He moves again, closing the distance before I can react. His hands catch my arms, rough palms burning against my cold skin as he turns me around to face him, his eyes glowing like emerald beads. “Then listen to me, Willow. Whatever you saw, we'll make sure it doesn't come true. Together. I will stand by your side through it all, but you're gonna have to let me in.”
“I can't, Thane,” I whisper, my vision hazy with tears. “You don’t understand—”
“I don’t need to understand. But from what I gathered, you're afraid of going all the way with me. I get it.”
I shake my head slowly, but Thane continues, “I just need you to stop running from me. I'm not pressuring you into anything. We can just be friends. And friends are there for each other. The way I want to be there for you. Do you understand?”
My brows knit as I stare into his eyes, finding sincerity in his words. My heart skips a beat, and I'm suddenly aware of his touch and how it brings me comfort, ease.
When my eyes flit to his lips, my airways fill with the warmth of his breath, the mint and tobacco intoxicating me and buzzing my mind.
“Thane…” I whisper, and his dark eyes meet mine when I look up again.
“Willow…” he responds, and the silkiness of his voice is my undoing as I push myself forward, throwing caution to the wind and ignoring everything I've been fighting for when I meet his lips.
Before I can breathe, his mouth is rough, desperate on mine, tasting like smoke and something wilder, more feral when he groans. My first instinct is to fight it, but the moment his lips move against mine, the storm inside me dies.
My heartbeat slows, the trembling in my hands easing as his warmth consumes me, allowing me to slide my arms around his neck as I surrender my inhibitions and let him take the lead.
I hate how easily my body remembers him, how being molded to his hard frame feels like my body was created to fit in his arms. His hand slides to the back of my neck, steadying me, grounding me when I’ve forgotten what solid ground feels like.
The kiss isn't gentle, but it’s a clash of pain and apology, heat and heartbreak as his tongue devours my essence. When he finally breaks the kiss, both of us are panting, our foreheads pressed together in the cold night.
When I finally reclaim my senses and logic takes over again, I breathe, “Friends….”
Thane gulps hard as he concedes, “Friends.”
The sound of soft footsteps crunching through snow has us breaking apart just as three figures emerge from the trees.
Aurora, Rissa, and Yvonne approach us, their warm, inviting smiles glowing under the moonlight.
“Thane,” Luna Aurora calls softly, holding up a hand. “We'll take it from here.”
For a heartbeat, I think he’ll refuse. But then he exhales, jaw loosening as he releases me. I meet his eyes again, still wary about what all of this means, but then I find the sincerity in the emerald depths that eases my worries.
Rissa approaches first, voice as calm as falling snow. “It’s alright, Willow. You’re safe now.”
Safe.
The word almost feels like a lie, but I let her take my trembling hands in hers. Warmth flows from her touch, steady and sure, and I can’t stop the tears that fall from my eyes now.
“Come on, sweetheart,” she whispers. “Let’s get you back. You need to rest.”
I glance back again, meeting Thane’s eyes, finding something fierce in his gaze; a silent promise that he'll always be right there, where I need him, wherever I need him.
And now more than ever, I can only open my heart to friendship with him.
He nods once, an encouraging motion for me to trust the witches where I might not be able to trust him, or myself, for that matter. Somehow, I believe him, so I let the witches lead me through the forest, back to the main village. Their warm presences and welcoming smiles as they lead me back make me feel secure—something I haven't felt for the longest time.
The further we go, the quieter the world becomes, until the only thing I hear is the wind and the thundering beat of myown heart, the remnants of Thane's touch, his kiss staying with me like a warm hug.
“You can stay at my place tonight,” Aurora tells me as we head in the direction of her house, a gentle, reassuring hand on my arm.
I gulp and nod timidly, unable to meet the burnt-down house with my gaze as we pass by.
“Tomorrow, we'll show you how our powers work, and you can train your own,” Yvonne chirps excitedly, grinning from ear to ear.
Rissa giggles beside me. “Yvie's been anticipating this moment for a long time.”
