Marcus Hale's POV
Blood dripped from my mouth as I crawled through the underbrush. My ribs screamed with each movement, broken from Elias's attack. The forest floor dug into my hands, but I kept moving.
I had to get away.
The golden light from the house still pulsed behind me, lighting up the night sky like a beacon. Amara's power. It made my skin crawl with both fear and excitement.
Everything was falling apart. And everything was finally coming together.
I reached the secret spot where I'd left my phone and pulled it from under a rock. My hands shook as I dialed.
"It's happening," I gasped when Viktor answered. "The girl... she's transformed. Just like you said she would."
Viktor's voice was cold and steady. "And Elias?"
"With her. He's chosen his side." The betrayal stung more than my wounds. Elias and I had been like brothers once.
"Then he's made his choice," Viktor said. "Get to the meeting point. We need to move quickly."
