Once he receives my package, his elders will have no choice but to allow him to come get me. Soon, we’ll be able to start our life together, just as we both had hoped for.

It’s been a long few weeks without him. Funny enough, before meeting him, I never cared about tracking days. My life within Andromeda had always dragged, marked with occasions of being harassed or beaten by Daniel.

Those were the only times I had any deviation in my day-to-day because outside of that, I was simply a forgotten nobody.

Now, things will be different. I’ll get to live a free life with my mate and my baby.

Smiling, I shift as soon as I pass through the tree line and take a casual trot back to my cabin. The city isn’t far from oursettlement, but it’s enough of a distance that I can enjoy a short run by myself without having to worry about anything else.

It’s late at night, so everyone in Andromeda is sleeping, aside from the few border patrols Daniel will have sent out before nightfall. Thankfully, my cabin is a ways away from any patrol routes, leaving me to my peace and quiet.

Counting down the days until Aiden comes to get me is both exciting and frightening. Hopefully Delilah will be able to keep up her end of our plan and keep Daniel occupied until Aiden gets here.

Movement from my left catches my attention, slowing me down. Straining my ears to hear the sounds within the forest, the only thing that I can pick up on is my own breathing.

Which is the opposite of good.

Where are all the crickets and the other nighttime forest sounds?

Something jumps out at me, causing me to stumble back to avoid it. Belatedly, I realize that it’s one of my packmates, Ryin, who growls at me.

Come with us.

Fuck.

I’ve been caught.

Turning, I dash through the tree line and make my way back to the pack. If I can somehow get to Delilah’s, they may call off the chase and leave me alone, thinking that I’ve gotten the memo to not sneak out.

I’ve got no such luck though, because soon I’m cut off again by another shifter, Lelana.

Stop running!

My heart is pounding hard in my chest.

A hard force hits me from behind, tackling me into the dirt and sending us both skidding a few feet before we come to a stop. I feel Ryin’s hot breath on my neck while he pins me with his teeth.

Don’t. Move.

Lelana’s gleeful voice enters my head next.You’re in deep shit now, Raine.

14

Raine

I’m dragged back by the scruff of my neck and dropped in front of Daniel’s doorstep, my body hurting from how hard Ryin was biting into me to keep me still.

“Get up,” he demands the second he shifts.

I shift too, my arms and legs feeling like Jell-O while I try to stand. I’m terrified over what’s about to happen. What’s Daniel going to think of me sneaking out of Andromeda like this? He’s going to want to know why I was wandering out after curfew.

I doubt either Ryin or Lelana saw me coming back from the humans’ town. But they’re going to want to know why I was so close to it in the first place.

I’m shoved forward between the double doors leading into Daniel’s estate. The air in here is so oppressive that it’s makingit hard to breathe—or maybe that’s just my terror clenching my throat tightly.

Both shifters take me through the foyer and down to Daniel’s office where, to my surprise, he’s already awake and waiting for me.

My entire body shakes at seeing him, his eyes narrowing at me the second he spots me.