It was coming for her.
Before she could even scream, the stranger stepped forward. One moment, he was a still figure against the moonlit trees; the next, he shoved her aside with a force that sent her stumbling into the rough bark of a tree.
"Stay back!" he ordered, his voice sharp and commanding.
Lucia clung to the tree, her heart hammering so hard she could barely think. She watched as he faced the creature—a man against a monster. The beast lunged, claws slashing through the air. He moved faster than her eyes could follow, ducking and weaving like this was instinct. Like he'd done this before.
She couldn't tear her gaze away. Every swipe of the creature's claws seemed like it would be his last, yet he dodged with a grace that didn't seem human. He struck back, his fist connecting with the beast's snout. The crunch of bone made her stomach twist, but the creature barely flinched. Its glowing eyes stayed locked on him, its movements just as relentless.
"Run!" he shouted, glancing over his shoulder at her.
Her legs finally obeyed. She bolted, feet pounding against the forest floor, roots and rocks slicing into her skin with every step. The forest blurred around her, an endless tunnel of shadows and whispers. The fight behind her grew faint, swallowed by the night, but her fear only grew sharper.
The snap of a twig stopped her cold.
She spun toward the sound, her chest heaving as she searched the darkness. The forest was silent again, so quiet it felt like the trees themselves were holding their breath. She dared to hope the nightmare had ended.
A low growl shattered that hope. It came from the shadows, deep and rumbling, closer than she could bear. Slowly, she turned. The creature stepped into view, blood dripping from its jaws, its glowing eyes locked on her.
"No," she whispered, taking a shaky step back. Her heel caught on a root, and she hit the ground hard. Pain shot through her side, but she barely felt it over the terror that gripped her.
The beast snarled, muscles coiling as it prepared to pounce. She couldn't move, couldn't even breathe.
There he was again. He slammed into the creature with enough force to send them both tumbling. Claws and fists clashed, and she saw the glint of blood on his torn shirt. He didn't stop. His movements were wild but precise, a controlled chaos that seemed to confuse even the monster.
"Get up!" he barked, his voice raw and urgent.
Lucia scrambled to her feet, her legs trembling so badly she nearly fell again. Her instincts screamed at her to stay, to help somehow, but she knew she couldn't. She turned and ran, tears blurring her vision as branches clawed at her skin.
The forest closed in, darker and colder with every step. Her lungs burned, her legs ached, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. The memory of the beast's glowing eyes kept her moving.
Finally, she stumbled into a small clearing. She dropped to her knees, gasping for air, the silence pressing down on her. For a moment, all she could hear was her heartbeat, loud and frantic in her ears.
"Lucia."
The voice was soft, but it cut through the quiet like a blade. She looked up to see him standing at the edge of the clearing, blood streaking his face and arms. His chest rose and fell with labored breaths, but his eyes were sharp. They glinted like they carried secrets too heavy for words.
"It's dead," he said simply, stepping closer. "But there's more coming."
Her throat tightened as she pushed herself to her feet. "Who are you?" she managed, her voice barely above a whisper.
He studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, as though deciding something, he said, "Kain Draven."
Lucia swallowed hard. The name felt heavy, like it carried a weight she didn't understand. "What are you?"
His jaw tightened, and his gaze shifted toward the shadows surrounding them. "An alpha," he said, his voice low. "Of a rogue pack."
Before she could process his words, a howl rose in the distance, chilling and close. Kain's head snapped toward the sound, and his expression darkened.
"They're coming for you," he said, his tone grim. "We need to keep moving."
She didn't argue. Exhausted and terrified, she let him lead her deeper into the forest, her mind reeling. Who was this man, this alpha? And why were they hunting her?
The answers would have to wait. Survival came first.
The forest closed tighter the further they went. Branches reached out like skeletal fingers, snagging at Lucia's hair and clothes. Her breath hitched with every step, her legs aching as she struggled to keep up with Kain. He moved ahead of her, his strides quick and deliberate, barely making a sound on the forest floor.
Behind them, the silence felt wrong—too heavy, too unnatural. It was the kind of silence that promised danger, one that made her heart hammer in her chest. She stole a glance over her shoulder, her imagination conjuring glowing eyes in the darkness.
"Why me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it cut through the eerie quiet like a blade. "Why are they after me?"
Kain's jaw clenched. He didn't stop, didn't even look back. "Because they know what you are," he said, his voice low and gruff, like he didn't want to say it out loud.
"What I am?" Lucia stumbled over a root, her feet barely catching herself in time. "What does that mean?"
Kain held up a hand, and she froze. His sharp gaze swept the trees, scanning the shadows for movement. The air grew colder. A growl, low and guttural, vibrated through the stillness. Lucia's stomach twisted.
"Stay behind me," Kain said. His voice had dropped to a warning, firm and unyielding.
Before she could respond, the creature burst from the underbrush. It was even larger up close, its matted fur glistening with fresh blood. Its yellow eyes locked onto her, and its lips peeled back to reveal jagged teeth.
Kain didn't wait. He lunged, meeting the beast head-on in a violent collision. The impact rattled the ground beneath her feet. Lucia stumbled back, gripping the rough bark of a nearby tree for balance.
Kain moved like nothing she'd ever seen. His body twisted and turned, dodging claws that carved deep gouges into the earth. He struck back with a ferocity that left her breathless, his fists and claws tearing into the creature. Each movement was purposeful, as though he'd fought beasts like this his entire life.
Lucia's feet refused to obey her. She should've run, should've put as much distance between herself and the chaos as possible. Instead, she stood frozen, watching the brutal fight unfold.
The creature lashed out, catching Kain's side with a swipe of its massive claws. He staggered but didn't fall. Instead, a growl rumbled from deep in his chest—a sound that didn't belong to a man.
Kain shifted his stance, planting his feet firmly into the dirt. As the beast lunged again, he met it with a snarl of his own. His arms locked around its neck, muscles straining as he twisted with all his strength.
A sickening crack shattered the air. The beast went limp, its massive body collapsing to the ground in a heap. Kain stood over it, his chest heaving, blood dripping from a deep gash on his shoulder.
Lucia's breath caught in her throat. She couldn't look away from him—his wild eyes, the streaks of blood across his torn shirt, the raw power radiating off him.
He turned to her, his voice sharp and urgent. "This isn't over. They'll send more."