Ryker spins just in time to block a blade aimed at his ribs. He grabs the attacker’s wrist, twists, and sends him crashing into a tree.
The forest floor is littered with groaning bodies — not dead, but defeated.
The witches step forward, weaving a barrier spell that ripples through the clearing, pushing back the remaining wolves.
Sasha wipes sweat from her brow. “We can’t keep this pace forever.”
Ryker turns to her, eyes blazing. “We don’t need forever. We need minutes.”
The bond pulses again — sharper this time, a spike of agony that nearly drops him to his knees.
Elena.
He feels her fear.
Her pain.
Her desperation.
And beneath it — her attempt to reach him.
He grits his teeth, forcing himself upright. “She’s close. Less than half a mile.”
Kai nods. “Then we’re almost through.
