Evelyn
I wake coated in sweat, burning pain radiating through my chest. Alarm flares through the bond, jolting me upright. Ryland lies next to me, still asleep—until a noise downstairs snaps him awake. A growl rips from his chest, low and lethal. His eyes shift to pitch-black as he vanishes, wind whipping past me with the force of his movement.
My heart slams against my ribs as I scramble out of bed, chasing after him. I nearly trip on the stairs but catch myself before I tumble. The sound of crashing comes from the kitchen. I round the corner—and freeze.
Everything stops.
Thaddeus is slumped against the pantry door, soaked in blood. His chest rises and falls in shallow gasps, a rasping wheeze escaping with every breath. My blood runs cold. My entire body trembles. I can’t breathe.
Or
