Page 160 of The Hunt

I kept running, even faster now.

The forest blurred around me, my footsteps muffled by the soft earth, and the wind rushed against my skin, carrying the scent of pine and leaves. Each breath burned my lungs, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. The thrill of it, the chase… it was addictive.

It was ironic, really. After the island, after everything I endured there, I thought I’d never want to feel this way again. The heart-pounding fear, the sheer desperation, the raw vulnerability. But it wasn’t the same now. Not with Rhett.

This wasn’t survival. It wasfreedom.

The awful memories lingered, of course. They always would. I still dreamed of the Hunt sometimes, of being prey in a game designed to break me. But those nightmares didn’t have Rhett in them, and when he suggested we turn those fears into something that gave me power, something that made me feel alive instead of afraid, I said yes.

So now, here I was. Running again.

A branch snapped behind me. I froze mid-step, heart hammering, and whipped my head around. I could only see trees and shadows, and the forest was still… but it was too still.

He was close.

I ducked beneath a low-hanging branch, veering sharply to the left as I sprinted deeper into the forest. The shadows thickened, the fading light casting long, ominous shapes across my path. Somewhere behind me, Rhett was moving. I couldn’t see him yet, but I could feel him, that magnetic pull that always seemed to draw us together.

He was out there. Watching, waiting.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine, equal parts fear and excitement. My breath came in shallow bursts, my lungs burning from the effort of running, but I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when the raw thrill of the chase was coursing through me like wildfire.

A branch snapped to my right, the sound sharp and deliberate. I skidded to a halt, my head whipping in the direction of the noise, and my pulse thundered in my ears as I scanned the trees, eyes frantically darting between the shifting shadows.

“Rhett?” I ventured, my voice barely above a whisper.

No response.

I took a step back, my foot landing on a patch of dry leaves that crunched loudly in the stillness. The sound seemed to echo, loud and intrusive amidst the eerie quiet.Shit.

I froze, every nerve on edge, waiting.

Nothing.

But then I heard it—a rustle of movement behind me, so faint I almost missed it.

I spun around, but there was nothing there. Just trees and darkness, the forest silent once more. Perhaps it was just an animal.

I sucked in a deep breath, my fingers curling into fists as I backed away, putting distance between myself and whatever—or whoever—was out there.

“Run faster, princess.”

Rhett’s voice was low and taunting, coming from somewhere behind me. It sent a jolt through me, my heart skipping a beat. I didn’t turn to look. I didn’t have to.

I ran again.

The forest seemed to close in around me as I darted through the trees, my movements erratic, desperate to throw Rhett off. Twigs and branches snagged at my clothes, scratching my skin as I pushed forward, but I couldn’t stop. Not when I could feel him getting closer by the second.

The sound of his footsteps was deliberate now, no longer muffled. He wanted me to hear him. Wanted me to know he was gaining on me.

“Is that all you’ve got, baby?” he called out, his voice laced with amusement.

My legs burned, muscles screaming in protest as I pushed myself harder, faster. The forest opened up into a small clearing, bathed in the dim, fading light of dusk.

I hesitated for half a second, my gaze darting across the open space for any sign of Rhett. The horn echoed again, its mournful cry sending another wave of adrenaline through me.

I bolted across the clearing, my movements frantic and uncoordinated. My foot caught on a root, and I stumbled, barely catching myself before I hit the ground.

“Shit!”

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