Lyra's POV
The SUV sped through the quiet roads, the faint glow of the moon lighting our path. I was slumped in the backseat, Melora beside me, fussing over my condition. Kael's eyes were glued to the rearview mirror, his jaw set tight.
"Something's wrong," he said abruptly, tension lacing his tone.
Melora looked up from her bag of medical supplies.
"What do you mean?"
Kael's hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. "We're being followed."
My heart skipped a beat. Weak as I was, the words sent a chill down my spine.
"Followed?" My voice was barely above a whisper.
"Stay calm," Kael said, his eyes flicking back to the mirror. "It's probably nothing. Could just be a patrol."
But I could see the way his shoulders tensed, the way his foot pressed harder on the gas. The SUV lurched forward, the engine roaring as he pushed it to its limits.
"Alpha," Melora said, her voice sharp. "You're speeding."
"I know," he snapped, his tone curt. "The car behind us is matching my speed. They're not from our pack."
The realization hit us all at once. Melora's face paled, and I clutched the seat, my weak fingers trembling.
"What do we do?" I asked, my voice shaky.
Kael didn't answer immediately. He glanced at me through the rearview mirror, his eyes briefly softening before hardening again.
"We get to the hospital. They wouldn't dare attack us there."
But the tension in his voice betrayed his words.
The car behind us sped up again, its headlights glaring into the SUV. Kael cursed under his breath.
"Hold on," he warned, swerving onto a smaller road. The SUV rocked violently, and I bit back a cry of pain as the movement jolted my already fragile body.
"What the hell is happening?" Melora asked, her voice rising with panic.
"They're not giving up." His voice was grim. "And we just crossed out of pack territory."
Before anyone could respond, wolves sprang out from the shadows, their bodies illuminated by the SUV's headlights. They darted in front of the car, forcing Kael to slam on the brakes.
The tires screeched, the car skidding to a halt in the middle of the road.
"What the—" Kael growled, throwing open his door and stepping out.
The car tailing us also came to a stop. Two men stepped out, their movements deliberate and confident. In an instant, they shifted into massive wolves, their growls echoing through the night.
"Stay inside," Kael ordered, his voice low but firm.
Melora moved to my side, her hand gripping mine tightly as we watched Kael face the wolves. My heart was pounding in my chest, fear and frustration swirling inside me. I was useless like this, and it made me sick.
Kael stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists.
"Who the hell are you, and what do you want?"
One of the wolves shifted back into human form, a smirk curling on his lips. He looked Kael, crossing his arms casually.
"We're here for the girl."
Kael's body stiffened. "The girl?"
The man jerked his chin toward the SUV. "Hand her over, and we'll let you go. Simple as that."
Kael's laugh was cold. "You've got some nerve, showing up here and making demands."
The man shrugged. "You're outnumbered. Your pack's far enough away that they won't get here in time. Save yourself the trouble and give her up."
Kael took a threatening step closer. "Leave now, and I'll pretend this didn't happen."
The man's smirk widened. "Big words for someone who's surrounded." He gestured to the wolves that now circled the SUV. "You're in no position to negotiate."
"You're in my territory," Kael growled. "And I don't care how many of you there are. You're not taking her."
The man raised an eyebrow. "Bold. Stupid, but bold."
Inside the SUV, I gripped Melora's hand tighter, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. "Kael…" I whispered through the link.
"I've got this," he replied, his voice steady, though I could feel the undercurrent of anger and fear.
The man outside tilted his head, studying him.
"You're protective of her. That's sweet. But this doesn't have to get messy. Hand her over, and we'll be on our way. No one gets hurt."
Kael's eyes darkened, his wolf dangerously close to the surface. "No fucking way!"
The man sighed, shaking his head. "Suit yourself."
He shifted back into his wolf form, his body crouching low as the other wolves around him growled in unison.
Kael didn't move, his stance unyielding as he prepared for the inevitable fight.
"Stay in the car," he linked to me again, his voice a mixture of authority and desperation.
But as the wolves began to advance, I couldn't help the overwhelming dread that consumed me. This wasn't just about me—it was about all of us surviving the night.
The tension in the air was suffocating, the faint rustle of leaves drowned out by the growls of the wolves surrounding us. Kael's commanding presence outside the SUV was the only thing keeping me from completely spiraling into panic.
"Stay calm, Lyra," he linked to me, his voice a steady anchor.
Melora turned to me, her hands trembling as she grabbed a syringe filled with a clear liquid from her bag. "This might help slow down the wolfsbane's effect, but it won't last long."
I nodded weakly, my attention snapping back to Kael as he took a defensive stance, his sharp gaze locked on the wolves advancing.
"Leave now," he growled, his voice thick with authority.
But they didn't. Instead, the first wolf lunged, a blur of silver fur and teeth. Kael was faster, sidestepping with fluid grace before slamming his fist into the wolf's side, sending it sprawling.
The fight exploded into chaos.
Melora got out of the car and shifted mid-step, her brown wolf bursting forth with a snarl, leaping onto the nearest attacker. Her claws tore through fur and flesh, her movements precise and brutal.
Kael followed suit, his transformation instantaneous. His wolf was massive, black as midnight, his golden eyes blazing with fury. He charged into the clash, his jaws clamping down on a wolf's neck before flinging it aside like a rag doll.
The attackers were relentless. Wolves lunged from every direction, their claws and teeth aiming for Kael and Melora. Kael's wolf was a blur of power, dodging and retaliating with deadly precision.
Two wolves circled him, snapping at his legs. He roared, his paw slashing through one's face while his teeth sank into the other's shoulder. Blood sprayed, but he didn't falter, his focus razor-sharp.
Melora was equally brutal, her smaller frame allowing her to maneuver swiftly. She leapt onto a wolf's back, her teeth tearing into its ear as she forced it to the ground.
For a moment, it seemed like they were winning.
Until more wolves emerged.
One by one, they appeared from the shadows, their glowing eyes locking onto the fight. Kael paused, his chest heaving, surrounded by a dozen snarling opponents.
"Lyra, don't move," he linked to me, his voice thick with desperation.
My body was frozen, my heart pounding as I watched the overwhelming numbers. Kael launched himself at the nearest wolf, his claws ripping through its side. He barely had time to recover before another wolf attacked from behind, sinking its teeth into his shoulder.
He howled in pain but spun around, slamming the wolf to the ground. His strength was unmatched, his sheer determination keeping him on his feet despite the odds.
Melora fought beside him, her fur matted with blood, her growls echoing through the night. She tore into a wolf's leg, sending it limping away, but more kept coming.
In the chaos, I felt the car door rip open.
"No!" I tried to scream, but my voice was too weak.
A massive hand yanked me out of the SUV, and I was tossed over someone's shoulder. My body was too frail to fight back, but I kicked weakly, desperate to escape.
Through the link, I screamed for Kael. "Help!"
Kael's head snapped toward me, his golden eyes widening in panic. He lunged toward the wolf carrying me, but a wall of attackers blocked his path.
"Lyra!" he roared through the link, his voice raw with fear.
The wolf carrying me tossed me into a waiting car, the door slamming shut behind me. I scrambled weakly, but my strength was gone.
Kael fought like a madman, his wolf tearing through the attackers with reckless abandon. He broke through the line, charging toward the car, but the other wolves were relentless, throwing themselves at him to slow him down.
Melora leapt to his side, taking down two wolves that lunged for his side. But even together, they couldn't keep up with the sheer number of enemies.
The car engine roared to life.
"No!" Kael's voice boomed in my head as he tore through the remaining wolves, his claws raking across fur and flesh.
I pressed my hands against the window, tears streaming down my face. "Kael!"
He was so close, but the wolves swarmed him, dragging him back. He roared in frustration, his powerful form struggling against the onslaught.
The car sped off, the world outside becoming a blur.
As the distance between us grew, the bond weakened. I tried to reach him, calling his name through the link, but his voice became faint, then silent.
The last thing I saw was Kael, his wolf standing amidst the bodies of fallen wolves, his golden eyes locked on the car disappearing into the night.
And then, everything went dark.