Master of his heart (Max and Brielle)

Brielle felt a shiver run down her spine, her face turning ghostly pale. Almost on autopilot, she scooped up Isaac and placed him on Noir's back, giving the horse a firm slap on the rear. "Take him and go!" she urged.

Noir, smart as a whip, seemed to understand exactly what Brielle wanted. The horse turned to look back at her, feeling the pat on its neck-Isaac's little hand urging it to run.

Without missing a beat, Noir took off, quickly disappearing into the trees.

Brielle's plan was simple. Noir was a brave horse, but against a pack of panthers, it wouldn't stand a chance. The panthers were in the middle of their meal, and any intruder would be seen as a threat. If she and Isaac tried to escape together on Noir, they'd never outrun the pack. So, she stayed behind to draw their attention, giving Isaac a shot at safety.

With Noir, Isaac would be okay.

Seeing Noir and Isaac vanish into the distance, Brielle finally allowed herself to breathe. She had been holding it together through sheer willpower; the sight of the bloodied hunt would make even the toughest adult shudder.

Making such a clear-headed decision in that moment was nothing short of a miracle.

Now, knowing they were out of harm's way, her legs buckled, and she sank to the ground.

Run? Not a chance. She knew she couldn't outrun these panthers, the kings of the jungle. She'd be lucky to make it a few steps before they dragged her back by the neck. The best move now was to stay still, not provoke them.

All ten panthers locked their golden eyes on Brielle, their muzzles still stained with fresh blood. A whirlwind of thoughts stormed through her mind, the sharpest being that she might never see Max again.

She'd always believed that staying

close to King would mean seeing Max. She hadn't even had the chance to respond to his words from the night of the fire.

How could life ever be smooth without him?

But now, she hoped King would always stay King, never becoming Max again. If Max knew she was gone, it would break his heart.

King's concern for her was just a shadow of Max's feelings, and now he had the chance to find Isaac's

birth mother. Brielle figured she'd et

soon be a distant memory. King with his childlike nature, might already be bored of her. Kids get tired of toys, always wanting something new.

Even if Max were to mourn, it wouldn't last long.

Brielle closed her eyes and sighed, a dull ache settling in her chest. Facing death, she realized just how many things she wasn't ready to let go of. In Beaconsfield, she couldn't bear to leave Aubree, Stellar Stage Entertainment, Ricardo, Keiran. In North America, she hadn't even met her mother yet or reconnected with her father.

In the face of death, life's moments really did flash before her eyes.

Her heart ached, but her eyes remained fixed on the panthers closing in. To them, she was just another trespasser.

Seeing them approach her instead of chasing Isaac brought her a strange sense of relief. Her sacrifice wasn't in vain.

Her only hope now was that the panthers would leave no trace of her behind-not even bones or clothes. The thought of Max finding her remains was unbearable. With a faint smile, she saw the panthers now right in front of her, their golden eyes both regal and deadly.

She closed her eyes.