As they ran, hour after hour, the distance between them and her father's pack growing, Bella began to feel a strange sense of freedom settling in her chest. With each mile they covered, the weight of Alpha Ryker’s presence seemed to lift, replaced by a mixture of exhaustion and relief. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the trees, and soon, Bella could see the ominous build-up of dark, heavy clouds gathering on the horizon, shrouding the forest in a thick gloom.
Finally, Asher’s wolf slowed to a halt. Bella climbed down from his back, wincing as her legs buckled slightly from the strain. She leaned against a tree, feeling the dull ache in her muscles from clinging so tightly during the run. She was exhausted, every part of her aching, but she bit back any complain
