Chapter 32

Evan comes into sight between the trees, and Rene stalks closer. He can hear Evan’s heavy breathing, and it excites his cat. He wants to pounce, but the feelings Rene had feared would come when he chased a human in his woods haven’t come. This doesn’t feel like hunting—it feels like playing.

And in the spirit of letting the game last longer, Rene purposefully steps on a twig with one of his paws, breaking it and making a loud cracking sound, which sends Evan speeding in another direction. Rene dashes after him. He lets himself be spotted a few times, but when he can tell Evan’s getting exhausted by his breathing, Rene puts a kick of speed into his stride, and this time Evan doesn’t see him coming.

Rene launches himself through the trees so that he lands right in front of Evan, who makes a startled sound.

“Christ, you scared me,” Evan says, his breathing uneven.