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"Stay with me."

My wolf feels farther away. For one horrifying second, I'm somewhere else. Another life. Another body. That empty place inside me where she should have been. No. Not again.

"Don't you dare leave me."

I'm... trying.

Her voice is weaker. Farther away. I claw at the grass with human fingers and force my head up. Selena is still moving. Still trying to get away. Still looking back at me.

“ARLENE!”

"Keep moving!"

A rogue comes from behind her. No. I try to stand. My arms shake. Nothing.

"Rylan!"

"I'm almost there!"

The rogue reaches Selena. She fights him immediately, twisting while one arm protects her stomach. Another male joins him.

“NO!”

I drag myself forward. An inch. Maybe two. My wolf is fading.

"Stay with me."

Arlene?

"I'm here."

I can't...

Panic tears through me harder than the poison.

"Please. Stay with me."

A second rogue grabs Selena. She screams my name again.

“ARLENE!”

I reach for her. For my wolf. For Darian. For anybody. The rogue behind Selena presses a cloth over her mouth and nose. Selena thrashes. Her hand flies to her stomach. No. No. No.

“Selena!”

Her movements slow.

"Rylan..."

Her knees buckle. The rogues catch her before she hits the ground. Selena goes limp. Something inside me breaks. I reach for my wolf again. Nothing.

"Please."

Silence. The world tilts. The grass beneath my cheek turns blurry. Then, so faintly I almost imagine it...

Arlene...

"I'm here."