109
Adrian's POV
The woods had always been my sanctuary. Out here, away from the noise, the rules, the endless politics of pack life, I could breathe. The towering trees stretched high above, their branches whispering secrets to each other, the scent of damp earth grounding me in a way nothing else could. I needed this. A moment to clear my head, to forget everything I was putting myself in lately.
The air was crisp, biting at my skin, but I welcomed the sting. It kept me sharp. The world had a way of dulling you, suffocating you with its demands, but out here? Out here, I was free.
At least, I was.
Until I heard his name.
"Mason—"
The voice was distant at first, a broken thread in the fabric of the wind. But then it cut through, sharp and raw.
"—beat her bad. She's in the hospital."
My body stilled.
