meant nothing. That last night, when I fell asleep tucked into his arms, warm and safe, had already been erased like it was some mistake he regretted.He didn’t just push me away. He humiliated me. He chose her.Alicia fucking Vanel. My so called best friend.Cheap. Vindictive. Desperate. I’d seen her type from the very beginning. The way her eyes had always lingered on him, the way she clung to the title of “best friend” like it was a shield. I’d warned him, asked him not to let her come between us, and he’d laughed. Said I was being dramat
EvelynChristian was sitting, right there, on that couch, his head tilted as he listened to me talk about the nightmare I didn’t want to relive. Rein watching us from across the room like he already knew what would happen. And me, wishing I had held Christian longer.A part of me wanted to wait here, just in case. But the smarter part knew better. It knew this place was no longer safe. It hadn’t been safe the moment Rein said those words.I pressed the button and watched the elevator doors open. The metallic chime felt too loud in the silence. My fingers clutched the strap of my backpack tighter."You better come back," I whispered to the empty room, my voice cracking.The elevator doors closed slowly, the penthouse fading from view. It was more than just a place, it had been a momentary sanctuary. A temporary pause in the chaos. Now, even that had been stolen from me.The ride down felt slow, as if the universe was giving me one last chance to change my mind. But there was nothing le
EvelynJust as the door had begun to close behind them, a sudden wave of pressure was felt in the center of my forehead. Not painful, just… present. Like something had brushed against the inside of my skull.A voice, clear, calm, and familiar, rang through my mind.“I’ll keep him safe. No matter what happens.”My breath caught.The voice hadn’t been spoken aloud. It had echoed inside my mind, wordless but fully understood. My eyes snapped toward the door, which had already been shut behind them.I stood frozen.So it was true.All those odd moments, how Rein always seemed to know what I wasn’t saying, how he anticipated people’s emotional shifts before they spoke, it hadn’t just been therapist intuition. It wasn’t a guess, or a trained sensitivity. He could read minds.A telepath.It had been confirmed in a single sentence, spoken without a mouth, heard without ears.But despite the shock settling into my chest, a strange calmness followed. The room was still empty, the coldness still
EvelynThe air had been tense. Heavy silence lingered after Christian’s words were spoken. Rein's gaze had hardened, his jaw set in that expression he often wore when things were about to turn, when time was no longer on anyone’s side.“It’s time,” Rein said sharply, stepping toward the door and glancing over his shoulder. “We can’t waste another bloody minute.”A nod was given by Christian, subtle but filled with meaning. No more time would be bought by hesitation.His eyes had then found mine, softer than before. “Get ready,” he told me, voice low but firm. “We’re leaving.”But the moment had barely settled when Rein’s arm was extended sideways, stopping him. His tone was cold and abrupt. “You’re coming with me,” he said, eyes cutting sharply. “She’s not.”The words hadn’t even fully registered before my head shook. “Hell no,” I snapped, stepping forward. “I’m not staying behind. Whatever you’re doing, Christian, I’m doing it too.”Rein turned fully to me. The tension in his jaw cou
EvelynRein’s laugh echoed across the room. Low and dry at first, then darker. He stood there, arms folded, the corner of his mouth curling like he was genuinely amused. It made my skin crawl.“Well, that’s unexpected,” he murmured, taking a step forward. “Even after everything… you still stick with him.”My spine straightened. “This isn’t a choice. It’s survival.”“No,” he said. “You chose. And that will have to change.”“What the hell does that mean?” I asked. My voice shook, but I didn’t back down.He stopped walking and tilted his head. “If you want to live… if they are to live,” he said, gesturing vaguely to my stomach, “you’ll have to let go of him. Soon.”I blinked, confused. “What are you talking about?”Rein turned his back to us and began to walk slowly toward the exit. “You really don’t get it, do you?” His voice was quieter now. “You still think this is just about him… about the packs. But it’s not. This is about them. And they’re coming.”My stomach sank. “Who’s coming?”