asted of i

ed lightly, blades sheathed but close, my breath forming tight clouds in front of my face. The path twisted deep

n't a

since sunrise. A presence. Not the wild fury of a feral

ar

ed and

th

were lying. I

y brushed the hilt, the ground gave a low rumbl

r than the ones from before. Their bodies jerked with twisted muscl

muttered, and d

to move before t

at, but it didn't go down. Not right away. Its momentum knocked me backwa

ond one

teeth. The first was already dragging

ow. To

in the gut. It staggered. I drove a blade i

hird beast tackle

breath hot and foul against my neck. Claws tore int

red across the s

low, pressing its

ed for

Blood.

e lunged fo

en it

st above me, yanking it off with impossible force. I rolled, coughing, grabbing the nearest weapo

ing yowl before its throa

l t

wo

n's shape beneath the fur. Not the twisted me

tro

cold. The stranger stood between me and the two remaining fer

er

ed h

e that made t

. In three strikes, the second feral was down, gurgling. The last tri

ce re

n, blades loo

turned

es met

ng inside me

ed white-hot ag

screamed and dropped to my knees. It wasn't just the curse- it

n't normal.

recog

k. Not all the way- just enough for his face to form. He wasn't handsome in a soft way.

as low. "Yo

backward.

chest. I gasped, grabbing at the pendant b

not

rrowed. "Wh

iness," I ground out,

ng this far north alone,"

eed your p

't say

ow bursts. Every instinct screamed at me to run. Not because he was

ot po

t

fists. "Why ar

ask you t

acking

am

d behind it. A weight he didn't want to name

this b

l V

uards. No arrogance. But the way the ferals had re

had that k

ood and pine- it clawed at

pendant burned again,

ng with you

my knees buckled. The world tilted. He caught me b

st

se than before. My scream tore through the woods lik

ghter. "What'

voice broke. "Do

sed me i

the ground. The pendant glowed white, then flicker

ide, eyes wet with

ring to come closer. His vo

lled me more

k

I whi

xed. "Becau

tar

he puzzle pieces

dr

burn

to his presence like it

n't coin

was

a cruel sen

alen... he was also the

f I d

ld finish th