Elara's heart pounded as she crouched behind the oak tree, the rough bark digging into her back. The cold stream water dripped from her clothes, soaking into the muddy ground where she'd fallen. Kael's voice cut through the night—"Come out, Elara!"—his tone rough and commanding. The pack's growls surrounded her, their glowing eyes piercing the shadows. Her wrist throbbed from the fall, and her side ached where she'd hit the rock, but the fear in her chest was heavier. The vampire's red eyes and that cloaked figure's strange power still lingered in her mind, but Kael and the pack were the immediate threat.
She held her breath, clutching her bag. Inside, the picture of her and Kael by the lake crinkled, a painful reminder of what she'd lost. Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them back. The howls had grown louder after she'd run from the truck, and now they'd found her. She didn't want to face them, but hiding wouldn't save her.
Kael's footsteps crunched closer, and she peeked around the tree. He stood in the moonlight, his black wolf form shifting back to human. His chest heaved, his golden eyes locked on her hiding spot. "Elara, I know you're there," he called, his voice breaking. "Come out, or they'll drag you out."
The pack circled tighter, their growls rumbling like thunder. She saw Finn, the gray wolf with a white streak, his teeth bared. He'd been her friend, teaching her to fish and laughing by the fire. Now he looked at her like a stranger. Her stomach twisted. She couldn't stay here.
With a shaky breath, she stepped out, her boots sinking into the mud. The pack tensed, but Kael raised a hand to hold them back. He stared at her, his face hard, but his eyes held a flicker of pain. "Why, Elara?" he asked, his voice low. "Why did you do it?"
Tears rolled down her cheeks, mixing with the dirt. "I didn't mean to, Kael," she said, her voice trembling. "It was one night—a mistake. I was lonely, and you were gone with the pack. I don't even know who he was. I swear."
Kael's jaw tightened, and he stepped closer. "A mistake?" he said, his voice rising. "You slept with someone—something—and now you're carrying it! I can smell it, Elara. Cold, like blood and shadow. A vampire's child!" He turned to the pack, his voice booming.
"She's betrayed us! She's brought shame to our bloodline!"
The wolves howled, a sound that shook the ground. Elara's knees buckled, but she caught herself on the tree, her hands scraping the bark. "Kael, please," she begged, stepping toward him. "It's still our chance to—"
"No!" he shouted, cutting her off. "It's not mine. It never will be." He faced the pack again, his tone cold and final. "By our laws, she's banished. She leaves tonight, or we drive her out."
The pack's howls grew louder, their eyes glowing with anger. Finn snarled, stepping closer, and Elara stumbled back. The wolves closed in, their teeth sharp, their growls a wall of sound. She grabbed her bag, her heart breaking. Kael wouldn't look at her, his face turned away. She'd lost him—her mate, her home—over a night she couldn't take back.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, but the wind carried her words away. She turned and ran, the howls chasing her into the forest. Branches snapped against her arms, and her wet boots slipped on the muddy path.
Her side throbbed with every step, and her wrist pulsed with pain, but she didn't stop.
The pack's rejection stung worse than the cold night air. She'd built a life with Kael—rainy days with him helping her up, nights by the fire dreaming of kids—and now it was gone.
She tripped, falling to her knees in a pile of leaves. Her breath came in sobs as she pressed a hand to her stomach. "I'll protect you," she whispered to the baby inside her. "I don't care what they say." She didn't know what Kael meant by "vampire's child," but she wouldn't let the pack hurt her baby. She had to get away.
The howls faded, leaving only the rustle of leaves and her ragged breathing. She stood, brushing dirt from her coat, and looked around. The forest stretched dark and endless, the moon casting faint light. Her truck was gone, lost when she'd run into the stream, so she was on foot. She needed a place to go.
Havenwood. The name came to her, a small town Kael had mentioned once—a place where different kinds lived, not just wolves. Maybe she could hide there, start over. It wasn't much, but it was hope. She followed the stream south, its cold water guiding her. Her clothes clung to her skin, heavy and wet, and her teeth chattered. Her hands felt numb, but she kept walking. The bag bounced against her hip, the picture inside a painful weight. She wanted to throw it away, but her fingers wouldn't let go.
Memories flooded her as she walked. The day she met Kael—rain soaking her books, him lifting her up with that warm smile. The nights they'd spent planning a future with kids. It all felt like a lie now, broken by one stupid night. She'd gone to the bar in town, lonely with Kael away. A tall guy with pale skin and strange eyes had bought her drinks. She'd been too drunk to think, waking up alone in a motel room with a headache. She'd buried it, ashamed, until her body started changing. Now, Kael's words—"a vampire's child"—haunted her.
How could that be? She didn't know that guy, didn't even remember his face.
The stream led to a dirt road, and she followed it, her legs aching. The sky lightened, a gray dawn creeping in. She'd been walking for hours. Her side hurt worse now, a sharp pain with every breath. She stopped, pressing a hand to it, wincing. Maybe she'd hurt herself more than she thought when she fell. But she couldn't stop.
She took a deep breath and kept going, the promise of Havenwood pulling her forward.
A rustle in the bushes made her freeze. She ducked behind a tree, holding her breath, her heart racing. Footsteps crunched closer, and she peeked out. Kael stepped into view, alone, his coat pulled tight against the chill. His eyes were tired, shadowed with something she couldn't read.
"Kael?" she said, stepping out, her voice shaky. "Why are you here?"
He didn't come closer, hands in his pockets. "I followed your scent. The pack wanted to hunt you down. I stopped them. But you can't stay, Elara. You know that."
"Hunt me?" she whispered, fear rising.
He nodded, looking away. "They'd kill you—or the baby. I couldn't let that happen. But you're banished. Go to Havenwood. Start over."
Tears welled up, but she nodded. "I will. But that vampire—why was he there? And that cloaked person?"
Kael's face darkened. "He knows about the child. Vampires can sense their blood. That other one… I don't know. But they're after you."
Before she could ask more, a shadow moved behind Kael. The vampire from the stream stepped into the light, his red eyes gleaming. "She's right to run," he said, his voice smooth. "But she can't hide."
Kael spun, growling, but the vampire moved fast, grabbing Kael by the throat. Elara screamed, stumbling back as Kael struggled, his feet kicking. The cloaked figure appeared, raising a hand, and the air crackled with energy. A burst of light hit Kael, and he fell, groaning
"Let him go!" Elara yelled, her voice raw.
The vampire smiled, tightening his grip. "Not until she comes with me," he said, his eyes on Elara. The cloaked figure stepped forward, its hidden face turning toward her.
Then, with a sickening crack, the vampire snapped Kael's neck and dropped him.
Elara's scream died as Kael's body hit the ground. The vampire turned to her, his smile widening. "You're mine now," he said, stepping closer. The cloaked figure raised its hand again, and the air hummed, a dark energy swirling around them.