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The impact of her words dawned on her with sudden, crystal-clear realization.

As the epiphany hit her, she felt the ground sway beneath her, causing her to grasp onto the wall of the narrow passageway for support.

She turned and leaned back against the wall, raising her hand to her chest, covering her heart, as she stared back in the direction she had just come.

“I love them,” she whispered.

Despite her softly spoken words, her voice reverberated loudly in her ears. How had things ended up like this? Her laughter bubbled up, almost reaching a hysterical pitch, and she hastily muffled it with her hand.

Hell, how did it happen?

She had done everything she could to drive them away.

Biting her lip, she closed her eyes and dropped her chin as she pictured everything that had happened since she had first seen them.

That had been the hook, she realized. The first moment she had seen them in the snowy woods, first in their wolf forms, then in all their splendor of naked, male flesh.

“Damn it to hell,” she groaned.

She opened her eyes and with a slight push, moved away from the wall, feeling the rough texture against her fingertips as she trailed them along the uneven surface.

Fighting her feelings seemed to be an impossible task.

She had enough self-awareness to recognize that about herself.

Her desire for them burned fiercely, and she was willing to do anything to make them hers.

Moving through the different stages, her mind swirled with emotions from anger and denial to eventual acceptance.

Her lips curved into a bemused smile as she ventured into the dark crevice, the musty smell of damp earth filling her nostrils.

She rummaged through her pouch and retrieved a small flashlight she had swiped from the compound.

The cold metal cylinder in her hand served as a stark reminder of the gradual changes in her life.

It’s a lot easier to press a button than light a candle from flint, she mused.

Pressing the raised button on the side, she directed the light down the twisted passage, feeling the walls closing in as she ventured further into the mountain.

It didn’t take her long to locate the rock her grandfather had mentioned, nor the loose stone concealing the hole where the inscribed cylinder was hidden.

She was sliding it into her pouch when a strange noise filtered down the passage. Curious, she started forward when Peterson’s enraged howl, amplified by the contours of the passage, filled her with terror.

Her initial reaction was the desire to rush to them, but a lifetime of caution and the need for survival overrode the impulsive emotion. Her people had learned that rushing in could have devastating consequences.

Instead, she opened her senses, listening to anything that sounded out of place. She started when she heard a sharp yelp of pain. Lifting her hand, she rubbed it over her heart. As she inched forward to the opening where the passages branched, she picked up the murmur of unfamiliar voices.

“You heard him. Find the human female and move ‘em out. I want everyone back at the base camp before dark.”

Her body tensed up as a shiver of alarm coursed through her upon understanding the threat in the order.

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply to combat the overwhelming fear consuming her.

A profound resolve took root within her, guiding her actions.

As she opened her eyes, she pondered the different choices laid out before her.

The men could harm Van and Peterson, or even manipulate them against each other, if she fell into enemy hands.

If she were free, their chances of survival would increase.

Her eyes were drawn to a passage a short distance down.

The faint, but familiar rush of water was barely audible.

In order to remain undetected, she needed to mask her scent.

She felt a sudden spark of inspiration, pushing her to spring into motion.

Entering the passage, she was met with the musty aroma of ancient rocks, drawing her closer to the crevice shaped by melting ice within the mountain.

As she entered the area used as a bathroom by her people, she could hear the sound of rushing water from the nearby stream.

One area was allocated for the toilet, and the other was designated for bathing purposes.

The waterfall, fed by the snow runoff higher up, flowed through the rock, its icy-cold water creating an almost surreal atmosphere.

The water exuded a unique mountain freshness, intermingled with the smell of musty smoke.

The sound of running water echoed in the alcoves that had been carved out by millennia of erosion.

A shiver ran down her spine as the icy mist from the water enveloped her.

The ground was littered with charred logs and ashes, remnants of old fires that had crackled and popped in the past. Centuries of fires had left a dark, sooty layer on the walls and ceilings of this part of the cave.

The air was still heavy with the lingering smell of smoke.

She cautiously made her way around the waterfall, relying on her memory to guide her in the dark. The rocks, wet from the water, were slippery, causing her foot to slide more than once. She slid behind the waterfall, enveloped by the darkness and the echoes of falling water.

As she waited, each second seemed to be an eternity.

All other noises faded into oblivion as the waterfall’s powerful rush dominated the surroundings, with only the steady thump of her heart discernable.

Clutching the spear close to her chest, she could feel the soothing, smooth texture of the wood against her palm.

Her eyes honed in on the entrance through a shallower flow of the water.

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly during the wait, even though it was likely just ten minutes.

The sudden flash of light signaled that the men had found the passage. Bright beams of light flooded the interior of the cavern just a minute later, casting long shadows on the walls. Pulling her head back, she shivered as the cold, damp, rough rock pressed against the back of her head.

Her hands grew numb from the frigid water continuously spattering her unprotected skin. She pushed past the discomfort, staying completely still as she observed the torches scanning the area.

“Looks like we found their latrine,” a male shifter said.

“I can’t smell anything but smoke and shit,” a woman replied. “What about you?”

“Nothing. I would’ve thought humans would have a stronger scent,” the man said.

Jayden watched with anticipation as the female shifter moved closer, holding her breath.

The torch’s flickering light danced along the thin stream of water, casting eerie shadows on the moss-covered rocks before fading into darkness.

Methodically moving the light, the woman inspected the wet ground by the stream before shifting her attention to the soot covered walls, seeking out any evidence of any recent activities.

The rhythmic thud of Jayden’s heart resonated loudly in her ears as the torch light flickered on the fast-moving water keeping her presence hidden.

The tension in her muscles was palpable as she stayed perfectly still, the light visible through her half-closed eyelids before moving on.

With a quick pivot, the woman kept a vigilant eye on the passage in front of her.

“There’s nothing here,” the man said.

“Are there any more passages?”

“No. It dead ends right after this,” he replied.

“It’s hard to believe humans were able to survive living like this,” the woman said.

The man chuckled. “And they used to call us animals. We aren’t the ones shitting in a cave.”

“Isn’t that the truth? Let’s go report. Hopefully, the others found her hiding under a mat in the main cavern,” the woman muttered.

Jayden stood her ground as darkness enveloped her, ignoring the increasing sense of unease. The looming prospect of the shifters returning preyed on her mind. It was what she would do if she were the hunter. She needed to maintain the impression that she had never been there.

With the minutes slipping away, she repositioned herself to slip her hands into her fur jacket, feeling the softness and warmth enveloping her frozen flesh.

Despite the cool mist from the waterfall soaking her clothes, they still managed to shield her from the cold.

Unfortunately, she had no protection for her head, hair, and exposed skin.

Her cheeks and lips felt numb, as if they were frozen, and she couldn't feel the tips of her fingers.

When the faint glow of torches illuminated the passage again, she couldn't help but stiffen in response.

Her initial wariness was proven to be well-founded.

Pressing herself against the frigid, slick rock, she steeled herself to remain perfectly still.

The cavern was filled with an eerie silence as two more shifters made their way inside, one of them moving gracefully on all fours in their animal form.

A beast, with features akin to a wolf but possessing longer legs, a tail, and a more slender physique, was sniffing the ground.

The sound of the man’s footsteps echoed through the cavern as he swept it with his torch, casting light into the darkness.

Their slow, deliberate movements filled her with a sense of unease.

The sound of her thudding heart filled her ears as the coyote shifter approached the stream.

His head was in constant motion, scanning the area from left to right.

His nose was almost touching the rough, rocky floor, making her cringe at the thought of him scraping off some skin.

His sable-haired pelt was shrouded in a layer of mist, adding a mystical aura to his appearance when the torch light swept over him.

Standing on the same rock she had slipped on, he inhaled deeply, shook his head, and then sneezed loudly. With the torch in hand, the shifter walked over and directed the beam of light to highlight the cascading waterfall.

“You smell anything?” he asked.

The coyote shook his head. “No, just piss and shit.”

“Let’s confirm that she isn’t here. I wouldn’t want to be those two shifters when they finally wake up. Singleton is going to work them over good until he gets the information on where they stashed the human,” the shifter chuckled.

“He’ll probably send us dogs out to find her,” the coyote-shifter mumbled.

She could feel the anger bubbling up inside her as she watched them callously revel in the misery they would be causing. There were at least five shifters, possibly more from the way they were talking. Her chin dropped and she closed her eyes as tears burned in them.

How can I possibly take on that many beasts?

With each deep breath, she fought back against the doubts and the sense of being helpless. She was a hunter. A serene determination overcame her, filling her with a sense of calm resolve. She was fed up with all of this crap.

Gripping her spear tightly, she rose from her hiding spot, feeling a newfound sense of purpose.

The time had come to transition from being the prey to becoming the predator.

The beasts were about to discover just how primitive and dangerous a human could be—especially when the lives of the men she loved were at stake.