shadows grew darker, moving closer with every second. Riley's heart thudded painfully in her chest as she watched Zayden's tense posture. His back was straight, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. The energy around them shifted, an almost electric buzz in the air that made her skin prickle. She didn't know what to expect, but she knew one thing for certain: things were about to get worse.
"Zayden…" Riley whispered, her voice trembling. She wasn't sure if she was speaking to him for reassurance or to stop herself from panicking, but she needed to know what was happening. "Who are they? Are they… are they here for me?"
Zayden didn't answer right away. His gaze never left the shadows, and for a moment, Riley wondered if he could sense something she couldn't. His lips parted as if to speak, but the words never came. Instead, his eyes flicked toward her, catching the desperation in her gaze.
"They're here for you, Riley," Zayden said quietly, his voice tense. "The Pack's enforcers. They won't stop until they have you."
Riley swallowed hard, fear settling deep in her stomach. The fact that Zayden wasn't trying to sugarcoat the situation only made the reality of it hit her harder. She wasn't just caught in some messed-up situation with Zayden's world—she was a target. And she didn't even understand why.
But before she could process any of it, the first figure emerged from the darkness.
A tall man, dressed in dark leather, stepped into the courtyard, his steps smooth and predatory. His eyes were a pale shade of blue, almost inhuman in their intensity. The moment he crossed into the light, Riley felt her body stiffen as a cold shiver ran down her spine. There was something off about him, something primal and dangerous.
Behind him, two more figures appeared, their presence just as unnerving. Both were tall, lean, and moved with an ease that suggested they were used to this kind of thing. But unlike the man who had stepped forward, their eyes were an unsettling shade of gold. Werewolves. They were the Pack.
Riley's breath hitched, and she instinctively stepped closer to Zayden. His hand moved to the small of her back, pulling her against him. His touch was both reassuring and terrifying at the same time, but she was so focused on the newcomers that she barely registered the warmth of his body.
"Who are you?" Zayden asked, his voice low, authoritative, and laced with something dark.
The leader of the group—his name, Riley guessed, by the way the others seemed to defer to him—took a slow step forward. His gaze flicked over Riley like a wolf eyeing prey, his lips curling into a smirk. "I could ask the same question, Zayden," he replied, his voice smooth, almost mocking. "But I'm more interested in why you're hiding the girl."
Zayden's grip on Riley tightened, and Riley felt his muscles tense beneath his jacket. His body was like a shield against the Pack, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't enough. She was just a human, and they were werewolves—she couldn't possibly outrun them.
"I'm not hiding anyone," Zayden retorted, his voice cold. "She's mine, and you're not taking her."
Riley flinched at the words. Mine. It was the second time Zayden had said it, and it felt like a mark, like a claim on her that she couldn't escape. But something about the way the man in front of them smirked made her stomach turn.
The leader's eyes shifted to her again, and for the first time, Riley saw the dangerous glint in his gaze. "She's marked, Zayden. You know what that means. We've come to collect what's ours."
Riley's breath caught in her throat. "Marked?" she whispered, her voice hoarse with fear.
Zayden's hand clenched around hers. "Don't listen to him," he said fiercely, though Riley could hear the strain in his voice. "You're not going anywhere with them. I'll never let that happen."
The man chuckled darkly, and Riley's stomach twisted. "You're naive if you think you can stop this, Zayden. You've crossed a line. The Pack doesn't just let things like this go."
Riley took a step back, her mind whirling with a thousand questions she couldn't even put into words. This was real. This wasn't some twisted dream she could wake up from. These were werewolves, and she had been thrust into the middle of their world.
She felt the weight of Zayden's words again. You're mine now.
Was she? Was she really marked, as they said? Was that all this was about—her being tied to this dangerous world she didn't understand?
Before she could speak, Zayden's voice rang out once more. "You want her? You'll have to go through me."
The leader raised an eyebrow, his expression amused. "Zayden, you're playing a dangerous game. You're not as powerful as you think."
Zayden's gaze darkened, his body vibrating with barely contained rage. He stood taller, his jaw clenched. The air around him seemed to shift, almost crackling with energy. "I don't care how powerful you think you are. If you come near her, you'll regret it."
The leader took a step closer, his smile fading into something more menacing. "I'm afraid it's too late for regrets, Zayden."
The tension in the air was unbearable, the space between them charged with an intensity Riley could feel down to her bones. She wasn't sure what would happen next, but she knew one thing: it wasn't going to be good.
Before she could react, the leader moved again, this time toward her. Riley took a step back, panic rising in her chest. Zayden stepped in front of her immediately, his body a shield. "I said no," he growled.
The Pack members circled, their eyes glowing in the dim light. Riley couldn't help the tremble that ran through her. She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't ready to face the Pack, to be a part of this world. But somehow, in this moment, she had no choice.
Her fate had already been decided.