Brooks:
The second Forest disappeared through those hospital doors, something inside me snapped. Rage—hot and blinding—coursed through my veins like wildfire. I couldn't stand still. I couldn’t breathe.
This was my fault.
I bolted from the packhouse, heart hammering like a war drum, legs moving faster than my mind. I barely registered the voices calling after me—Zane, Hattie—I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. My feet carried me straight to the main gate.
“Open it!” I roared, my voice echoing into the night.
The guards hesitated.
“I said, OPEN IT!” My chest heaved, and I felt my wolf clawing just beneath the surface, demanding release.
With a click and a heavy creak, the gate slowly slid open. I stepped out into the cool morning air, the sun barely casting a pale glow over the forest beyond
