Chapter Eighteen

Carrie’s POV

I slowly opened my eyes, trying to remember what had happened. I was lying on the ground, my head throbbing with pain. I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me. I fell back down, groaning.

As I lay there, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. I struggled to get up again, but this time, I managed to sit up. I looked around, trying to get my bearings. I was in a dense forest surrounded by towering trees. The sunlight filtering through the leaves cast dappled shadows on the ground.

I saw a figure approaching, a tall and lean man with piercing blue eyes and a strong jawline. He had grabbed me earlier and pulled me away from the rogue wolves.

"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to sound braver than I felt.

"My name is Ryder," he said, his voice calm and soothing. "I'm here to help you. Drink this. It would help if you kept your energy. What's your name?”

I eyed him warily. "It’s Carrie. Why should I trust you?" I asked.

Ryder smiled. "Because I'm not goin