Marked (Book Four) E-Book

Bella Lore

• Herausgeber: Lukeman Literary Management
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: Mortal
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 256

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

This is book #4 in a new paranormal romance series by bestselling author Bella Lore. "I couldn't stop reading." --Reader review (My True Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When her father suddenly dies, Winter Grace, 17, is forced to fly across the country and attend a mysterious prep school, an ancient castle in a fog-covered island on the coast of Maine. Nothing here is what it seems, and it isn't long before Winter, feeling a surging power for the first time, realizes that she is not who—or what—she thinks she is. But when Winter feels an inexplicable crush for an elusive and dangerous boy at the school, she realizes a greater destiny is at play. She knows the relationship might destroy them both—yet she also knows that they can never be apart. In this book, it is time for Winter to return on the epic quest back to save her school—but first, it is time for her to now sacrifice it all, and find—and save—her lost love. Creating an unforgettable world of vampires, werewolves, shifters and magic of all sorts, a world of fantasy, love and sacrifice, this book will take you to another place, rife with shocking twists and turns. Fans of books such as Vampire Academy and Twilight and Crush are sure to fall in love! Future books in the series are also available. "The story was very well written and was unique as compared to other shifter stories." --Reader review (The Alpha's Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Excellent from start to finish and leaves you wanting more." --Reader review (My True Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Leseprobe

M A R K E D

(Mortal, Book Four)

B e l l a   L o r e

Bella Lore

Bella Lore is the paranormal romance author of the MY TRUE MATE series, comprising five books; THE ALPHA’S MATE series, comprising four books; the REJECTED BY THE BETA series, comprising four books; 9 NOVELLAS BY BELLA LORE, comprising nine books;  and  the MORTAL series, comprising five books.

Bella loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit bellaloreauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

BOOKS BY BELLA LORE

MORTAL

MORTAL (Book #1)

MATED (Book #2)

MATCHED (Book #3)

MARKED (Book #4)

MIXED (Book #5)

MY TRUE MATE

MY TRUE MATE (Book #1)

MY TRUE MATE (Book #2)

MY TRUE MATE (Book #3)

MY TRUE MATE (Book #4)

MY TRUE MATE (Book #5)

THE ALPHA’S MATE

THE ALPHA’S MATE (Book #1)

THE ALPHA’S MATE (Book #2)

THE ALPHA’S MATE (Book #3)

THE ALPHA’S MATE (Book #4)

REJECTED BY THE BETA

REJECTED BY THE BETA (Book #1)

REJECTED BY THE BETA (Book #2)

REJECTED BY THE BETA (Book #3)

REJECTED BY THE BETA (Book #4)

9 NOVELLAS

BOUND TO THE ALPHA (Book #1)

DESIRED BY THE ALPHA (Book #2)

FALLING FOR THE ROGUE (Book #3)

MATED TO THE ALPHA (Book #4)

MY TRUE ALPHA (Book #5)

PROMISED TO THE ALPHA (Book #6)

THE ALPHA’S BRIDE (Book #7)

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

PROLOGUE

Winter

"Alec," I try to say, but the word only comes out as a gasp. I reach my hand toward him, but he's so far away.

I can't get there fast enough. I'm about to lose him.

He reaches for the Golden Coin, his gaze locked on mine. It doesn't have to be this way! Why is he doing this?

Finally, I gather some breath. "Alec!"

I'm too late, though. He touches the coin, and a moment later he's gone.

I collapse, falling to my knees on the hard platform, the wail that flies from my throat thunderous.

He's gone.

Forever.

"Winter!" Someone shakes my shoulder.

I go to swat them away, but they only shake harder. Suddenly, my eyes snap open.

I'm in the ocean!

Wait. No. I'm in the small motorboat that Alec and I searched Nova Scotia's islands with. And Damon is here, the boat bobbing in the water, the motor off.

He stops shaking my shoulder and sits back. "You were dreaming."

I sit up, the blanket falling off my chest. "I was? When did I fall asleep?"

"Maybe an hour ago." He looks like he wants to say something else but can't decide if he should or not. Instead, he just brushes a lock of dark blonde hair from his eye and looks away.

"I was dreaming about Alec." I look at my hands, my heart dropping into my stomach.

How can it be that he was with us only a few hours ago? The three of us were together, in the pocket dimension Alec and I entered to find the Golden Coin.

If I had known retrieving the coin meant that one of us would need to stay behind, I would have never gone in there. I would have found another way.

Alec was so adamant that he be the one to sacrifice himself. I tried to stop him, but it was impossible. We were in the middle of an attack, the Silver Hunters--

I gasp. "The Silver Hunters."

Damon shakes his head. "I haven't seen them. My guess? They're stuck in that place."

"But we got out," I mumble, trying to make sense of it.

He nods. "Because Alec made his sacrifice for us. Not for them. He was an amazing person. If it wasn’t for him, I would still be stuck in that place, searching for the coin to take me out of there." He comes and sits next to me. "I'm sorry, Winter."

"Thank you." Tears fill my eyes, and I stuff my hands into my pockets. My fingers brush against something hard and cold.

That's right. I have the coin.

Pulling it out, I hold it up for Damon and I both to see. "It showed up in my hand."

"Maybe because Alec wanted you to have it."

I close my fingers around the coin. It’s small, not much bigger than a quarter, but it’s extremely heavy.

And extremely powerful. The stories say that it can grant whoever wields it wishes and powers beyond what anyone else has.

Now I just need to figure out how to use the thing. It's the one chance I have to defeat the Silver Hunters that took over my school.

That "I" should be a "we." It should be me and Alec.

My heart drops again. I should be celebrating this victory with him. Instead I'm here without him, unable to stop crying.

"He wanted to do it." Damon's arm goes around my shoulder.

"I know." I sniffle. "That doesn't make it right. There could have been another way."

His sigh is a sad one. "I don't know."

I gaze into the fog. In the pocket dimension, it was spring. Back here in the real world, it's a bitter late autumn. The change in seasons is a cruel reminder of what I've lost. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down as the wind whips around us, stinging my cheeks.

But Alec is gone. And Damon is here, trying to be a friend. I don't know what I'd do without him.

"I have to figure out a plan," I say, wiping away my tears. "I need to take back the school from the Silver Hunters."

Damon nods. "Agreed. But you can't just go charging into the school. They have the numbers and the power."

I know he's right, but I don't want to admit it. "What about you and the coin?"

"What about me?"

"You went into that pocket dimension just like us, looking for it. Don't you want it?"

Damon has proven himself to me more than once. Not only did he save me and Alec in the pocket dimension, but he also helped me reach the Golden Coin when it was time.

But his search for the coin was the whole reason he ended up in that place. I can’t imagine it’s suddenly not important to him.

"No." He shakes his head. "I didn't have plans to do anything with it. I wanted to find it in honor of my dad. He spent years of his archaeological career looking for it. Seeing that it's real is victory enough. Plus, you need it."

I put it back in my pocket, where it feels a little more secure. "Yeah. I do."

"Is there anyone you can get help from?"

I think it over. Reality is sobering. "No. There isn't. Alec... he was all I had. Why do you think only the two of us showed up in the pocket dimension? Everyone else is either dead or they ran off. My parents are gone."

"But you saw your dad by the tower." His eyebrows knit together.

I suck in a quick breath. Yeah, I did. And I heard my mom's voice in the wishing well at school.

I thought she was dead. That’s what I’d always been told, that she died when I was a baby. And yet there she was, speaking to me. Somehow, I knew without a doubt that it was her voice.

My dad is supposed to be dead, too. I had a funeral for him!

I chew my bottom lip. Everything I thought I knew has been turned upside down. When it comes to my parents, though, that means I can have some hope. They could be out there, waiting for me to get to them!

Except…

Even if they're alive, I don't have the first clue where to look for them.

"That was amazing," Damon says. "When your dad astral projected." He shakes his head.

"I didn't know he could do that. I didn't know he was... whatever it is he is."

A werewolf? A vampire? A... whatever-else-there-is?

"I know one thing," Damon says. "You're powerful. The things you did in the tower... that was awesome."

"Do you have any clue what kind of..."

"Supernatural you are?" His lips twist. "I'm sorry. Your abilities are like nothing I've ever seen."

I sigh. It was worth a shot asking.

He goes on. "If anyone should use the coin, it's you. I'm sure Alec saw that as well and it was part of his decision to sacrifice himself."

I can't help it. My lower lip trembles. There's an empty hole inside my chest, and I'm close to crying again. "And what's the other part?"

He cocks his head. "Isn't it obvious? He loved you, Winter."

Here they come. The waterworks spill forth, and I drop my head and cry into my lap.

Alec and I only knew each other for a short time, and it was right after we met that the Silver Hunters attacked our school and we set off to look for the Golden Coin.

From the moment I saw him, though, I felt an inexplicable pull toward him. Like we were meant to meet. Meant to be together.

Was that just my imagination? How could I be destined to be with someone who was ripped out of my life only a couple weeks later?

Pressing my palms to my eyes, I groan. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He touches my shoulder again. "Take all the time you need. He was an awesome guy."

I drop my hands. Somehow, through my pain, I smile. "He didn't trust you. It's funny you should call him awesome."

Damon seems completely unfazed. "He didn't trust me because he was so protective. Protective of you."

"Yeah." I sniffle. "He was." I shake my head. "I don't know how to go on without him," I say. "This was our mission. We were doing this together."

"And it still is. He did his part. Now it's time to do yours."

My gaze returns to the fog, and without even thinking about it my fingers find the necklace under my sweater. Alec gave it to me when we finally had our first kiss.

Did he know something would happen to him?

Was he planning on sacrificing himself all along if it came to that?

I shake my head, clearing the thoughts. I'll drive myself crazy with all these questions, and Damon is right. Alec did his part.

Now it's time to do mine. I’m going to learn to use the coin, and then I’ll use it to defeat the Silver Hunters.

And no one can stop me.

CHAPTER ONE

Alec

Darkness engulfs me, but it's not the type of darkness that accompanies the absence of light. It's a different kind, a darkness that envelops me in a pool of sensation. I float in it, suspended in an abyss.

My eyes close and I feel a rush of vertigo. I'm spinning, spinning faster and faster.

Finally, a burst of light overwhelms me, and I land on a soft surface. I open my eyes and take in my surroundings. I'm in a room with stone walls. The ceiling is high, and there are torches hanging from it. The flickering flames cast eerie shadows across the room, and on the other side of the room is a wooden door.

I get up, my muscles aching from the fall, and survey my environment. Besides the torches, there is nothing in the room. No furniture,  no windows. Nothing that suggests this place is anything but a prison.

I try to remember how I got here, but it's hard to think straight. All I remember is a small, golden coin. I reached out for it, and then... I ended up here.

My footsteps echoing against the stones, I walk across the room and open the door. It leads to outside, where it's night.

A low mist covers the ground, thin, dead-looking trees placed here and there. It looks like I'm in the country somewhere.

But the country of where? Which state?

I press my hand to my temple. I can't even remember where I was before this - before I touched the coin.

I can't even remember why I touched the coin.

...And what coin am I even remembering?

All I know is that there was a coin, and it felt important that I grab it. Other than that, my mind is a blank slate.

"Hello?" I call out.

There's no response. The area is dead quiet.

I turn around to see where I came from, but there's nothing but the door. No walls. No building. Just a door standing in the middle of nowhere.

A chill ripples through me. This doesn't make any sense.

Gulping, I start walking. Standing around won't do me any good.

As I walk, I try to remember anything that could give me a clue as to where I am and why I'm here. But my memory remains foggy, like a dream I can't quite fully recall. All I know is that I need to keep moving.

Where was I before I touched the coin? Who am I, even? It feels like there's a name at the edge of my mind, but I can't grab onto it.

I need to find out where I am and why I'm here.

The ground is uneven, with rocks and twigs littering my path. I keep my eyes glued to the ground, not wanting to trip and fall.

As I walk, I notice something strange. The mist seems to be getting thicker, almost as if it's clinging to my clothes. It's like it's alive, creeping up my legs and wrapping around my torso.

I shiver, and the mist seems to pulse in response.

My heart races inside my chest. This can't be real. I must be dreaming.

But the mist feels too tangible, too real.

Something rustles behind me, and I stiffen. It sounds like footsteps on dry leaves.

I turn around and study the dark behind me. There's nothing there.

The hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end, though. I swear I heard someone. Or something.

The mist seems to be closing in around me, pushing in tight so that I can’t escape it. I take a step back as I feel the mist brush against my skin.

Suddenly, I hear the sound of laughter. It's a low, menacing laugh that echoes through the trees. My heart races and I take another step back, unsure of what to do.

"Who's there?" I call out, my voice shaking.

No response. The laughter continues, growing louder and closer.

I spin around, trying to locate the source of the sound. And then I see them.

Two figures emerge from the darkness, their eyes glowing like hot coals. They're tall, dressed in cloaks, with unnaturally long limbs and sharp claws for hands. They move towards me with a slow, steady gait, like predators stalking their prey.

I stumble back, my mind racing with fear. What are these things? What do they want from me?

As they get closer, I make out more details. Their skin is as black as the night, and their hair is long and tangled. And there's something else, something that makes my stomach churn with revulsion. They're covered in blood, their clothing stained with red.

I try to back away, but I stumble and fall to the ground, landing on my back. The creatures loom over me, their eyes blazing with hunger.

I open my mouth to scream, but I can't even get my breath to form. This is it. Whoever I am, whatever I’m here for, it no longer matters.

Everything is over for me.

CHAPTER TWO

Winter

"Look!" Damon points. "Is that land?"

I lean forward, squinting through the mist.

We’ve been in this small boat for hours, with no water and no food. I’m so thirsty that it feels like there’s a thin coat of sawdust in my mouth.

I don’t want to get my hopes up, but I really, really hope it’s land.

The distinct shape of trees emerges, and I sigh in relief. “It’s land.”

Still, I hold my breath. We aren't sure we're headed in the right direction. This could be another island and not the mainland.

Then again, anything is better than endless water and getting lost at sea. Even if it is an uninhabited island, maybe a fishing boat or something will come by and spot us. And maybe there’s a water source somewhere.

The mist gets thinner, and the shore comes into better view. There's a dock with small boats, and buildings peek out through the trees.

My chest tightens. "I know this island. Alec and I came here."

It's the one that we went to the farmer's market on, after I accidentally destroyed that barn and we had to flee the first island.

Damon is silent for a moment. "We should stop. We don't have any food or water, and it'll be dark soon, and--"

"It's okay." I can't even bear to look at him. "Yeah, let's stop."

I stay in my own little world as we pull up to the docks. All the good spots are taken, so we end up tethering the small motorboat to an old pier that's falling apart. After making our way around the holes in the boards, we step onto the road and walk into town.

The street the farmer's market was on is open today, with people walking and driving down it. Still, the memory of being here with Alec is a knife to my heart.

I try to shake it off, reminding myself that he is gone and I need to focus on surviving.

Damon places a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

I shake my head, trying to push away the memories. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just find somewhere to stay for the night."

Damon's eyes soften with understanding. "I'm sorry, Winter. I can only imagine how hard this must be for you."

I shrug off his hand and start walking down the street, trying to avoid any eye contact with the locals. The smell of baking bread wafts out of a restaurant, and my stomach gurgles with hunger.

"God." Damon groans. "I don't even know how long it's been since I ate."

"Years for you." I study the street. I don't have any money, which will make finding meals and warm beds more than a little challenging.

As we walk, I notice two shady figures standing outside a bar. They're dressed in black leather jackets, their faces obscured by the shadows of their hoods.

Damon tenses beside me, and I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I know that he's thinking the same thing that I am - these guys don't look friendly. In fact, they look like Silver Hunters, who I've only seen dressed in all black.

The only thing these two are missing is swords.

I walk past them, making sure to avoid eye contact. Before Alec and I walked into the lighthouse's light and entered the pocket dimension, the islands were swarming with Silver Hunters. It makes sense that they would still be around.

"We have to be careful," I hiss to Damon. "The Silver Hunters might still be looking for the coin, and they know what I look like."

"They know that you were looking for it?" he asks.

I hesitate, then shake my head. No, they can't know. "They know that I'm from Hawthorn."

"Gotcha." His lips draw into a tight line.

"You don't have any money, do you?" I stop in front of a fancy-looking inn with an elaborate garden next to it.

He pats his pockets. "What I went into that dimension with I lost a long time ago."

I chew my lip. "Maybe we can find a place that will let us do some work in exchange for a room and dinner."

"It's worth a shot." He studies the inn, and I'm sure he's thinking the same thing as me. This place is probably way too nice to barter.

We won't know until we try, though. I'm ashamed to walk into a place and ask for a favor, but loss of pride is also the least of my problems right now.

There's nothing like losing someone forever to put things into perspective.

Damon opens the door to the inn, and I follow him inside.

The lobby is opulent, with a grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling and plush couches lining the walls. A woman dressed in a black suit stands behind the reception desk, her blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun. She looks up as we approach her, her eyes scanning us from head to toe.

"How may I assist you?" she asks in a clipped tone.

"We were wondering if you had any rooms available," I say, trying to sound confident.

She looks us over again, her eyes lingering on our tattered clothing and unkempt appearance. "We do have one room available, but I must warn you, it is our most expensive suite."

I try not to let my disappointment show. Of course it's the most expensive suite. "Is there any way we could possibly work to pay for it?"

Her lips curl in disdain. "I'm afraid we don't have any work available for guests. You'll have to pay in cash or by credit card."

I swallow hard, knowing we don't have either. "Thank you for your time."

I'm turning away, but Damon steps forward. "Please, ma'am, we've been traveling for days. We're exhausted and hungry. We don't have any money, but we're willing to work for a room and a meal."

The woman's expression softens slightly, but only slightly. "I'm afraid we don't have any vacancies at the moment. Perhaps you should try the inn down the road."

I feel my heart sink. The inn down the road is probably similar to this one - out of our league.

Damon takes a step back, dejected. I can see the weight of our situation hitting him hard. If we can't find a place to stay, we'll be sleeping on the streets. That's assuming we don't get caught by the Silver Hunters first.

"Thank you," I say to the woman, turning around. "Let's go. We'll try somewhere else."

As we leave, I hear the woman say something under her breath. I'm not sure what she said, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't anything nice.

We walk down the street, past the farmer’s market, and towards the next inn. This one is smaller, and less impressive, but my hopes aren't high.

Damon and I step into the lobby, which smells of lavender and vanilla. A woman is sitting behind the reception desk, reading a book. She looks up when we walk in, smiling warmly.

"Hello! How can I help you?" Her smile fades when she takes in our appearance.

"We were wondering if you had any rooms available," I say, trying to sound polite but desperate.

Her face falls. "I'm sorry, but we're completely booked."

Damon steps forward again. "Please, we have nowhere to go. We don't have any money, but we can work for a room."

The woman looks between the two of us, and I don't miss the way she scrutinizes our ripped and dirty clothes, just like the other woman.

If only I could tell her the true story, about how much we’ve been through, about how we need the kindness of a stranger right now.

Then again, maybe I can tell her the true story–just not all of it.

“Please.” I step forward. “It’s not easy for us to ask, but we just lost our friend. And then we were stuck on an island, and…”

Tears fill my eyes. I can’t keep talking.

“Oh my God.” She looks at me in horror. “Do you need me to call someone?”

“No.” I blink back tears. “Thank you. We’re headed back home now.”

She sighs, a new softness entering her eyes. "Normally, I wouldn't allow this, but I do have a shed out back that the gardener sometimes sleeps in when the weather is bad and he can't take the ferry home. It's not the most comfortable, but it's warm and dry."

Relief floods through me, and I manage a grateful smile. "Thank you so much. We'll take it."

"As for dinner, there should be some leftovers. I can see what's to be scrounged up and send them out to you."

"Thank you so much." Realizing we have a place to stay, my legs get weak. It's like my body has acknowledged that it can finally relax.

The woman nods, handing us a key. "It's out back, to the left of the garden. Just make sure to lock it up when you leave."

We thank her again and step outside, heading towards the shed. It's small and cramped, half-full of gardening tools, but it's better than sleeping on the street. Plus there's a twin-sized bed with pillows and blankets.

"You can have the bed." Damon takes a pillow and blanket and settles onto the floor.

I sit on the edge of the bed. "Thank you."

He smiles at me. "Things will get better. You have the coin."

"Yeah." I reach my hand into my pocket, checking on the coin for the hundredth time.

Damon pulls a phone out of his pocket that looks like it's years old. "Look at that. I still have eighty percent. I guess the battery froze while I was in that pocket dimension."

"Is there anyone we can call for help?"

He starts texting. "The Guild."

"Who are they?"

"It's a group my father was a part of, and that I later joined. They're sort of unofficial protectors of the supernatural world."

“I like the sound of that. How come I haven't heard anything about this group before?”

There's a knock on the door, and when Damon opens it there's a tray with two plates of dinner. He brings it inside and we devour the mashed potatoes, chicken, and broccoli.

"Oh, wow." Damon closes his eyes in pleasure. "I forgot how good broccoli is. I mean, I know it sounds crazy. Who likes broccoli, right? But when you haven't had anything to eat in five years you just--"

There's a bump outside of the shed, and I shush him. Immediately, his demeanor changes. His eyes widening, he stands.

"What?" he whispers.

"I heard something," I whisper back, pointing at the wall.

Just then, we see a figure go by the window. My chest tightens. It's one of the men we saw earlier--one of the two men who are likely Silver Hunters.

Getting to my feet, I edge away from the window. Damon follows, his breathing hot on my neck.

"The door." He pulls on my sleeve. "We should run for it."

"No."

I'm probably more surprised than he is by my answer. Ever since leaving Hawthorn and going after the Golden Coin, I've done whatever I needed to stay alive. I ran when I could. Fought when I had to.

I'm tired of running, though. The Silver Hunters are the reason I'm in this mess. They're the reason Alec is dead.

If it weren't for their hatred for supernatural people of every kind, they would have never attacked Hawthorn. Which means Alec and I would never have needed to search for the coin.

Which means he would be alive now. We would be back at school--not exactly enjoying the life of normal teenagers, but something close to it.

I touch the necklace Alec gave me, the only thing I have to remember him by. Those damn Silver Hunters took the best thing I had away from me, and I'm not walking away from a chance to make them pay for it.

When the door gets kicked open, I'm ready for the fight. More ready than I've ever been or ever will be.

The two men rush the shed, swords they must have had hidden earlier raised high.

"Shift," I tell Damon, my hands curling into fists.

Adrenaline races through my veins as supernatural strength fills me. I still don't have a great hold on my abilities--hell, I don't even know what all of them are, as new ones still pop up here and there--but the strength is one that can't be denied.

Next to me, Damon shifts into his wolf form. The sight of a werewolf doesn't deter the men. One of them raises his hand, sending a blast of magic our way.

I dodge the blast easily, my instincts taking over. I lunge forward, my fist connecting with the man's jaw. He stumbles and goes down, dazed.

Damon pounces on the one on the left, his teeth sinking into the man's shoulder. His opponent yells out and tries to get Damon with another spell, but I kick him hard in the stomach. He flies into the bed frame, cracking it in two.

The first man gets to his feet, hatred blazing in his eyes. A bit of blood trickles from his mouth, but he's not deterred.

"Oh, you're not done yet?" I snarl at him. "Well, come at me, asshole."

Voices drift across the yard. People are headed this way.

"We have to go," Damon says, his wolf voice low and creepy. "We're drawing attention."

I take a step toward the man, but Damon shifts back to his human form and tugs at my arm. "Winter, now!"

Suddenly, the man turns and runs out the door.

I'm not thinking. I'm just doing it. I take after him, sprinting my way across the grass and over the fence he climbs.

I don't know where I'm going, but I don't care. Anger and adrenaline fuel me, and I feel alive in a way I haven't felt in a long time.