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Aside from a few scrapes and bruises, Violet was physically intact, but the situation was far from safe.

Roman didn’t let go of her, instead, he pulled her behind him protectively, his body acting as a barrier between her and Asher. His stance was rigid, as if silently warning the West Alpha.

"You can hand the girl over now, Roman," Asher said smoothly, taking a few steps forward before stopping, as though waiting for Roman to close the remaining space between them. "You’ve done well so far."

Violet’s ears were ringing at that statement. What did he mean, ’done well so far’?

Her stomach twisted violently. No. No way. That was impossible.

Her wide, frantic eyes snapped up to Roman’s face, searching for something—anything—that would disprove the horrifying thought creeping into her mind. She wanted to believe he wasn’t part of this. That all of this wasn’t just an elaborate ruse.

He wouldn’t betray her... right?

"Roman?" Asher arched a brow, expectant. "What’s the delay?"

Violet stiffened when Roman’s hands suddenly gripped her arms. This is it. He was going to drag her toward Asher, hand her over like a trophy.

But just as her breath hitched in preparation for the inevitable, Roman did the unthinkable.

Instead of surrendering her, Roman kissed her. Violet’s mind shattered. What. The. Actual. Fuck?

Her body locked up, her brain failing to catch up with reality as Roman’s lips claimed hers. Her breath hitched, her eyes frozen wide open in shock. She barely even registered the warmth of his mouth before he pulled back, an infuriatingly smug look settling on his face.

"That makes four of us," Roman murmured with satisfaction. "I wasn’t about to be left out."

This absolute bastard.

Violet didn’t even have time to react properly before Roman’s demeanor changed entirely. His playful arrogance vanished, his expression hardening as he leaned in. Their faces were inches apart when he whispered urgently.

"The collapsed wall is at the far left. Go. Now."

And then—slap.

Roman freaking Draven smacked her ass, the way one would spur a horse into motion.

Violet should have strangled him for that, but right now, survival first, murder later.She took off.

A furious, inhuman snarl erupted behind her. "NO!"

Asher’s voice was raw and livid, the sound reverberating through the night. He had given Roman a chance to redeem himself and yet he had thrown it all away.

The clash of pure violence behind Violet was deafening. Snarls, growls, and the brutal sound of fists meeting flesh resounded as Roman and Asher tore into each other like wild beasts. They weren’t just rivals now. They were enemies.

But Violet couldn’t afford to look back. She focused on the wall in the distance, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She was close, but where was the opening?!

How much further did she have to walk to find it?!

Violet would have used her phone’s map, but every second counted. And she did run out of time.

A snarl tore through the night and Violet’s blood turned to ice. She wasn’t alone.

Asher had anticipated this. He had known Roman might betray him. And so, just in case, he had kept some of his wolves behind as a failsafe. Unfortunately, Alaric and Griffin were trapped and couldn’t help her. Not on time.

Violet’s heart slammed against her ribs. The wolves were nearly upon her. She could feel them closing in. She couldn’t outrun them.

Fuck!

Before she could even scream, someone yanked her off the path. A firm hand clamped over her mouth, muffling the cry that nearly escaped her lips.

"It’s me. Lila."

Violet’s heart nearly stopped. Lila?!

She whipped her head around, and sure enough, there she was.

Violet almost collapsed with relief at the sight of a familiar face in the middle of this insane nightmare. She wanted to sob, hug her, but before she could even open her mouth, Lila’s cold voice stopped her.

"Don’t talk. Don’t move."

Violet stiffened immediately, not just at the command in her friend’s tone but because the wolves had arrived.

Her breath hitched. They were right in front of them, pawing at the ground, sniffing the air but they didn’t see them.

Violet’s lungs burned as she tried not to breathe too loud. How?

The wolves’ eyes scanned the area, convinced she was near, yet somehow, they couldn’t pinpoint her.

What the hell was happening?

Seconds stretched into eternity before, one by one, the wolves backed off, growling in frustration as they slunk away to continue their search elsewhere.

Even after they disappeared, Violet’s muscles remained locked in place, her entire body screamed with unease. The wolves hadn’t just given up. They had been unable to see her. And there was only one person responsible for that.

Violet slowly turned to Lila, heart pounding.

The faint light spilling through the trees cast shadows over her friend’s face, making her features look more austere than Violet had ever seen before. Like she was a completely different person.

"Who are you?" Violet asked her.

"I’m the same Lila you’ve always known," she said, her tone clipped and urgent. "But there’s no time to explain. The cloak is off. They’ll see us if they track us again. We need to move, now."

Without waiting for Violet’s response, Lila grabbed her wrist and dragged her forward. They didn’t run for long before they finally found the opening.

Violet nearly collapsed with relief. The hole was real. It was a break in the wall, large enough to crawl through. The exit to Freedom.

Unfortunately, Asher’s wolves were waiting. They were smart to know that no matter how well Violet hid, she would have to pass through here.

Lila’s grip on Violet’s wrist tightened.

"Run!"

And they did.

The wolves chased after them.

Violet ran till her lungs were burning but Lila was faster. She reached the hole first, sliding in effortlessly.

"Come on!" Lila called from the other side.

Violet dropped to her stomach and scrambled through. Almost there. Almost—

Teeth clamped down on her boot and she screamed.

"It’s got me!"

Lila lunged. Her hands closed around Violet’s wrists, pulling hard except the wolf yanked back and Violet was trapped between them.

Violet choked on a cry. Her back scraped against the jagged stone, pain flaring as her body was jerked back and forth between Lila’s grip and the beast’s fangs like a twisted tug-of-war.

"Lila, just let go!" Violet shouted.

"Never."

And then, Lila’s eyes flashed purple and with an unnatural burst of inhuman strength, she yanked Violet forward so forcefully the wolf’s grip broke.

The beast crashed into the wall with a yelp, and all that was left in its jaws was Violet’s empty boot.