Lara's POV
I closed my eyes and waited for the claws to slice through my face. I braced myself for the burn of pain, for the warm trickle of blood. But it did not come.
Instead, I heard the horrible sound of claws raking across skin, a deep tearing scrape that made my stomach twist. I felt the rush of air from the attack, then the hard impact of a body colliding with mine. Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me to the floor, shielding me completely.
For a moment, I could not breathe. My head spun. The weight over me trembled with strain. When I opened my eyes, the world was chaos. Fur, teeth, and snarling filled my vision. Marco was above me, twisting his body to block every strike aimed at me.
I realized in a single, chilling breath that the wolf who attacked me before, the wolf whose eyes stalked me through every nightmare, was Serene. It had been her all along.
