Blessed Luna Rising

ted after Rael, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Every muscle

, the howls

was hun

wolf still hadn't fully recovered, her strength waning from the brutal e

rush. She stumbled over uneven ground, her vision blurred by exhaustion, but Rael

n't tru

e need

going?" she ma

a glance over his shoulder, his golden e

eth. Safe? Nowhere was

h the air behind th

rt lealeaped

was g

his breath. "We ne

snapped, her lungs bu

tated for only a second before following. The sounds of pursuit grew louder, the snapping o

nly skidde

lammed into him

ipping her arm. His gaze locked

s line of sight, h

darkness, a

road. D

stakably

ri

ontained fury. His golden eyes glowed like molten fire as they

breath

had fought. But n

d fou

placing himself bet

ce at him. His gaze was

," he rumbled through the link, his

hard. "You should

in Darius's eyes. But it was gone just as qu

he said, his voice

ded instinctively. "

ok a step

ten

said coolly, "and

is gaze sharp as a blade. "Who

guy keeping her out

silence settle

f it pressing down on her, the

ithout

us l

before Rael shoved her back, m

sh was

unmatched, his sheer power sending Rael skidding backward. But Rael was fast. He recovered ins

wa

e keep up w

was over i

to win-he only n

e got

, he twisted away from Darius's a

" he

didn't

her pulse a deafen

s howl split th

wasn'

ven c

art

ene

sound of Darius's furious howl still echoing behind them. Her body ached, an

hrough the darkness with an urgency that sent a fresh wave of fear through her.

did

stincts scr

raded one capc

she demanded, trying t

Rael replied wit

ust you," s

is grip tightening

red. His words shoul

y made her w

g them both to stop. Rael turned sharply,

o," Selen

ting Darius to barrel through the trees at any s

e why!" Selene's voice was edged with frustration, but beneat

mething flickered in h

th

ng in th

them wen

nses sharpened. A scent carried

Da

one

d her behind him, his body coil

n't need t

om the trees, movin

li

ls gleaming in the moonlight. A slow, knowing smile c

e purred, "aren'

er than to underestimate Lilith. The wo

her. "Leave, Lilith. Y

ming with amusement. "I don

is one," Rael

d time to react

a

fa

s standing besid

ound, a dagger press

tched. She hadn't

murmured, her head tilting slightly as if she wasn't pin

r. "You're not t

ened. "Who said I

lithered down

ld process wha

ence fille

Overpo

ri

n, her hea

wering beneath the moon. His golden eyes locked onto h

them was u

time to react be

t runnin

s hun

was hi

art

us l

is body twisting to intercept the charging Alpha. The impact was a

n't just

as f

front of her, the next he was blocking Darius's strike with inhum

idn't ev

rame colliding with Rael's smaller, leaner one. It

ed back, her h

ents ago. She made no move to intervene. Instead, she smirke

lf," she mused. "Or do you

ritted h

want t

from the truth, from herself. But now, standing

want to r

ove, her claws elongating

g enough to face

sn't helpl

ng the night air. Darius's raw strength sent Rael

didn't

ard, her instin

trying to f

o end this befor

t of speed,

at D

s an

ething els

reamed through

us f

raction of a second

l m

attack t

yanked her behind him, putting

golden ey

is fury, the raw be

ce was rough, edged with somet

throat

rough the pack link when she had been