Chapter 3 Three

I caught a glimpse of a shadow-a wolf-like shape slipping around the corner. My breath hitched, and I bolted in the opposite direction, panic surging through my veins. They had found me.

Somehow, impossibly, they'd tracked me down so quickly. It couldn't have been just the scent of my blood. They must have known where I was for a while, waiting for the right moment to close in.

Had they been hunting in this town all along, right under my nose? The thought chilled me. I had been so careful, so methodical, outmaneuvering them for years. Yet here I was-unprepared, cornered, and terrified.

Get home. Grab the survival bag. Get to the train station, I told myself, sprinting through the rain-slick streets. Withdraw the cash from the deposit box and disappear. Don't look back.

But the growl stopped me cold. Deep and guttural, it rumbled from the alley ahead. My eyes darted to the walls where shadows stretched unnaturally-three wolf-like silhouettes creeping closer. My heart sank as I glanced behind me. Two more loomed in the alleyway, cutting off any escape.

I clenched my fists and squared my stance, dropping my purse to the ground. "Five against one? You gentlemen sure know how to make a girl feel special," I quipped, my voice sharper than I felt.

The shadows shifted, twisting grotesquely until they took human form. Three men emerged from the darkness ahead, tall and muscled, their cruel smirks mirrored in their predatory eyes.

"We don't want to hurt you, princess. Not unless you make us," one of them snarled, his voice slick with false civility.

The others fanned out, their postures lazy but deliberate. I tightened my fists. "Calm down, Thalassa. Focus," I muttered under my breath. Vital points. Move fast. Don't hesitate.

"Come now, princess," one sneered. "We don't have all night. Surrender, and maybe we'll go easy on you."

He reached for me, his hand open as though offering mercy. It was a mistake. I seized his wrist, twisting with all the force I could muster, and sent him crashing to the pavement with a pained grunt.

"That's no way to treat a gentleman!" another roared, lunging at me.

He swung, but I dodged, driving the heel of my palm into his jaw before aiming for his eyes. He staggered back, howling, his curses ringing in my ears. Two down.

But the third came from behind, locking his arms around me. I drove my elbow into his ribs and stomped hard on his foot, breaking free just long enough to whirl and strike his solar plexus. As he doubled over, I darted past him, my legs burning with the effort to escape.

I didn't dare look back. Each breath felt like fire in my lungs, but I pushed harder, knowing they would be right on my heels. The corner of an abandoned building came into view, offering a slim chance at cover. Just a few more steps.

And then I saw him-a tall figure with fiery red hair, stepping into my path with a smile that chilled me to the bone. His arms spread wide, blocking my escape.

"No," I whispered, dread sinking like lead in my chest. Not him.

"Going somewhere, princess?" Merrick taunted, his voice dripping with mockery.

I veered left, searching desperately for another route, but he was too fast. His hand shot out, grabbing my collar and yanking me back. I hit the ground hard but scrambled to my feet, my mind racing. I couldn't win-not against him-but surrender was unthinkable.

I struck at his stomach, putting every ounce of my strength behind the blow, but it barely fazed him. Merrick laughed, a low, guttural sound that made my skin crawl.

"Enough games," he said, his voice soft but deadly. He caught my throat in a vice-like grip and lifted me off the ground. I clawed at his hand, struggling for air, but his strength was unyielding. The edges of my vision darkened, and tears stung my eyes as my lungs burned.

Merrick sneered. "If you weren't so valuable, I'd have killed you already," he murmured, his breath hot against my ear. He tossed me to the ground like a broken doll.

I gasped for air, coughing violently as he crouched beside me. From his pocket, he produced a syringe, its needle glinting ominously.

"I won't risk you causing any more trouble," he said with a smirk, pulling the cap off with his teeth.

The sting of the needle in my neck was nothing compared to the searing pain that followed. My veins felt as though they were on fire. I tried to pull the syringe out, but my body refused to obey. My limbs grew heavy, and the world around me blurred.

"You... bastard," I croaked, my voice barely a whisper.

"Such foul language, your highness," Merrick mocked, his grin widening. "We'll have to fix that arrogance of yours."

I struggled to lift myself, but my strength was gone. His men hauled me up by my arms, dragging me toward the alley like a rag doll. My vision dimmed, and despair settled in.

Then, out of the darkness, a shadow moved-a blur of black faster than my captors could react. The man dragging me cried out as something slashed through the air, and the grip on my arms loosened.

"Stupid mutts," a deep, unfamiliar voice drawled.

I blinked, trying to focus. A figure in a long black coat stepped into view, his high collar obscuring most of his face.

"Who the hell are you?!" Merrick snarled.

"You don't need to know," the man replied coolly, stepping closer. His voice carried a dangerous edge that sent shivers down my spine.

One of Merrick's men charged at him, but with a single, effortless motion, the stranger caught the attacker's leg and twisted. A sickening crack echoed through the night.

"You're dead!" Merrick bellowed, his rage palpable.

The man in the coat stepped into the light, his silver hair gleaming under the streetlamp. My breath caught. It was him-the stranger from the café.

"You can't kill me," he said, his tone calm but menacing. His lips curled into a wicked smile. "I'm already dead."