Darkness surrounds me. Miles and miles of darkness. No matter which way I turn, unmoving, tall, and silent sentinels block my path, forcing me to fumble for an opening between the trees.
It’s my dream, only different. I recognize the similarities—the sorrow, the fear—but Soren’s presence ups the stakes. There’s no room for the debilitating emotions. I push them aside and focus on my goal—getting Soren to safety. Nothing else matters.
With one arm outstretched and one locking Soren tightly to my chest, I run blindly, stumbling and sliding on the frost-covered leaves. The underbrush stabs me through my jeans. More sharp bites of pain. More time wasted.
On a harsh grunt, I plow through the thickets, not knowing how deep this section is or where it’ll lead me, but only knowing I can’t stop. I can’t go back. All I can do is go forward.
Lurching from the patch of dry, deadened shrubs, I whack my shoulder against another wide tree. A cry crawls up my throat as numbness radiates down my arm. I clench my jaw, refusing to allow the sound to escape. I don’t need to make it any easier to find me. My trail of blood and tears is enough.
The sounds of breaking twigs reach me. I glance over my shoulder, but all I see is darkness. Even the thicket I waded through is swallowed by the night. With Soren’s small hands clutching my shirt, I focus on the light of the moon breaking through the trees ahead of me, my beacon in the night, and run faster.
A tree branch smacks into my lower belly, tearing a rough sound from me. I hunch over, saying a thankful prayer that the branch hit me and not Soren. Running blind is going to kill us. Stopping will too. Our lives are on the line, even if those other shifters have no intention of killing Soren. Nothing they plan will be good for him.
A distant wolf’s howl cuts through the night, mixing with the raw vulgar curse of the man chasing me. I’m out of time and out of options.
The sense of failure chokes me, filling my eyes with tears. I blink them back, refusing to allow my frustration to be the reason I lose Soren.
My chest heaves and my muscles burn, but I clear the tree line. An open field greets me. One scan of the area and my heart drops to my stomach. Glowing eyes watch me. Dozens of glowing eyes. Bears, lions, and wolves step from the shadows.
And I don’t even have a knife.
A hand settles on my shoulder. I spin, stepping out of reach, and face Nolan. The knife I shoved in his neck is gone, but blood remains. A lot of blood. He’s soaked in it. And he still came after me.
Defeat sits heavy in my heart. I fought with everything I have, but it wasn’t enough. I can’t give up, though. Ilan wouldn’t if he was here. He’d fight until he took his last breath. I glare at Nolan, letting him see what I think of him. This is all I have left. “You’re not worthy of your family! You know that? You’re a pathetic excuse of a man who’s shamed your mate and sons!”
“Nice speech, and I agree. Nolan’s a pathetic fool, especially if he thinks we’ll keep our promise.”
The deep male voice from right behind me tears a gasp from my throat. I pivot and take in the ugly, twisted face of my enemy.
“You are too. You—”
A hard slap to my cheek knocks me to the side and stops my disparaging comment.
“Enough.” The other shifter leans close and lowers his voice. “Hand over the kid, human. You lost.”
“What are you going to do to him?” I wrap both my arms around Soren.
“Kill him on the night of the full moon. Our witch thinks she can capture his wolves’ souls since he doesn’t have a tie to an alpha.”
“Kill him?” Tears clog my voice.
“Yep.” The bastard smiles. “Kill h—”
Blood sprays over me and Soren. The shifter’s headless body drops to the ground. Nolan shoves me the way I came. “Run, Sara. Run!”
I don’t question Nolan’s order. I follow it, running as fast as I can.
Death has found us. And lost. At least right in this moment, and without Ilan, surviving one moment at a time is the best I can hope for.