“Don’t worry about it.Just focus on your mate,” he says.
For the firsttime in forever, I regret my solitary life.The people of Night Grove Falls are all so kind and friendly.Maybe I should’ve made more of an effort to get to know them.
“We’ll be back soon,” Knox says, clapping me on the shoulder.
“Sounds good.Thanks again.”
The cabin falls silent again as they leave.Amber light spills through the windows as the sun dips behind the mountains.I take a moment to appreciate the sight before pulling a chair next to the couch to sit beside my mate.
She shifts slightly in her sleep.My bear settles inside me, still alert and watchful for any threat but calmer now she’s here with us.
I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, my eyes tracing over her face.
“You’re not going anywhere,” I murmur softly.“You’re safe here.I’ll always protect you.I’ll give you anything you need, anything you want.”
She shifts again, rolling slightly closer to me.
I smile.She may not know it yet, but she’s home now, and I’ll guard her with my life.
No one touches my mate.No one takes her from me.
Not ever.
TWO
Vivian
The first thingI notice when I wake up is the silence.
Not the tense, suffocating quiet I’ve lived with for weeks, where every creak of a floorboard means someone might be coming to check on me, where whispers hide behind walls, and every day feels like it might be the day I’m given to that man.
This silence is different.It’s soft and almost… peaceful.
It takes a few seconds for my mind to catch up with the rest of me.My body feels heavy, like I’ve been asleep for a long time, and my muscles ache in places I didn’t even know could hurt.
Slowly, I open my eyes and frown.I have no idea where I am.
A wooden ceiling stretches above me, and warm sunlight filters through a nearby window.The room smells faintly like pine and something else… coffee, maybe.
I blink, trying to focus, and look around, taking stock of my surroundings.I see an armchair across from me, a wooden coffee table, and a stone fireplace.
My heart races.
Where am I?
I sit up too quickly, and a wave of dizziness crashes over me.My vision blurs, and I grab the edge of the couch to steady myself.My eyes dart around the room.Panic rises fast and sharp in my chest.
Breathe.Just breathe.
I inhale slowly and exhale a deep breath.As the seconds tick by and my breathing calms, something becomes apparent.
This isn’t one of the cult houses.It doesn’t have the same layout as the places they’ve kept me in.No white walls, no scripture banners hanging everywhere.The floor plan isn’t as closed off.
The realization hits me with a sudden rush of relief.I’m not there anymore.I made it out.My chest heaves as gratitude and disbelief swirl together.I escaped.
I jump as a crash comes from the next room, every sense on high alert again.
“Shit.”
