Mill

the distance, twin embers fad

reamed into t

; it slammed shut. He felt me. H

soles of my shoes. My chest heaved, gasping for air that felt too thin. The

nd tore throu

ting asphalt. The sickening, bone-jar

n, spinning out of control before slamming broadside into the divider. The car flipped, airborne

th

dn't hesitate. My le

my throat. The bond-that cursed, one-sided tether-was

ke poured from the crushed hood, a dark gray plume against the ni

opping to my knees b

eam of blood mapping a dark path down his fore

" he

g at the jammed door handle.

hysterical power fueled by the wolf inside

Chloe," h

now. Even bleeding out, h

bbed his arm, hauling him out of the wreckage. H

oving me away the momen

de. Chloe was screaming, her leg

nously. Bright sparks showered down, dan

blow!" I yelled, lun

s flashing with a terri

er!" he

pha's

Invisible chains wrapped around my muscles, overriding my survival instinct. I

eckage, past the jagged metal, to reach Chloe. I cut my arms on the

ieked, kicking at me in

free. I tried to follow, but my leg c

na

as louder t

creamed as I fell onto the dirt, blood pouring

O

ar ex

the hard ground, my head striking a rock with a sicke

itched ringing in

s, nothing more. He was checking her over with frantic, despe

move, but my broken leg screamed

ooke

re was no gratitude. No

now, their sirens wailing in the distanc

uted, rushing toward

Chloe into his arms as

ered, nodding at Chloe. "Do not tou

They froze mid-step, looking at me with helpless p

old earth. I was dying. I could feel the chill

r, wiping soot from her cheek. "Lo

down at me

voice void of emotion. "I need a

inside m

art this time.

olish hope, the fairy tale

r submission. She bared her teeth. She was angry. A pure, white-hot

ws, trembling. I coughed, tast

ice was weak

ed, half-t

words out through the suffocating pain.

The warriors stopped. The healers

looked shocked-affronted that the ser

d, accept you

ike my soul was being ripped in half. I screamed, arching my back as the bon

d in, I felt something el

wer. Ancient.

on went

f. It vibrated through the ground, deep and resona

, no