I had no idea how long I'd been crouched there, hiding in the ravine. Time felt like it was slipping away, slipping through my fingers like sand. The cold of the night seeped into my bones, and my breath came in shallow gasps, but I refused to make a sound. Not yet.
The alphas were still out there, searching. I could hear their howls echoing through the trees, distant but relentless, like the beating of war drums. They were splitting up, scouring the forest. I knew they'd never stop. Not until they found me.
But I wasn't going to make it easy for them. I couldn't.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to shift deeper into the shadows. The sharp pain in my ankle flared again, a reminder of the cost of my escape. I gritted my teeth, trying to ignore it, but the ache wouldn't go away. My ankle was swollen, bruised, and every time I shifted my weight, it felt like the bone was grinding against itself.
"Focus," I muttered to myself. "Focus."
The forest was eerily quiet now. The howls had stopped, and the only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind. My heart thudded in my chest, each beat so loud I was sure they could hear it.
But nothing. No footsteps. No growls.
Maybe they were giving up. Maybe they'd thought I was already gone. But I knew better. They wouldn't give up that easily.
The problem was, neither would I.
I shifted again, crawling slowly through the underbrush, keeping my body low to the ground. Every movement was calculated, every breath a deliberate act of silence. The moment I made noise, the game was over.
It was hard to ignore the burning in my muscles, but I did. I had to.
I didn't have much of a plan, not yet. All I knew was I needed to keep moving, to stay one step ahead. If I stayed still too long, they'd find me.
I crawled on, my fingers brushing the dirt, moving through the darkness, my eyes straining to make out shapes in the pitch-black. The moonlight barely reached the forest floor, casting everything in shadows, and I wasn't sure if that was a blessing or a curse.
I kept low, kept quiet, my mind spinning.
I had to think.
I had to survive.
I could hear their voices now. Faint but distinct. They were close.
"She's got to be around here somewhere," a voice growled. It was Desmond. I could tell by the deep rumble of his tone, even in his wolf form. "She couldn't have gone far."
I clenched my teeth, but I didn't move. I stayed perfectly still, almost breathless.
"Smells like blood," Jake muttered. "She's injured."
"You sure it's her?" Michael asked, the skepticism clear in his voice. "Could be any wounded animal."
"I know what I smell," Desmond snapped, his voice like ice. "She's here. Keep looking."
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. They were moving closer, their voices drifting in and out of the wind, circling me like vultures.
But they hadn't found me yet.
I waited. My heart was pounding in my chest, my breath shallow, but I couldn't let it get to me. No panic. No mistakes.
I had to remember what Grandpa had taught me.
Survival is not about fighting first. It's about knowing when to fight, when to run, and how to make the world bend to your will.
And right now, the world was mine to bend.
The alphas were still prowling the forest, their wolves' noses working overtime, sniffing for my trail. The ground beneath me was slick with mud and dead leaves, but I didn't care. I needed them to stay off my scent. I needed them to move on.
I closed my eyes, listening. The crack of a twig underfoot. A rustle in the bushes. A soft snarl.
The search was getting closer.
I gritted my teeth and shifted again, crawling farther, deeper into the underbrush. The ravine was narrow here, the trees closing in tighter, the canopy above blocking out most of the light. The deeper I went, the darker it got, and the more the forest began to feel like a cage, like it was closing in on me. But it was better than being in their hands.
I kept moving.
Time dragged on. I'd lost track of how long I'd been hiding, but I didn't dare look back. The alphas were still out there, and I wasn't about to let them get the satisfaction of catching me.
I didn't know how much longer I could keep this up.
But I couldn't afford to rest. Not yet.
The silence stretched on. Then, finally, I heard it—footsteps. Heavy. Determined. And there was a growl, a low, menacing sound that rattled through the trees.
It was Desmond.
He was getting closer. His scent was unmistakable, sharp and cold like the winter wind. I could feel him in my bones, feel the weight of his presence pressing down on me. I swallowed, forced myself to focus, to remember everything I'd learned.
But I wasn't sure I could keep going much longer.
My body was spent. My ankle was agony. My head was dizzy from the blood loss. I was too tired to keep pretending I had it all under control.
Desmond's growl was closer now. Too close.
Then, through the trees, I saw it. A glint of silver—a flash of light that wasn't from the moon.
It was Desmond's wolf. Massive. Black as night, eyes gleaming like shards of ice.
And it was coming straight toward me.
I froze.
For a moment, I couldn't breathe. My body locked up, every muscle stiff as stone. I didn't dare move. Not even an inch. I couldn't risk it.
Desmond's wolf stopped, sniffing the air. His eyes scanned the ground, and for a second, I thought he might have caught my scent.
But then he tilted his head, sniffing harder. His gaze narrowed.
Then, just as suddenly, he turned, disappearing back into the trees.
I exhaled, my breath shaky, barely believing it. My heart was racing. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through me, but I didn't dare move. Not yet. I needed to be sure he was gone.
I held still, waiting for the sound of his retreating footsteps to fade.
It wasn't until the silence settled in again that I dared move.
I crawled forward, inching my way toward the edge of the ravine. The pain in my ankle flared, but I ignored it. I had no choice but to keep moving.
There was still a chance.
If I could just get out of the ravine, get to higher ground, I might have a shot.
I wasn't done yet.
I pulled myself up, grabbing onto a tree root for leverage. My breath came in sharp gasps, and the pain in my body was unbearable, but I didn't stop.
I was too close to give up now.
Every step was a battle, but I made it to the edge of the ravine, my hands shaking as I pulled myself up. I had to force myself not to look down—at the drop, at the jagged rocks that had nearly taken me out when I'd jumped.
I reached the top and paused, crouching low in the shadows.
The forest was quiet again, the wind rustling the leaves overhead. I didn't hear any movement. The alphas had scattered, but I knew they wouldn't give up.
Not yet.
I was running on empty, but I couldn't stop.
I had to keep moving.
For as long as I could.