IRIS

I run through the forest, mud sucking at my boots, rain dripping from my hair. My heart pounds in my chest like it’s trying to escape. Every branch I shove aside, every step I take, carries a single thought: I need to reach him before he loses himself completely.

The sound of snarling reaches my ears, and I know immediately I’m too late. Darian is there. He’s on top of Zeus, teeth bared, claws digging into the wet earth. Blood and mud streak across both of them. The sight makes my stomach twist, my hands clench.

I pause for a heartbeat, taking in the chaos. Rain drips down my...