Page 99 of Unhinged Alphas

Images flash.

Ivy hurt.

Ivy scared.

Ivy...

No. Focus.

Follow scent.

Hunt like beast.

Rip Valek limb from limb.

He fears the noose?

I will strangle him with his own entrails.

Chapter

Twenty-Two

IVY

Sunlight dapples through emerald leaves, casting playful shadows across my skin. The forest glade breathes serenity, a haven untouched by the world's cruelty. I stretch out on soft grass, feeling truly free for the first time in... I can't remember how long.

A sparkling pool catches my eye, its crystal-clear water beckoning. I crawl to its edge, cupping my hands to drink. The coolness slides down my parched throat, sweet and pure.

A whisper on the wind makes me pause. I lift my head, scanning the treeline. There, at the crest of a hill. Dark figures.

My breath catches.

The Ghosts.

My ears quiver at their call.

Wait. My ears?

I look down at the pool, seeking my reflection. A russet doe stares back, eyes wide with confusion. I blink, and she blinks too. This can't be real. I'm?—

A howl pierces the air. The Ghosts are no longer men, but wolves, racing down the hill with deadly grace. Panic floods my system. I leap to my feet—four delicate hooves beneath me—and bolt.

The forest blurs as I run. My new body moves with fluid precision, leaping over fallen logs and darting between trees. The wolves' panting grows closer, hot breath almost at my heels. My heart pounds, adrenaline singing through my veins.

I should be terrified.

I should fight harder to escape.

But as I bound and leap, a strange calm washes over me. What am I running from? These are my Ghosts, my pack.

What is freedom without my pack?

I slow, allowing my pursuers to gain ground. I take one final leap, clearing a stream so effortlessly, I could be flying.

The white wolf overtakes the others.

He lunges with a snarl, fangs bared, eyes molten silver.