Chapter 4

The scavenger leader steps closer, his grin wide and hungry, and I know he is not here to negotiate.

His face is scarred, an ugly line running from his temple to his jaw, and his eyes are cold and calculating as they sweep over me. He looks at me like I am a prize, something to be claimed and sold, and I feel my stomach churn in disgust.

"Well, well," he says, his voice rough and grating on my nerves. "A Moonbinder in our midst, and here I was, thinking the rumors were too good to be true."

Kael moves protectively in front of me, his body blocking the scavenger's view, and I hear the low growl building in his chest. "You're not taking her anywhere," he says, his voice hard and rough.

The scavenger, Dray, laughs, a harsh sound that echoes through the mess. "And who's going to stop me? You and your little squad? I've got twenty men out there, and more on the way. You can't fight all of us."

Kael's golden eyes flash, his beast stirring beneath his skin, and I see him clench his fists so tight, his knuckles turn white. "I don't need to fight all of you. I just need to kill you."

Dray's grin does not falter, he seems very confident. "Bold words for a lab rat," he sneers in mockery.

The insult hits its mark. Kael's body tenses up instantly, and I feel the shift in the air, the violence barely contained. Rowan steps up beside him, his sharp smile replaced by something cold and dangerous. "You should leave while you still can, Dray. I'm not as patient as Kael is."

Dray laughs again, but I notice the way his eyes flicker, checking the number of men behind him. "I'm not scared of a few strays. That Moonbinder is worth more than your entire miserable lives combined."

"Valuable?" I hear my own voice before I realize I am speaking. "Is that all I am to you? Something to sell?"

Dray's eyes land on me, and his grin widens. "Oh, you're much more than that, sweetheart. A Moonbinder who can bond with multiple shifters? You're a goldmine, I tell you. Victor Kane will pay a fortune for someone like you."

The name sends a chill down my spine. Victor Kane. The corrupt Moonbinder who treats shifters like possessions. The man who will do anything to get his hands on me.

"You see?" Dray spreads his arms, gesturing around us. "You're already wanted. And once the word spreads, every hunter in the wasteland will be coming for you. You'll never be safe, so it's better to just hand yourself over to me at once."

Kael's growl deepens, and his body shifts slightly, preparing to attack. "She's under my protection. Anyone who tries to take her dies."

Dray's expression hardens. "You're making a mistake, lion. You can't protect her forever."

"Watch me," he says, his eyes darkening.

The tension is thick, and I feel my heart pounding against my ribs in fear. This is happening because of me, all of this, the scavengers, the threats, the danger, and Kael and Rowan are risking their lives because I exist. Meanwhile I still don't understand what the hell is happening.

System 001's voice cuts through my thoughts, cold and clinical. [Warning. Multiple hostiles detected. Survival probability decreasing. Recommend immediate bond completion with compatible shifter.]

I push the thought away. Bond with Kael just to save myself? I cannot do that. That is not how this works. A bond cannot be forced, and it certainly cannot be used as a shield. If I bond with him, it has to be because I choose him, not because I am desperate.

A distant howl cuts through the air, closer than before, and Dray's grin returns. "Hear that? My men are almost here. You have about two minutes to hand her over before we take her by force."

Kael's eyes meet mine, and I see the question in them. He is asking me if I trust him.

I don't know why but I nod.

He grabs my hand, his grip firm and strong, and shouts, "Rowan, cover us!"

Then in the next second, we start running. Everything blurs past me as Kael pulls me forward. He is fast, and I struggle to keep up. Behind us, I hear the sound of gunfire and the sound of Rowan's vines ripping through the air, creating barriers to slow the scavengers down.

"Keep moving!" Kael shouts, his voice urgent. "Don't stop!"

My legs ache and my lungs feel like they're going to explode, but I do not stop. I cannot stop because if I stop, they'll catch me, and if they catch me, I'll become Victor Kane's property.

We run into a collapsed building, the walls crumbling around us, and Kael pulls me into a hidden corner. We press ourselves against the cold wall, our breathing heavy and uneven, and I can hear the scavengers shouting outside, their footsteps growing closer.

"Where did they go?"

"They can't have gone far!"

"Spread out! Find them!"

I hold my breath, my heart pounding so loudly I am sure they can hear it. Kael's body is pressed against mine. I can feel his warmth through my clothes, and I realize I can feel his heartbeat too, steady and strong despite everything.

The scavengers search for what feels like hours, their footsteps echoing through the whole place. Dray's voice cuts through the silence, loud and angry. "I know you're out there, Moonbinder. You can't hide forever. I will find you, and when I do, you'll wish you had come quietly."

His words hang in the air. I can hear the underlying threat, and then the footsteps begin to fade. They are leaving but they will be back. Dray made that clear.

I let out a shaky breath, my body trembling from the adrenaline. Kael's hand is still wrapped around mine, and I realize he has not let go.

He looks down at me, his golden eyes glowing in the darkness, and his voice is barely above a whisper. "We need to move again soon. They'll regroup and come back with more men."

I nod, not trusting my voice.

But I do not move, I cannot. My legs feel like they are made of rock, and my mind is spinning with everything that has happened.

Kael must see something in my expression because his hand moves to my face, tilting my chin up so I meet his eyes. "Hey. Look at me."

I do. His thumb brushes across my cheek, and the gesture is so gentle, so unexpected, that my breath catches. "You're not going to let them take you," he says, his voice low and steady. "Do you understand? I will not let them take you."

I swallow hard. My throat feels tight. "Why?" The question comes out before I can stop it. "Why are you doing all this? You barely know me. I could be anyone. I could be—"

"I don't care what you could be." His eyes burn with intensity, with something I cannot understand. "All I know is that the moment I saw you, something changed. My beast recognized you. I don't understand it, and I don't care to understand it. All I know is that you're important."

I stare at him, my heart pounding for an entirely different reason now. "Important how?"

System 001's voice hums in my mind, quiet but persistent. [Compatible bond resonance increasing. Bond completion recommended for enhanced survival.]

Kael leans closer, his voice dropping to a low growl that sends a shiver down my spine. "My beast wants to claim you, Aria. And I'm not sure how much longer I can hold it back."