Rain's feet padded lightly across the forest grass as he darted between trees with sharp precision. The girl in his arms lay unconscious, but a low moan escaped her lips as she twisted her head in pain. Rain's brows shot up in concern. Just five minutes ago, when she'd passed out, he had assumed it was from the shock of what had happened. But now, with her body burning up and her movements restless with agony, he knew it was more than that.
What's wrong with her?
Was she trapped in a nightmare—or a vision? Rain couldn't tell. But one thing was clear: she wasn't an ordinary girl.
Since the age of five, he'd been able to read people's auras—soft hues of emotion that shimmered around every living being. It was how he understood the world, how he felt what words often concealed. But this girl… she was different.
Her life force pulsed strongly, almost radiant, yet there was no aura—nothing for him to read. It was impossible. Everyone had one. Humans, wolves, every creature born of earth and spirit carried that invisible light. But not her. She was a silence in the current of energy, a void that unsettled him the more he looked.
Then there was the attack. The wolves hadn't lunged to kill—he could tell. Their movements were measured, deliberate, almost reverent. They wanted her alive. They wanted to take her.
Rain's grip tightened around her trembling form. Her skin burned with fever, her breath came in ragged whispers. For the first time in years, Rain felt something he thought he'd outgrown—fear. Not for himself, but for the girl who radiated everything and nothing all at once.
He was almost at the outskirts of the forest when faint voices reached his ears. They sounded distant at first—like people calling out for someone.
He wondered if they might be the girl's people searching for her. Quickening his pace, he moved toward the direction of the voices.
The girl stirred weakly in his arms, murmuring something he couldn't make out. A loose strand of hair fell across her face, and Rain gently brushed it aside. God, she was beautiful—and so vulnerable. He could easily hurt her and walk away without consequence. Yet, instead, an uncontrollable urge to protect her gripped him.
What unsettled him even more was the silence within. His bipolar wolf—usually restless, loud, unpredictable—had been calm the entire time she was with him.
Who is this girl?
The distant voices grew louder. Soon, Rain could make out a group of seven people—six men and one woman—hovering near the forest's entrance. He frowned. Why hadn't they gone deeper into the woods if they were truly searching?
One of the younger men spotted him and gasped, drawing the attention of the rest. Shouts of relief pierced the air as they rushed toward him.
Her family?
Rain stopped walking, studying them closely. The woman led the charge, her thick dreadlocks swinging behind her as she ran.
"Luna! My baby!" the woman cried as soon as she was within earshot. "What happened? How did she get this way? Please—give her to me!" Her hands trembled as she reached out, fear and desperation etched across her face.
But Rain's grip tightened. His eyes narrowed, scanning her closely. There was no resemblance—not even a trace.
"Why should I do that?" he asked, his voice cold and cutting.
"Because she is ours," came the defensive response from the oldest man among them.
Rain's lips curved into a dry grin. "There's no proof of that. None of you even looks like her."
Their reaction—calm, almost practiced—suggested they had heard that accusation before. One of the younger men stepped forward.
"She doesn't have to look like us to be ours," he shot back.
Rain's glare silenced him. He turned his gaze back to the woman and the man beside her—clearly the leaders of the group.
"I can't trust you people," he said flatly. "There's no proof you're not here to hurt her. And besides—finders, keepers." His smirk was deliberate, provoking.
"There's no time for this!" the woman pleaded, voice breaking. "She's fading fast—we have to stabilize her. Please… give her to us!"
"Fading fast? Hmm." Rain's gaze hardened. "Doesn't sound like it to me. And how would you even know how to stabilize her?" His voice was sharp, but his heart drummed uneasily. Deep down, he feared they might be right—but trust was a luxury he couldn't afford. Not with this girl who has captured his interest.
"Her name is Luna," the youngest boy spoke up, desperation cracking his voice. "She's my sister. Please—she needs help."
Rain let out a low, unhinged laugh. It echoed through the clearing, wild and unsettling. He couldn't place it, but something in the boy's pleading tone struck a chord deep within him—an emotion he'd buried long ago. How dare the boy awaken that part of him?
"I can tell she needs help," Rain said, his laughter twisting into something cruel, "but… must she get it?"
Bella and the others exchanged uneasy glances, torn between fear and fascination at the strange, unstable boy before them.
Then, as suddenly as his laughter had come, it stopped. Rain's eyes flicked toward the group, his tone cold and curious.
"Do your family live in the woods?" he asked abruptly.
"We live west—just a few minutes from here," the oldest male said, pointing in the direction.
"Lead the way, then. We won't be stabilizing her out here, will we?" Rain raised an eyebrow.
"Uh… yeah, no. We need to get her inside," the woman replied quickly, signaling to the largest man standing beside the elder.
A younger boy stepped forward, arms outstretched. "You can give her to me," he offered earnestly.
Rain's grip tightened. "No," he said firmly. "I'll carry her myself—watch you stabilize her. And when she wakes up, she'll confirm whether she's truly yours or not."
He tilted his head slightly, then let out a low, sharp whistle that echoed like a warning through the trees.