As the world slowly came back into focus, Ty’s arms were around me again, holding me close as we fought to catch our breaths.
“Whatever happens tomorrow,” he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead, “know that I love you, Liza.”
“Always,” I murmured back, guilt niggling at my gut.
When Ty finally fell asleep, his body satiated and relaxed against mine, I gently disentangled myself from his embrace, careful not to wake him, and I silently climbed out of bed and began to move. With my resolve steeled, I took one last look at Ty’s sleeping form. He looked so peaceful in slumber, his chest rising and falling with each steady breath. I pushed down the guilt at keeping my true intentions from him. As much as it hurt me, involving them would only put everyone at greater risk.
“Please let this work,” I whispered, praying to whatever divine force might be listening. “Keep him safe.”
Though Castro was cunning and ruthless, he could also be predictable. Every move he’d made so far had been calculated, every step planned in advance. If there was one thing I knew about him, it was that he loved poetic justice. It was both his greatest strength and his Achilles’ heel.
My gut told me exactly where he was holding Sabrina—the place where everything had started all those years ago. The verylocation that had set the course for our lives, intertwining them in a twisted dance of fate and vengeance.
As I crept quietly through the house, my footsteps light against the wooden floors, my decision settled heavily. Was I making the right choice? Would my actions ultimately save Sabrina and protect my pack, or would they lead us all to ruin?
I couldn’t afford to doubt myself now. I had come too far and lost too much to turn back. This was the only way, the only path that led to any hope of saving my best friend and securing our future.
The cool nightair stung my skin as I stepped out of the house, closing the door softly behind me, and creeping into the ethereal, moonlit landscape. The urgency of my mission pushed any discomfort to the back of my mind. I glanced around, ensuring that I was alone before I shifted. My bones cracked and rearranged themselves, fur sprouting from my pores until I stood on all fours as a sleek, powerful wolf.
I hesitated for a moment, taking one last look back at the house that had become my sanctuary. Memories of laughter and love filled my thoughts, threatening to overwhelm me with their intensity. But I couldn’t dwell on those now. I had a mission to complete.
I lifted my snout to the sky, inhaling deeply. The scents of the forest, fallen leaves, and the faint traces of nocturnal creatures stirred something inside me. This was a part of who I was, both as a human and a wolf. All spoke to a part of me that was wild and free.
My heart pounded as I pushed aside my fears and doubts. Sabrina needed me, and I would not let her down.
As I began to move through the woods, my instincts guiding me toward my destination, I knew my life would never be the same. If it meant saving the ones I loved, then I would face whatever came my way without hesitation or regret.
With a sudden burst of energy, I lunged forward, my paws finding purchase on the soft ground as I raced through the shadows. The wind whipped past me, tugging at my fur, and I reveled in the sensation of freedom that came with running through the woods. Even as I embraced the wildness within me, my gut twisted and turned.
Please let this work,I thought like a mantra, each beat of my heart echoing the sentiment.Please let this work.
When I neared Heather Falls, the sound of rushing water became more pronounced, growing louder with each stride I took. I sensed Castro’s presence nearby, like an insidious darkness lurking just beyond my reach. Though I tried to focus, his twisted grin and cold eyes haunted my thoughts, reminding me of the danger I was about to face.
But I couldn’t let fear hold me back when Sabrina’s life was on the line.
I growled, shaking off the tendrils of doubt that threatened to ensnare me. I could do this.
My ears flicked back and forth, straining to catch any sound beyond the thunderous roar of the waterfall. It was more than just my senses that told me he was near. I couldfeelthat heavy, malevolent presence. Castro was here, and he knew I was coming.
A cold laugh echoed through the night. “I must admit, I wondered if you’d figure it out,” Castro taunted from the shadows.
I snarled, my sides heaving, and my anger burning like wildfire, fueled by the image of Sabrina in pain, and the knowledge that Castro was the cause.
As if on cue, he emerged from the trees with a sinister grin plastered across his face.
I fought to steady my breath and calm my racing heart. It was too late to turn back now. I had made my choice, and I could only hope it was the right one.
“Ah,” Castro said, smugly satisfied. “I must admit, I’m impressed that you chose to come on your own. It shows a certain…courage.”
His words sickened me, but I refused to let him see how much they affected me, so I bared my teeth at him.
He chuckled darkly, taking in my tense posture and narrowed eyes. “You always were a feisty one, weren’t you? Don’t worry. I’ll make this easy for you.”
Castro gestured to the shadows behind him, and my stomach leaped into my throat when Sabrina emerged, her face pale and bloodied, her arms bound tightly behind her back.
“Come here,” he said, his tone deceptively gentle. “And I’ll release your friend.”
My entire body trembled with fear and relief. Sabrina was alive. Battered and bruised, but alive. If all I had to do to save her was walk a few steps closer to Castro, then so be it.
