Page 27 of Allie

"Almost there," I panted, clutching the documents against me as if they could shield me from what chased us. The exit was just ahead—a sliver of night sky was visible through the open door.

"Go, go, go!" Draven shouted.

We burst out into the open air, the darkness a welcome cloak. Roan was already there, doubled over, catching his breath. Asa emerged moments later, a grin splitting his face despite the gravity of our escape.

"Did we lose them?" I asked, every nerve ending buzzing with tension.

"Looks like it," Asa said, between heavy breaths. "For now."

"Let's get out of here," Roan said, looking back at the ominous building that housed the cult.

We didn't stop running until we reached the safety of my apartment. The door slammed shut behind us, the sound a definitive barrier between us and the night's terror. We collapsed onto the couch, the papers spread across the coffee table.

"Everyone okay?" I asked, glancing at each of them. They nodded, their faces flushed with the remnants of adrenaline and relief.

"We got what we came for," Draven said, picking up one of the sheets, his eyes moving quickly over the scrawled text.

"Let's see what secrets these hold," I murmured, leaning in closer. The documents smelled faintly of must and incense, a reminder of the perilous world we had just escaped.

The pounding on my apartment door reverberated like thunder through the tense silence, jolting us out of our cautious examination of the documents. We exchanged wide-eyed glances, a shared pulse of panic thrumming between us. Asa's hand instinctively went to his back pocket, where I knew he kept a blade hidden. Draven’s jaw clenched, his protective stance firm as a fortress wall, while Roan stood, poised and ready, like a panther about to spring.

"Who is it?" My voice was steady, belying the rapid drumbeat of my heart.

"Grant," came the muffled reply from the other side, sounding as though he had been running.

I moved toward the door, but Draven’s hand on my arm stopped me. "Are you sure we can trust him?"

"Let me talk to him." My own curiosity was piqued. Grant had some explaining to do, and I wanted to hear it firsthand. Besides, there was something about Grant that made it hard not to be at least a little receptive.

Draven hesitated, his gaze searching mine for signs of misplaced trust. Finding none, he nodded once, stepping back as an unspoken sign of respect for my decision.

I unlocked the door and swung it open, revealing Grant's disheveled figure. His hair was a mess, his chest heaving, and his eyes were wide with a mix of fear and determination.

"Can I come in?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder as if he expected someone to leap out of the shadows.

"Talk," I said instead, blocking the entryway. Trust had to be earned, especially tonight.

"Look, I know you saw me there, but it's not what you think," Grant began, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I'm trying to help."

"By attending dark magic cult meetings?" Asa's voice was cold, skeptical.

Grant's eyes flickered to Asa, then to Roan. "I'm not one of them. I was gathering information. I think they're planning something big—and dangerous."

"Information? What kind of information?" Roan's arms were folded across his chest, his body language screaming distrust.

"Enough to help us understand their next moves. To stop them." Grant's earnestness was palpable, but so was the tension coiling in the air, thick and electric.

"Come in," I said and stepped aside for him to enter. Something in Grant's desperate plea tugged at me, and my gut told me he was being sincere.

He nodded, stepping into the apartment. I shut the door and locked it behind him. Grant took a seat, never quite relaxing, his eyes darting around the room, taking in the scattered papers, the remnants of our earlier adrenaline-fueled mission.

"Start talking, Wynn," Draven prompted, crossing his arms. I realized that was the first time I heard Grant’s last name.

12

ALLIE

"Okay, spill it. What's a fox shifter doing slinking around a dark magic cult meeting?" Draven’s voice cut through the tension, his stance all hard lines and suspicion.