Chapter 24: Chasing Shadows

Chapter 24: Chasing Shadows


The forest swallowed me whole, its darkness thick and heavy, the air sharp with pine and wet dirt. My bare feet sank into the mud, cold and slick, each step a fight, my breath puffing white in the faint moonlight. The bag slapped against my hip, light but loaded with my choice—to run, to shield the pack, to escape the mess I’d made. But Lucien’s touch lingered, his kiss a brand on my lips, his heat tugging me back, damn him. I pushed forward, green eyes sharp, scanning the trees, their branches jagged and black, clawing at the sky like broken fingers.

A twig cracked behind me, loud and sudden. My heart lurched, chest squeezing, green eyes wide as I spun, breath locked tight. Nothing—just the wind, leaves whispering, the forest alive and watching. But I felt it—someone close, stalking me, their presence heavy. I bolted, feet sliding, mud grabbing at me, pulse pounding, fear and anger churning hot in my stomach. He was coming. I knew it, his growl echoing in my head, his voice—you’re mine—slicing me open.

Boots thudded, steady and hard, cutting through the silence. I stopped, green eyes darting, the ridge ahead a dark smudge, freedom and doom twisted together. Then his voice hit me, low and rough, shattering the night. “Selene.” My name sounded like a chain, a blade, a vow. I turned, slow, green eyes fierce, locking on him as he emerged from the shadows, chest bare and scarred, pants low on his hips, ice-blue eyes burning cold and wild.

“Running?” he growled, voice scraped raw, boots stomping closer, his heat slamming into me like a fist. “You think you can just leave?” My chest heaved, green eyes blazing, chin up, every muscle tight. “I’m saving you,” I snapped, voice cutting, green eyes drilling into his. “Dax wants me, not you—not them. I won’t let you die for me.”

His snarl ripped free, harsh and feral, his hand darting out, seizing my arm, jerking me close, our chests crashing together, his breath scorching my face. “You don’t get to choose,” he barked, ice-blue eyes stabbing mine, scars tight under the pale glow. “You don’t get to ditch me, not now, not ever.” My pulse roared, green eyes fierce, shoving him back, nails clawing his skin, drawing red, hot and alive. “I won’t be your ruin,” I hissed, voice cracking, green eyes locked on his, wild and torn.

His grip hardened, bruising my arm, his other hand snagging my waist, yanking me tight against him, heat flaring where our bodies slammed, dark and dangerous. “You’re not my ruin,” he rasped, voice low, lips grazing mine, breath fast and rough. “You’re my damn anchor, Selene—sink or swim, I’m in this.” My breath caught, green eyes wide, his words sinking teeth into me, jagged and real, splitting me apart. “You’re an idiot,” I whispered, voice shaky, green eyes fierce, hands pressing his chest, feeling his heart pound, strong and fierce.

“And you’re a runner,” he fired back, voice gritty, his hand sliding to my neck, fingers knotting in my hair, pulling hard, heat sparking where he held me, raw and hungry. “Scared of this—of us.” My pulse slammed, green eyes flashing, leaning closer, chest brushing his, soft against hard scars, alive and electric. “There’s no us,” I shot out, voice sharp, green eyes locked on his, bold and lying, my body screaming otherwise, curving into him, craving his fire, damn it all.

His growl turned dark, ice-blue eyes blackening, his lips skimming my jaw, hot and coarse, sending a shock straight down my spine, wet and wild. “Bullshit,” he muttered, voice rough, his hand sliding down my back, gripping my hip, pulling me flush, heat pooling deep, steamy and fierce. “You feel it—same as me.” My breath broke, green eyes fierce, his mouth moving to my neck, teeth scraping my skin, a fire igniting low, slick and untamed. “Lucien,” I gasped, voice splintering, green eyes wild, fingers digging into his shoulders, dragging him in, damn him, needing him close.

He snarled, low and wrecked, his lips smashing into mine—hard, bruising, alive. My pulse thundered, body melting against him, tasting blood and salt and him, damn it, tasting him. His hands roamed, rough and starving, sliding down my sides, grabbing my thighs, hoisting me against a tree, bark cutting into my back, his heat swallowing me, steamy and brutal. I kissed him back, fierce and ravenous, nails raking his skin, pulling a growl from his chest, deep and filthy. My chest heaved, green eyes wild, the world shrinking to him—his scars, his heat, his storm.

Then—a rustle, quick and sharp, leaves shifting, a shadow sliding through the trees. My breath hitched, green eyes wide, pulling back, lips raw, pulse racing. Lucien stiffened, ice-blue eyes narrowing, growl rumbling low, his hand clamping my waist, pinning me still. “Who’s there?” he barked, voice harsh, boots shifting, his body a shield, heat still pulsing between us, tense and alive.

The shadow edged closer, a figure draped in black, yellow eyes glinting like coins in the dark, a rogue wolf, his stench sour and biting. My chest tightened, green eyes fierce, Lucien’s growl deepening, his grip bruising, fierce and protective. “You’ve got trouble,” the rogue rasped, voice like stones grinding, his gaze flicking between us, sharp and sly. “Dax’s scouts—closing in quick.” My pulse spiked, green eyes wide, the ridge too close now, danger crashing in, cold and real.

Lucien’s snarl turned vicious, ice-blue eyes blazing, his hand dropping to my wrist, yanking me behind him, his heat a fortress, solid and wild. “Move,” he growled, voice low, rough, his gaze fixed on the rogue, scars flexing, primed to strike. My chest heaved, green eyes fierce, stepping beside him, bold and alive. “Together,” I said, voice firm, green eyes burning into his, raw and steady.

He looked at me, ice-blue softening for a split second, his hand brushing mine, warm and rough, a spark flaring between us, dark and real. “Together,” he said back, voice thick, fingers lacing with mine, heat rushing through me, steamy and fierce. The rogue’s growl echoed, yellow eyes flashing, his shadow melting back into the trees, leaving us alone, the night closing in, danger and want twisted tight, alive and wild.

My breath trembled, green eyes fierce, his kiss still searing my lips, his heat still clawing at me, damn him, tearing me raw. Dax’s scouts were near, death was near, and I couldn’t run—not from him, not from this. I squeezed his hand, green eyes locked on his, bold and ready. “Let’s go,” I said, voice low, steady, stepping forward, his heat beside me, alive and brutal, the fight ahead, the shadows watching, and us—bound, burning, together.