My Marked Luna (Apphia and Nicholas) novel Chapter 7

**In Fragile Moments We Discover Strength Hidden In Stillness by Tao Cole Rynn**

**Chapter 7**

**Apphia**

I sprint forward with every ounce of strength in my body, though I have no clear destination. Panic fuels my movement, and tears stream down my face, blurring my vision.

Behind me, I can hear the thunderous pounding of paws and the heavy footfalls of my pursuers. Their growls and snarls echo through the trees, a sinister soundtrack to my desperate flight. Each sound sends a jolt of adrenaline through me, urging me to push harder, to run faster.

Suddenly, a clap of thunder rumbles ominously in the darkened sky, and a flash of lightning illuminates the world around me. In that moment of chaos, my foot slips on the damp earth, and I tumble forward, landing painfully on my knees and palms. But there’s no time to linger in my fall; I scramble back to my feet, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I drag my weary legs onward.

The rain begins to fall, slowly at first, then intensifying until I am completely drenched. The cold bites into my skin, and I shiver uncontrollably, but I know I cannot afford to stop. The chill is nothing compared to the terror of being caught. I need to put as much distance as possible between myself and the men who are hunting me.

Through the curtain of rain, I spot a flicker of light not far off. Hope ignites within me. The downpour is a blessing, masking my scent and making it harder for them to track me. I grasp onto that hope as I push through the exhaustion that threatens to overwhelm me.

My lungs burn with the effort of drawing in air, and my legs feel like lead weights. I can barely keep my pace, and I know I need to find somewhere to hide. But the forest offers no refuge, just an endless expanse of trees and shadows. I begin to slow, dizziness swirling in my head like a storm.

‘Help me,’ I whisper to the void, my voice barely a breath.

Suddenly, a rough hand grabs me, and I am tackled to the ground by a massive figure. The impact knocks the breath from my lungs, and I find myself lying on my stomach, eyes squeezed shut, panting heavily. How can this end like this? How can I have fought so hard only to be caught?

“Going somewhere? Amir will like you,” a voice chuckles darkly, sending a wave of dread through me.

“You gave us quite the chase for such a tiny thing,” another man sneers, delivering a brutal kick to my side.

“Let’s take her back; this is royal territory…” a third voice interjects, worry lacing his tone.

“Pick her up. We are shifting and—” The sentence hangs in the air, cut short by a menacing growl that reverberates through the trees. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever heard, a primal roar that shakes the very ground beneath me. My heart races; it has to be Amir. He’s come to rescue me.

I veer to the right, her intoxicating scent wrapping around me like a warm embrace, but then the metallic tang of blood hits my senses, igniting a fierce anger within me.

I halt abruptly, fury boiling over at the sight before me. Five wolves encircle a lone girl, pinning her to the ground. I can’t see her face, but the sound of her whimpers pierces my heart.

Mate,

With a primal roar, I unleash my fury. All eyes turn to me, and I see the flicker of fear in their gazes. My glare locks onto the man who is holding my mate down, and as if sensing my power, he slowly releases her. My heart aches painfully as I catch a glimpse of the petite woman on the ground.

“I’ll kill you all,” I growl, my voice unrecognizable, filled with a rage that is not entirely my own. Blade stands beside me, absorbing the scene with wide eyes.

“Oh shit,” he mutters, realization dawning.

Fueled by fury, I charge at the man who dared to touch my mate. I tear him apart with a ferocity I didn’t know I possessed, flinging his lifeless body aside. The remaining wolves begin to retreat, but I summon one of my gifts, the Barrier creation, to trap them in place. Two manage to escape, but Blade swiftly takes off after them, leaving me to protect what is mine.