Alex's POV
11 Years Ago,
The roar cut through the forest like a death knell, and I ran, lungs burning, feet pounding, with nothing but dread in my veins. The trees whipped past me, branches clawing at my arms and face as I pushed on, the forest floor blurred under my feet.
Every leaf, every crack of a twig was a warning sign, telling me I was too late. But I wasn't stopping. Not until I saw him.
I should never have left Theo alone.
Only minutes ago, we'd had a fight. A petty, foolish argument. I'd told him he wasn't ready to face the beasts that lurked here, but the boy—barely five—had stood up to me with a defiance far too big for his small frame.
Those piercing blue eyes, framed by tousled black hair, had glared up at me as if I was the one who didn't understand, as if he could prove me wrong.
