The cool night air brushed against your skin as you walked down the quiet, empty street. The sound of your heels clicking against the pavement was the only thing breaking the silence. The evening had been perfect — laughter, music, and your friends’ familiar warmth — but now, alone, the darkness felt a little heavier.

You glanced around. The streetlights flickered above you, casting long shadows across the sidewalk. You tightened your grip on your purse and quickened your pace, an uneasy feeling creeping over you.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded behind you— fast and heavy. Before you could turn, a rough hand grabbed your arm, yanking you back. Your breath caught in your throat.

“Give me your bag,” a harsh voice demanded.

Your heart pounded wildly as you struggled against the man’s grip. Panic surged through you, and you tried to scream — but before you could, another shadow moved.

He came out of nowhere.

Tall and broad-shouldered, the stranger moved with a calm, powerful grace. The dim light caught the edge of his face — strong jaw, intense eyes — just before he closed the distance between us.

“Let her go,” Hunter’s voice was low and controlled, but there was no mistaking the danger behind it.

For a second, everything stood still.

And then everything happened at once.