Page 29

The moment my bare feet hit the damp forest floor, reality crashed over me like a wave.

I was outside. Free. The cold night air stung my lungs as I sucked in desperate breaths, my fingers still interlaced with Dominic's as we sprinted into the trees.

Behind us, the wail of the facility's alarms faded into the distance, replaced by something far more primal—the haunting chorus of howls that seemed to come from every direction at once.

Dominic moved like a shadow beside me, his grip unrelenting.

Moonlight filtered through the dense canopy above, casting jagged patterns across his face.

His eyes—those impossible, glowing eyes—darted through the darkness, scanning for threats.

Every muscle in his body was coiled tight, ready to spring.

"Faster," he growled, tugging me forward as my socked feet slipped on wet leaves.

I stumbled, my toes catching on an exposed root, but Dominic caught me before I could fall. His hands were scorching hot against my chilled skin, his breath coming in short, controlled bursts. Even now, running for our lives, he moved with that unnatural grace—like his body wasn't entirely human.

The howls came again, closer this time. A shiver ran down my spine. They didn't sound like any animal I'd ever heard. There was something wrong with them—something that made the primal part of my brain scream danger.

"Dominic," I gasped, my voice barely above a whisper. "What are they?"

His jaw clenched. "Rogues."

Before I could ask what that meant, a twig snapped to our left.

Dominic reacted instantly. He shoved me behind him, his body a solid wall between me and whatever lurked in the shadows. A low growl rumbled in his chest, so deep I felt it vibrate through me.

Then—movement.

A figure lunged from the underbrush, too fast to be human. Moonlight glinted off yellowed teeth and wild, bloodshot eyes. It—he—was naked, his skin stretched too tight over wiry muscle, his limbs elongated in a way that made my stomach turn.

Dominic met him mid-air.

The impact sent them both crashing into the dirt, a tangle of snarls and snapping teeth.

I stumbled back, my heart hammering so hard I thought it might burst. Dominic moved with terrifying precision—every strike calculated, every dodge effortless.

But the rogue was fast. His fingers ended in jagged, blackened claws that raked across Dominic's shoulder, drawing blood.

The scent of copper filled the air.

Something inside me shifted.

A surge of adrenaline, of rage, burned through my veins.

Before I could think, I grabbed a fallen branch and swung with all my strength.

The wood connected with the rogue's skull with a sickening crack.

He howled, clutching his head as he staggered back.

Dominic didn't hesitate. He lunged, his hand closing around the rogue's throat, and slammed him into a tree.

The sound of splintering bark echoed through the forest.

"Run," Dominic snarled at me, his voice distorted—deeper, rougher. More animal than man.

I didn't argue.

We crashed through the underbrush, leaves and branches whipping at my exposed skin.

The rogues' howls multiplied, surrounding us.

Three. Four. Maybe more. They moved like ghosts through the trees, their gaunt forms flickering at the edges of my vision.

Dominic's breath was ragged beside me. Blood dripped from his shoulder, painting the forest floor in dark droplets.

"River," he panted. "Ahead. We can lose them there."

The ground sloped sharply downward, the trees thinning to reveal a wide, rushing river. Moonlight danced across its surface, the current strong enough to churn white foam around jagged rocks.

Dominic didn't slow. He dragged me into the icy water without hesitation, his arm locking around my waist as the current seized us. The shock of the cold stole my breath. I gasped, my limbs locking up as the water dragged us under.

For one terrifying second, the world disappeared.

Then Dominic's grip tightened, hauling me back to the surface. "Hold on to me," he ordered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the water.

I clung to him like a lifeline, my fingers digging into his shoulders as the river carried us downstream. Behind us, furious snarls erupted on the bank—but they didn't follow.

The rogues hated the water.

We washed up on the opposite shore half a mile downstream, coughing and shivering. Dominic dragged me onto the rocks, his hands frantic as they roamed over my body, checking for injuries. His touch left trails of fire in its wake, his skin impossibly warm despite the freezing water.

"Are you hurt?" His voice was rough with worry. "Look at me."

I was shaking too hard to speak. The adrenaline was fading, leaving behind the crushing weight of what we'd just done. I'm a fugitive now. The thought should have terrified me. But all I could focus on was the way Dominic's hands trembled against my skin—like he was the one afraid of losing me.

His eyes searched mine, golden flecks swirling in the blue. Then, with a muttered curse, he stripped off his soaked shirt—when had he lost the jacket?—and wrapped it around my shoulders. The fabric was heavy with water, but his scent clung to it—pine and rain and something wild. Something him.

"They were wolves," I whispered. My teeth chattered. "But not like you."

Dominic's jaw tightened. He cupped my face, his thumb brushing away river water—or tears. "Rogues don't have packs. Don't have control." A shadow crossed his face. "They're what happens when a wolf loses themselves to the animal. No humanity left. Just... hunger."

And they've been tracking me for weeks.

He didn't say it. He didn't have to.

I swallowed hard. "Where do we go now?"

Dominic exhaled sharply, his breath warm against my chilled skin. "Somewhere safe."

But as we stumbled into the trees, my legs numb and my mind reeling, I couldn't shake Lacey's words.

He's not just a wolf.

And the rogues hadn't been chasing me.