#Chapter 147: The Prey

Ella The morning of the hunt, I woke up with a plan. I dressed in the most impractical outfit I could find: a white blouse that would show every speck of dirt and a pair of ballet flats that would be useless for running through the forest. I braided my hair loosely so it would come undone and look disheveled. I even borrowed some of Lilith’s red lipstick and tucked it into my pocket along with a book I’d grabbed from the library. Perfect. I looked like someone who had never spent a day outdoors in her life. After feeding Lucien and making sure he was settled with Lilith for the day, I made my way to the main grounds where all of the contestants were supposed to gather. The place was already buzzing with activity when I arrived. Women in hunting gear were stretching and checking their weapons. Others were huddled in groups, whispering amongst themselves—having teamed up to make it to the next round. I spotted Anya near the edge of the crowd, looking