Chapter 5

~ ANGELINA ~

The sharp claws gleamed under the moonlight as they slashed through the air toward me. My breath caught in my throat. Instinct screamed at me to move, but my limbs were sluggish, drained from exhaustion and pain.

I braced for the impact—

But it never came.

Instead, the man halted inches from my face, his claws stopping just before they could tear into my skin. His sharp gray eyes bore into mine, filled with something unreadable.

Was it curiosity? Annoyance?

I couldn’t tell.

The weight of his presence was suffocating, like standing too close to a storm just before it unleashed its fury. My heart pounded as I stared at the stranger. His broad frame, the way his dark green cloak billowed slightly in the breeze, and the way he held the locket—my locket—told me he wasn’t just another rogue or some random attacker.

He was someone dangerous.

Someone powerful.

His gaze flickered between me and the locket dangling from his fingers. Then, without a word, he pocketed it.

“No—wait!” I rasped, my voice hoarse from exhaustion. “That’s mine!”

I pushed myself onto my elbows, trying to reach for it, but a wave of dizziness sent me collapsing back onto the cold ground. The man crouched in front of me, his expression impassive, but something in his stance told me he was assessing me.

Judging me.

The other black wolf—the one who had attacked me earlier—limped toward him. Blood matted its dark fur, its yellow eyes dim with pain. It let out a low whimper before shifting back into a man.

I sucked in a sharp breath. The man who now stood beside my mysterious attacker was lean and wiry, his face contorted in a mix of pain and frustration. A deep wound slashed across his chest.

“She’s an omega,” the injured man spat, glaring at me. “A weakling. Not worth the trouble.”

The stranger in the green cloak didn’t reply immediately. His piercing gaze remained locked onto mine. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he extended a hand toward me.

I hesitated.

Everything inside me screamed that this man was not to be trusted. But what choice did I have? If he had wanted me dead, I’d be bleeding out by now.

Swallowing my fear, I placed my trembling hand in his.

His grip was firm, his skin rough with calluses. He pulled me up effortlessly, his strength evident even in such a simple action. The moment I was on my feet, my legs wobbled. He didn’t let go. Instead, his grip tightened, steadying me.

“Who are you?” I whispered.

Still, he said nothing.

Instead, he turned on his heel, tugging me forward.

I dug my heels into the dirt, resisting. “Wait! Where are you taking me?”

The injured man scoffed. “She talks too much.”

“Shut up, Elias,” the stranger said coolly, his voice deep and controlled.

A name.

Elias.

It wasn’t the name I needed, but it was a start.

I turned my gaze back to the man holding my wrist. His grip wasn’t painful, but it was unrelenting. His aura was different from anyone I had ever encountered before—commanding, yet not cruel.

Something about him unsettled me.

Something about him felt… familiar.

And then, he finally spoke.

“You have two choices,” he said, his voice low and unreadable. “Come with me, or stay here and take your chances with the next predator that finds you.”

I swallowed hard, glancing at the dark woods surrounding us. The scent of blood still lingered in the air from the men he had just killed.

I didn’t know who he was.

I didn’t know where he was taking me.

But I did know that if I stayed here, I wouldn’t last till morning.

Taking a shaky breath, I whispered, “I’ll come with you.”

He nodded once, then without another word, he turned and started walking.

With no other choice, I followed him into the unknown.

⸻

Somewhere deep in the mountains

The journey was long and silent. The stranger—whoever he was—never spoke again after our brief conversation. Elias, the injured man, groaned in pain as he limped behind us, but he didn’t complain.

I had no idea where we were going, but the scent of pine and damp earth told me we were far from any pack territory I recognized.

At some point, exhaustion threatened to drag me under again. I stumbled, my vision blurring, but before I could hit the ground, strong arms caught me.

I forced my eyes open. The stranger stared down at me, his expression unreadable.

Then, to my utter shock, he lifted me into his arms.

“Wh-what are you doing?” I mumbled weakly, my body too tired to resist.

“You’re slowing us down,” he said simply.

I wanted to protest, but the warmth of his body was strangely comforting. My eyelids felt heavier with each step he took.

Just before I surrendered to exhaustion, I thought I heard Elias chuckle.

“Never thought I’d see the day our Alpha carried an omega.”

Alpha?

I wanted to ask what that meant.

But sleep claimed me before I could.