The silence in the forest was unnerving. Even the rustle of leaves seemed to have been swallowed by an invisible force. Selene tightened her grip on the dagger Kian had handed her moments before, its cold metal pressing into her palm. The moon above hung heavy, spilling pale light through the canopy, casting jagged shadows that danced with every shift of the wind.
"What now?" Selene whispered, her voice barely audible.
Kian, standing a few feet ahead, didn't answer immediately. His sharp eyes scanned their surroundings, every muscle in his body tense. The rogue Alpha radiated a quiet authority, but tonight, even he seemed unnerved.
"We wait," he finally said, his tone clipped.
For what? Selene wanted to ask but bit her tongue. She could feel the blood pumping in her ears, every instinct screaming that they were being watched.
The night carried a weight she couldn't shake off—a sensation she'd come to dread since her first death.
Kian crouched beside a tree, gesturing for her to do the same. "They're close," he murmured, his voice so low it almost melted into the wind.
"Who?" Selene's heart hammered in her chest.
"Trackers. Rowan's men."
Her blood ran cold. Rowan. The very name churned a mix of fury and dread in her chest. She could still see his smug face from the last loop, the moment he cast her to her death as if she were nothing but a pawn to be sacrificed.
She crouched beside Kian, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched the dagger.
"They won't find us if we stay quiet," Kian assured, though his voice lacked its usual confidence.
The forest seemed to hold its breath. Every second stretched into an eternity. Selene felt her muscles ache from holding still, but she dared not move. Her eyes darted to Kian, who remained eerily calm, his gaze fixed on something in the distance.
Suddenly, a howl pierced the air. It was close—too close.
Kian's head snapped toward her. "Run," he ordered, his voice a low growl.
Selene hesitated. "But—"
"Run!" His tone left no room for argument.
Adrenaline surged through her veins as she bolted, the dagger still clutched in her hand. Her feet pounded against the forest floor, the shadows seeming to reach for her as she darted through the trees. The howls grew louder, more distinct, and now she could hear the unmistakable sound of paws against the ground.
They were chasing her.
Her lungs burned, and her legs ached, but she didn't stop. The memory of Rowan's betrayal burned in her mind, fueling her desperation. She wouldn't let them catch her. Not this time.
But the forest seemed endless, the trees blurring together in the darkness. The sense of déjà vu struck her again, as it always did. She had run through these woods before, in another loop, another life. But this time, the stakes felt even higher.
A low growl to her left snapped her back to the present. She turned her head just in time to see a shadow leap toward her.
Selene ducked, rolling onto the ground as the wolf sailed over her. She scrambled to her feet, her chest heaving, and raised the dagger.
The wolf snarled, its eyes glowing unnaturally in the moonlight. It was larger than any wolf she'd ever seen, its fur matted and its fangs bared.
"Come on," she whispered, more to herself than the beast.
The wolf lunged, and Selene sidestepped, slashing with the dagger. The blade caught its shoulder, and it yelped, but it didn't retreat. Instead, it circled her, its movements predatory.
Selene's heart pounded. She couldn't fight it off forever. She needed to escape.
Before she could make another move, a deafening roar echoed through the forest. The wolf froze, its ears flattening against its head. Selene turned toward the source of the sound, her breath catching in her throat.
Kian.
He emerged from the shadows, his form towering, his eyes glowing with an eerie golden light.
"Back off," he growled, his voice resonating with an unnatural power.
The wolf hesitated for a moment before retreating, its tail tucked between its legs.
Kian turned to Selene, his expression unreadable. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head, still trying to catch her breath.
"We need to move. They'll be back with reinforcements."
The two of them continued through the forest, Kian leading the way. Selene couldn't shake the image of him confronting the wolf. There was something primal about him, something that went beyond the typical Alpha dominance.
"Why did it back off?" she asked, her voice still shaky.
Kian didn't answer immediately. "It knows better than to challenge me."
Selene frowned. "That's not an answer."
He stopped abruptly, turning to face her. "You don't need to understand everything right now," he said, his tone softer but still firm. "Just trust me."
Trust. The word hung in the air between them, heavy with unspoken meaning.
As they reached a clearing, Kian gestured for her to stop. He scanned the area before nodding.
"We'll rest here," he said.
Selene sank to the ground, her legs finally giving out. The adrenaline was fading, leaving her exhausted and sore.
Kian sat beside her, his expression unreadable. "You handled yourself well back there."
She let out a bitter laugh. "I almost got myself killed."
"But you didn't," he said, his tone firm. "You're stronger than you think."
The moonlight illuminated his face, and for the first time, Selene noticed the faint scars along his jaw. They weren't visible during the day but seemed to catch the light now, telling stories she knew he wouldn't share.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked softly.
Kian didn't look at her. "Because you're not the only one with a past to outrun."
His words hung in the air, leaving Selene with more questions than answers.
Before she could press further, the ground beneath them trembled. A low rumble echoed through the forest, followed by a bone-chilling howl.
Kian shot to his feet, his body tense. "They've found us."
Selene stood, gripping the dagger tightly. "What do we do?"
Kian's eyes glowed once more, and his voice was filled with a calm determination that sent shivers down her spine.
"We fight."