Many whispered that Lenora Hawthorne was nothing more than an unassuming girl-a shadow among the ambitious and cunning. But those who truly knew her understood the truth: Lenora was no innocent. She had forged her path in darkness, her allegiance bo...
warnings: talk of blood, and murder. wordcount: 3956
Chapter 21 | Frostbitten Confessions
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COLD AIR HIT MY SKIN AS I STUMBLED OUTSIDE, my feet raw and bloody against the rough earth. But I didn't stop. My chest heaved, my lungs burning, but I kept moving.
I ran, branches clawing at my skin, dirt and leaves sticking to my bloodied body. My vision blurred, exhaustion pulling at me, but I didn't dare slow down. Not when I was so close to freedom.
I wouldn't stop.
I wouldn't let them take me again.
The scent of pine and damp earth filled my nose, but there was something else—a faint scent clinging to my skin, woven into the fabric of my captivity.
Not his scent. Not the man I'd killed.
Someone else.
My heart skipped, anger flaring hot and wild in my chest as I recognized the scent. It was faint, barely there, but unmistakable.
Cormac McLaggen.
My nails dug into my palms, blood dripping from my clenched fists. That arrogant, cocky bastard. How could I have been so stupid? That's why he wanted to fuck me so badly.
Rage burned away my exhaustion, my vision sharpening, my senses heightened.
He was involved in this. He helped that man capture me.
And he was going to pay.
I picked up speed, my body screaming in protest, but I didn't care. I welcomed the pain, fed on it, let it fuel the fury burning inside me.
I would find him.
And I would tear that knowing smug look off his face.
I tore through the forest, branches whipping against my skin, dirt and blood staining every inch of me. My body screamed in protest, exhaustion clawing at my bones, but I didn't stop. Not when freedom was finally within my grasp.
The scent still lingered, faint but unmistakable—Cormac. That traitorous bastard. I wanted to rip him apart, to sink my claws into his flesh and watch the light leave his eyes.
A growl built in my chest, my vision blurring with fury, but the world suddenly spun around me as I slammed into something solid—no, someone.
We went crashing to the ground, my body colliding with his, and before I could even think, I was on top of him, teeth bared, ready to tear him apart.
My blood ran cold, the fury inside me freezing as I looked down, my vision clearing just enough to see his face. Dark curls tangled over his forehead, his jaw clenched, eyes wide with shock.
Mattheo.
His hands gripped my shoulders, his fingers digging into my raw skin, and the familiar spark ignited between us, the connection flaring to life. I felt the warmth of the pendant on my chest, pulsing in sync with his heartbeat.
