"Show yourself," I warned again, fingers tightening on the grip. "Last chance."
A shadow shifted among the trees, then came the sound of rapid footsteps fleeing in the opposite direction.
"Stop!" I released Layla and bolted after it.
"Kayden!" Layla called behind me.
"Stay there!"
The forest was pitch black, moonlight completely blocked by the thick canopy. My pupils dilated rapidly, adapting to the darkness as I tracked the moving shadow ahead.
Fast.
And their knowledge of the terrain was alarming—taking every turn at full speed, every leap perfectly clearing obstacles on the ground.
This person had spent a long time in these woods.
I pushed harder, weaving between the trees.
Fifty meters. Forty. The gap was closing. Just as I was about to reach them, the shadow made a sharp turn and vanished into the dense undergrowth.
I skidded to a halt at the spot.
Nothing.
Only broken branches and shallow footprints in the grass.
I crouched to examine them.
Small prints. Based on shoe size, female. The stride suggested a height of around five feet five. A female wolf from the pack.
I searched the surrounding area, even engaging my wolf's heightened sense of smell. But whoever it was had vanished completely, leaving no trace.
Damn it.
I had no choice but to return to the lake.
Layla stood exactly where I'd left her, gripping a thick branch she'd picked up, held defensively. When she saw me, relief flooded her face.
"Well?"
"Gone," I said, reaching her side. "And they know this forest extremely well."
Too well. In the entire pack, there weren't more than ten people who could move with that kind of precision in total darkness.
"We're leaving," I said, taking her hand. "It's not safe here anymore."
On the way back to the estate, my mind raced.
Someone had been watching Layla and me near my secret refuge. Someone who knew I would bring her there. Evan. My head of security, Marcus...
And...
The next morning, I summoned Evan to my study. Dawn hadn't fully broken yet; heavy fog pressed against the windows.
"What's the progress on the investigation?" I stood with my back to him, watching the forest gradually emerge from the mist.
Evan opened the tablet he always carried. I heard the slide of his finger across the screen, followed by a suppressed sigh.
