"Karissa!"
Fae's scream cuts through the storm as Mira leaps over a fallen tree. The world blurs—rain, mud, and darkness.
Kade's cries come out in torrents, the little pup battling against the cold and breathlessness, his tiny body shakes with sobs, and his face is red and blotchy.
The wolves are still on their tail. Hot, fast, relentless. Seven of them, now six—one fell behind, unable to keep pace with Mira's desperate speed.
Fae clings to Mira's back, her fingers buried in wet fur, her legs grip Mira's sides, and her body is pressed low.
Kade is strapped to her chest, wrapped in layers of cloth that are now soaked through.
She looks ahead. A low-hanging tree branch stretches across their path, thick and heavy.
Fae reaches out as they approach, her fingers close around the wood.
