I nodded, repeatedly, and then the world blurred as he started running, the snapping of bullets following us into the thick forest behind Dark Row.

Chapter 3

Rage cleared the perimeter of Dark Row and darted into the surrounding forest. A dozen paces past the tree line, my mate stopped.

“I … gotta … rest…” he gasped, releasing my legs.

Not even a heartbeat later, he dropped me completely as he fell to his knees.

Crap!

I’d been so shocked that I’d let Rage carry me into the forest like a damsel in distress when he was clearly hurt.

“Rage,” I whisper-yelled, crouching next to him. “What’s wrong?”

Could we go more than an hour without my mate being in peril?

Swaying, he blinked, and the glazed look in his eyes receded. His breathing came heavy and hard, and he clutched his side once again. “I think something grazed me.”

His fingers were wet, and the coppery tang of fresh blood wafted from the wound. I peeled back two of his slicked fingers from where he held his side and immediately let them go as my stomach heaved. Shaking my head, I pressed my hand to his and told him to keep pressure there.

Scooting over to allow the moon’s limited light to be at the best angle, I forced a swallow and then peeled his fingers back again to get a better look.

It was a bit more than a flesh wound. A deep puncture cut right through his ribs.

“Rage, I-I think you’ve been shot.” My voice came out ragged and hoarse, shredded with disbelief.

Could he heal from that? Maybe … but it wouldn’t be fast enough for us to get away if the alpha king had trackers out. They’d smell his blood from a mile away.

“Can you shift?” I asked, my eyes wide as panic thrummed through me.

Rage rolled his eyes. “You know I can, woman. But the wound isn’t going to go away—”

“I’m working on that.” Apparently, it was time for more blood magic experiments. Didn’t Surlama say the healing potion she’d made for Kaja had virgin blood in it? Or maybe I made that up, but my blood had certainly worked to heal Rage in the Realm of the Dead.

I grabbed Rage’s dagger and, gritting my teeth, ran the blade across the meat of my palm for the second time tonight.

“What the hell, Nai!”

I stepped up close to him and braced myself. “Trust me. Pull your hand back so I can put my blood against your wound.”

His eyes widened with understanding, and then he grimaced. “Umm, no. That’s weird.”

“Umm, yes. I’m pretty sure that’s what healed you when you passed out right before the four horsemen came.” Like 81.2% sure. I wasn’t that good at CPR.

He sighed in defeat and dropped his hand from the wound with a muffled grunt. “Bloody fu—”

I pressed my hand to the wound, and Rage’s shoulders sagged.

“Oh,” he exhaled. “That’s … a … bit … better.”

A bit? “Like ten percent or forty percent?”

Rage closed his eyes, and his breathing slowed.

“Uh … hello?”

“Like twenty percent,” he answered just as a low howl filled the air.

Fear bubbled up in my chest.

Rage’s eyes snapped open, shifting from green to yellow in a single blink.

“Let’s shift.” He started to sprint into the forest.

“Umm, you seem to be doing more than twenty percent better!” I called after him as I ran.

Come on, girl. Time to shift.

My wolf surged to the surface; my clothes fell in tatters around me.

Yes!

Rage and I both raced on four paws into the woods, away from Dark Row. I had no idea where we were going, so I followed his lead through the trees. Eventually, the acrid smoke dissipated, and all that was left was the smell of earthy loam, pine, and woodland animals. We started to climb, and the terrain changed. Instead of soft, spongy earth, the soil became more rocky and the trees more sparse though they climbed much higher into the air. The temperature dropped, and the air kissed my nose with an icy bite as fatigue pulled at my limbs.

‘Are there other shifters out here?’ I asked.

‘Yes. Keep mate safe.’

Always chivalrous. My mate’s wolf was like a white knight. Not that I was a helpless princess. In fact, as we continued to run, I debated telling him that thus far, I’d had to save his life twice tonight—three times if I wanted to count the negotiations with the Keeper. But none of those had anything to do with his wolf. I’d be better off keeping those tidbits tucked away until I wanted something from human Rage.

Guilt welled up from the depths of my wolf’s hidden corner, shaming my petty thoughts. As if I’d really keep score. I was kidding, girl. I want him happy too.

Surprisingly, that truth resonated strongly. I did want Rage to be happy. There was still just a tiny bit of me that was pissed he’d kept his identity as my mate secret from me most of first semester and that he was a giant jerk every time I saw him. Okay, maybe more than a little bit. Yes, he’d apologized, and I was ready to move on, but it wasn’t wrong that I needed more time to build trust, was it?

We ran for a solid two hours until my eyes burned and my head drooped.

‘Mate tired?’ Rage’s wolf asked. ‘Need rest?’

Tired? ‘I’m exhausted. Rest would be … amazing.’

It must be well after midnight. The mid-year games seemed like days ago and yet only hours had passed. Regardless, I was dead on my feet.

How could twenty-four hours change so much? Several things made more sense now. Like why my wolf didn’t speak like a cavewoman—I wasn’t fully wolf. And why she usually avoided surging to the front when I was in danger—I was probably way more powerful as a high mage. Or I would be, once I was properly trained. All of the information and crazy reveals swirled around my head until my brain ached. The truth bombs were a lot to take in.

We slowed our pace, and Rage led us to a cave. It smelled clear of any other animals, and I was so grateful for a place to rest my legs that I collapsed onto my belly, panting, the moment we crawled inside. Rage’s wolf spun in two circles before he could find a comfy spot, and then he nuzzled up next to me, his head pointing to the front of the cave.

‘Just an hour of rest,’ I said. ‘Then, we need to make a plan to get Honor back.’

My wolf yawned, nodding, and then my eyelids grew droopy. Rage’s wound was no longer weeping but still smelled of blood, and my thoughts went to sweet Honor before sleep finally took me.

We’re coming, buddy. Don’t give up.

The sun peeked over the horizon, crawling into the cave and banishing the darkness, and my eyelids snapped open to find Rage had just jerked awake as well.

‘How long did we sleep?’ I stood, heart pounding as I listened for any of the king’s wolves. I paused to absorb the beauty as the new day bathed the wooded area in golden light. Crazy that just last night was the mid-year games. Last night, Honor was alive. Yesterday, my biggest concern was passing a test so I could stay at Alpha Academy. Now, as long as Declan Midnight was king, I’d never go back.

‘Four or five hours.’ Rage’s black wolf looked up at the sun as if reading the time from that alone. ‘Still tired.’