The Hunt

Epilogue

Everly

Three years later

The woods stretched before me, endless and alive with shadows. They were quiet, almost unnaturally so; the kind of silence that made my skin prickle.

The golden light of the setting sun bled through the canopy, casting fractured patterns on the forest floor. Shadows stretched longer by the second, the day slipping into twilight as I crouched near the edge of the tree line, trying to steady the pulse thundering in my ears.

Then I heard it.

The horn.

Its low, mournful wail echoed in the distance, a haunting sound that sent a jolt through me. My body tensed, every muscle coiled tight, and the air seemed to still around me, like the entire forest was holding its breath.

Run.

The command was unspoken but undeniable, etched into the marrow of my bones. My legs moved before I consciously decided to go, propelling me forward into the dark embrace of the forest.

The world blurred around me as I ran, the air rushing past my face, and my heart pounded a frantic rhythm, adrenaline spiking with every step. Thankfully, the ground beneath me was soft, covered in a carpet of moss and damp leaves that muted my footsteps.

Three years ago, the sound of that horn would’ve been my worst nightmare; a grim reminder of the island and the blood-soaked hunt that changed my life forever.

But now, it was something else. A thrill. A game.

Our game.

My fingers brushed against the cool bark of a tree trunk as I fought the urge to look over my shoulder. I knew Rhett wasn’t behind me. Not yet. He’d give me a head start. Always did. But that didn’t mean I could waste time.

I kept running, even faster now.

The forest blurred around me, my footsteps muffled by the soft earth, and the wind rushed against my skin, carrying the scent of pine and leaves. Each breath burned my lungs, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. The thrill of it, the chase… it was addictive.

It was ironic, really. After the island, after everything I endured there, I thought I’d never want to feel this way again. The heart-pounding fear, the sheer desperation, the raw vulnerability. But it wasn’t the same now. Not with Rhett.

This wasn’t survival. It was freedom .

The awful memories lingered, of course. They always would. I still dreamed of the Hunt sometimes, of being prey in a game designed to break me. But those nightmares didn’t have Rhett in them, and when he suggested we turn those fears into something that gave me power, something that made me feel alive instead of afraid, I said yes.

So now, here I was. Running again.

A branch snapped behind me. I froze mid-step, heart hammering, and whipped my head around. I could only see trees and shadows, and the forest was still… but it was too still.

He was close.

I ducked beneath a low-hanging branch, veering sharply to the left as I sprinted deeper into the forest. The shadows thickened, the fading light casting long, ominous shapes across my path. Somewhere behind me, Rhett was moving. I couldn’t see him yet, but I could feel him, that magnetic pull that always seemed to draw us together.

He was out there. Watching, waiting.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine, equal parts fear and excitement. My breath came in shallow bursts, my lungs burning from the effort of running, but I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when the raw thrill of the chase was coursing through me like wildfire.

A branch snapped to my right, the sound sharp and deliberate. I skidded to a halt, my head whipping in the direction of the noise, and my pulse thundered in my ears as I scanned the trees, eyes frantically darting between the shifting shadows.

“Rhett?” I ventured, my voice barely above a whisper.

No response.

I took a step back, my foot landing on a patch of dry leaves that crunched loudly in the stillness. The sound seemed to echo, loud and intrusive amidst the eerie quiet. Shit.

I froze, every nerve on edge, waiting.

Nothing.

But then I heard it—a rustle of movement behind me, so faint I almost missed it.

I spun around, but there was nothing there. Just trees and darkness, the forest silent once more. Perhaps it was just an animal.

I sucked in a deep breath, my fingers curling into fists as I backed away, putting distance between myself and whatever—or whoever—was out there.

“Run faster, princess.”

Rhett’s voice was low and taunting, coming from somewhere behind me. It sent a jolt through me, my heart skipping a beat. I didn’t turn to look. I didn’t have to.

I ran again.

The forest seemed to close in around me as I darted through the trees, my movements erratic, desperate to throw Rhett off. Twigs and branches snagged at my clothes, scratching my skin as I pushed forward, but I couldn’t stop. Not when I could feel him getting closer by the second.

The sound of his footsteps was deliberate now, no longer muffled. He wanted me to hear him. Wanted me to know he was gaining on me.

“Is that all you’ve got, baby?” he called out, his voice laced with amusement.

My legs burned, muscles screaming in protest as I pushed myself harder, faster. The forest opened up into a small clearing, bathed in the dim, fading light of dusk.

I hesitated for half a second, my gaze darting across the open space for any sign of Rhett. The horn echoed again, its mournful cry sending another wave of adrenaline through me.

I bolted across the clearing, my movements frantic and uncoordinated. My foot caught on a root, and I stumbled, barely catching myself before I hit the ground.

“Shit!”

A shadow moved at the edge of my vision.

I turned sharply, my breath hitching as I caught a glimpse of him. He was just a silhouette, dark and menacing against the backdrop of trees, and his movements were smooth and unhurried, like a predator toying with its prey.

“Everly…”

His voice carried through the trees. It wasn’t a shout, but I heard it clear as day, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

I didn’t answer. I didn’t dare.

“Run faster, sweetheart,” he called, closer this time. “You’re making it too easy.”

I still didn’t respond. Instead, I veered to the right, plunging back into the cover of the trees. My body ached, every cell screaming for me to stop, but I couldn’t. Not yet.

The underbrush snagged at my legs as I pushed forward, my vision blurring from exertion. I could hear him behind me, his footsteps steady and relentless. He wasn’t running… but he didn’t have to.

The forest grew darker with each passing moment, the last light of the sun disappearing beneath the horizon. My footfall grew heavier, my movements slower, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep up with this for much longer.

I felt his presence before I saw him, a shadow in the periphery. Before I could react, a muscular arm wrapped around my waist, yanking me back against a solid chest.

I screamed, the sound half-laugh, half-gasp, as Rhett spun me around and pinned me to the ground.

The impact knocked the breath out of me, and before I could recover, he had me. One hand pinned my wrists above my head while the other braced against my hip, holding me firmly in place.

“Got you,” he murmured roughly, lips quirking into a wicked grin. His dark eyes were gleaming with triumph.

I glared at him, but I couldn’t hide the smile tugging at my lips. “I… I slipped. Doesn’t count,” I said, trying to ignore the warmth pooling in my core.

“Excuses, excuses.” His smirk widened, and he leaned closer, his breath warm against my cheek. “Face it, Ev. You like losing to me.”

I squirmed beneath him, but he held me firmly in place.

“Admit it,” he went on, his voice softer now, almost a whisper. “You love this.”

I didn’t answer, but the way my body arched into his said enough.

He chuckled, low and dark, and released my wrists, his hands cradling my face instead. “I knew it.”

With that, his lips captured mine, mouth swallowing the moan I let out. The kiss wasn’t slow or sensual. It rarely was with Rhett, and that was the way I liked it. Hard. Brutal. Raw. Like he was claiming every part of me and wouldn’t stop until I was completely his.

I moved my hand down, feeling the growing hardness in his pants. “Please,” I whimpered when he came up for air. “I need you. Now. ”

Rhett fisted my hair with one hand, making my eyes water from the slight sting. At the same time, his other hand worked at the front of his pants. His cock sprang free, piercings glinting in the dark, and suddenly my mouth was watering instead of my eyes.

I kicked my shoes off and lifted my hips, wriggling slightly as Rhett’s hand worked at my zipper, and within seconds, my pants and underwear were gone. He kissed me again, even harder, and then he pressed inside me, making me cry out.

Hard. Fast. Savage. He fucked me hard on the pile of grass and twigs I’d ended up on, dragging whimpers of pleasure mixed with pain from my lips as my pussy clenched around his cock.

“I love you,” he muttered against my ear. “I love you so fucking much.”

“I love you too,” I gasped.

He withdrew for a second and moved one of my legs over his shoulder. His cock rubbed up and down my pussy, piercings sliding against my clit in a way that made me gasp and beg for more. Then he was pushing inside me again, filling me so fucking perfectly, so fucking deeply.

Twigs scraped against my ass, leaving it raw and stinging, but I barely registered the pain as I whimpered and arched my body upward, desperate for more. Rhett fucked me faster, looking down to watch his cock sliding in and out of me as low groans escaped his mouth.

The mere sight of him taking his pleasure from my body sent heat soaring through my core before it exploded outward. The scream I let out then probably sent all the wildlife within a hundred yards scattering across the woods.

Rhett grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look right into his eyes as I came, inner walls clenching on his cock while my nails viciously dug into his back.

He groaned and stilled a few minutes later, cock pulsing inside me, filling me with every drop of his cum. We lay there together for a moment, breathlessly holding each other, and then Rhett finally pulled out and rose to his feet, extending one hand to me.

I took it and let him help me up, and then I turned around, eyes scanning the dark forest floor for my shoes, pants, and underwear.

“Oh, shit,” Rhett muttered. “You’re bleeding.”

“Where?”

“Your ass.”

I let out a soft giggle as I shimmied into my pants. “It’s okay. I was lying on a pile of dead leaves and twigs, so I got a bit scratched up.”

“You should’ve said something. We could’ve moved.”

I smiled and stood on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “You know I don’t mind a bit of pain,” I murmured. “It makes it seem more… real. More raw and primal. You know what I mean?”

“I do, and you’re getting me hard again,” he said, lips spreading in a wicked smile. “Naughty girl.”

I raised a brow and stooped to pick up my shoes. “Maybe next time you can fuck me up against a tree instead,” I suggested. “Less chance of me getting half the forest up my ass that way.”

“Next time?” Rhett rubbed his jaw, eyes glimmering. “You mean right now?”

My pulse picked up as I slid one foot into a shoe. “You want to play again? Right now?”

His smile twisted into a smirk. “I’ll give you ten seconds to finish getting dressed. Then I’m coming after you.”

My breath caught, a mixture of exhilaration and anticipation shooting through me. "You're serious?"

"Deadly." Rhett leaned in, his voice a low growl against my ear. "Better make those seconds count, Everly."

The challenge in his eyes sent a thrill straight through me. Without another word, I grabbed my other shoe and bolted, his deep chuckle following close behind.

The hunt was on again.

Two hours later

Rhett’s tongue glided around my asshole as a shot of whiskey cascaded down my back and into the crack. The alcohol made the scratches on my ass sting, but that only added to the pleasure coursing through me.

“Mmm,” Rhett muttered behind me, tasting the whiskey running into his mouth as his lips and tongue worked at my ass.

Half of the shot had spilled on the floor, and a distant part of my mind knew we’d have to clean it later, but right now, I didn’t care. In fact, I’d stopped being able to care about anything the second Rhett knelt behind me with the shot glass and told me to spread my cheeks, telling me he wanted to use my delicious body as a chaser for his drink.

He let out a groan of pleasure, dragging his tongue down to my pussy. “You make everything taste so fucking good, baby,” he muttered against me. “I could never stay away from this sweet pussy. Not for anything.”

The vibrations from his voice made my whole pussy tingle. I splayed my hands on the wood-paneled wall to steady myself and arched my back even more, biting my lip to stop myself from screaming as Rhett’s tongue slid all the way to my clit.

He lapped and circled and stroked until my legs were trembling, and when he slipped one finger in my pussy and another in my ass, I came apart, shuddering and whimpering as I spiraled into oblivion.

Rhett rose to his feet behind me, holding me in place with one strong arm so I didn’t collapse. At the same time, his free hand traveled to my mouth to stifle my moans.

“We can’t be too loud up here,” he murmured. “Unless you want the others to hear us.”

“Whose bright idea was it to rent a cabin in the woods with our friends?” I muttered against his palm.

“Yours.”

“I know.” I let out a sigh. “Why did I decide to do that?”

Rhett chuckled and gave me a playful slap on the ass. “Because you love seeing your friends,” he said. “Should we go downstairs and hang out with them now?”

“Yes, we definitely should, or else they might send a search party up here,” I said, turning to the pile of fresh clothes I’d dumped on the bed thirty minutes ago. “They were already suspicious enough about our ‘hike’ earlier.”

“Well, we insisted on it being just the two of us, and then we came back covered in scratches and dirt with twigs in our hair,” Rhett said, brows rising. “So we can’t blame them for wondering what the hell we were really up to out there.”

I giggled, head shaking. “I can’t believe you told them we got chased by a deer,” I said. “I mean… a deer ? Really?”

He grinned, dark eyes focused on me. “Well, I would’ve said it was a bear, but I don’t think there’s any in this area.”

It was my turn to playfully smack him on the ass. “Let’s get down there.”

We headed downstairs and into the lodge’s main living area. It was a warm and inviting space with a vaulted ceiling, exposed wooden beams, and a massive stone hearth with a crackling fire.

When Tessa spotted us, she jumped up, lips spread in a teasing smile. “That was the world’s longest shower,” she said, padding over to us. “We were starting to worry you guys drowned.”

I patted my damp head. “I had to wash my hair about five times to get rid of all the stuff from the woods,” I said. “So many damn pine needles.”

“Oh, right.” She took a small step closer, sniffing the air. “Hang on… if you just spent a bazillion years showering, why do you smell like the floor of a dive bar?”

Rhett stifled a laugh by pretending to cough.

“I mean, no offense,” Tessa went on, nose wrinkling. “But I swear I can smell whiskey on you.”

“We brought a bottle with us. It must’ve spilled in the suitcase and gotten on my clothes,” I said, eyes wide with practiced innocence. “I didn’t even notice.”

“Ugh. I hate it when that happens.”

I looked over her shoulder. Nikki was curled up on one of the couches with Ari, but the other one was empty. “Where did Bree and Sloane go?”

Tessa waved a hand. “They drove into town to get some pizza and champagne. They should be back soon.”

“Ooh, champagne? What are we celebrating?”

Tessa’s eyes widened slightly. “Um… just all of us being on vacation together,” she said. “It’s nice, right?”

“Yeah, it’s really nice.”

Her phone chirped, and she frowned at the screen. “Shit, I have to take this. Podcast stuff,” she said. With that, she breezed through the French doors that led out to the moonlit balcony.

I watched her go with a faint smile playing on my lips.

After she broke the story about The Wild Hunt three years ago, her social media accounts had rapidly gone from a few thousand followers to millions, instantly turning her into a bona fide influencer. After graduation, she’d spun her online fame into her dream career: a podcast that was a fun and interesting mix of serious news and gossip.

Sloane, Bree, Nikki, and I were all involved in the podcast project too. Sloane helped out with the legal side of things, while Bree did the marketing, and Nikki—who’d recently started her own makeup artistry business—took care of makeup and styling for all of the filmed podcast sessions, which had a huge audience on YouTube.

As for me, I helped Tessa research and write each episode. It was the perfect job for me, because I could work from home and remain behind the scenes, which meant I could easily keep out of the public eye.

The latter had become very important to me after all the shit that went down on Wildercliff Island, because I’d spent several months afterwards being absolutely hounded by the media for my side of the story, and I couldn’t stand it.

Rhett slung an arm around my shoulder and leaned in to kiss me on the cheek. “The meteor shower is happening in half an hour,” he murmured. “Still want to go out and watch it?”

“Of course. Nothing cooler than a meteor shower.”

“Oh, really?” He smirked, grabbing my ass with one hand. “Not even me?”

“Apparently, you were chased by a deer tonight, so I think your cool factor has gone down the drain.”

As we teased each other, Nikki and Ari finally unglued themselves from the couch by the fire—and from each other—and headed over to us. Ari and Rhett struck up a conversation about a football game they’d recently watched together, and Nikki asked me to accompany her to the kitchen.

“I got sick of ordering takeout every night, so I finally learned to cook,” she explained, leaning down to grab a tray from the oven. She set it on the counter and proudly looked over it. “This is a baked goat’s cheese log with fig jam and crushed pistachios. Basically, you cook it just long enough to get the nuts all warm and toasty, and then you finish it with a hot honey drizzle and dip crackers in it.”

I groaned with delight at the heavenly scent wafting through the kitchen. “It smells amazing.”

She grinned. “I bet you never would’ve pictured me as a domestic goddess, right?” she said, pushing a box of crackers over to me.

“Honestly, I’m kind of in awe right now,” I said as I opened the box. “You’re over there making gourmet appetizers while I’m over here considering cereal a culinary achievement.”

Nikki laughed. “To be fair, you’ve had a lot more on your plate than me for a while now,” she said. “College, and then straight into work.”

“You work too.”

“Yeah, but it’s just part-time. That’s the way I like it now.” She let out a contented sigh. “I guess I needed a really long break after… well, you know.”

“Yeah, I get it,” I said softly. “By the way, how are things with Ari?”

The two of them had been inseparable since Ari carried her out of the manor, put her on a boat, and sped to the nearest hospital at breakneck pace. He’d stayed at the hospital while doctors performed emergency surgery on her, and then he’d delivered flowers to her every day while she recovered.

As if that wasn’t romantic enough, he’d also gone and broken the jaws, noses, and legs of Jordan Prince and Matt Treska after she told him what they’d done to her. That might not be some people’s idea of romantic behavior, but after all the shit Nikki had endured in her time with The Wild Hunt, she considered it to be the absolute pinnacle of romance.

She glanced in his direction, smiling faintly. “Honestly… sometimes it still gets to me that he was one of them ,” she said. “But then I remember everything he’s done for me, and also the fact that he never actually killed anyone in the Hunt, and suddenly things are okay again.” She paused briefly and shook her head. “I wish I could stop having those shitty thoughts, but I just can’t help it.”

“No, I get it. You went through a ton of trauma when you were involved with the society. It’ll take a long time to process it all,” I said. “And Ari understands, right?”

“Yes, of course. I tell him everything.”

Like many of the younger Wilders, Ari had avoided a prison sentence after everything went down. His family’s high-powered legal team argued that he’d been under the undue influence of the older Wilders and the Patriarchs—including his own father—and got swept up in their schemes after years of brainwashing and lies. Coupled with a lack of concrete evidence tying him directly to any of the murders, he’d walked away with probation and mandatory counseling instead of prison time.

Rhett got lucky too.

Just before the SWAT teams descended on the island that night, one of the tech guys—who was aware that Rhett had been instrumental in taking the society down—deleted every bit of footage from that year’s Hunt which showed him killing someone, including all eight of the Patriarchs in the ritual clearing.

I knew he felt the occasional pang of guilt over narrowly avoiding punishment, because of his strong sense of justice, but I also knew he’d much rather be out here in the world with me, keeping me safe from everything instead of rotting in prison with the Wilders who hadn’t evaded lengthy sentences.

On top of that, I knew he’d do it all over again if it meant saving me.

He’d do anything for me.

“Anyway, enough about me.” Nikki dipped a cracker in the cheese and looked at me with raised brows. “How’s your dad? Have you talked much lately?”

I shrugged lightly. “We talk at least once a week. But it’s still pretty weird between us.”

“You haven’t forgiven him?”

“I have for the most part, because I know why he worked for the society,” I said. “It was all for Mom. He loved her so, so much, and he also wanted her to have more time with me when I was growing up. So… I understand. But it just weighs on me, you know? The fact that every extra year we got with her cost forty-nine other people’s lives.”

“Yeah, that’s rough.” Nikki paused to take a bite and swallow. “I think about it too. All the people that had to die so I could live four years ago. My therapist said it’s survivor’s guilt.”

“Oh, you’re doing therapy?”

“I have been for a while. Ari suggested it, and it does help a bit,” she replied. “But seriously, when it comes to what we went through… there isn’t enough damn therapy in the world.”

“That’s probably true.”

Nikki grabbed another cracker, this time offering me one too. “But hey, look at us. We’re still standing. Still here. That has to count for something, right?”

I nodded and took the cracker from her hand. “Yeah, it does.”

“And we’re not just surviving—we’re actually living,” she went on, her tone brighter now. “You’ve got Rhett. I’ve got Ari. We’ve got stable jobs, and right now we have this amazing vacation house. So life isn’t perfect, but it’s good. It’s really good.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “You’re right. And this cheese log alone is worth celebrating.”

She grinned. “See? That’s progress. Finding joy in the little things,” she said. She raised her brows, glancing over at Ari and Rhett again. “And bigger things, when they come.”

Before I could reply, Rhett called out to us. “Ev, the meteors are starting soon. Ready to go?”

I nodded and looked back at Nikki. “Do you want to come?”

“No, I’m good right here.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, raising a brow. “You love stuff like this!”

“I know, but I’m suddenly feeling really tired,” she said, covering her mouth with one hand. “You guys will have to go by yourselves. Sorry.”

Ari and Tessa weren’t interested in the meteor shower either, and Sloane and Bree still hadn’t returned from town yet, so Rhett and I grabbed our coats and stepped outside into the crisp night air; just the two of us.

The house’s warm glow faded behind us as we followed a narrow path winding up through the woods. Rhett walked beside me, his hand brushing against mine.

“I’m surprised the others didn’t want to come,” I said, forehead creasing. “They were all looking forward to it in the group chat a few days ago.”

Rhett chuckled softly. “I guess they really want that pizza Bree and Sloane promised everyone.”

“And champagne too, apparently,” I said, arching a brow. “It’s an interesting combination, but I’m not complaining. I love both of them.”

The trail grew steeper as we climbed, the trees thinning out to reveal patches of the night sky. Rhett reached for my hand to help me over a rocky patch, his touch warm and firm, and my stomach did the same flip it always did whenever he took hold of me.

When we reached the top of the trail, the forest opened up to reveal a wide clearing. The edge of a cliff was just ahead, and beyond it, the sky stretched endlessly, an inky canvas for the stars.

“Wow,” I said breathlessly, taking in the view.

“Looks amazing, huh?”

Rhett led me closer to the cliff’s edge, where a thick, soft blanket had already been spread out, edges weighed down with stones to stop the wind from carrying it away.

“Who put this here?” I asked, raising a brow as I sank onto the blanket.

“The others must’ve done it earlier, while we were in the woods,” Rhett replied.

“And then they didn’t come,” I said, forehead creasing. “I still think that’s so weird.”

He didn’t answer. Just grinned and looked up.

Above us, the first streak of light cut through the sky, a meteor blazing across the darkness.

We watched in awe as more meteors followed, each one leaving a fleeting trail of brilliance. After a while, Rhett shifted beside me, reaching into his jacket pocket. My gaze followed his movements, and my heart stuttered when he pulled out a small black box.

“Ev,” he began, turning to face me. “I’ve loved you through madness and darkness, and I’ll keep loving you, through everything.”

My breath hitched as he opened the box to reveal a delicate ring, the center stone glinting like a captured star.

“Will you marry me?” he asked, his voice low and hoarse with emotion.

Tears blurred my vision as I stared at him—the man who had chased me, fought for me, and stood by me through everything.

“Yes,” I whispered, my voice cracking slightly. “Yes!”

A slow smile spread across his face as he slipped the ring onto my finger. Then he pulled me into his arms, squeezing me tightly.

For a moment, under the meteor-lit sky, it felt like we were the only two people in existence. As Rhett held me close, his lips brushed against my ear, his voice a low murmur. “You know, I never stopped chasing you, Ev,” he said. “And I never will.”

I smiled against his shoulder, my fingers curling into his shirt. “Good,” I whispered back. “Because I’ll always let you catch me.”

THE END