"Move."
Leo's voice cut through everything.
Sharp. Commanding.
No hesitation.
I didn't argue.
Didn't think.
I just moved.
Drawers opened. Bags grabbed. Essentials—only what mattered.
Because deep down—
We all knew this wasn't a normal escape.
This was running from an Alpha.
"The back route," Evan said quickly.
"Less exposure."
Kai nodded once. "I'll cover the rear."
"You're not splitting up," I snapped immediately.
The bond reacted—
Tight. Defensive.
Kai's eyes flicked to mine.
Something in his expression shifted.
"…Fine," he muttered.
Leo didn't waste time.
"Stay close. No stopping."
We were out within minutes.
The forest swallowed us whole.
Branches snapped underfoot.
Cold air cut through my lungs.
My heart pounded—but not just from running.
The bond—
It was going crazy.
Not between us.
Him.
Stronger now.
Closer.
I stumbled slightly.
Kai caught my arm instantly.
"Focus."
"I am," I shot back.
But my voice shook.
Because suddenly—
I felt it again.
That presence.
Heavy.
Dominant.
Watching.
"He's closer," I whispered.
Leo cursed under his breath.
"Faster."
We pushed harder.
Deeper into the forest.
But something felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Evan slowed slightly.
"That's not normal."
"What?" I asked, breath uneven.
"No patrols. No animals."
A pause.
"He's clearing the area."
My stomach dropped.
Not chasing blindly.
Hunting.
A sudden gust of wind tore through the trees—
And the bond snapped tight.
Pain shot through my chest.
I gasped.
"He's here—"
"RUN!" Leo shouted.
We broke into a full sprint.
No control.
No strategy.
Just instinct.
The pressure built behind us—
Fast.
Too fast.
Like he wasn't running.
Like he was already there.
"Don't look back!" Kai snapped.
That alone told me everything.
Because Kai never sounded like that.
Panicked.
The bond flared violently—
And suddenly—
I felt him.
Clear.
Sharp.
Right behind us.
"You can't outrun me."
The voice hit my mind like a blade.
I stumbled hard.
Leo grabbed me instantly, pulling me forward.
"Stay with us!"
"I can't—he's in my head!"
Evan's voice cut in. "Block it!"
"I don't know how!"
The pressure surged again—
Stronger.
Closer.
And then—
Silence.
Everything stopped.
The wind.
The movement.
Even the bond—
Gone.
We froze.
All of us.
That was worse.
A slow step echoed behind us.
Crunch.
Another.
Closer.
No one turned.
No one breathed.
Because we all knew—
If we did—
He'd be there.
"Turn around."
The voice wasn't in my head this time.
It was real.
Deep.
Cold.
Commanding.
Right behind us.
My heart stopped.
Leo's hand tightened around mine.
Kai shifted slightly in front of me.
Evan went completely still.
Protective.
All of them.
But the bond—
The bond reacted differently.
It didn't resist.
It—
Pulled.
"No," I whispered.
"Now," the Alpha said.
And this time—
My body almost obeyed.
Almost.
But Leo stepped forward sharply.
Blocking me.
"Don't."
A low chuckle echoed behind us.
Amused.
"Still trying to keep what isn't yours?"
The air shifted again.
Heavier.
Dangerous.
Kai's voice dropped. "She's not yours either."
A pause.
Then—
Power slammed into us.
Not physical.
Not visible.
But absolute.
I dropped to one knee instantly, breath knocked out of me.
Leo and Kai barely held their ground.
Evan staggered—
Just once.
And then—
I felt it.
His attention.
Fully.
On me.
"Interesting," the Alpha murmured.
My body locked up.
Because now—
I could feel him clearly.
Stronger than all three of them combined.
Colder.
And terrifyingly—
Certain.
"You felt me before I arrived," he said.
Not a question.
I couldn't answer.
Couldn't move.
"Look at me."
The command hit harder than anything before.
My body—
Actually started to turn.
"No!" Kai snapped, grabbing my wrist.
The moment he touched me—
The bond exploded.
All four of us.
Connected.
For one second—
Everything clashed.
Their pull.
His claim.
My power—
And something snapped.
Violently.
The force knocked outward—
A shockwave of raw energy.
The Alpha stepped back.
Just once.
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Because that—
That shouldn't have happened.
Even he didn't expect it.
His eyes—(I still hadn't fully seen his face)—
Narrowed slightly.
"…So that's what you are," he said quietly.
Not angry.
Interested.
That was worse.
Leo reacted instantly.
"NOW."
This time—
We didn't hesitate.
We ran.
Fast.
Relentless.
Desperate.
And this time—
He didn't follow.
Not immediately.
But the bond lingered.
Heavy.
Watching.
Waiting.
Because now—
He knew exactly what I was.
And he wasn't just hunting me anymore.
He wanted me.