She didn’t understand… not yet.
That I was different. I didn’t do things the conventional way. I followed nobody’s orders.
I did thingsmyway.
And this human… now that I’d seen her, smelled her, held her…
I couldn’t bring myself to let her go.
I could see the fear in her eyes when I pinned her against the wall. But mixed with the fear was anger and fire. That same firethat had made me buy her life instead of walking away, though I’d had no reason to interfere.
Her defiance was intoxicating.
I sighed and shifted my weight, glancing over at her. She was curled up with her knees pulled close, chin tucked down, pretending I wasn’t here. As if ignoring me would make me less real.
She didn’t understand that I would never harm her.
All I wanted was to show her what life with me would be like. That she would never go hungry, never go cold, never fear wolves at her throat or a blade in the dark. I would protect her. Provide for her.
But she wasn’t ready to see that.
Not yet.
I rose from my place near the fire, the floor creaking under my weight. Her gaze flicked toward me for an instant, sharp and wary, before she quickly looked away. That distrust stung more than I cared to admit.
So be it.
I walked toward the cave’s entrance, stepping into the sunlight. The air outside was warm, bright and clean after the storm, the forest alive with the scent of wet pine and damp earth.
And then I froze.
Something tainted the air. A sharp, musky stench that prickled the back of my throat.
Dire wolves.
The others of the pack must have scented us out. Coming for revenge.
My gaze cut to the woods beyond the stream, where the shadows ran too deep, too quiet. The hairs at the back of my neck rose.
I’d left my weapons in the cave.
A growl built low in my chest as I cursed under my breath. There was no time.
I turned back toward Mira, who was watching me from inside the cave, confusion flaring in her eyes. She didn’t understand what that smell meant. She didn’t know how fast they would strike when they came.
But I did.
I sprinted from the mouth of the cave, my steps pounding the wet earth, every muscle tight with purpose. I would protect her. I would rip the wolves apart with my bare hands if I had to.
Because she was mine.
MIRA
The cave was too quiet after he left.
I sat in the corner where I’d retreated earlier, knees pulled up, arms wrapped around them, my mind spinning in tight, restless circles. The anger had burned through me, but now it was just embers—hot, yes, but not enough to cover the deeper things beneath.
Fear.
