REED’S POV
The wind howled through the trees, a relentless, eerie whisper that did nothing to ease the frustration burning inside me. I held Liana close, her small, trembling body pressed against mine as her ragged breaths hit my chest. She was shaking, whether from fear or exhaustion, I didn’t know.
All I knew was that I almost lost her tonight.
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to take a deep breath as I pulled back just enough to look at her face. Her skin was cold, her lips slightly parted, her dark eyes hollow with shock. But she refused to look at me.
That only made my frustration grow.
“Why?” My voice came out sharp, cutting through the silence. “Why the hell did you run off like that?”
She flinched slightly but said nothing.
I was trying to be patient—I really was. I kne
