Irina’s POV

Run.

That’s the only thought in my mind.

The forest blurred around me as I ran.

Branches whipped my face. Thorns tore at my dress. My lungs burned with every gasping breath, but I couldn’t stop. Wouldn’t stop.

Behind me, somewhere in the darkness between the trees, they were hunting.

My bare feet slammed against the ground, pain shooting up through my ankles with each impact. The hem of my dress—already filthy and shredded—caught on another branch. I yanked it free without slowing, feeling the fabric rip. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except reaching the border.

Then his voice exploded inside my skull.

*Irina! You have no wolf—you can’t outrun us! When I catch you, I’m dragging you straight to hell!*

My father’s words through the pack link hit like a physical blow. As the beta of our pack, the power in his voice made me stumbled, barely catching myself against a tree trunk. My hands came away sticky with sap and my own blood.

He was right. I had no wolf. Wouldn’t have one for another few days, when I finally turned eighteen. Without a wolf, I was just... human. Fragile. Slow.

Prey.

"No," I whispered to myself, pushing off the tree. "No, no, no—"

My legs screamed in protest, muscles trembling with exhaustion, but I forced them to move. Faster. The alternative—going back to that place, to them—was worse than any pain my body could produce.

The border had to be close now. I’d studied the maps in my father’s office enough times to know. Three territories met at this point: the human lands to the west, our Iron Thorn pack to the south, and the powerful Blood Birch pack to the north.

If I could just reach the human side, I’d be free. They couldn’t follow me there. Wouldn’t dare risk exposure.

A roar shattered the night behind me.

My heart stopped.

That wasn’t my father’s voice.

"Found you, little rabbit."

Maxim.

Terror turned my blood to ice. Of all the people they could have sent after me, it had to be him. The future alpha. The one who’d made my life hell for the past year. The one whose hands—

No. Don’t think about that. Just run.

I could hear him now, crashing through the underbrush behind me. He wasn’t even trying to be quiet. Why would he? He had his wolf. He was faster, stronger, and he knew it.

He was toying with me.

"Come on, Irina!" His voice was closer now, so much closer. "You know how this ends! Make it easy on yourself!"

My foot caught on a root and I went down hard, palms slamming into the dirt. For one horrible second, I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. Then survival instinct kicked in and I scrambled to my feet, ignoring the sharp sting in my scraped hands.

There. Through the trees ahead—I could see where the forest thinned. The border.

I ran.

My vision narrowed to that single point of light between the trees. My feet barely touched the ground. The pain in my legs faded to a distant throb as adrenaline flooded my system.

Almost there. Almost—

"Gotcha."

Maxim’s voice was right behind me.

I threw myself forward with everything I had left, hurling my body toward that line between territories. For one weightless moment, I was flying.

Then two hundred pounds of alpha male slammed into my back.

We hit the ground together, rolling through dirt and leaves and across the invisible line that marked the border. His hand locked around my throat before we stopped moving, pinning me face-down in the mud.

I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t scream. Could barely think through the panic clawing at my chest.

But I’d made it across. I’d crossed into Blood Birch territory.

They had to intervene. They had to. Border violations were taken seriously—it was one of the few laws all the packs actually enforced.

"Get off me," I choked out, though his grip on my throat reduced it to barely a whisper.

Maxim’s breath was hot against my ear. "Shut up."

Then I heard it—movement through the trees. Multiple wolves, approaching fast.

"State your business." The voice was cold, authoritative. Blood Birch patrol. "You’ve crossed into our territory."

Thank moon goddess—

Maxim’s hand tightened on my throat in warning before he lifted his head. His weight still crushed me into the ground, my face pressed into the dirt so hard I could barely see anything beyond mud and dead leaves.

"Apologies," Maxim said, and his voice was completely different now. Calm. Reasonable. "We had a... situation. I’m sure you understand—she’s not right in the head. We’re just retrieving our property."

"No!" I screamed, or tried to. It came out as a strangled gasp. "No! Please—"

Maxim’s hand left my throat only long enough to tangle in my hair. He yanked my head back, and I saw stars as pain exploded across my scalp.

Then his palm cracked across my face.

Once. Twice.

My ears rang. Blood filled my mouth where I’d bitten my tongue.

"Shut. Up." Each word was punctuated by another vicious pull on my hair.

Through the haze of pain and the tears blurring my vision, I could barely make out the Blood Birch wolves. Three of them, maybe four. They stood at the treeline, watching.

"Please," I whispered, though I wasn’t sure if any sound actually came out. My face throbbed. Everything throbbed. "Please help me..."

"She’s clearly unstable," Maxim said, conversational now, like we were discussing the weather. "You can see why we keep her confined. For her own safety, of course."

"No!" I managed to get the word out louder this time. "No, please! He’s lying! They—they’ve been—"

The blow came so fast I didn’t see it coming. Maxim’s fist connected with the side of my head, and the world tilted sideways.

"Crazy bitch won’t shut up," Maxim muttered, but there was amusement in his voice. He was enjoying this.

When my vision cleared, he was already hauling me up by my hair. My scalp screamed in protest. My legs wouldn’t hold me, so he just dragged me, my knees scraping through the dirt as he pulled me back toward Iron Thorn territory.

Tree branches scraped at my skin. Rocks tore at my knees and shins. I tried to find my footing, tried to stand, but he was moving too fast and my legs were useless.

"No," I sobbed. "Please, no, please—"

"Save your breath, little rabbit." Maxim’s voice was low, meant only for me now. "You’re going to need it for screaming later."

The Blood Birch wolves watched us go. Just watched, as I was dragged back into hell.

Through the haze of pain and terror and exhaustion, I heard one of them speak to another.

"Should we...?"

"It’s not our business. But someone needs to report this to the alpha."