🌙 Episode 38: The Hunter and the Heart
Lila's POV
The chamber still smelled of blood, but Ethan didn't give himself time to recover.
He rose in one fluid motion, his body tense, eyes burning gold. "He's not going to stop. I have to hunt him before he tries again."
I pushed myself up, ignoring the ache in my legs. "Then I'm coming with you."
His head snapped toward me, disbelief flashing across his face. "Absolutely not."
"Ethan—"
"You saw what just happened," he growled, his voice sharp. "You nearly died, Lila."
I swallowed hard, meeting his fierce gaze. "And what happens next time you're not there? You think Marcus will give me a choice? You think I'll survive hiding behind walls while you fight alone?"
The bond burned hot, demanding truth. I let it push the words out.
"I'm already part of this, whether you like it or not. You told me the truth. You let me see you. So let me fight for you, too."
For a moment, his face hardened, his jaw clenched. But beneath it, I saw the flicker of conflict—the Alpha at war with the man.
Finally, he exhaled, slow and ragged. "You don't know what you're asking for."
"Then show me," I whispered.
Ethan's POV
Spirits, she didn't understand. Or maybe she did—and that's what terrified me most.
Every instinct screamed to lock her away, to shield her. But the bond pulsed hot, her determination searing through me. If I caged her, she'd only find her own way into danger.
Marcus knew it, too. That was why he targeted her.
"Fine," I said finally, my voice low and dangerous. "But if you come, you follow my rules. You stay where I put you. And if I tell you to run, you run. Do you understand?"
Her chin lifted, defiant even in her fear. "I understand."
The bond flared, sealing the vow between us.
I turned toward the door, the air outside heavy with the scent of Marcus's pack. My wolf was already straining against its leash, eager for the hunt.
But with Lila's heartbeat steady behind me, I knew this wouldn't just be a hunt. It would be a war.
Lila's POV
The forest swallowed us, shadows thick under the full moon. Ethan moved like a predator, silent and sure, every sense sharp. I struggled to keep up, but I refused to fall behind.
Halfway through the ridge, Ethan froze. His head lifted, nostrils flaring.
"Marcus is close," he murmured, voice rough.
The bond surged, my chest tightening. Fear whispered in my ear, but I steadied my breathing. I wouldn't be the weakness Marcus used against him.
Branches rustled to the left. Ethan's claws slid free, his body low and ready.
A shadow darted across the clearing—too fast, too deliberate to be chance.
Marcus's voice drifted from the dark, smooth and mocking. "So the little human insists on playing hunter, too. How quaint."
Ethan snarled, stepping in front of me. "Show yourself, coward."
Marcus's laugh echoed, chilling. "Oh, I'll show myself. But not yet. First, I want to see how far you'll let her fall before your control snaps again."
The bond seared hot, warning of the trap tightening around us.
And in that moment, I realized Marcus didn't just want to kill us.
He wanted to break us.
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✨ End of Episode 38