Blood moon's shadow's

ght air, raw and heavy, cut

ft me a

rself. The pain she felt was more than physical now-it was the sting of abandonm

gently, his voice low. "It doe

anger flickering in her chest. "If

m, Ronan leaned casually against a tree, his smirk gon

acteristically somber. "Families run when they can't handl

the stranger who seemed to know too much. "W

" he said simply. "More im

ss him, another wave of pain hit her, more intense than the last

er side in an instant,

hear the wind rustling the leaves, the distant howl of wolves, and even the faint hum of insect

s voice urgent. "It's pulling at

ena gasped, her nails

aid, stepping closer. "It's who you are

s growled, his

e. "Listen to me, Lena. You're stronger than this. You j

he looked between the two men. One offering com

n it ha

skin burned, her muscles stretching and shifting as if they were no longer her

m despite the urgency in his tone. "B

the ground, her nails elongating, her senses sharpening to an almost unbearable d

suddenly as it b

coming in shallow gasps. The world around her

's voice was s

Her hands were still her own, her body aching but intact. F

oved, and the

les, the faint metallic tang of blood. She could hear the rustle of animals moving in t

trembling. "I... I didn't f

flooding his features. "You're

mpressed. "Or she's holding b

m. "What's that s

t done with you," Ronan said.

warning look. "Tha

he needs to know the truth. This isn't over

sinking in. She looked at Darius, her voice trem

d, his silence

led the air. They weren't like the lone, mournful call she'd

body tense. "We

ked, strugglin

y one the moon's calling to

no humor in it. "Looks like the pack

r, the sound surrounding them. She looked at

ey want?" s

is voice low. "But if the

Ronan finished, hi

The forest seemed to close in around her,

" she whispered,

is tone firm but gentle. "Tru

ng now, the sound comi

fought to keep control. But deep down, she knew s

ing eyes appeared in the dark

ave her from w