e road, and by the time I got to the

gainst branches as I stumbled deeper between the trees. I just needed to g

eartbeat sent another wave of pain through me. I pressed my palm aga

ormally she'd be screaming inside my head, demanding I turn around

I could stop it. I covered my mouth immediately. I didn't want anyone to hear. I had spent my ent

ce, then twice. I pu

the

one person I wanted to hear

le

om

me through. "Elen

face. "I'

ide w

for

g one, too long, and my

. "Adrian r

heard something in her breath

om

" Her voice dropped. "Do

ned. "

unders

hy

ask questions.

re behind me. I turned.

at's hap

eed to

ve w

st don't let

began rac

dn't a

om

ove

never said those words like that before - not because she didn't lov

No answer. Ag

om

orest, and I froze. That wasn't

tood. "Who

an. Branches slapped against my face, my heels sank into the mud, and I didn't know where I wa

nd grabbe

mouth to s

oice - low, urgent

w that voice. I

me, soaked from the rain, his

e you do

other s

t him. "Wh

es mov

nie

's no

pened to

st. "Elena, you h

ed awa

Your mother knew t

old. "Knew what

ed. "The r

at him.

drian would

d to tilt. "Tha

in th

uld she

has been preparing fo

car door, and I stood there, frozen.

e. "I don't kn

ow some

id no

nie

ld me that if Adrian rejected you,

he

ard the fores

m wh

rdened. "Fr

ance. I flinched. Daniel shove

niel pulled out a gun. "Stay here!" He ran around the

nshot. The

Five sec

nie

th

nie

de the car, blood spreading across

limbed inside. He wore black; his face was

n at my stomach. His

s pre

ze. "

nd that was when my

un

didn't care. The stranger shouted behind me, but I kept running. The forest swallowe

steep slope. Pain exploded through m

. I looked up. The stranger stood at the

sed m

ranger turned. A massive black wolf emerged from the trees,

chaos. I watched through half-closed eyes as

ything we

-

soft sheets, a faint beeping sound beside me. I tried to s

into the room

re a

're

moth

man he

is my m

n't k

inctively moving toward my

me. "Because you a

stopped.

nfused. "You

gently placed a hand o

t ba

with pity. "Yo

ent. My hand rema

egn

d only been with one man - one

ri

he glass, and my heart broke all over again

ho had tried to kill me. I didn't know why my mothe

want me, then he would n

the first decision that

ng would neve