Moonlit Redemption: Chasing the Alpha's Heart

n was l

that hardly seemed to p

luid ease through the und

aves, every snap of a twi

'd barely left the cave

, on a route Adrian said

wolf named Rowan who li

to be a quiet journey, a

ouldn't shake this feelin

as sever

t, sure steps as if he ha

to keep pace with him, her

to close in around them.

, and that set he

e cer

barely loud enough to

of their

lanced b

unreadable in the poo

"Rowan is trustable.

s h

odded,

bout refused to unravel. S

hat he knew what he was d

sides? It was a memory sti

the blood. She had barely

into them again was a

ed on, s

carrying them deeper into

imbs twisting to interloc

much of the moonlight. Kier

heavier as if the fores

h

ian,

embling. "What if they'

where we

alted an

tone, unyielding. "If t

d in a quiet tone. "St

nnot afford to

reached

firm but light. "St

e softening. "We'l

allowed

ing his a little tighter.

little for her apprehensi

y now. Every few feet Adri

sounds of the forest, pe

ny da

utes cr

deeper into the undergro

and oppressive silence cl

t, the sound thrumming in h

gasps. She tried to tur

hand within hers-but it w

g at her insides, threate

ut the t

t they might actually get

d. He threw up a hand-th

iera's heart skipped a be

with

t is

whis

idn't sa

blackness of the distance

ny instant. Kiera straine

all she could make out wa

he b

heard i

Her blood ran cold, her he

ping of a twig, the rustl

d the growl came once more

n...,"

hisper, weak-a quiver, wor

nd tig

y co

e was wired. He released h

ave no idea how many we'

e re

odded,

clutched her small blade t

e knew she wasn't going

seen what the helpless en

e or exp

ling gre

d to dart her eyes everywh

dows were just too thick a

at once. Her breath caugh

d from the trees

a wolf,

th an eldritch yellow lig

em-watching and weighin

s teeth, the low, menaci

of it

stepped

between Kiera and the

voice smooth yet firm

oug

't move

rian in a way that was ve

g internally to run, to fl

ralyzed

e anothe

ght. Kiera's head jerked

than the first, its fur

ts eyes were just as pr

e'

ra whispered, he

aid noth

upon the wolves. He lifte

ht. "If they attack,"

ht with everyt

allowed,

knuckles to turn white.

, she hadn't been put in

life ever before. It was b

uldn't afford t

es began

ous as their bodies slid

ld pull off. Kiera could

nt nothing short of malevo

just that right moment-an

eakn

stood p

e wolves. "On the cou

Kiera's ear. "To the

heart ha

"And what

e right

red, but his eyes fli

hem, bef

ng. A blur of fur and te

responded in the blink of

histled through the air, b

its jaws; it tumbled ba

" Ad

voice slici

he need

and began to run, her le

e snarls and growls behin

look back. Adrian's footfa

up, his breath heavy fro

s blurre

, whipping past in flashe

nst her chest, but she did

olves on t

her now

he river. Just a little f

t ma

when sh

rd wolf appeared bursting

stop. Her heart leapt i

eyes glinting

ie

with the effort of slidin

d to fend off this new me

the strain in the movemen

f snarl

ould feel her breath hit

Adrian do this alone. S

Kiera took a single step

f's eye

back to reveal razor-sha

ike, to take

olf spra

emendous howla sound much

to vibrate the very air i

ly, their erect ears coc

ar