Page 31 of Ruthless Royalty

As I move deeper into the forest, I catch a glimpse of something in the distance—movement. I slip between the trees, closing the distance, and when I get close enough, I see her.

Chiara is crouched low, her eyes darting around wildly. She’s scared, I can tell, but she’s also smart. She’s staying quiet, moving slowly, trying to keep out of sight.

I smirk. Not bad. But not good enough.

I raise my gun, take aim, and just as I’m about to pull the trigger, something slams into me from the side, knocking me off balance. I hit the ground hard; the air knocked out of my lungs.

“Fuck!” I growl, rolling over and scrambling to my feet. But when I look up, there’s no one there. Whoever hit me is already gone, disappearing into the darkness.

I grit my teeth, my pulse pounding in my ears. This hunt just got interesting.

I push forward again, my focus sharp. They think they can win this, think they can outsmart us. But they don’t know what we’re capable of. I catch a glimpse of movement ahead, and this time, I’m ready.

I raise my gun, aim, and fire.

The paintball hits its target square in the back, splattering bright red across the figure’s jacket. The initiate stumbles forward, a curse flying from their lips before they hit the ground with a thud. I keep moving, not bothering to stop.

“Out,” I mutter under my breath, leaving them behind as I press deeper into the trees.

But my mind isn’t on that victory. It’s on Chiara.

I’d spotted her just moments ago, crouched low like she thought she could hide from me. She’s smart—smarter than mostof these fuckers—but she doesn’t know who she’s up against. I’ve been watching her, learning how she moves. The little tricks she thinks will keep her safe in this forest won’t work. Not on me.

I weave through the trees, the sound of my boots crunching on the underbrush filling the air. The night feels alive, pulsing with tension. Every second feels like a countdown. Every step, a step closer to her. I catch a flicker of movement ahead and drop low, slipping behind a bush as I aim my gun, my eyes scanning the area.

She’s right there.

I raise my gun again, and this time, I’m not missing.

I pull the trigger, but just as the shot rings out, Chiara drops down, rolling behind a fallen tree. The paintball slams into the bark, missing her by inches.

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, a grudging smile tugging at my lips.

She bolts, but I’m on her in seconds, vaulting over the tree, my gun ready. She scrambles to her feet, her eyes widening when she sees me.

“Caught you, Kitten,” I say, my voice low and teasing.

She straightens up, her chin tilting up defiantly. “You haven’t won yet!”

I chuckle, the paintball gun still aimed at her. “Oh, I think I have.”

She narrows her eyes, her lips pressed into a thin line. “You really think you’re that good?”

I grin, cocking my head to the side. “Kitten, I know I am.”

For a moment, we just stand there, locked in a silent standoff. I know I should shoot, but I’m enjoying this way too much.

Chiara’s eyes flicker down to my gun, then back to me. She knows she’s cornered. There’s nowhere for her to go.

And then, without warning, she bolts again.

I react instantly, my body moving on pure instinct. I fire off a shot,but she’s fast—faster than I expected. The paintball whizzes past her as she ducks and weaves through the trees. I grit my teeth, stepping forward cautiously, my paintball gun raised, ready to fire at the first sign of her.

She can’t have gotten far.

And then, I hear it. The faintest sound—a twig snapping to my left. I swing around, gun aimed, and catch a glimpse of her dark hair peeking out from behind a tree trunk.

Gotcha.

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