I scrambled backward as a man stepped out from behind a massive oak. He was thick-necked and scarred, his eyes raking over me with a look that made my skin crawl.
He didn't just look; he leaned in and took a long, exaggerated sniff of the air. "I watched you two running," he purred, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips. "You don't smell like us. You’re from the South, aren't you? And a runt. What's Athena doing with a Southern runt?"
I tried to stand, but my muscles were still jelly. "I'm a guest of the King," I gasped, trying to keep my voice from shaking.
He barked a laugh, the sound grating against the quiet of the woods. "A guest? Why would a runt be a guest of the Lycan King?" He paused, tilting his head as if waiting for an answer. When I remained silent, he took another step closer,
