Chapter 173 Keep him safe

Rafe's POV The towering structures of the city, at first a distant promise, rapidly materialised into concrete reality. The winding gravel path surrendered to smooth asphalt, and the dense treeline gave way to flickering streetlights and the faint, rhythmic hum of urban life. The air itself felt different – heavy with the smell of exhaust, fast food, and something vaguely metallic, a stark contrast to the clean, pine-scented air of the pack lands. As we crossed the invisible threshold into the city limits, the last traces of the pack's alarms faded, replaced by the incessant murmur of traffic, sirens in the far distance, and the occasional blare of a car horn. I slowed the car; the roar of the engine was no longer needed. My eyes scanned the unfamiliar streets, searching for something, anything, that looked safe and inconspicuous—a nondescript motel, perhaps, or a quiet side street where we wouldn't draw attention. Aurora's sleek black sedan, while fast, was also eye-catching. Jackson