"Where did they go?"
The voices of the approaching group jolted Zayden, snapping him out of his shock. With a swift motion, he adjusted their positions so that his back was now facing the alley entrance, accidentally deepening their kiss that finally sealed their soul-bond. He pulled away abruptly, maintaining their closeness to shield Ziana from prying eyes.
"Argh, let's search the other side of the road," grumbled the leader of the group, glancing at the entwined figures in the dark alley. Mistaking their embrace for a make-out session, he cringed and quickly turned away. Zayden's broad shoulders successfully concealed Ziana from their curious gazes.
As the footsteps faded, silence enveloped the alley, and Zayden released a sigh of relief. He looked at the reckless woman beside him, realizing how her rebirth pattern mirrored that of a wild animal. She truly was a capricious raccoon, unpredictable in every sense!
