Page 19 of The Reaper's Vow

“Stop lying to yourself.” I step back, giving her room, though every instinct pulls at me to close the gap again. “You shifted tonight. That’s how you escaped the club so quickly. I can still smell the forest on you, the earth clinging to your skin.”

Her face goes pale. She glances down at her hands, and I see dirt caked beneath her fingernails—evidence of running wild through the redwoods.

“I don't understand what's happening,” she admits, a hint of vulnerability cracking through her defiance. “I've spent my whole life hiding what I am.”

I draw in a slow breath, holding my wolf at bay even as he snarls for her. Understanding cuts deep—she’s lived amonghumans, smothering the creature inside her, taught to see her own blood as something dangerous.

“Look, I don't know your story,” I say, softening my tone slightly. “But we have time for all that. Time for me to teach you what it means to be a wolf. A real one. Not one pretending to be human.”

Her eyes flash with indignation. “I'm not pretending?—”

“Yes, you are,” I cut her off. “These air fresheners. The way you've scrubbed this place of any natural scent. The way you're fighting against what your body clearly wants right now.” I gesture between us. “This isn't living, Karina. It's hiding.”

She crosses her arms protectively over her chest. “You don't know anything about me.”

“I know enough,” I counter. “Living alone without pack protection in a territory crawling with predators who'd tear you apart if they knew of your existence.”

“I've been fine so far,” she says, but there's a hint uncertainty in her voice now.

“By pure fucking luck,” I growl. “Luck that ran out tonight.”

“You don't get to just barge in here and?—”

My phone vibrates in my pocket, cutting her off mid-sentence. I pull it out, ready to silence whoever's interrupting, but Elias's name flashes on the screen. I answer with a snarl.

“What?”

“Where the fuck are you?” Elias's voice is tight with urgency.

“I found the female. It’s being handled.”

“Well, handle it faster,” he hisses. “I tracked your phone. Don't give me that look. Lockhart left the club not long after you did. I managed to put a tracker on his vehicle. He’s headed straight for you.”

“Fuck.” The word rips from my throat as I move to the window, peering through the blinds. Sure enough, a black SUVidles at the intersection, its tinted windows revealing nothing of who's inside, but I know.

“How the hell did he find her so quickly?” I demand, already scanning the apartment for anything Karina might need.

“Same way we did, I'm guessing. He must have people at the club who recognized her with Britney.”

Karina's face drains of color as she picks up snippets of the conversation. “What's happening?”

I cover the phone. “Lockhart is on his way here. I need to get you out of here.”

“What? No. I’m not going anywhere with you.” Karina backs away, her hands raise defensively.

I pocket my phone and close the distance between us in two strides. “This isn't a fucking debate. Lockhart will tear you apart when he realizes what you are to me.”

“I'm not?—”

“Stop.” I grip her shoulders, forcing her to look at me. “You can deny this all you want later, but right now, you need to trust me. He's here for you, and he won't be as gentle as I've been.”

She glances towards the window, then back to me. The fear rolling off her in waves makes my wolf howl with protective rage. She may not accept me yet, but her safety is non-negotiable.

“Pack a bag,” I order, releasing her. “Five minutes. Clothes, toiletries, anything you can't live without. You won’t be coming back here.”

To my surprise, she doesn't argue further. Something in my tone must have gotten through to her. She disappears into her bedroom, and I hear drawers opening and closing in rapid succession.

I use the time to check my weapon and scan the apartment for escape routes. The building's old—probably built in the sixties—with thin walls and creaky floors. Not ideal for afirefight, but the fire escape outside her bedroom window could work if we move fast enough.