YELENA

Night had fallen, thick and heavy, like a velvet curtain pressing down on the city. I had promised Lena... finally, she could run. Finally, she could stretch, feel the wind in her fur, and taste the freedom she wanted.

I had a night shift ahead at the hospital, but first, I had to honor that promise. I changed quickly, my heart thumping, adrenaline buzzing through me, and stepped into the forest that bordered the hospital grounds.

The air smelled of pine and damp earth, a scent that ...