The biting wind whipped around Mira as she stumbled through the thick snow, each step a testament to sheer will. Her lungs burned, a raw ache in her side reminding her of fractured ribs. Blood tasted metallic on her tongue, and the faint sting in her upper arm spoke of the silver bullet that had grazed her. Behind her, the shouts of Mikhail's men echoed, their threats chilling her to the bone. "Nowhere to hide, little Omega whore! The boss has big plans for you after what you did!"

She pushed harder, the promise of the city, of a bustling crowd, a beacon of hope in the blinding white.

Just as she thought she was safe, darting into a narrow alley, she collided with something—no, someone—solid and unyielding. She hit the ground hard, her vision blurring. A deep, resonant voice cut through the fog: "What the fuck?!" Red eyes, an Alpha's eyes, swam into focus before her.

"P-please…help me…" The words were a desperate plea, an admission of vulnerability she never wanted to utter. A strong hand pulled her up, shoving her through an unseen door into darkness. The door slammed shut, cutting off the sounds of her pursuers.

Moments later, the door reopened, and she was pulled back out into the alley. The Alpha, tall and imposing, smirked down at her, a chilling familiarity in his gaze. "And just who might you be, little rabbit?" he purred, his voice a husky demand. Before she could answer, her world dissolved into blackness, the last sound a name whispered like a prophecy: "Alpha Nikolaos."