A flicker of hope

"No." She breathed out, but Alexei swiftly pushed her away. He pulled out his dagger, holding it firmly in his hand. Bracing himself for the impact, he was ready to fight the animal in front of him with all his might. But so was Remy.

However, before Remy could make his move, a sudden gunshot rang out, startling all three of us. I glanced over my shoulder, identifying the source of the sound, seeing the shadowy figure emerging from behind the corner of a nearby building. Debra.

The ranger had a smoking gun in her hand, seizing the opportunity of Remy's momentary distraction and sending two more shots in the wolf's direction. My wolf got hit in the back, falling to the ground with a thud. I could hear my mate screaming, despite the temporary loss of vision due to burning in my back.

"Run! Hide!" Debra shouted at Madalina and her brother. Then she aimed at my wolf again. Remy's painful howls made Alexei cackle. He must have been very satisfied with the unexpected outcome.

"No! Stay away