Page 121 of Lost to the Woods

Something stirs inside the cabin. Footsteps. Boards creak. A shadow shifts behind the broken window before the door opens.

He steps out.

Not Ghost.

Tyorin.

He’s huge—taller even than Doruun—half-man, half-elk. His fur-covered body ripples with muscle and raw strength, antlers glinting in the sunlight. He’s magnificent. I’ve never seen anyone,anything, more stunning than him—not even the face of that psycho bastard I loved.

My body trembles. From crave. From lust. From hate.

How could he do this to me?

Tyorin squints at me like he’s not sure it’s really me. Maybe part of him hopes it isn’t. Or maybe he’s as excited as I am?

Curious, he approaches closer. “Little bunny?”

Behind him, the others follow. His brothers. The ones who laughed when he tied me down. The ones who watched. The ones who took turns.

Rage flames inside me. At them. For everything they did.

And more so at myself. Because I’ve grown so attached to them—to pain, to pleasure, to humiliation—that Imissedthem.

The air is thick with tension, with anticipation. They watch me, their eyes wide, their breaths shallow, as if they can sense the change in me.

I step forward without knowing it, my chin up high, my gaze steady. Even in my new body, they still dwarf me, their size imposing, their power undeniable. But I’m not afraid anymore. I am their equal.

No.

I am theirsuperior.

And I’m the one in control now.

I tilt my head. “You thought you’d seen the last of me, didn’t you?” My voice sounds strange even to me—lower, raw, threaded with something that isn’t entirely human. There’s something ancient behind it. Something that doesn’t ask.

Tyorin takes the final step, careful but not scared, closing the distance. He shakes his head, his ears twitching. “Quite the contrary—we’ve been waiting for you.” His eyes soften, his voice dropping to a guttural murmur. “Every second without you felt unbearable. Like a void nothing could fill, aching to be whole again.”

I hum, caught off guard. Something in my stirs. I hesitate.

How can I trust him… them after everything?

But he’s already sinking to his knees. And I can’t focus on anything else but that beautiful beast submitting to me.

“We wanted you. Weneededyou. Long before you ever stepped into these woods. Just after seeing you through his eyes, we knew we had to have you.”

He raises his hands—tentative and reverent—reaching for my legs. His fingertips tremble as they brush my thighs, then he leans in, pressing his lips to the inside of one.

I grab his antlers to steady myself. To remain in power.

Yet, the hunger blinds me. Makes me weak to his words. Makes me want to believe.

“The only way to us was through him,” he whispers against my skin. “So we lied. We bled you open. We made you strong. You were never the offering. You were the ritual. And now, you’re forever part of the forest. Forever here with us.”

His mouth freezes as I force his head back. His eyes meet mine. And in that moment, he knows. He created something he can’t contain.

“You have no idea what you’ve made.” I smile, baring my teeth. “Now it’s your turn to scream.”

His eyes flash gold, like he’s enjoying this, and his grip tightens. “No, baby,” he growls, but there’s a playful edge to his voice. “Now I worship you.” His tongue flicks out, long and wide, tracing a wet trail up my inner thigh, right to where I ache for him most.

---