I caught up to Mira. She moved with a reckless urgency, her boots crushing twigs and leaves beneath her, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps.
I grabbed her arm, my fingers digging in just enough to force her to stop. My voice was sharp, laced with a mix of frustration and false concern.
"How can you be so damn dumb?!" I snapped, my grip tightening as I spun her to face me. "Are you actually trying to get yourself killed?! Do you have any idea what's out here?!"
Mira's eyes burned with a mix of fury and desperation as she yanked her arm free. "What the hell are you doing here, Dexter?!" she demanded, her voice trembling but fierce. "This doesn't concern you!"
I smirked, my tone dripping with mock worry. "Oh, but it does. I can't have my future slave throwing her life away before I even get to enjoy her obedience, now can I?"
Mira's face twisted in disgust, her voice low and venomous. "I will never be your slave. Never."
