Bella's POV
Air burned my lungs as he dragged me relentlessly from the cave entrance. My mind struggled to process what was happening. I was just human after all.
My wolf had stirred days ago, but the transformation never completed. I remained defenseless against this man who should have been frail and weak.
The raw power in his grip proved that assumption dead wrong.
Violent coughing seized my chest. My fingers clawed desperately at whatever bound my throat, cutting off my oxygen supply.
My legs scraped against jagged rocks and thorny underbrush as he hauled me deeper into the mountain wilderness.
The old man released a harsh grunt before finally loosening his hold. We had traveled far from the safety of the cave, surrounded now by dense forest.
The moment his grip slackened, I collapsed to my knees, gasping hungrily for air. My palms pressed against the cold earth as I fought to push myself upright.
