seemed alive, their gnarled branches weaving into a shed that blocked out the stars. The air

overed over the locket hanging from my neck, its faint glow was my only guide, and I coul

se," Rowan

, scanning the sha

his tone made it clear he wasn't ce

froze, my hand gripping Rowan's arm. The sound wasn't

ttered, his amber eyes f

with its dark fur matted and its eyes glowing with an unnatural light lunged towards u

rked with a voice o

n, its hulking form rippling with muscle. But there was something off about it, something wrong. It

. Rowan met it midair, his blade flashing in the dim light. The two

y ground and gripped the locket tightly, its glow

rembled as I

forcing it back. It howled in pain but didn't re

d. But before it could reach me, Rowan's body collided with the beast. They cr

al, brutal strike, he drove the blade through the werewolf's chest, a

was smeared with blood, some his, some not, but

stepping closer. He checked

s were trembling. "I'm fine," I

u shouldn't be here," he murmured, he said with a rough

It felt like it was just the two of us on a p

oken words and shared fear. Rowan's hand lingered on my jaw, hi

ose you," his voic

I'll be right by your sid

is time, the kiss was fierce, desperate, a mixture of fear, anger, and lon

two of us. Rowan's hands roamed my back, tracing my spine, his touch ignited a fire beneath my

my lips, like his voice was fille

ered as my fingers

o the intensity of the connection we tried to ignore. It wasn't just desir

ght of the intensity, a deafen

my eyes flew open, my heart pounded as the roar

," Rowan said. "W

the aftermath of the moment w

eyond us and his expression was grim.

g eyes appearing in the shadows. Dozens of them surrounde

my feet. "Stay behind me,"

tightly and stepped beside him. "We

flickering in his eyes despite the danger. "You're imposs

aced, but I refused to back down. The locket in my hand burned h

Rowan said. "Don't

d this." I looked at him

the wolve