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T he forest is alive with the sound of her footsteps, the frantic rustling of leaves as she bolts through the trees. It’s exhilarating, hearing her desperation, feeling the tension in the air as she runs from us. We’ve given her a head start, and I can sense the thrill she’s experiencing, knowing she’s being hunted. It’s what she wanted—what she begged for—but it’s also what we’ve been waiting for.

I glance over at Raven, who has that usual mischievous grin plastered across his face. “What?” I ask, already knowing he’s up to something.

He shrugs, his grin widening. “How about a little game to decide who gets the first crack at her? Rock, paper, scissors?”

I roll my eyes, exchanging a look with Blade. This is exactly the kind of thing Raven would suggest—always trying to make a game out of everything. It’s ridiculous, childish even, but I can see the excitement in his eyes, the way he’s practically bouncing on his toes with anticipation. Blade looks just as unimpressed, but there’s a slight nod of agreement from him .

“Fine,” I mutter, more to get it over with than anything else. I hold out my hand, Raven and Blade doing the same, and we quickly play the round. It’s over in seconds, and to my surprise, I win.

A grin spreads across my face as the realization sets in. A two-minute head start. The thrill of the hunt, and I’m the first to find her, to corner her, to feel the rush of power as she realizes she can’t escape me. My stance shifts immediately, my earlier annoyance replaced with the exhilaration of what’s to come.

Without wasting a second, the three of us remove our jackets, followed by our shirts. We toss them aside, the cool night air hitting our bare chests as we prepare for the chase. The formal attire was for the party; now, it’s time to get serious. Each of us pulls on a pair of black tennis shoes, discarding the dress shoes that would only slow us down in the underbrush. The transition from the elegance of the party to the raw, primal chase in the woods is stark, but it’s exactly what we’ve been waiting for.

“Two minutes,” Blade says, his voice carrying a hint of grudging respect. He knows how much this means, how much control the first one to find her holds. “Use it wisely.”

Raven smirks, crossing his arms as he leans against a tree. “Don’t waste it, Shadow. She’s already got a good lead.”

I don’t need any more encouragement. With a nod, I pull my mask back over my face and turn to slip into the darkness; the forest swallowing me up as I begin the hunt. My senses are on high alert, every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig drawing my attention. I know she’s out there, not far, her fear and excitement mingling in the air like a heady perfume.

The two minutes feel like a lifetime, but I know they’ll be over in the blink of an eye. I move quickly, silently, my eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of her. The thrill of it—the knowledge that I’m the one who’ll find her first—is intoxicating. The chase is on, and she’s about to realize that hiding in the dark won’t save her from the shadows.