Artemis’ POV
Only a few seconds pass between us, but the fire inside me makes it feel like an eternity. Beck's face gets even closer as I feel the touch of his lips against mine for just a split-second, and in that moment, I make a choice.
Pulling my face back, I headbutt him, disorienting him long enough for me to slip away. He may be stronger, but I was trained to fight enemies that outnumber me.
I run for the door.
My heart beats in a rush, and I'm sure he can easily hear it. I can feel him behind me, staring at me with his silver eyes, confused.
I quickly look back at him, knowing that I cannot accomplish what I have set out to do. My training never prepared me for this; not only do I have to fight him, but we also have an impenetrable bond that connects us. If I stay here, I will be a victim of my need to be by his side.
"Artemis."
He reaches out a hand toward me, but before he can say anything else, I open the door and rush out.
I was at a disadvantage since I was not familiar with my surroundings, which was a mistake on my part, but regardless I turn a corner and flee into the darkness.
My senses open up and I let my hearing guide me through the black shadows, as well as my sense of smell, leading me across hallways that have not been walked in a good while, and I traverse the distance in silence, looking for an exit.
The breath burns inside my lungs, and I know that at any moment I could be discovered, but I can’t waste another second in the presence of Beck, knowing the weakness I feel when I’m close to him.
I discover an empty room and enter it without thinking, opening the window and jumping out of it until I land on the fire exit stairs two floors below. I grab hold of the rusty bars, climb down, then start running until I’ve put some distance between me and the building.
Between me and Beck.
Only then do I stop, catching my breath and trying to think of my next move. As I drop to the ground and lean my back against the wall of a nearby building, I close my eyes and immediately think of him.
I can feel his pulse against mine as he holds me, the hint of his body against my curves, and the memory of his breath on my lips. I run my tongue over my dry lips and imagine how it would have felt to just give in and kiss him, to let his mouth find mine.
No wolf I know has ever gone against the design of the Goddess because fighting the bond of Alpha and Luna is as impossible as trying to beat the storm at sea by swimming against the current.
‘No!’ I tell myself.
Under no circumstances will I allow that to happen, no matter how much Sky implores me to listen to her feelings. Her instinct tells her that there is some truth to Becker's words, but I refuse to believe her.
Baltazar wouldn't lie to me, not about this, because he knows it's the only thing that gives my life meaning.
As I think about that, I hear footsteps approaching and I know I am not alone. The wind plays in my favor and brings me the unmistakable essence of a woman across the hallway.
I know it's only a matter of time before the elements work against me, carrying my essence to her. Then, the woman will surely recognize me as an enemy, and I don’t want another fight right now.
I stand up and leave, deciding this mission was a failure.
I move carefully as the rain falls, looking twice before stepping and paying special attention to any sign of movement other than my own. Finally, I reach solid pavement and I start running through the lonely streets.
Coming here was a mistake; for the first time, emotions had blinded me.
If I want to finish Beck, however, I must control this part of me and deal with the feelings I have for him. I must be less impulsive and learn to use his feelings in my favor so that his life will meet its end when we meet again, even though I know that it will end mine as well.
"Artemis, stop, I beg you!" Beck implores.
I hear him behind me, the sound of his footsteps and the rain splashing against his body, and as I slow down briefly and turn, I see him approaching. He's soaked from the rain, and the way his hair falls over his face makes me remember that night years ago when we first met.
My head is full of so many questions. I want to understand the reason why he had abandoned me after marking me, but now when I see him, all I can think about is getting away from him.
I’m amazed at how even from a distance, my body beats in his direction. The look in his silver eyes stays fixed on me, and I know what I want. I want this man; I need him like the air I breathe, more than anything I've ever wanted or craved, but I can't have him.
To join him, to be by his side, is the one wish I can’t allow myself to fulfill.
"Artemis, don't run away from me," he says.
But before I have time to answer, I take off, turning around and doing the one thing he's asked me not to do, the one thing I've never done: run away.
Because I know that if I stay, I’ll no longer be able to separate myself from him, even if he is a murderer, a rival, or an enemy.
Hopefully, I can fight this impossible desire before my feelings for him consume the essence of who I truly am.