Maya Pov

I'm being dragged into the woods, away from school, away from witnesses. The other two boys follow. Ashlyn and Morgan hang back with Jade, keeping her from following.

We're twenty yards into the trees when they stop. The boy releases my arm, shoving me forward. I stumble but don't fall.

"What do you want?" I ask, even though I already know.

"To teach you a lesson," Brittany says, stepping into the clearing. "See, my father's been very interested in you lately. Asking questions. Wondering why Commander Drake is suddenly so invested in a nobody's daughter."

My blood runs cold. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do." She circles me slowly. "There's something different about you. Something special. And I'm going to find out what it is."

She nods to the boys.

They attack.

The first punch catches me in the stomach, driving the air from my lungs. The second hits my face, splitting my lip. I try to defend myself, to block, but there are three of them and one of me.

And I can't shift. Can't use Nina's strength. Not here. Not with Brittany watching.

They take turns. Fists and feet. Targeting my ribs, my stomach, my legs. Places that won't show easily. Places that will hurt but won't kill.

Nina is screaming in my mind, desperate to help. But I hold her back. If I shift now, if I show what I can do, everything ends.

I lose track of time. It could be minutes. Could be hours. All I know is pain.

Then—"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Jade's voice. Jade's here.

I look up through swelling eyes. Jade is fighting the boys, actually fighting them. Her moves are fast, precise, nothing like the controlled sparring from training. This is real combat.

She takes down the first boy with a strike to his throat. He goes down gasping. The second tries to grab her, but she twists his arm until something cracks. He howls.

The third hesitates. Jade doesn't. She's on him in seconds, and he's down too.

Three boys. All bigger than her. All down in less than a minute.

Brittany backs away, eyes wide. "This isn't over."

"Yes, it is," Jade snarls. "Touch her again, and next time I won't hold back."

Brittany and her friends run. The boys struggle to their feet and follow, limping.

Jade drops to her knees beside me. "Maya. Maya, can you hear me?"

"Yeah." My voice sounds wrong. Thick.

"We need to get you help."

"No. No hospitals. No healers."

"Maya—"

"Please." I grab her arm. "Just... help me home. Through the back way."

She hesitates. Then nods. "Okay. But not home. Somewhere else. Somewhere I can treat you properly."

"Where?"

"You'll see."

She helps me stand. Everything hurts. Ribs definitely broken. Possible concussion. Deep cuts on my arms and legs. Nina's trying to heal, but it's too much too fast.

Jade supports most of my weight as we walk deeper into the woods, away from the path, away from anyone who might see.

"How did you get away from Ashlyn and Morgan?" I mumble.

"They're not fighters. Just bullies. I scared them off pretty easily."

"The boys..."

"Were trained for strength, not speed. I used that against them." She adjusts her grip on me. "We're almost there."

"Almost where?"

"My sanctuary. The place I go when I need to think."

We walk for what feels like forever. Finally, we reach a small clearing I've never seen before. A stream runs through it. The trees form a natural canopy. It's hidden, peaceful.

Jade eases me down near the stream. "Stay still. I'll be right back."

She disappears into the trees and returns with a backpack I didn't know she'd hidden. Inside—medical supplies, water, food.

"You planned this," I say.

"I hoped I wouldn't need it. But I've seen enough pack politics to know hope isn't always enough." She pulls out antiseptic and bandages. "This is going to hurt."

"Everything already hurts."

She starts cleaning my wounds. The antiseptic burns, but it's nothing compared to the pain already flooding my system.

"The cuts aren't closing," Jade says quietly. "There's something in them."

I know what it is. Silver. The boys must have had silver dust on their hands or their rings. Enough to slow my healing but not enough to be obvious.

Jade digs through her bag and pulls out a small jar. "My mom gave me this. It draws out silver toxins."

"Your mom knows about silver poisoning?"

"She's an elite guard. She knows about everything that can hurt a wolf." Jade opens the jar, and the smell of herbs fills the air. "This is going to sting worse than the antiseptic."

She's not wrong. The moment the salve touches my cuts, I have to bite down on my jacket to keep from screaming. But I can feel it working, pulling the silver from my wounds.

Nina surges forward, finally able to help. The cuts start closing. Slowly, but closing.

"There," Jade says, sitting back. "The worst is done. Your ribs need time. And your face is going to bruise pretty bad. But you'll heal."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. I should have stopped them sooner."

"How? They would have hurt you too."

"I can handle myself." She packs up the medical supplies. "Maya, we can't keep doing this. Today was bad. Next time could be worse."

"I know."

"So what are we going to do?"

I don't have an answer. Not one that makes sense.

We sit by the stream as the sun sets, neither of us speaking. Nina is working overtime to heal me. Jade keeps watch, alert for any sounds of pursuit.

"I need to get home," I finally say. "Before my father notices I'm late."

"Can you walk?"

"I have to."

She helps me up. We make our way through the woods using paths only locals would know. By the time we reach the edge of my property, it's almost dark.

"Will you be okay?" Jade asks.

"I'll be fine."

"That's not what I asked."

"It's the only answer I have."

She looks like she wants to argue. Instead, she pulls out her phone. "I'm giving you a signal. A emoji. If you send it, I come. No matter what. No matter when. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Promise me."

"I promise."

She shows me the emoji—a red circle. Simple. Unmistakable.

"Now you send me one," she says.

I scroll through options and pick a silver star. Fitting.

We exchange numbers properly this time. Real emergency contacts.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Jade says. "Four AM."

"You don't have to—"

"Yes, I do." She's already backing away. "Get inside. Hide those injuries. And Maya? This isn't over."

I watch her disappear into the trees before turning toward my house.

The lights are on. Dad's truck is in the driveway. Lucas's car beside it.

I slip around to the back, using my usual route to avoid the main entrance. My window is on the second floor, but there's a trellis that makes climbing easy.

I'm halfway up when I hear voices inside.

"—don't know where she is. She wasn't on the bus."

Lucas. Worried.

"She probably stopped somewhere. You know how she is."

Dad. Not worried at all.

I pull myself through my window and collapse on my bed. Everything hurts. Nina is still healing, but it's slow work.

I change carefully, hiding my torn and bloody clothes at the bottom of my hamper. Pull on sweatpants and a hoodie. Cover the bruises on my face with makeup that's barely effective.

A knock on my door. "Maya? You home?"

Lucas.

"Yeah. Just changing."

"Dad wants you downstairs."

Of course he does.

I check myself in the mirror. The makeup barely hides the swelling. My lip is split but mostly healed. The bruises on my face are already fading, but they're still visible.

I pull my hood up and head downstairs.

Dad's in the kitchen, eating dinner. Lucas stands nearby, arms crossed. They both turn when I enter.

"Where were you?" Dad asks.

"Studying. At the library."

"The library closed at five."

"Then I was walking. Needed to clear my head."

Dad studies me for a long moment. I keep my face blank, my body language relaxed despite the pain screaming through me.

"You need to be more careful," he finally says. "There are rogues in the area. It's not safe to walk alone after dark."

"I'll remember that."

He goes back to his dinner, dismissing me. But Lucas is still watching. His eyes narrow, taking in details I can't hide—the way I'm standing, favoring my left side, the slight tremor in my hands.

He knows something's wrong.

But he doesn't say anything. Just turns away.

I escape to my room, lock the door, and finally let myself collapse.

Nina is exhausted from healing. My body aches from places I didn't know could ache. But I'm alive.

For now.

My phone buzzes.

Jade: You make it home okay?

Me: Yeah. Thanks for today.

Jade: Thank me by showing up tomorrow. 4 AM.

Me: I'll be there.

Jade: Good. Get some rest. You're going to need it.

I set my phone aside and close my eyes. Nina settles in my mind, finally resting.

Tomorrow's going to be worse. Brittany won't stop. The boys will want revenge. And now Jade's a target too.

But tonight, for the first time in years, I don't face it alone.

And maybe—just maybe—that's enough.