Chapter 24

Aliyah

The bears were huge, but Ashton's wolf was more massive and agile. He darted between them, snapping and snarling, trying to keep them at bay. I watched in silence as he fought off the bears, his fur bristling with ferocity. Each swipe of his powerful paws sent the bears stumbling backward. But there were too many of them, constantly pressing on, and I knew we couldn't outrun or outfight them all.

Ashton went back in my direction. He nudged me, urging me to climb onto his back. I mounted him, holding on tightly as he sprinted away from the relentless bears. We raced through the forest, Ashton's wolf effortlessly maneuvering through the dense underbrush.

Finally, we were out of the woods and back to the house, safe from the pursuing bears. We went straight to my room, and I immediately felt the stickiness of sweat and dirt on my skin. Ashton was peeking from the window while I quickly peeled off my clothes. He was still in wolf form; maybe he was still keeping watch for any sig