Zara's POV
The car suddenly went another crazy stop in front of us.
Then quickly, the doors clicked open. One, two, three. Men climbed out, their movements too casual, too deliberate.
At first, I thought they were just men. But then the wind shifted.
The stench hit me like a slap.
Sour and metallic, threaded with decay. A smell my wolf recognized before my mind could name it—rogues.
My heart lurched into my throat.
Talia's body shifted in front of mine instinctively, protective without a thought. Her voice was steady, though I caught the tightness at the edges. "Zara… don't panic. Just… keep walking."
But the men didn't move aside.
One of them stepped forward, his smile a parody of friendliness. "Evening, ladies. Out a bit late, aren't we?"
The words drippe
