Elias spun around, his senses screaming. He burst into the room where Eva slept, his heart hammering in his chest.

She was gone.

The bed was empty, the blanket tossed aside. The window was open, the curtains fluttering in the breeze. She had heard everything. She had understood the danger. And she had fled.

Rage and despair warred within him, a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. He cursed Samuel for forcing his hand, for putting Eva in danger. He cursed the Council for hunting her, for labeling her a threat. And he cursed himself for failing to protect her.

He ran to the window, peering out into the darkness. He could see her faint tracks in the soft earth, leading away from the mill, towards the forest. She had a head start, but she couldn't outrun him.

He shifted, his body transforming into a werewolf, his senses heightened, his speed amplified. He followed her scent, his paws pounding against the earth, his heart aching with every step.

He found her a few miles from the mill, huddled beneath a towering oak tree, her face pale and drawn. She was trembling, her eyes wide with fear.

"Eva," he said, his voice soft, his human form restored. "Are you okay?"

She looked up at him, her expression a mixture of relief and apprehension. "I heard," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I heard everything. Samuel... he betrayed you."

Elias nodded, his jaw tightening. "He thought he was doing what was best for the Pack," he said, his voice strained. "He was wrong."

"What are we going to do?" Eva asked, her eyes filled with fear. "The Council... they're going to hunt me, aren't they?"

"I won't let them," Elias said, his voice firm. "I'll protect you. I promise."

He stepped closer, reaching out to take her hand. She hesitated for a moment, then grasped his fingers, her touch sending a jolt of electricity through his veins.

"We have to leave," Elias said, his voice urgent. "We can't stay here. It's not safe. Samuel has warned the Council about you, and they could be here at any time."

"Where are we going to go?" Eva asked, her brow furrowed with worry.

Elias hesitated, his mind racing. He couldn't take her back to Ashwood. It was too dangerous. The Council would be watching. They would use her as a hostage to control him.

"I know a place," he said, his voice low. "A place where we can be safe. A place where we can find answers. A place where we can find allies."

"Where?" Eva asked, her curiosity piqued.

"To my mothers pack" Elias said hesitantly, "She has told me stories about her home and people"

"And they wont hand me away?' Eva had to make sure to be aware of her surroundings.

Elias shook his head "As long as I state that you are with me, you are with me"

He paused for a moment and said, "It is far from Ashwood. So it is best we move tonight when people are less aware of the situation"

He would take them to a place so far that not even other wolves would understand that it was true, or even possible, a safer zone where these powers that Eva had been receiving were normal for the daily life, unlike the old folk from Ashwood with their old traditions.

"What kind of allies?" Eva asked, her expression curious.

"People who understand magic," Elias replied. "People who can help you control your powers. People who can help us stop Lillith and the people from my past."

Eva nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and