The forest blurred past them as Lysander led Elara deeper into the mountains. Her legs burned, her lungs screamed, but she didn't stop. Behind them, howls grew louder. Closer.
"There," Lysander pointed to a cave hidden behind thick vines. "We rest here."
Elara collapsed against the stone wall, gasping. Her hand stayed pressed to her stomach. A baby. She was having Kael's baby.
"How long before they find us?" she whispered.
"Dawn, maybe less." Lysander's silver eyes scanned the forest. "We need to move again soon."
"I can't." Tears leaked down her cheeks. "I can't keep running. I'm pregnant, Lysander. What if something happens to—"
"Nothing will happen." His voice was steel. "I won't let it."
"You barely know me. Why risk everything?"
He turned to her, moonlight catching his face. "Because some bonds don't need time to form. They just... exist."
Before she could ask what he meant, a howl shattered the night. Much closer now.
"They're tracking us," Lysander said grimly. "Kael's put his best hunters on our trail."
"Then we're caught."
"Not yet." He pulled out a small silver vial. "Drink this."
"What is it?"
"Something to mask your scent. From the coastal omega refuge."
Elara's eyes widened. "Those are just legends."
"No. They're real. And they're going to keep you safe."
She drank the bitter liquid. Instantly, her scent changed. Became ordinary. Forgettable.
"How did you—"
"Questions later. Moving now."
They ran again. Through streams to break their trail. Over rocky ground that left no prints. Lysander knew every hidden path, every secret passage.
By dawn, they'd reached the edge of Blackwood territory.
"This is it," he said, breathing hard. "Once we cross that line, there's no going back."
Elara looked over her shoulder. Somewhere behind them, Kael was searching. Raging. Desperate.
"He'll never forgive you for this," she said.
"I know."
"He's your cousin. Your family."
"And you're..." Lysander caught himself. "You're someone who deserves better."
That strange electricity sparked between them again. Elara's breath caught.
"What aren't you telling me?" she asked.
Before he could answer, a sound made them both freeze. Hoofbeats. Coming fast.
"Riders," Lysander hissed. "Too many to fight."
They dove behind a cluster of rocks just as six horsemen thundered past. Kael's Betas, their faces grim with purpose.
"They're heading for the main road," Lysander whispered. "Setting up roadblocks."
"Then we're trapped."
"Not if we go through the Thornwood."
Elara's blood turned cold. "The Thornwood? That's suicide. The rogues there—"
"Are less dangerous than my cousin in his current state." Lysander's eyes were hard. "Trust me."
They plunged into the cursed forest. Ancient trees twisted overhead, blocking out the sun. Strange sounds echoed from the shadows. Elara's skin crawled.
"Stay close," Lysander warned. "And whatever you hear, don't look back."
They'd been walking for an hour when the whispers started. Soft voices calling Elara's name. Promising her safety if she'd just stop running.
"Ignore them," Lysander said sharply. "They're not real."
But one voice made her stumble. Her mother's voice, sweet and familiar.
"Elara, baby, come home. Everything's forgiven."
She turned toward the sound—
Lysander's hand clamped over her mouth. "No. Your mother's dead. That's not her."
Tears streamed down her face, but she nodded. They kept walking.
The whispers grew angry. Threatening. Then faded completely.
"We're through the worst of it," Lysander said. "The refuge is just ahead."
They emerged onto a cliff overlooking the ocean. Below, a small town nestled against the shore. Smoke rose from chimneys. Children played in the streets.
"It's beautiful," Elara breathed.
"It's home," said a voice behind them.
They spun around. An elderly woman stood there, silver hair braided with shells. Her eyes were kind but sharp.
"Mara," Lysander said with relief. "You got my message."
"I did." The woman studied Elara carefully. "So this is the one who's got young Kael in such a state."
"How do you know about—"
"Child, I know everything that happens in these mountains." Mara stepped closer. "Including the fact that you're carrying precious cargo."
Elara's hand flew to her stomach. "You can tell?"
"I can smell the change in you. Life calling to life." Mara's expression softened. "You're safe now. No Alpha, no matter how powerful, can touch you here."
"But Kael—"
"Will exhaust himself searching the wrong places. I've already sent word to my people. False trails, dead ends, misdirection. He'll think you've gone south to the human cities."
Relief flooded through Elara. Then doubt crept in.
"For how long? He'll never stop looking."
"Then we'll keep hiding you." Mara's voice was firm. "That's what we do here. Protect those who need protecting."
"Why?" Elara asked. "Why help me?"
Mara and Lysander exchanged a look.
"Because," Mara said slowly, "you're more important than you know. Your scent, your presence—it's special. You're what we call a Harmony Omega."
"A what?"
"Someone who can calm the rage in Alphas. Balance their power. Make them stronger." Mara's eyes gleamed. "It's why Kael became obsessed. His wolf recognized what you could do for him."
"But I never did anything special."
"You did. Every night you were with him, you were soothing the beast inside him. Making him more stable. More powerful." Mara touched her arm gently. "And your child will inherit that gift."
Elara stared at her. "My baby?"
"Will be extraordinary. The offspring of a Harmony Omega and an Alpha? There hasn't been one in generations."
"Which is why," Lysander said quietly, "Kael will never stop hunting you. Not just for you, but for what your child represents."
Fear shot through her. "Then we're not safe anywhere."
"You're safe here," Mara said firmly. "This place has protections older than the packs. Older than the Alphas. We've been hiding our kind for centuries."
"Your kind?"
"Harmony Omegas. Like you. Like me, once upon a time." Mara's smile was sad. "We learn to survive. To protect each other. To find peace."
Elara looked out at the peaceful town. At the ocean stretching endlessly. At the chance for a new life.
"And if I stay? What happens to me?"
"You heal. You grow strong. You raise your child in safety." Mara paused. "And maybe, if you're very lucky, you discover what's really written in the stars for you."
Her gaze flicked to Lysander. That electricity sparked again, stronger this time.
"What do you mean?" Elara asked.
But Mara was already walking toward the town. "Come. You need food and rest. The journey's been hard on you and the little one."
Lysander offered his arm. "Ready?"
Elara took one last look at the forest behind them. Somewhere in there, Kael was searching. Raging. Desperate to find her.
"I'm ready," she said.
They walked down the cliff path together. Behind them, a howl echoed from the depths of the Thornwood. Frustrated. Furious. Heartbroken.
The sound followed them all the way to the town gates.
As they entered the refuge, Elara felt the protections settle around her like a warm blanket. Ancient magic, older than memory. Older than the packs.
She was safe.
But in the shadows of the Thornwood, silver eyes watched her go. Not Kael's eyes. Someone else's. Someone who'd been tracking them since they left Stonehaven.
The watcher smiled and melted back into the forest.
The hunt wasn't over.
It was just beginning.