He would know that he would have to kill me.
So, I leapt into the air, sunk my teeth into the rogue’s neck, and pulled out his throat, then I sprinted through the woods as fast as I could. Knowing that I needed to run for my life.
Chapter 50
Isabella
The thunderous echo of hundreds of paws hitting the ground followed me through the forest. All coming for me. All wanting to kill me.
I knew that they would find me and that they would, in fact, kill me. Ryker was the one leading them, lying to me, lying to everyone about the rogues. He had countless alphas being tracked and hunted like animals—hurting them instead of protecting them.
And I was about to be next.
My heart beat against my chest wildly. Beads of sweat matted my fur. I ran faster and pushed myself harder, letting my wolf take control. She had trained for this moment forever. And although Roman didn’t believe in me, although he lied to me to protect me, although I made the stupid decision anyway to join the Lycans, this was not how I would go out.
I would not be stopped by a pack of rogues that I had been trained to kill. I would not be stopped by a man who betrayed us all for whatever selfish reason he had.
The trees stopped any moonlight from hitting the forest floor, but I ran in the dark, focusing on the path in front of me—my self-made path—jumping over branches and running between trees.
The rogues’ faint pungent scent drifted into my nose. Moon Goddess, help me, please. All I wanted was to see Roman, the only man that I had ever loved, the man that I wished I had stayed with weeks ago. This wasn’t how I wanted my life to end. I wanted to see him one last time.
A tree branch cut into my fur, and I whimpered, but I didn’t stop. I ran for another mile, sprinting right off of Rogue territory and toward the familiar scent I had always called home. Mint.
When the pounding slowed and became fainter, I paused behind a tree and shifted into my human. Blood spewed out of my side, and I put as much pressure on it as I could. I rested against the tree, muffling my whimpers with my hand.
Then, when the rogues became louder again, I gathered all of my energy and ran—in human form—to Roman’s packhouse. The next mile was longer and harder than the miles I ran through Rogue Territory. But I trudged on through and let out a cry once I was fifty feet to Roman’s property.
Pain shot up and down my side, making me dizzy, making my vision blurry. Derek—one of the border guards tonight—caught my arm before I fell to the ground and mindlinked Roman.“Rogues.”
I stumbled out of his grip toward the packhouse. Roman. I wanted to see Roman. I needed to see Roman. I loved Roman.
After throwing the backdoor of the packhouse open, I sprinted into the room—naked and covered in a mix of blood and mud. I couldn’t believe this was happening. What was all of this for? Every single day that I spent getting to know Ryker was all a lie.
“Roman!” I shouted. “Roman!” My Roman.
A light turned on upstairs, and someone shuffled around. I sprinted up the stairs, taking two at a time. Roman appeared at the end of the hallway, rushing out of his room and wearing nothing but some sweatpants. When he saw me, he hurried to me and pulled me into his chest. “Isabella? Isabella, what’s wrong?”
“Rogues,” I breathed out, glancing out the window. “Rogues—they’re coming.”
My first instinct was to kiss him, so that’s what I did. I pressed my lips to his, feeling comforted in the feeling of him, wanting him and wanting us and hoping that this wasn’t the last moment that I would be with him.
He pushed me away slightly. “You’re covered in mud, Isabella.” He gazed down at my body. “And blood. You’re hurt. Wh—”
“They’re coming to kill me,” I said. I knew that they would try to kill me, that they would try to take this whole pack out with them. And again, this wasmyfault. I should’ve run to the Lycans… not put Roman in more danger.
But I wanted him, I needed him, and I didn’t know who I could trust anymore beside him.
If Ryker didn’t know who I was before, he knew who I was now that I ran directly to my mate. The man he hated. The man who hated him.
Roman furrowed his brows together. Then his ears flew back, hearing the howls of the rogues. They were approaching the borders, quickly. My stomach tightened. Roman’s eyes glazed over as he spoke to his warriors through the mindlink.
When he turned to me, his teeth had lengthened into canines, his eyes were pure gold, and his minty scent was stronger than ever. “Why are they here?”
I grabbed his hand and squeezed lightly. “Because I know why they took your sister. I know how they did it too.” I brushed my hand against the side of his face. “You were right, Roman. You were always right.”
“What do you want me to do?” he asked. It was such a simple question, and I knew exactly what he was planning to do to that man when they caught him.
I grabbed his chin, pressed my lips to his, and pulled away. “Be that alpha that I’ve always loved. Lead this pack. Kill them.”
