Chapter 153

Ava's POV

The ground trembled again, sending a wave of panic through me. My knees almost buckled as the rumbling intensified, vibrating through my chest. I instinctively reached out, grasping for something stable, but before I could fully process my fear, Grayson's hand steadied my elbow. His grip was firm and reassuring; despite the chaos, I felt a flicker of calm.

"Stay close to me," he said, his voice low and steady, though the tension was evident. The world felt wrong. The air was thick, charged with unnatural energy that made my hair stand on end. Every instinct screamed that we shouldn't be here, but there was no choice.

The rumbling ceased as abruptly as it began, leaving an unsettling silence. The stillness was suffocating. I heard only the erratic thrum of my heartbeat. Grayson's presence was my only tether to reality.

"Grayson…" I whispered, my voice trembling. "What was that?"

He didn't answer immediately. His gaze scanned the area, sharp and alert, as if expecting something—or someone—to emerge from the darkness. I did the same, but saw only the dense woods stretching endlessly before us. Nothing made sense.

"I don't know," he finally admitted, his uncertainty evident. "Whatever it is, it's not normal. And I don't know what's coming next."

His words did nothing to ease the dread tightening in my stomach. I wasn't sure if it was his presence or the chaos that made me want to stay close, to trust him.

"I'll be right here," he said, his tone softening slightly. "We'll figure it out. Just stay calm."

I nodded, biting my lip. I wasn't calm, but I didn't want him to know. "I'm not panicking," I insisted, though my voice quivered.

He didn't call me out on it. We both knew the truth.

A rustling sound came from our left. Before I could react, Grayson stepped in front of me, his body shielding mine. His muscles tensed, his eyes fixed on the movement.

I couldn't see it yet, but whatever it was, it was big and unfriendly.

A shadow emerged from the bushes. A dark, wolf-like creature stepped into view, its form distorted and unnatural. Its glowing red eyes fixed on us; its movements were jerky, uncontrolled. It resembled a werewolf, but this was something else entirely.

"What the hell is that?" I whispered.

Grayson, his jaw tight, muttered, "I don't know."

The creature's gaze flicked between us, its lips revealing jagged teeth. It was sizing us up. The way it moved felt wrong, unnatural.

I couldn't breathe. This couldn't be real. I felt trapped in a nightmare.

Chapter 153 (Continued)

Grayson's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "When I tell you to run, you run," he said, his tone calm yet deadly. He tightened his grip on my arm, pulling me closer.

"What about you?" I asked, panic rising.

"I'll be right behind you," he said, his steadiness almost calming. "Just trust me."

I didn't want to trust anything, but I had no choice. I had to believe in him, in his ability to protect me.

The creature let out a guttural growl. Grayson didn't hesitate. "Run!" he barked, pushing me forward.

I hesitated briefly, fear freezing me. Then my legs moved, and I ran, gasping for breath as I tore through the underbrush. My heart pounded, but I glanced over my shoulder.

"Grayson, it's right behind you!" I cried, my voice breaking.

He was right behind me, moving incredibly fast. But I heard the creature's heavy footfalls, growing louder. It was gaining on us.

"Keep going!" Grayson shouted. "Don't look back!"

But I couldn't stop myself. I saw the creature's glowing eyes lock onto me, its mouth open, teeth gleaming. It was coming for us.

I ran faster. "Grayson, what do we do?" I gasped, panic creeping back.

"We don't have to outrun it," he said, his voice steady. "We just have to outthink it."

"Outthink it?" I repeated, confused and terrified. "How?"

He didn't answer, but pulled me forward. I trusted him, no matter how crazy it seemed.

We burst into a clearing, and Grayson stopped, pulling me behind him. I clung to his arm, trying to steady my breathing. "What are you going to do?" I whispered.

He looked at the creature emerging from the trees. It lunged. I reacted instinctively, throwing myself in front of Grayson. The creature's claws slashed across my skin, but then something strange happened. The ground shifted, my wolf stirred, and I felt a connection to something… or someone.

A whisper—almost imperceptible—brushed my ear. Everything changed. My body felt weightless, then—boom—the world exploded in light and sound.

I gasped, touching my chest, expecting blood. There was none. I was alive. But how?

Chapter 158

Before I could process the shift, I felt a warm, familiar presence, and a hand touched me. I jumped, panicked, and saw Grayson. His eyes were wide with disbelief, his expression frozen in shock.

"You…" His voice trailed off. His eyes searched my face.

A sound broke through the haze—footsteps, dozens of them. My heart raced. The world spun, my wolf stirred, and then someone threw themselves on me.

Isabella's scent hit me, overwhelming and familiar. She was crying, clinging to me. "You're alive. Lilian, you're actually here."

I was stunned. "What? What are you talking about? Bels, what's going on?" I tried to move away, confusion clouding my thoughts.

Grayson stood beside me, his eyes darting between me and the group surrounding us. I was still trying to process everything.

It was still nighttime. It couldn't have been long since my panic attack and my run into the woods. Why was Isabella holding me so tightly? Why hadn't anyone moved or spoken?

"Bels? What is going on?"

She pulled away, looking shocked and disbelieving. "You… disappeared. You've been gone for two months, Lilian."