Leila's POV:
At first glance, I thought it was Chase. The build, the confident stance—he had Chase's physique. But as the figure stepped into the dim glow of the streetlamp, my stomach sank. It wasn't him. The features were similar—the piercing eyes, the crooked smirk—but this man had an edge, a dangerous one.
A vampire.
My chest tightened as I took a cautious step back, Ash clutched tightly in my arms. My wolf, Layla, snarled in my mind, her instinct to protect Ash roaring to the forefront. Unlike the rogue vampire Chase had fought in the alley, this one didn't reek of blood and decay. That didn't mean I could let my guard down. He was still a vampire, and with Ash in my arms, this was not going to be an easy fight.
Cornered. Damn it, I should have stayed in that crappy motel.
"Well, well," the man drawled, his voice smooth and cocky, "so you're the little wolf my brother's been obsessing over?"
