The rain had stopped, but the city still smelled like wet asphalt and fear. I didn’t notice the chill in the air. My focus was razor-sharp, completely locked on the two shadows racing ahead—Hunter and Harley. My claws dug into the concrete, metal, anything I could grip, as I sprinted at a speed that would have shattered any human bone in my path.
Riley was right behind me, her form partially shifted, glowing faintly red in the dim streetlight. Her instincts were raw, untrained, but deadly. She had never fought like this before, and I could feel the tremor of panic beneath her control. But she was trying. Trying for the kids, for me, for herself.
“Keep your distance!” I roared, voice carrying over the empty alleyways. “Stay together!”
The twins’ small forms disappeared around a corner, v
