bChapter /bb142 /b

    bChapter /bb142 /b

    bra’s /bPOV

    “Did you

    ask him toe?” My voice was a harsh whisper, jerking around to face Kimberly, but I bcouldn’t /bhide the tremor in my chest.

    She shook her head, panic shing in her eyes. “No, he came on his own.“”

    That much was clear. Thorne hadn’t been invito

    He’d just… shown up.

    Cael tugged at my shirt, his eyes darting toward the window. A silent plea. Get out. Now.

    I understood. He wanted me to jump out the window, escape–leave Thorne behind.

    But then came the knock. A sharp, hard rap on the door.

    “ra,” Thorne’s cold voice sliced through the silence. “I know you’re awake. Open the door.”

    I could feel Kimberly’s silent curse before she even spoke. Her lips moved in frustration as she strode to the closet, flinging open the door with a force that matched her mood.

    “Get in,” she ordered, and the sharp urgency in her tone left no room for hesitation.

    Cael and Jory exchanged a look, the decision made in an instant. We scrambled into the closet, trying not to make a sound.

    I just couldn’t face him.

    The door closed behind us, the soft click of ittching muffled by the pounding of my heart. We pressed against the back wall, our faces flush with the door panel, peering out through the tiny crack.

    The door to the room opened, and I saw Thorne standing there, his frown darkening as he caught sight of

    Kimberly.

    “What are you doing here? Where’s ra?” His voice was clipped, almost threatening.

    Kimberly crossed her arms defiantly. “She doesn’t want to see you,” she snapped, the venom in her tone

    clear.

    Thorne’s gaze turned icy. “Don’t get in the way,” he warned.

    Kimberly stepped closer, her voice rising with fury. “Why should she? You’ve had your chance to y, Thorne. It’s no surprise she doesn’t want to see you now.”

    The tension in the air crackled. Thorne took a step forward, eyes narrowing. “Tell her bto /be bout/b. I bwant /bbto /b

    talk to her.”

    1847 Sun, 3 Aug

    bChapter /bb142 /b

    b“/bbShe’s /basleepb,/bb” /bKimberly liedb, /bher bvoice /bsteady bdespite /bthe tension in bher /bbshoulders/b.

    bBut /bbThorne /bdidn’t care for lies. He shoved past her into the roomb, /bhis boots heavy bon /bbthe /bbfloor/bb, /bb“/bbI /bbdidn’t /binvite you in!” Kimberly shouted after him, but it was toote.

    He walked into the bedroom, his gaze sharp as he took in the empty bed. His jaw tightened, and bhe /bbturned /bback, fury burning in his eyes.

    “I’ll give you onest chance,” he said, his voice cold and dangerous. He stalked towards Kimberlyb, /bwho stood her ground despite the tight fists at her sides. “Where is she?”

    “Why do you care?” Kimberly’s voice wasced with bitterness. “You’re the one who walked away, remember?”

    A low growl rumbled from Thorne’s throat. “Is that what she told you?” His eyes burned with rage as he red at Kimberly. “If you help her run from me, I swear I’ll rip your throat out.”

    I felt Jory’s breath quicken beside me. My own pulse was thudding in my ears, the fury rising in me, too. How dare he?

    He had no right to talk like that. He had been the one to destroy whatever we had, if we’d ever had anything.

    The urge to storm out, to shove Thorne back, to confront him, it burned inside me. But then I felt the pressure of Cael’s hand on my wrist. He was holding me back. For my safety.

    But then, Thorne’s nostrils red. He sniffed the air, his eyes scanning the room.

    “The scent… it’s familiar,” he muttered, his gaze sharpening.

    Kimberly stiffened. “What scent?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

    “No,” Thorne said slowly, his eyes flicking toward the closet. “Jory. Cael.”

    Before anyone could react, he lunged for the closet.

    “RUN!” Cael’s voice thundered in my ear, urgent, full of terror.

    Everything happened in an instant. Jory shifted into his wolf form with a crash that splintered the closet.

    Thorne’s hand reached for me, but Jory was faster. His teethtched onto my cor, lifting me effortlessly as Thorne’s hand swiped at empty air.

    “Get her!” Thorne’s howl ripped through the air as he charged forward.

    But Jory was already leaping toward the window. ss shattered as we plunged into the night, bthe /bbcold /bwind shing my face as we felt.

    bThe /bbground /bbrushed /bbup /bbto /bbmeet /bbus/b. bThe /bbImpact /bwas bjarring/bb, /bbbut /bbwe /bbkept /bbmoving/bb, /bbJory’s /bwolf form poli bacross /bbthe /bbpavement/bb, /bthe forest edge just ahead.

    I bcould /bhear Kimberly’s frantic cry behind us, her voice fading as we sprinted toward bsafety /b

    “We won’t make it!” I yelled into the wind; terror wing at my chest.

    Jory’s pace never faltered. He leaped over obstacles, his fur rippling with speed. But bin /bthe bdistance/bb, /bbI /bheard the unmistakable sound of Thorne’s growl, furious, relentless.

    Kimberly had stalled him as long as she could, but Thorne was relentless.

    The South Gate was close. We could make it if we just pushed harder.

    But then the gates–they were closing.

    My heart sank as I saw the soldiers gathered there, the gate slowly grinding to a close.

    “No!” I shouted, my voice raw with panic. I had to get through. We had to.

    But we were too far. The gate was closing. And the soldiers wereing.

    “Faster!” Cael urged, his own panic clear as we sprinted forward. The crack of the gate was barely wide enough to fit a hand through.

    I pulled out the gun from my bag, the cold metal in my palm a sharp reminder of the danger we were in.

    One soldier fell with a shot, but there were more. They kepting.

    “Move!” Cael shouted at me, his voice cracking.

    I shoved him ahead, desperationcing my every movement.

    And then, with onest, violent shove, I sent him sprawling through the crack.

    The gate mmed shut behind him, and the sound of it reverberated in my ears.

    “No! Cael!” I screamed, my heart breaking as I watched him disappear on the other side.

    “GO!” I cried at the top of my lungs, my fists battering uselessly against the gate.

    The soldiers closed in on me, and I knew. I was trapped.

    Thorne wasing.

    The sound of heavy paws pounding against the earth shook the ground, and I knew he was near.

    I turned away from the gate, my heart sinking into my stomach.

    b18:47 /bbSun/bb, /bb3 Aug /b

    ?

    Thest thing I heard before everything went ck was the sound of Thorne’s furious roar.