Chapter 15

The sun barely crept over the horizon when I rose from the couch, its light casting a faint orange glow through the small cabin window. My sleep had been filled with fractured dreams of Alpha Primo, his chilling words still ringing in my ears.

“You and your child belong to me.”

The dread gnawed at my stomach as I stood, wrapping the blanket tighter around myself. Kael was still by the window, his posture rigid, his eyes scanning the treeline outside. Elias sat at the table, leafing through an old book with an air of quiet concentration. Neither of them had slept.

Kael’s head turned slightly as I moved, his eyes meeting mine for just a moment. It was as though he could sense the unease swirling inside me, but neither of us said anything. There were no comforting words left to be spoken.

I walked past Kael, moving towards the door, desperate to feel the cold morning air on my skin, anything to shake off the remnants of the nightmare. My hand rested on the doorknob for a beat too long, and I hesitated. But I needed to breathe, needed to clear my head before the weight of everything consumed me.

“You shouldn’t go outside alone,” Kael’s voice broke the silence. He was standing now, his gaze steady and unreadable.

“I just need a minute,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’ll stay close.”

He didn’t move to stop me, but I could feel his eyes on me as I stepped out into the crisp morning air. The forest around the cabin was alive with the quiet sounds of dawn—birds chirping, leaves rustling in the breeze. It should have been peaceful, but every sound felt like a reminder of the dangers lurking just out of sight.

I walked a few steps away from the cabin, my arms crossed against the chill as I tried to center myself. The dreams, the threats, the constant fear—it was becoming too much. How much longer could I keep running? How much longer until Primo found us?

A rustle behind me sent a jolt of adrenaline through my veins, and I spun around, heart hammering in my chest. Kael stood a few feet away, his expression calm but guarded.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said quietly, taking a cautious step forward. “But you’re not safe out here.”

I swallowed hard, trying to calm my racing heart. “I know. It’s just—” I broke off, unsure how to explain the overwhelming sense of suffocation I felt. I didn’t want to be here, trapped in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, with no control over my own life.

Kael’s expression softened slightly, and he stepped closer, his voice low but firm. “I get it. This isn’t fair. None of this is. But we need to be smart. Every moment out in the open is a risk.”

“I just needed some air,” I said, my voice cracking slightly despite my efforts to hold it together.

Kael’s eyes flicked to the treeline, scanning for any sign of danger, before returning to me. “I understand,” he said softly. “But we need to be careful. Primo’s pack is close.”

I stiffened at his words, a fresh wave of fear washing over me. “How close?”

“Close enough,” he replied, his jaw clenched. “Elias and I picked up their scent last night. They’re scouting the area.”

My breath caught in my throat, and I felt my hands tremble. “What are we going to do?”

Kael was silent for a moment, his eyes hardening with resolve. “We’ll keep moving. We won’t let them catch us.”

I stared at him, the weight of his words settling like a stone in my chest. Keep moving. Always running. Always looking over our shoulders. I felt trapped in a nightmare with no end in sight.

Kael stepped closer, his voice lowering. “I know it feels hopeless, Luna. But we’re not giving up. Not now.”

There was something in his tone, something fierce and unyielding, that sent a strange warmth through my chest. Despite everything, Kael and Elias were still here, still fighting to protect me. Even when it seemed impossible.

“I’m tired of running,” I admitted, my voice small.

Kael’s hand brushed mine briefly, a reassuring gesture. “We all are. But you have to trust me, Luna. We’ll make it out of this.”

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure I fully believed him. But I didn’t have a choice. I had to trust him, trust them both, if I wanted any chance of surviving.

“We should head inside,” Kael said after a moment, his gaze flicking once more to the forest. “It’s safer there.”

Reluctantly, I followed him back toward the cabin. The feeling of unease still gnawed at me, but there was a small flicker of hope. Maybe we could outrun Primo’s pack. Maybe we could find a way to stop him.

But deep down, I knew the odds were stacked against us.

Inside the cabin, Elias was already on his feet, his face serious as he spoke to Kael in hushed tones. They were making plans, discussing escape routes and possible safe havens. I sank down onto the couch, trying to block out their words as the weight of the morning settled over me.

And then, the knock came.

It was quiet at first—a soft tap on the wooden door. For a moment, I thought I had imagined it. But then it came again, louder this time, more insistent.

Kael and Elias both froze, their eyes snapping toward the door. In an instant, Kael was by my side, his hand on my arm, pulling me toward the back of the cabin.

“Stay quiet,” he whispered urgently. “Stay out of sight.”

I nodded, my heart pounding as he guided me toward a small closet at the back of the room. It was dark and cramped, but Kael’s expression left no room for argument. I crouched inside, pulling the door shut as quietly as I could.

From my hiding spot, I could hear the low murmur of voices—Kael and Elias speaking to whoever was at the door. Their words were too muffled to make out, but the tension in the air was palpable. My heart raced in my chest, each second feeling like an eternity.

And then I heard it—a voice that sent ice through my veins.

“Tell Luna that she can’t hide forever.”

Primo.

The sound of his voice, calm and dripping with malice, filled the small cabin. I pressed a hand over my mouth to stifle a gasp, my entire body trembling.

He was here.

Primo was here.

The door slammed shut, and silence followed. I stayed frozen in the closet, barely daring to breathe, until finally, Kael’s voice came through the darkness.

“It’s safe now.”

I stepped out, my legs unsteady, my heart still racing. Kael’s face was grim, and Elias looked tense, his jaw clenched in anger.

“He’s close,” Kael said, his voice low. “Too close.”

“What are we going to do?” I asked, my voice trembling with fear.

Kael exchanged a glance with Elias before turning to me. “We’re leaving. Now.”

Panic surged through me. Leaving? Where would we go? How could we possibly escape him?

But Kael’s face was set with determination, and I realized there was no time to argue. Primo was hunting us, and if we stayed here, we wouldn’t survive.

I nodded, swallowing my fear. “Okay.”

Kael took my hand, leading me toward the door. “Stay close, Luna. We’ll get through this.”

But as we stepped out into the cold morning air, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the noose around us was tightening—and there was no escape.