Marcus stumbled through the woods, his strength waning with each step. The sounds of screams and snarls filled the air, a cacophony of terror and primal hunger. He had failed. Despite his best efforts, his coven mates had broken free, their bloodlust too powerful to contain.
He paused, leaning against a tree, his keen senses picking up the unmistakable scent of blood. Human blood. Fresh and intoxicating.
Marcus closed his eyes, trying to block out the temptation. But it was everywhere – the metallic tang in the air, the distant sounds of feeding, the primal part of his brain screaming at him to join the hunt.
"No," he muttered, shaking his head. "I can't. I won't."
