Page 34 of Their Pretty Little Monster

Mating.

Potent mist.

Fuck!

This is not going to end well, is it?

I throw myself into the woods, running like a mad woman.

Chapter

Twelve

KILLIAN

Sage disappears into the woods, her short dress fluttering high across the back of her thighs, and my cock’s already throbbing. Adrenaline pumps through me, muscles flexed, unsure how much longer I can wait. I shudder with the anticipation to track her down fast.

Hunger tears through me, the beast in me demanding we rush after her, catch her, and mark her at once. Never in all my years have I been so consumed by a woman, so fucking obsessed.

Seconds tick by, and I’m itching to run.

Glancing over my shoulder, Wolfe and Nyko are on the sidelines with the crowds, both breathing heavily, chests working overtime, most likely wishing it was them in my place. I see the savagery in their eyes, just as I’d witnessed it last night at dinner. If left alone with Sage, they would have made her theirs… and fuck, I don’t care if they want to share her, but I’m sure as hell not missing out on my chance.

Heart thundering, I’m not the only eager one. Others in the lineup alongside me are pacing in a small circle, shaking their arms, stretching…

My gaze locks on the woods, the same shadowy path Sage took.

Ready.

So fucking ready.

The siren rings, loud and piercing.

Like a beast unleashed, I bolt after her, driven by the need to pursue, to claim.

Behind me, the air fills with the raucous shouts of the spectators, but their noise fades into nothing against the rush of blood in my ears.

Shadows darken my paths, trees everywhere, and thick bushes that I leap over. I dart left and right, ducking under branches. No sight of her yet, but I’ll find her.

Pink mist drips into the woods around me, and I inhale deeply, letting the magic seep into my lungs, spreading through me. Knowing it will come into effect once I have her.

Thundering footsteps, war cries, and growls resonate around me from the others, each set to catch their prey. While most coming into this might have their sights set on someone specific, they have a right to claim any female participating in the ritual.

That thought alone pushes me faster, and I quicken my pace.

Thick with the scent of damp soil and old growth, the branches around me sway from the wind. The combination of sea and forest air is something I’ve grown accustomed to. Something that feels like home.

Twisted branches and shadows hide her from me, and considering I have yet to catch sight of her, it starts to worry me.

Taking a deep inhale while my feet shove against the ground, I propel myself forward, but I don’t pick up her scent.

Fury slams into me.

That’s when a blur of motion to my left catches my attention. My heart hammers with the hope that it’s her, but no, it’s another competitor, his form monstrous, barreling through the underbrush on all fours, tail slashing through the air, spikes like jagged knives trailing down his back. Behind him and farther to my left, a few others pound the ground, also in their monster forms, knowing they’re faster this way.

The last thing I need is to terrify Sage more than she is, charging after her in my true form.

So, where is she?

---