As I moved through the thick underbrush, leaving the clearing behind Sebastian, the night breeze was frigid against my skin. My body stiffened with the weight of all that had just happened; my pulse thundered in my ears. The words Sebastian spoke still reverberated in my head. Liliana... she is carrying my child. As my claws dug into my hands, I tightly closed my fists. I refused to let suffering define me. I refrained from breaking. Sebastian wasn't the only one carrying a secret. Just barely able to comprehend the truth of what this meant, I pushed a quivering hand across my tummy. I was tending to his youngster. He happens to be the son of the man who initially rejected me. He could never know, either.
The woodland stretched ahead of me, appearing endlessly dark and unfriendly. I lacked a plan or a destination. My only desire was to escape. But my body was starting to rebel, tiredness dragging slow-moving poison into my limbs. I have to relax. Half-hidden by dense vines, I came upon a little, abandoned cabin tucked in the trees. The door, unlocked and creaking gently with a light push, seemed to have remained untouched for years. Dust covered the few surviving furniture pieces, and the air reeked of rot. But shelter was what it was. My body heavy with tiredness, I slumped into the flimsy wooden bed. I ought to have been considering my future action. I should have been thinking about where I could go and what I might do. But all I could consider was the life developing within me. What sort of future would I be able to offer my child? Should the pack discover their presence, would they become targets for hunting? Like me now, would they feel compelled to live in the shadows? I swallowed the lump in my throat while stiffening my resolution. Where I was going eluded me. What the future contained eluded me. I would, however, guard my child. Whatever. I must have nodded off since a commotion outside woke me up. Someone let out a low, sinister scream. I stopped, my pulse accelerating. Alert and poised to fight, my wolf stirred inside me. I shifted to look through the broken glass in the window. Outside the cottage in the moonlit clearing stood two individuals. Their pack was not the Silver Fang Pack. Should they be, I would have identified their smells. That did not mean, however, they lacked risk. Renowned players. Their very existence made my spine shingle. Rogues were wild; they were erratic. While some were benign outsiders, others... Some were merciless killers. I know more than what one would want.
My heart thumping, I back off. The cottage was small and did not offer many hiding places. I could have fought or run. One of them talked before I could make decisions. Come out, a deep voice urged. We know you are among them. I still said nothing, considering my choices. Running would not be beneficial if they smelled like me. "We're not here to hurt you," the second one said, his voice smoother, nearly appealing. "We merely wish to chat." Lies. I wasn't dumb enough to fall for them. I centered myself and took a long inhalation. Should a fight be unavoidable, I wouldn't go down readily. My wolf bristled in readiness for conflict. Shockingly, then, the first renegade spoke once more. "You don't have to trust us, but Zaia Toussaint knows you." My blood ran cold. How then? How would they have known my name? More crucially, though, what did they want from me? Fear cannot afford to rule me. That implied they had been observing me if they knew my name. Perhaps they had been trailing me ever since I departed from the pack. There was no choice for me. I pushed open the door gently, walking into the moonlight. The two rogues, their eyes carefully curious, straightened at my look. The taller man had sharp, calculating eyes and dark, messy hair. The second man, who was slighter in stature, had golden-brown eyes that sparkled with an almost amusing quality. "I don't know who you are," I responded, maintaining a calm voice. But you must go. The taller one nodded with a smile. We had hoped you would say that. increases the fascinating nature of this. He surged before I could respond. I whirled away, hardly avoiding his strike. Despite maintaining my composure, the wolf within me growled and struggled for dominance. Changing in my health could be fatal. I have to exercise smart thinking. I turned away, low kicking with my leg. He staggered back, but his friend was moving already. quick. I stiffened for impact, but it never materialized. From the trees sprang a fresh presence that slammed into the renegade mid-attack. Their power of impact sent them both sprawling across the clearing. The air carried a fresh smell. Knowing. Calling for. My breath seized as the newcomer straightened. Kieran: His silver eyes fixed on me, unreadable yet fierce. From the struggle, his dark hair was wild; his posture was firm and unyielding. Of all the persons that might have come upon me... Why should it have been him? Kieran was not some ordinary person. He came from a king who had wandered off. A warrior dreaded over the borders. A man whose very name was whispered softly. Once upon a time, also, he had been my friend. My defense, my secret. Still, that was years ago, before I decided on Sebastian. That was before everything began to unravel. His eyes flew over me, piercing and evaluating. "You have been rather busy, Zaia." I tried to hide my amazement by chewing hard. Here, what are you doing? He moved toward us, his presence overpowering. I could ask you the same question. You were Luna of the Silver Fang Pack last I knew. Though I forced it down, pain shot over my chest. Not anymore. Something flickered across his face, almost resembling a glimpse of knowledge. The renegade he had pursued moaned on the ground and stirred just slightly. Kieran hardly turned to look at him. He was totally concentrating on me. Come along with me. I contracted stiffness. "Exchange me?" "It is not safe for you out here." His voice was steady and low. And both of us know you have nowhere else to visit. That he was right infuriated me. I was not ready to believe him, though. I wasn't ready to believe him just yet. I raised my head. "Why should I believe you?" His lips rounded into a deliberate, leisurely smile. "Because, sweetie, only I can keep you alive." My gut turned over. Surrounded by Alphas, by power, by guys believing they could choose my destiny, I had spent my whole existence. I wasn't ready to let Kieran join the others. One thing was clear, though, when the breeze changed and the smell of additional rogues drifted with it. There was no decision for me. Though she has no idea where Kieran is going—or why he is helping her after all these years—Zaia is compelled to accompany him. She begins to realize that Kieran is doing more than just keeping her safe while she fights for the life of her unborn child. He searched for her for personal reasons. And his secrets could be much more perilous than her own.