Then, suddenly, one of them darted into my path—a wolf, sleek and menacing with its teeth bared in a snarl that sent a jolt of terror through me. My breath caught in my throat as I froze in place, shaking uncontrollably.
“No, no, no,” I whispered to myself like a prayer as I backed against the rough bark of a tree, desperately seeking some kind of shelter from the nightmare unfolding before me. The wolf's eyes glinted in the dim light—sharp and calculating—and every instinct screamed at me to run again.
But there was nowhere to go.
The other two wolves flanked it now, surrounding me with predatory grace, muscles coiled and ready to pounce at any moment. My heart thudded violently against my ribs; each beat echoed louder than the last.
They moved closer—tauntingly slow—every growl a reminder that I was trapped in their territory. I felt the cool wood behind me and wished for it to swallow me whole.
With trembling hands pressed against the tree trunk, I swallowed hard and tried to steady my breath, but all rational thought slipped away under their gaze. This was it—the culmination of all my fear and helplessness coming to a head.
And yet there was still one desperate flicker of defiance within me.
I would not be prey.
I glanced around frantically, my heart hammering against my ribs. I needed something—anything—that could serve as a weapon. My eyes darted over the forest floor, searching for a stick or a rock. I spotted a long branch, half-buried beneath leaves and debris. I lunged for it, gripping it tightly in my hands just as the first wolf lunged toward me.
Instinct took over. I swung the stick with all my strength, connecting with the wolf’s side just as it leapt at me. It yelped in surprise and fell back, but before I could breathe a sigh of relief, another wolf shot out from behind me. I felt the sharp tug of its teeth snagging the hem of my jacket.
Panic surged through me as I turned to strike at it, but its grip was relentless. The fabric stretched painfully against my back as I twisted, trying to free myself from its hold.
Then came a roar that shattered the tension in the air—deep and primal. It was't the wolves; it was Hades’ voice echoing through the trees like thunder.
The wolves hesitated, their ears twitching as they recognized him. Some retreated into the shadows, instinctively aware that their dominance had been challenged. But one wolf remained undeterred, lunging at me again with a snarl that sent shivers down my spine.
Hades burst through the underbrush like fire given form—wild and fierce. He barreled toward us with an intensity that made the ground tremble beneath his feet. The wolf lunged for him just as he reached me.
With an effortless grace, he grabbed the creature mid-air, muscles coiling under his skin like steel cables as he threw it down onto the ground with such force that it yelped in pain.
His teeth were bared in a snarl—predatory and feral—as he stood between me and whatever threat still lurked in the darkness.
I stood frozen, my breath hitching in my throat as Hades charged forward like a tempest, fury radiating off him in waves. He wasn’t just a man; he was something primal, something fierce that thrived in the chaos of the night. Blood smeared across his shirt glistened under the moonlight—not his blood. The sight made my stomach twist.
The remaining wolf hesitated, sensing the danger he posed. With a low growl rumbling from deep within Hades’ chest, it backed away, eyes wide with fear before it turned and fled into the darkness. In seconds, silence enveloped us, heavy and suffocating.
Hades turned to me then, chest heaving as if he had just run a marathon. His eyes glowed like embers in the night—intense and predatory—and I felt an involuntary shiver race down my spine. For the first time, I wasn't sure whether I was afraid of him or for him. The raw power emanating from him both thrilled and terrified me.
I opened my mouth to speak, to ask what on earth had just happened, but before I could utter a single word, he crossed the space between us in two long strides. My heart raced as he grabbed my chin with firm fingers, tilting my face up to inspect me closely.
“She touched you,” he said, his voice low and dangerous as if each word carried weight.
My breath caught again at the intensity of his gaze. There was something fierce in those glowing eyes—a wildness that made me question everything I thought I knew about him.
“That one had blood on her teeth,” he continued, his tone laced with something darkly protective that sent a shudder through me.
The world around us faded away—the woods vanished; it was just him and me now. The raw emotion etched into his features made my heart pound harder. He was furious; there was no mistaking that—but it also felt like there was something else beneath that fury. A primal instinct to protect what was his? Or perhaps...something deeper?
I flinched at his touch, a jolt of fear sparking through me as he tilted my chin up. The intensity in his eyes held me captive, but I could see the storm brewing beneath the surface. Hades exhaled through his nose, a low, rumbling sound that seemed to vibrate in the air between us, as if he were trying not to lose control.
Before I could process what was happening, he yanked off his coat and threw it over my shoulders. The fabric enveloped me—heavy and warm—but it felt like a shackle instead of a comfort.
“Let’s go,” he said, grabbing my arm with a grip that was firm but not cruel. It was possessive, a clear declaration that I was under his control.
He started dragging me back toward the house. My heart pounded against my ribs as we walked in silence, each step crunching on fallen leaves beneath our feet. The cold night air bit at my skin, but I barely noticed; all my focus remained on him—his presence loomed large and suffocating.
I glanced up at him occasionally, but he kept his gaze forward, jaw clenched tight. I wondered what thoughts churned behind those dark eyes. Did he think I would run again? Did he feel justified in dragging me back like this?
With every stride we took, anger simmered beneath the surface of my fear. He hadn’t saved me; he’d intervened for his own reasons—his own twisted sense of ownership.
