Page 68 of The Secret Mate Society

"You've really never done this before?"he asked, gesturing at the orchard around us.

"Never had the chance, I guess.My dad wasn't really the autumn activities type, and after he died..."I shrugged."Mom was too busy trying to keep us afloat."

Calder's expression softened."Well, we're making up for lost time then.There's a corn maze too, if you're feeling adventurous."

I looked toward the towering walls of corn stalks in the distance, families disappearing into the green pathways."That actually sounds fun.Though I should warn you, I have zero sense of direction."

"Good thing I do," he said with a grin that made my stomach flutter."I'll keep you from getting lost."

The corn maze was larger than it had appeared from outside.The stalks rose high above our heads, blocking out most of the sky and creating narrow corridors that twisted and turned in seemingly random directions.Other visitors' voices echoed from somewhere in the green maze, but we couldn't see anyone.

"Left or right?"Calder asked at the first junction.

"Right," I decided arbitrarily, taking his hand again as we plunged deeper into the maze.

For the first fifteen minutes, it was perfect.We wandered through the passages, stealing kisses at dead ends where no one could see us.

Calder would press me against the rough stalks, his mouth hot against mine as the autumn breeze rustled through the corn around us.The privacy made everything feel more intense, more intimate.His scent surrounded me completely here, that leather and spice that had become as essential as breathing.

"This way," he murmured after one particularly heated kiss, his voice rougher than usual.He led me down another pathway, his grip on my hand firm and reassuring.

But after another ten minutes of walking, the playful atmosphere began to shift.The voices of other maze-goers had faded completely, leaving us in an eerie silence broken only by the whisper of wind through dried corn.The paths seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction, and I was starting to lose track of where we'd been.

"Are we lost?"I asked, trying to keep my tone light despite the growing unease in my chest.

"Just taking the scenic route," Calder replied, but I caught the slight tension in his voice.He paused at another intersection, his head tilted as if listening for something.

That's when I heard it.A sound that made my blood freeze in my veins.

Footsteps.Heavy, deliberate footsteps that weren't quite human.They were too measured, too purposeful, and they were getting closer.

"Calder," I whispered, my grip tightening on his hand.

His entire body went rigid beside me.Clearly he had the same thought I did."Stay close to me," he said quietly, his voice taking on that protective edge I'd come to recognize."Don't let go of my hand."

We moved quickly down the nearest path, but the footsteps followed.Always just out of sight, always just around the next corner.My heart hammered against my ribs as childhood memories came flooding back.The creature in the woods.Yellow eyes gleaming in the darkness.The sound of my father's screams.

"It's here," I breathed, panic rising in my throat."It's found me again."

Calder stopped abruptly, turning to face me.His eyes were blazing with that golden light, more intense than I'd ever seen them."Listen to me," he said urgently."If we get separated, head toward the entrance.Don't stop, don't look back.Just run."

"We won't get separated," I said desperately."We'll stick together."

But even as the words left my mouth, a low, inhuman growl echoed through the maze.It seemed to come from everywhere at once, reverberating off the corn stalks until I couldn't tell which direction it originated from.

Calder's head snapped toward the sound, his nostrils flaring."Shit," he muttered, then louder."Run.Now!"

We bolted down the nearest path, corn stalks whipping at our faces as we crashed through the maze.Behind us, the footsteps became a thunderous pursuit, no longer trying to be stealthy.I could hear the creature crashing through the stalks behind us, getting closer with each passing second.

My lungs burned as we sprinted through the twisting passages, taking random turns in our desperation to escape.The maze that had seemed charming and romantic minutes ago now felt like a death trap, every path leading us deeper into danger.

"This way!"Calder shouted, yanking me sharply to the left.But as we rounded the corner, the path split into three directions.In our panic, our hands slipped apart.

"Calder!"I cried out, reaching for him, but he was already disappearing down the middle path while momentum carried me to the right.And I was far too terrified to stop and go back, especially with a monster on my tail.

"Ethan!"His voice was already growing distant."Head for the entrance!I'll find you!"

I wanted to call back, to tell him to wait, but the sound of something large and predatory crashing through the corn behind me kept me moving.My heart hammered against my ribs as I ran blindly through the maze, taking turns at random, hoping desperately I was heading toward safety.