Nightshade

Chapter 4: The Escape

The night was a blur of chaos and fear, the scent of smoke and blood clinging to the air as they fled. Zoe’s heart thundered in her chest, the horrifying images of her family’s last moments flashing behind her eyes. Alpha Philip’s sneering face, the Ironclaw wolves tearing through her home - everything was burned into her memory, a nightmare she couldn’t wake from.

“Keep your head down!” Dominic’s voice broke through her spiraling thoughts, sharp but steady.

The car jolted as Nikola swerved to avoid debris on the road. Sara sat beside Zoe, gripping her arm tightly, her face pale but determined. Dominic was in the front passenger seat, scanning the darkness ahead with the intensity of a predator on high alert.

The sound of distant howls echoed in the night, and Zoe felt her stomach drop. They were still being pursued.

“They’re gaining on us,” Nikola muttered, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel.

Dominic twisted in his seat to look out the back window. “Not for long,” he said, his voice low and confident. “Nik, take the next turn into the woods. We’ll lose them there.”

“That’s a terrible idea,” Nikola shot back, but he obeyed, veering the car sharply off the main road and onto a narrow dirt path. The vehicle bounced violently, jostling everyone inside.

Zoe gripped the seat in front of her, her breath coming in short gasps. “What if they catch us?”

“They won’t,” Dominic said firmly, his eyes meeting hers briefly. “I won’t let them.”

The wolves chasing them didn’t give up easily. As the car barreled through the forest, the snapping of branches and pounding of paws grew louder.

“We’ve got company!” Sara shouted, pointing out the window.

Dominic’s jaw clenched. “Nik, stop the car.”“What? Are you insane?” Nikola yelled.

“Stop the car!” Dominic barked, already opening his door. The vehicle skidded to a halt, and Dominic leaped out, his body tense with purpose.

Zoe followed, fear and adrenaline surging through her veins. “Dominic, what are you doing?”

He turned to her, his expression softening for just a moment. “Protecting you. Stay behind me.”

Before she could argue, three wolves emerged from the shadows, their glowing eyes fixed on the group. Dominic shifted, his body elongating and twisting until his wolf form stood tall and imposing. His deep growl reverberated through the air, a warning to their pursuers.

The fight was brutal but swift. Dominic’s strength and ferocity drove the attackers back, giving Nikola and Sara time to fend off the stragglers. When it was over, Dominic stood panting, his fur matted with dirt and blood, but victorious.

He shifted back, his breathing heavy as he looked at Zoe. “Let’s go. There’s no time to waste.”

As they piled back into the car, Zoe hesitated, her hand brushing against Dominic’s arm. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

He looked down at her, his expression softening. “You don’t have to thank me, Zoe. You’re not alone in this. We’ve got you.”

For a moment, the world around them faded. Zoe saw not just the fierce protector, but the man underneath - the warmth in his eyes, the steady strength in his presence. Her heart ached, not just with grief, but with a strange flicker of hope.

Dominic gave her a small smile, one that sent warmth coursing through her even in the midst of her fear. “We’ll get you to safety,” he promised. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

The rest of the ride was tense but uneventful. Nikola navigated the winding roads with precision, and Sara kept a vigilant watch, her fingers twitching over the hilt of a dagger.

As dawn began to break, the towering silhouette of Nighthaven came into view. For Zoe, it felt like the first breath of fresh air after drowning.

But even as they approached the sanctuary, she couldn’t shake the weight pressing down on her chest.

Her family was gone, her home destroyed. And yet, there was something about the way Dominic glanced back at her - protective and reassuring - that made her believe she could keep going.

Now, as the car rolled closer, she couldn’t help but wonder how much of that safety was still intact. After everything they had faced, could any of them truly be safe? Could any place be trusted anymore?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a glance from Dominic. He was sitting beside her, his broad shoulders squared and his jaw set in a tight line. He looked the same as ever - confident, determined, but something about the way his eyes lingered on her made Zoe pause. His gaze softened as he caught her looking at him, and for the first time since they had set out, she saw something in his eyes that wasn’t just the burden of their mission. There was warmth there, a quiet reassurance that, despite everything, he was still here.

He offered her a small smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes - not fully. She could see the exhaustion there, the weight of the battle they’d just fought, the toll it had taken on him. But he was still here. And that, for now, was enough to steady her heart, to give her a moment of peace in the storm.

“We’ll make it through this,” Dominic said softly, his voice low, almost like he was speaking to himself as much as to her. His words were simple, but there was a depth to them, an undercurrent of meaning that Zoe wasn’t sure she fully understood. But in that moment, she believed him. Even after everything that had happened, after losing so much, there was something in the way he said it that made her feel like they could keep going. That they weren’t alone.

“I know,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. It wasn’t a promise, but it was something close to it - a vow to herself, to him, and to everyone they had lost. She would survive. She would keep going.

As the car rolled closer to Nighthaven’s gates, Zoe’s pulse quickened. They were almost there. The safety she had longed for was within reach. But the fear, the grief, the endless questions of what came next - they weren’t going to go away just because they had arrived at Nighthaven.

Sara turned in her seat, meeting Zoe’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “We’ll rest for now,” she said quietly, her voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of weariness. “Get some food, maybe catch some sleep. But we can’t let our guard down yet. Not completely.”

For now, that would have to be enough.