Chapter 9

Akira’s POV

For a brief moment, I believed we had made it when we went outside the front door.

The darkness of the night seemed like a cloak that would shield us from prying eyes. We moved quickly but quietly, our footsteps barely making a sound on the gravel path that led to the gate.

My heart raced with the thrill of potential freedom, and I could feel the same hope radiating from Lisa and Brielle as they walked close to me.

Just as we were about to turn the corner and make our final dash for the gate, the sharp crack of a gunshot pierced the air, echoing through the night. The sound was followed by two more shots, each one making my heart jump into my throat.

Brielle screamed in terror and clung to me, her small body trembling against mine.

The fear in her eyes and her painful scream ignited something deep within me—a fierce, primal rage that I couldn’t control. I was done running. I was done being hunted.

Like a mother protecting her child, without thinking, I felt the transform