The night felt like it was closing in on them, the cool breeze carrying the scent of danger. Riley's pulse raced, and her breath came in shallow gasps as she watched Zayden, standing firm in front of her, his gaze unwavering as he faced the leader of the Pack. The tension between them crackled, palpable and heavy.
"You're making a mistake, Zayden," the leader's voice was like gravel, each word steeped in authority and menace. "You think you can protect her, but you can't. Not from this."
Riley wanted to protest, to scream that she didn't want to be part of any of this. But her voice caught in her throat. The reality of her situation was too much to handle, too much to process. She wasn't even sure what was real anymore—was she truly marked? Was she really Zayden's mate?
Zayden's expression softened, just for a split second, but his hand on her back tightened as if he could feel the fear radiating from her. He turned his head slightly toward her, his eyes locking with hers.
"Stay behind me," he said, his voice low but firm. There was a certain edge to his tone that made her believe he wasn't going to let anything happen to her. But that didn't stop the anxiety from bubbling in her chest.
The leader of the Pack, whose eyes glowed with an eerie yellow hue, studied them both for a moment. His gaze flickered between them, a slight smirk on his lips. "You can keep hiding behind your walls, Zayden, but the truth will catch up to you eventually. She doesn't belong here. She's not one of us."
A heavy silence fell between them. Riley felt the sting of those words. She wasn't one of them. She wasn't anything like them, and that thought alone made her feel more vulnerable than she had ever been. What if Zayden wasn't enough? What if he couldn't protect her from whatever was coming?
"Enough," Zayden snapped suddenly, his voice laced with authority. "I said she's mine. And I don't give a damn about what the Pack thinks. You won't touch her."
The leader's smirk faded, his eyes narrowing as he took a slow step forward. His men flanked him, a sense of power radiating from them. "You're defying the Alpha's orders, Zayden. This isn't something you can walk away from. You know the consequences."
Zayden's jaw tightened, and Riley could see the conflict brewing beneath the surface. He didn't want to be in this position, didn't want her to be caught in the crossfire. But there was no avoiding it now. His world and hers had collided, and no matter how much he wanted to shield her, the Pack was relentless.
"We'll see who walks away from this," Zayden replied, his voice low and cold.
Suddenly, the leader's eyes glinted dangerously, and he raised his hand, signaling to his men. Riley's heart skipped a beat, fear bubbling up her throat as the men began to move toward them, surrounding them in a loose circle.
It happened so fast that Riley barely had time to react. Zayden's hand shot out, gripping her arm and pulling her closer to him, his body now fully pressed against hers. The contact was searing, and though she wanted to push him away, the danger of the situation kept her frozen.
"You'll regret this," the leader spat, his voice venomous. "You've made your choice, but so have we."
Before she could process what was happening, the air seemed to crackle, the ground beneath them trembling with an intensity that made her heart race faster. A sudden howl echoed in the distance, sending a chill through her bones.
Zayden's grip tightened, and he turned his back to the men, pulling Riley further into the shadows. "Run," he ordered.
Riley didn't need to be told twice. Her legs moved before her mind could process the command. She ran, her breath ragged, as the sound of footsteps followed her. But Zayden was always one step ahead, guiding her, shielding her from whatever the Pack had planned.
They ran through the darkened streets, the silence of the night broken only by the pounding of their feet and the distant growl of wolves. Riley's heart beat in her ears, and she didn't dare look back. She couldn't. She had to trust Zayden, had to believe that somehow they could escape this.
But the longer they ran, the more the reality of the situation sunk in. This wasn't just some twisted game. The Pack was real. They were dangerous. And no matter how hard Zayden fought, they weren't going to stop until they had her.
The sound of growling grew louder, closer. Panic gripped her chest, making it harder to breathe. "Zayden, we can't outrun them!"
"We don't need to outrun them," he said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline that clearly surged through him. "We just need to hold our ground."
But how? How could they possibly hold their ground against a group of werewolves?
Before she could voice her concern, Zayden stopped abruptly, pulling her to a halt with him. They were in an alley now, the shadows thick around them. He pulled her behind a large dumpster, out of sight from the Pack. Riley could barely hear anything over the pounding of her own heart, but she knew they weren't safe yet.
Zayden's breathing was heavy as he turned to face her. "You're not going anywhere, Riley. You're mine, and I'll protect you. Do you understand?"
Riley nodded, even though the fear in her chest made it difficult to form any coherent thoughts. "I don't want to be part of this, Zayden. I don't know what's happening. What did I do to deserve this?"
"You didn't deserve any of this," he said, his voice softer now, a hint of regret in his eyes. "But the moment I bit you, everything changed. I didn't want this either. But I won't let them take you."
Riley felt a pang of sorrow for him, for the life he had been thrust into and the choices he had to make. But at the same time, her fear only grew. What had she become? What was she even to Zayden? His mate? That seemed impossible.
Before she could speak, the sound of footsteps echoed from the other end of the alley, closer than ever. Zayden's eyes darkened with fury, but there was no time left for words.
They were surrounded.