Maria.
"Maria! Stop there!"
The voice rang through the hallway, sharp and commanding, slicing cleanly through the frantic pounding of my heart. It didn't echo softly, it struck, heavy and undeniable, filling every inch of the corridor with authority.
My body reacted before my mind could.
I froze.
For a split second, my legs locked beneath me as though invisible chains had wrapped around my ankles. My breath caught painfully in my throat. That voice carried power, command woven into every syllable.
Alpha…
The word pulsed instinctively through my veins.
But then reason clawed its way back.
I forced myself to move.
The moment I regained control over my trembling limbs, I bolted forward again, ignoring the order, ignoring the fear that coiled tighter in my stomach with every step.
I just needed to get away.
My heartbeat roared in my ears as I turned the corner…and suddenly…wind rushed past me.
A blur.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
