Multiple Betrayals

LUCIAN'S P.O.V.

The screams echoed through the woods, sharper and more desperate now. My ears twitched, honing in on the sounds. Ares growled low in my mind, my instincts screaming at me to move, to protect.

"Teresa, get on," I commanded, my voice a growl that left no room for argument.

"Lucian—"

"Now!" My tone softened slightly. "Please."

I felt her hands grip my fur, hesitant but firm, before she hoisted herself onto my back. The moment her weight settled, I bolted through the woods, my paws barely brushing the ground. The wind howled past us, the trees a blur in my heightened senses. Every sound—every heartbeat, every rustle of leaves—painted a vivid picture of the chaos awaiting us.

"Lucian, what's happening?" Teresa's voice trembled, but I could hear the steel beneath the fear. She wasn't just scared; she was ready to fight.

I reached out through the mind link. "Rylan. What's going on?"