Chapter 5
ELLE
Elle crouched down by the stream, her back to the path she had just trod. A twig snapped behind her, riveting her attention. A man—the man from her dreams—stood looking at her as if he was going to speak. She couldn’t let him catch her. He had not come to help her, but rather to take her back to a death she didn’t want.
He took a step forward, and she stiffened. Standing slowly, she turned to face him—their eyes meeting. For a moment it was as if the world had stopped spinning on its axis, and time stood still—the past and future colliding with the present. She was all but overwhelmed with a tidal wave of emotions—relief, joy, fear, loss. He took another step toward her, but Elle refused to be caught. She called forth her inner devil and shifted in a blinding swirl of a black mist dotted with shards of gold, bolts of lightning, and rolling thunder. As the mist dissipated, her shifted devil snatched up her pack, bolted across the stream, vanishing into the undergrowth.
Elle moved swiftly through the dense underbrush, her steps light, deliberate, and fast. The forest was her sanctuary, a familiar terrain that she’d come to know intimately since her return. Every rock, every tree, every hidden path was etched in her memory from years of exploring these woods as a child. It was this knowledge that kept her one step ahead of the man who was hunting, even as the symptoms of her disease threatened to slow her down.
The afternoon sun filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. Elle's breath came in shallow gasps, her heart pounding with a mix of exertion and fear. She paused behind a large eucalyptus tree, listening intently. The forest was alive with the sounds of birds and rustling leaves, but she heard nothing that indicated the hunter was close. Still, she couldn't afford to be complacent. She knew he was out there, somewhere, stalking her.
Elle pushed on, her movements fluid and practiced. She navigated a narrow path, her feet barely making a sound on the soft earth. The terrain was rugged, but she used it to her advantage, taking routes that would be difficult for anyone unfamiliar with the area or larger in size. She climbed over fallen logs, slipped through dense thickets, and waded across shallow streams, always mindful of covering her tracks.
As she emerged into a small clearing, Elle was hit by a wave of intense emotion. This was the place where she and her sister used to play, building forts out of branches and pretending they were explorers in a vast, uncharted wilderness. She hoped Trudi would understand and forgive her. The memories flooded back, bittersweet and poignant. She could almost hear their laughter, feel the warmth of those carefree days. But those days were gone, replaced by the harsh reality of her current situation.
Elle shook her head, trying to focus as she shifted back into her human form. She couldn't afford to be distracted by memories. She needed to stay ahead, to keep moving. She needed to lose him. He needed to leave. His presence was a distraction she couldn’t afford. The dizziness that had plagued her since she’d left Hobart surged to the forefront again, and she stumbled, catching herself on a nearby tree. Pulling on her clothes, she leaned against the rough bark, her vision swimming. The nausea threatened to overwhelm her, but she took deep, steadying breaths, willing herself to stay upright.
Closing her eyes for a moment, she let the cool breeze wash over her. In her mind's eye, she saw his face—his intense, searching gaze, the way his eyes seemed to see right through her. The bond she could feel seemed to be strengthening. She’d come out here to sever all ties with the world she would soon be leaving. It was a double-edged sword, drawing her to him even as she tried to flee. She felt a pang of guilt for running, for leaving him to chase shadows through the wilderness. But she had no choice. She couldn't let him claim her, not like this.
Pushing off the tree, Elle resumed her trek. She knew the cave her family had used was not far from here, but the place she’d always thought of as hers was a bit further beyond. It was a place where she could rest and gather her strength. The path was steep and treacherous, but she welcomed the challenge. It would be harder for him to follow, and she needed every advantage she could get. She climbed the rocky incline, her muscles protesting with each step, but she pressed on, driven by sheer willpower.
As she neared the cave, Elle was once again assaulted by memories. This had been a favorite spot of hers, a secret hideaway where she could escape the world and lose herself in her thoughts. She had spent countless hours here, dreaming of a future filled with adventure and discovery. Now, it was a refuge of a different kind, a place to hide from a fate she couldn't accept.
Elle entered the cave, pushing her way through the heavy vegetation that had overgrown the opening. The cool air was a welcome relief from the heat of the day. She found the flat rock she had often curled up on to think and to dream. Now it served as a place to rest her body, trembling with exhaustion. She closed her eyes, letting the darkness envelop her. The memories came unbidden—her sister's laughter, the warmth of her parents' embrace, the feeling of safety and love that had once defined her life. Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them away. There was no time for tears, not now.
As she sat in the cave, Elle's thoughts turned to the hunter. She remembered the first time he’d begun to haunt her dreams, the instant connection that had sparked between them. She had never seen him as a stranger. It was as if they had known each other forever, their souls recognizing each other in a way that defied explanation. She had tried to resist it, wanted to deny the ever-strengthening bond, but it was too strong. And now, it was the very thing that threatened to undo her.
Elle's emotions surged, a tumultuous mix of love, fear, and regret. She wanted to see the hunter, wanted to feel his arms around her, wanted to revel in his embrace and call his name as he brought her to orgasm. But she couldn't. They had found each other too late. In this life they would never be. She couldn't let him claim her, couldn't submit to a fate that felt like a death sentence not just for her, but for him, as well. She had to stay ahead, to keep running, even if it meant never finding peace.
RAB
Rab crouched low to the ground, his fingers brushing the disturbed earth. She’d disappeared into the underbrush before he could get close to her. As he traced his fingers back and forth, he found it—a faint indentation—a footprint, barely noticeable to an untrained eye—that told him that Elle had passed this way. The forest was thick with undergrowth, but Rab moved with the precision of a predator that he was, each step deliberate and silent. His senses were on high alert, every sound, every shift in the wind scrutinized for signs of his quarry.
He rose, scanning the area with sharp eyes. The afternoon light filtered through the canopy, casting a greenish hue over the forest floor. Birds called to each other, their songs a backdrop to the relentless pulse of his own heartbeat. Rab adjusted the pack on his shoulders, feeling the familiar weight settle against his back. Inside, among other supplies, was the serum that could save Elle—if only he could catch her. He shook his head, dispelling the negative thoughts.
He would catch her. He would save her.
Rab's heart ached with a mix of longing and frustration. The bond he could feel was growing. They had yet to meet; they were two different species, and yet he could feel the frayed ends of the bonding link starting to intertwine. They shared a constant presence, a pull that guided him even when the trail grew cold. He had figured finding someone who didn’t want to be found, someone who only wanted to be allowed to die alone would be challenging, but the reality of the hunt and what it had become—not just some random female, but his fated mate—was an unrelenting strain on his emotions. Each time he picked up her trail, it was like touching a raw nerve, a reminder of how close she was and yet how far away she remained.
Rab kept his mind focused on the present. The hunt. He couldn't afford to be distracted. Elle was proving to be an elusive and clever quarry. She was using her knowledge of the terrain to stay ahead of him. But he was one of the best hunters in the business. Some said Deke Campbell, the cave lion-shifter who now headed the resistance and had once been known as the Finder, was better, but Rab and Deke himself both knew different. Rab might not know this wilderness, but Rab knew the subtle signs that marked her passage. A broken twig here, a scuffed patch of moss there—each clue was a breadcrumb leading him closer.
As he moved through the forest, Rab's mind wandered to the future they might not have. She was out here alone, facing her fears without him. Rab's jaw tightened with determination. He would find her, no matter what. He couldn't bear the thought of her suffering, of her facing the unknown without the support—the cure, either via the serum or by turning her—that he could provide.
Rab paused at the edge of a stream, the water clear and cold. He knelt, studying the rocks and pebbles. There, on the far side, was a single footprint. He smiled grimly. Elle had crossed here, probably to throw him off her trail. But he was relentless, and the bond between them gave him an edge. He crossed the stream, moving swiftly but carefully, his eyes scanning the ground for more signs.
As he moved deeper into the forest, Rab felt the bond between them strengthen. It was as if he could sense her emotions, feel her presence just beyond his reach. The dizziness, the nausea—he knew they were symptoms of the bond, intensified by their separation. He was beginning to feel what she was feeling—her fear, her determination, her resolve to face her fate on her own terms. But her terms were not acceptable. She would survive—he would see to that.
Now, she was out there alone, trying to face it all on her own. Rab's heart ached with the need to find her, to reassure her, to show her that they were stronger together. That there was nothing they couldn’t face together. He moved through the forest with a renewed sense of purpose, every sense honed and trained on the task at hand.
The sun climbed higher in the sky, casting long shadows as Rab followed Elle's trail. He could see signs of her passage—broken branches, disturbed leaves, the faintest hint of her scent on the breeze. He pressed on, his mind a maelstrom of emotions. He felt her fear, her desperation, her resolve. He also felt the growing bond between them, a powerful force that drove him forward, no matter the obstacles.
Couldn’t she sense that he was out here, searching for her? He could feel her resolve to have her own way. She was convinced there was no hope for the future, but she was wrong. He had the serum, and he could save her. Either or both would work. There was no need for her to die. Rab's resolve hardened. He would find her, no matter what. He had to show her their bond was a source of strength, not some kind of curse.
As he crested a hill, Rab spotted a small clearing up ahead, nestled into the face of the cliff. His heart leapt. There, at the edge of the clearing, was an entrance to a cave, partially hidden by foliage. He felt a surge of hope. Elle was close. He could feel it.
He made his way up the side of the mountain swiftly and silently but cautiously, his eyes scanning for any sign of movement. As he approached the cave, he slowed, his senses on high alert. He could feel her presence, a magnetic pull that guided him.
Rab took a deep breath and stepped into the cave. The cool air washed over him, and he paused, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light. The cave was quiet, the only sound the faint drip of water from somewhere deep within. He moved forward, his heart pounding in his chest.
She wasn’t there. She had been, but now she was gone.