Chapter 4 Lines in the Dark

The fog didn't lift. It hung heavy, thick like a curse, sticking to my skin and filling my lungs. My boots sank into the wet ground with every step, the smell of leaves and blood strong enough to make my eyes sting.

"This is bad," I muttered. The smell alone felt like a warning.

My pack moved around me like shadows, quiet and tense. Kaelen grumbled something about "causing another apocalypse," but I ignored him. My mind kept replaying yesterday, the hybrid alpha's voice calling my name like he owned it.

Damian walked beside me. Calm. Sharp. Annoying in that quiet, dangerous way only he could manage. When his eyes met mine for a second, something flickered there. I didn't know what it was. I didn't want to know. I shoved it away before it grew into something I couldn't control.

We headed toward the abandoned town at the edge of the valley. Kaelen had checked it weeks ago. Old buildings, cracked walls, windows covered with boards. A place we could fortify, maybe even survive the night. We'd turned worse ruins into shelter before, but this time felt different. The hybrids weren't just hunting us. They were playing with us. Slow. Patient. Cruel.

I tightened my jaw. "We need barricades. Traps. Clear the streets. Secure everything. No mistakes."

Kaelen saluted me like an idiot. "Yes ma'am. Try not to die before I get to brag about saving you again."

I glared at him. "Don't push it. And fine, you might save me again, but let's keep the body count low."

Mara flinched at my tone but kept close. She trusted me too much. That scared me more than anything hiding in the fog.

Damian didn't say a word. He watched the town, watched my pack, watched me. He only spoke when it mattered, which annoyed me because it made every word hit harder.

By the time we reached the town, the sun was sinking. The fog turned gold, but it didn't feel beautiful. It felt like a warning. I felt every pair of eyes on us. My own pack. Damian. And the hybrids somewhere out there, waiting.

We split up to set guards. I reinforced the west street myself, checking every corner twice. I was tightening a rope trap when I heard a low growl behind me. Deliberate. Not animal. Not friendly.

I froze. The fog shifted. A figure stood behind a burnt car, tall and strong, eyes like cold metal.

Kaelen appeared next to me, whispering, "We're screwed."

"Damian," I said softly. "Do you see him?"

Damian didn't blink. "Yes. And he's not alone."

Before I could move, the figure stepped forward with an easy, smooth speed. Kaelen fired a warning shot. The creature dodged it without effort, then disappeared back into the fog.

A chill ran down my spine. He wasn't scared. He was testing us.

"He knows we're here," I muttered. "He's planning something."

Mara whimpered. I cursed under my breath and turned on my pack. "No fear. We finish the traps tonight. Move."

We worked fast. Barricades. Spikes. Holes hidden under leaves. My body burned from exhaustion but I kept going. Damian moved with us, fixing things quietly, tightening ropes, reinforcing walls. He barely touched anything, but every time he did, it felt more secure. I hated that. Hated how my heart jumped when he passed close enough for me to feel his warmth.

Night fell and the fog grew impossibly thick. I gathered my pack and gave the last instructions.

Then I heard it. A whistle. Low. Sharp. Clear.

Mara froze. Damian grabbed my arm, his grip firm and warm.

"Stay calm," he said. "Don't make a sound. Move."

Then the hybrid alpha's voice sliced through the fog.

"Lyra. Come out. I'm tired of chasing."

My stomach dropped. My hands shook. He was too close, and he knew exactly what he was doing. Trying to pull me out. Trying to get in my head. Trying to see if I was worth the trouble.

"Not today," I whispered.

Damian's grip tightened and it felt... good. Too good.

"Good," he said quietly. "Because if you run, I'll kill him first. And then I'll kill you if you're reckless."

I swallowed hard, my pulse jumping. I didn't just need to survive anymore. I needed control. Over my pack. Over my fear. Over him.

The fog shifted again. Shadows moved. Surrounding us.

Kaelen whispered, "Lyra... they're everywhere."

I scanned the streets as shapes formed in the fog. Then the hybrid alpha stepped forward, smiling like he already knew the ending.

"You can't protect them forever," he said. "You can't even protect yourself."

My pack tensed. My heart thumped hard enough to hurt. Damian stood beside me, quiet and deadly, driving me insane.

I whispered, "Then we'll make sure we're the ones alive at dawn."

But fear curled deep in my chest.

This wasn't the end.

Tonight, someone was going to fall.