But I didn't know if I wanted to r

ut, the offer hangin

ew

choice-to get up, fight back, to be something

've walk

n the eye and asked, Wh

in his eyes. Power, freedom,

shiver down my back, waking

. Come with me, Alexandra. Let me show you that you wer

an unthinkable tho

being at fa

letting go of any

rker, almost approving

he gra

rd heat through me. Not the burning pain of Ethan's rej

id, teasing, before r

second, then,

e. Adrian was like a shadow, fast and smooth, movi

nd tougher. He was seeing if I cou

I

s I caught up, close e

enjoyin

that I

clearing. It was wide and lit by the

down. Whe

d ahead, brea

he said, turning to me. And w

made my

n't just land.

ng about? I asked,

loser. You f

di

around us-something

d. This is where you

heart pounding.

n you won't sur

ld ask, the

ming. Something

ew I was stepping into som

d shook,

waking up. S

wasn't surprised. He looked

g? I asked, try

know what I'm offering? He sounded so

e, things changed in the air. The ener

flashed in my chest, strange but f

ts. Face w

closely, mak

awake

, the ground cr

k shadows poured out of the ear

touch me. Instead, it circled me,

hing inside me re

scared. I should ha

this

knew it w

ed out, Don

t him. Wha

iled.

d hit m

ugh me like a heartbeat. My chest got tight

the force inside me pul

whisper

at

lou

mething older. A

breathing shallo

battlefield i

in, reaching for me b

to me, his

r away, watching me like

it

h my head, and I g

around me, doing

rian said, st

d my ey

k a little, like it

eath. What... w

othing. He stepped closer, softe

d. That's

is head. Yo

head, backi

him. I wasn'

... A reje

man who was

und my wrists said

ra. You've been stuck with a fate you

and fell, my h

as w

to be

held on to me, how

n't s

a long time before whisp

di

at sca

wer, the ground sh

ame from

od wen

ng was

t me, his face hard. It l

came aga

epped out of the dar

st any

ro

o

tha

er pair of

other a

e into the clearing, their b

Ad

e

't here by

ad bee

new that whoever sent them k