Evaline:

Slowly, carefully, I slipped my trembling hand into my coat’s pocket. My every move was deliberate, every breath measured.

Damian’s eyes stayed locked on mine.

Good.

Let him watch. Let him think I had nothing left.

My fingers brushed against the cold, thin surface of the metal pin, and I curled them around it tightly.

My body screamed in protest with every passing minute. My ankle throbbed violently, my wrists burned from where the silver had torn into them, and the drug still dragged through my veins like poison, slowing me down, weakening me.

But I didn’t let it show.

I couldn’t.

Damian inched closer, his lips curling into that same cruel smile.

“You are done running,” he said softly, almost gently… as if we weren’t locked in the middle of a nightmare. “There’s nowhere left to go.”

I said nothing. I just watched him… and waited.

Then, he moved… as if to pick me up. He seemed ready to drag me back to that cave.

“Enough games,” he muttered.

But before he could have succeeded, I moved. I used my instincts, my training, and my need for survival.

I twisted sharply, dropping my weight unexpectedly. My free hand came up, striking toward his throat – but he caught it mid-air, his grip like iron.

A smirk tugged at his lips.

“Still fighting?” he murmured.

I drove my knee upward again, but once again he blocked it easily.bBut I didn’t stop. I slammed my forehead forward.

It connected with his jaw and a dull crack echoed between us.

Pain exploded through my skull and I saw stars bursting behind my eyes, but it was enough to make him loosen his grip for half a second.

I tore free and stumbled back, breathing hard. My vision swam, but I forced myself to stay upright.

He touched his jaw slowly, then looked at me again… and smiled. It wasn’t that amusing smile, but darker.

“Good,” he said quietly. “Fight harder.”

My stomach twisted as I realized he’s liking this. But how could I expect anything else from him.

He lunged again.

I barely managed to dodge. His hand grazed my shoulder as I twisted away. I grabbed a broken branch from the ground without thinking and swung it toward him.

It hit his side, but he barely flinched. His hand shot out and caught the branch mid-swing, before snapping it in half like it was nothing.

My breath hitched as he stepped closer again. And I instinctively backed up. My foot slipped slightly, but I caught myself.

He reached for me, and this time, he caught me.

His hand wrapped around my wrist and twisted it painfully behind my back as he pulled me flush against him. A gasp tore from my throat as my injured arm screamed in agony.

“Enough,” he growled near my ear.

I reacted without thinking and brought down my heel hard on his foot. At the same time, I threw my head back again, this time aiming for his nose.

It connected, hard, and a sharp crack echoed. Warm blood spilled instantly as he hissed, his grip loosening just enough for me to drop and twist out if his hold.

I ignored the way my ankle nearly gave out beneath me as I rolled away across the cold ground.

I scrambled up, trying to catch my breath as I watched him wipe the blood from his nose slowly.

And then he laughed… actually laughed.

“You are going to regret that,” he said.

I didn’t bother responding. Instead, I charged. Before I could think better of it, or before fear could stop me, I lunged toward him.

I aimed for his throat, his ribs, his face – every vulnerable spot I knew.

He blocked most of it. But not all. A hit landed, then another. My body protested, but I didn’t stop.

He caught my arm again. And this time, he didn’t hold back. He slammed me down hard.

The air rushed out of my lungs as my back hit the ground, pain exploding through my entire body.

And before I could recover, he was on me, pinning me down. His weight was crushing and his hand closed around my throat again – tight and relentless.

“Done?” he asked coldly.

My vision blurred, my lungs burned, but I shook my head.

His eyes darkened as he realized I wasn’t giving up yet. “Then let’s end this.”

And that was it – that one moment, that one opening I had been waiting for. Because he thought I was finished, that I had nothing left… but he was wrong.

Slowly, I slipped my hand into my coat’s pocket, closing my fingers around the familiar metal pin. And I made sure Damian’s gaze was locked on mine, that he didn’t notice what I was up to.

He pulled me closer, looking done with my tantrums already. And I used his distraction… and struck.

With everything I had left, I drove the pin forward… and straight into his stomach. Deep. Hard.

A choked sound tore from him as his body jerked in shock. And then his grip finally faltered.

That was all I needed.

I pushed against him hard, and using his own unbalanced stance against him, I twisted and forced him down until I was the one on top.

My chest heaved, my vision spun, but I didn’t hesitate.

I yanked the pin out, causing hot and dark blood to spill out instantly. It splattered across my hands, my face… but even that didn’t stop me.

I drove the pin down again before Damian could recover from the shock of first blow, this time into his shoulder.

A raw, pained cry ripped from his throat as his body arched beneath me.

And instead of feeling terrified, I actually felt good. I wanted him to feel that pain, to feel every second of it.

I pulled the pin out again, causing more bood to spray. The need to end this for once and all took over me as I raised my arms above my head, gripping the pin tightly.

I just needed one more chance, this time straight through his heart… and it would be over.

I moved my arms, ready to piece his heart, when… strong and familiar arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me back.

“What-?!”

I struggled instantly as instinct took over. My body thrashed as I tried to break free.

“No! Let me-!”

Another presence surged forward. I heard movement, a grunt as someone grabbed Damian and held him down.

My vision blurred, the blood in my eyes making everything hazy. I couldn’t see, couldn’t think, but my body continued fighting.

“Evaline!”

The voice cut through everything. It was deep and familiar.

My body stilled as hands closed over mine – warm, steady, and grounding.

“Kiera-” my voice broke, barely more than a whisper.

“I’m right here, love,” he said, his voice urgent but soft at the same time. “You are safe. We have got you.”

Safe.

The word echoed in my mind. I blinked, trying to clear my vision, and after a few attempts I finally saw their blurry yet familiar faces.

My mates.

Their faces swam into view through the haze. My chest tightened as I realized all three of them were here.

They found me, and I was finally… safe.

The pin slipped slightly in my grip as the strength drained from my body all at once. The adrenaline, the fear, the fight… all of it faded.

And for the first time since this nightmare began, I let go.

The darkness welcomed me.

And I fell into it.