The headlights cut through the night and fall right on me. I can’t believe it. There is Lance, in a leather jacket on his sleek, black motorcycle. His hair rustles with the wind, his eyes locked on mine. It’s difficult to believe he can see me from this far away, but I know in my soul that he’d know where I am regardless.His is my mate. I have no doubt about that now. He’s my mate and I will do anything to be with him. I’ll leave the whole pack behind if I have to.I have to. That’s become all too clear. He’s here now and he’ll be killed if he doesn’t leave soon. I’m not letting him leave without me. Never again. No matter what happens after this, we’re together until the end. He turns his motorcycle off to avoid attracting suspicion. The darkness hides him, but I can feel where he is and my heart soars.He’s not dead! I knew it, in the deepest part of my soul. He’s not dead and he’s here. It’s a true dream come true after how nightmarish everything has been lately. It’s surrea

I cling onto Lance as the pack gets closer. Surely they can smell us and will run right through the vines soon. We’re trapped here. I still don’t understand why Lance led me here.Then, they stop.Mere feet away from us, they pause. The only sound is their breathing growing heavier. Then, they start moving around the area anxiously, as if they’re looking for something.“How is this possible?” Sebastian asks. He sounds furious. “We had them. We were right behind them. How could we have lost them?”“We haven’t lost them,” one of his friends answers. “That’s impossible. They’re around here somewhere. You know they are. They didn’t just disappear.”“You’re right,” Sebastian replies. He doesn’t sound completely sure of himself though. “We must’ve simply taken a wrong turn or something. We’ll search the area. We have to find them.”I’m confused. How can they not smell us? We’re so close to them. It seems impossible that they can’t find us. Even taking into account the rocks of the cave

My heart pounds as I look at him. At first, I can’t say anything. It’s too much of a shock. This is all I want. I know this is who I’m meant to be with. That knowledge drowns out everything else.“Of course,” I say. “I’d love to. I…”I lean over and hug him, ecstatic that he’ll be mine forever. I’m so grateful I never told Sebastian I loved him. I’m grateful we never went through with the marriage. Deep down, I knew there was something more out there for more. Someone more. We kiss and I’m reminded of how lucky I am. How much I want this.“When?” I ask once words return to me.“As soon as possible,” he says. “It feels like I’ve already been waiting for you forever. I have been waiting for you for my whole life to be fair. I don’t want to wait longer than I have to.”“I don’t either,” I agree. I hesitate. I’m worried I’ll scare him away by making things move along too quickly, but deep down I know he wants this just as much as I do. “My eighteenth birthday is tonight at midnight.

No one speaks the whole way back to the pack.Lance stares straight ahead. He has to in order to avoid falling. I watch him, hoping that somehow we can escape. Though I know it will be difficult to. I have no idea how we could ever get away from them now. They have us completely helpless, surrounded on all sides. Walking forward is taking us one step closer to our deaths, but there’s nothing we can do but keep walking forward. Everyone is angry and tense. I thought our capture would make them happier and it has seemed to cheer them up a little, but it was a long night for all of us. And they keep looking at Lance like this isn’t done yet. Like they’re far too eager for his death.“They’re here!” Voices reach out to us before the rest of the pack is even in view. They must’ve been listening for our arrival, their senses extra alert. They must all be waiting for us.They rush over as we emerge from the forest. People who were supposed to be part of my pack, who were supposed to

They all want to kill me.Despite what Sebastian said, it looks like almost everyone here wants to kill me.I’ve gotten used to the pack’s eyes being on me, so though it makes me uncomfortable, it doesn’t trip me up like it might’ve before this. Or maybe it’s just that this is so important. They all became much less important the day I met Lance.Now I ignore Lance’s gaze as I hold Sebastian’s eyes in mine and walk towards him. He has wanted my attention all this time. Now, he has it.“I want to be the one to kill him,” I say. Sebastian’s eyebrows arch. There are whispers passed around the fire.“Is that so?” he asks.“Yes,” I nod. “I know I’m the reason we’re all in this position. I drew the rouge to our pack. I may not have killed anyone, but there is blood on my hands. I’m deeply ashamed of that.“Now, I want to do whatever I can to make it right. I want to be a good mate. I want to be a good Luna. But it’s going to be difficult to do that when I don’t have the respect of t