Chapter 8

Morning came too quickly. I woke with a start, my heart already racing as sunlight streamed through the curtains I'd forgotten to close. For one blissful moment, I didn't remember where I was or what day it was. Then reality crashed over me like an icy wave.

The hunting party. Today.

My stomach clenched so hard I thought I might be sick. I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face. The girl in the mirror looked pale and frightened, with dark circles under her eyes that spoke of restless sleep.

"Get it together, Lena," I whispered to my reflection. "You can do this."

I brushed my teeth and pulled my hair into a tight ponytail that would stay put during the hunt. No sense in having loose hair that could get caught on branches or give a male something to grab onto. I dressed in my most practical clothes—dark jeans, a long-sleeved black t-shirt, and sturdy hiking boots. Nothing bright that would stand out in the forest. Nothing loose that could snag.

A knock at my door made me jump. When I opened it, I found not Maya as I'd hoped, but my mother.

"Oh good, you're up," she said, sweeping into the room with a tray of food. "I brought you breakfast. You'll need your strength today."

The smell of bacon and eggs would normally have made my mouth water, but today it turned my stomach. Still, Mom was right—I needed energy for what was coming.

"Thanks," I said, taking the tray and setting it on the small table by the window.

Mom watched as I forced down a few bites of toast and eggs. "I know you're nervous," she said softly. "That's normal. I was terrified before my hunting party."

I looked up at her in surprise. Mom rarely talked about her own experience.

"Were you?" I asked.

She nodded, sitting on the edge of my unmade bed. "I was certain no one would choose me. Or worse, that someone cruel would." A small smile crossed her face. "And then your father found me. The moment he marked me, I knew it was right."

I pushed the eggs around on my plate. "And if it hadn't felt right? What then?"

Mom's smile faltered. "That doesn't happen when it's your true mate, Lena."

"But not everyone finds their true mate," I pressed. "What about all those girls who get marked by someone who isn't their perfect match? What about them?"

"They learn to make it work," she said, her voice hardening slightly. "Now finish your breakfast. The gathering is in thirty minutes."

I managed a few more bites before my churning stomach refused anything else. After Mom left, I paced the room, checking the small pack I'd prepared—water, a first aid kit, and a few energy bars. Not that I planned to be out there long enough to need them, but better safe than sorry.

At ten minutes to nine, I made my way down to the resort's main lawn, where all participants in the hunt were gathering. The morning was beautiful—clear blue sky, gentle breeze, birds singing in the trees that soon would hide our desperate flight. It felt wrong for such a perfect day to host something so primitive.

I spotted Maya immediately, standing apart from the other girls who huddled in nervous groups. Like me, she was dressed practically, her short hair tucked under a dark cap. She waved when she saw me, relief evident on her face.

"There you are," she said as I reached her side. "I was afraid you'd changed your mind and run away in the night."

"And miss all this fun?" I said dryly, gesturing to the tense gathering. "Not a chance."

Around us, female werewolves of various ages—though most around eighteen like me—fidgeted and whispered. Some looked excited, eyes bright with anticipation of finding their mates. Others looked as terrified as I felt, casting nervous glances toward the forest that would soon become our battlefield.

At the edge of the lawn, separated from us by a symbolic line of mountain ash, stood the males. There were at least twice as many of them as females, ranging from boys who looked barely older than me to men well into their thirties. All were eyeing our group with expressions ranging from casual interest to hungry intensity.

I shuddered, turning my back on them. "Are you ready?" I asked Maya.

She nodded, her face set in determination. "Remember the plan. When they give the signal, we run straight for the densest part of the forest. No stopping, no looking back. We keep moving for the first hour, then find somewhere to hide."

"And we stay hidden until the two hours are up," I finished. "Then we meet back here, unmarked and free."

Maya squeezed my hand. "Exactly. Oh, and if we get separated?" She pulled something from her pocket—a small whistle on a cord. "Three short blasts means I'm in trouble. Two long ones means I'm safe and hidden."

I took an identical whistle from my pocket. "Same. But let's try to stick together."

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The booming voice of Elder Krane, officiator of the hunt, cut through the murmuring crowd. "Welcome to the annual Full Moon Mating Hunt!"

A cheer went up from the male section, while our side remained mostly silent.

"As tradition dictates, our unmated females will enter the forest first, given a fifteen-minute head start. When the horn sounds a second time, the males may begin the hunt." He smiled, showing too many teeth. "Remember, the hunt lasts precisely two hours. Any marking that occurs during this time is binding under pack law."

He turned to address us directly. "Young ladies, your time begins when the horn sounds. Use it wisely."

Maya and I exchanged a determined look. Elder Krane raised an ancient ram's horn to his lips and blew a long, haunting note that seemed to echo through my very bones.

"Run!" Maya hissed, and we bolted.

We weren't the only ones with the same idea. All around us, girls sprinted for the tree line, some already sobbing with fear. I pumped my arms and legs, focusing only on the ground ahead and the steady presence of Maya beside me.

We hit the forest at full speed, dodging trees and leaping over fallen logs. Neither of us slowed until we were deep among the pines, the sounds of the gathering fading behind us.

"This way," Maya gasped, veering left toward a steeper, rockier section of forest. "They'll expect us to take the easier paths."

I followed without question, lungs burning as we climbed higher into the mountains. The terrain grew more challenging—loose rocks, thorny bushes, fallen trees creating natural obstacles. Perfect. The harder the trail, the less likely males would follow.

We ran for what felt like hours but was probably only twenty minutes when a distant horn sounded—the signal that the males had been released.

"Come on," Maya urged, grabbing my wrist and pulling me toward a dense thicket. "We need to start covering our tracks."

She demonstrated walking backward in our footprints, then brushing pine needles over them to hide any trace. I copied her movements, impressed by her thoroughness.

"Where did you learn this?" I whispered as we worked our way deeper into the forest.

"Books," she replied with a grim smile. "I've been researching escape tactics since I was fourteen. Never thought I'd actually use them."