STEPHEN

I scurried into the bushes, my heart racing with a mix of anger and fear. Those two alphas, Julian and Liam, were a force to be reckoned with. I had underestimated them, and now I was paying the price.

As I caught my breath, I couldn't help but think about Elena. She was the reason I was doing all of this. She was the reason I was willing to risk everything.

I had never loved her, not really. I had used her, manipulated her, and made her life miserable. And she had run from me, escaped ...