The forest was silent, but not in a way that felt safe.
Every crunch of leaves beneath our boots sounded too loud, every distant owl call like a warning. The howl we'd heard minutes ago still echoed in my head, a reminder that we weren't alone out here—and whoever was coming wouldn't be friendly.
Aria walked a few steps ahead of me, her silver-streaked hair catching the faint moonlight. The glow that had surrounded her earlier was gone now, but I could still sense it—like a faint static charge in the air, humming around her. Even without looking at her, I knew her body was tense, coiled, ready to fight or run.
"We need to move faster," I said, my voice low. "If that was another Alpha's scouts, they'll be tracking us already."
She didn't turn around. "And where, exactly, are we going? Back to your pack so you can lock me up? Or maybe hand me over when the pressure gets too high?"
Her tone was sharp, but beneath it, I caught the thread of something else—fear. Not of me. Of herself.
I moved closer, matching her pace. "I'm not handing you over. But if we don't keep moving, someone else will take that choice away from us."
She finally stopped and faced me. Her eyes—still holding a faint shimmer from earlier—locked on mine. "Why, Kael? Why do you even care what happens to me? You rejected me. You made me feel like I didn't belong anywhere. Now suddenly I'm worth protecting?"
I didn't look away. Couldn't. "Because whatever's inside you… it's not just power, Aria. It's dangerous. Not just to others, but to you. If the wrong pack gets hold of you, they won't treat you like a wolf. They'll treat you like a weapon. And when they're done using you, they'll make sure no one can ever use you again."
She blinked, her expression faltering for just a moment before her guard slid back into place. "And you won't? Use me, I mean?"
The question hung between us, heavy, louder than the wind rustling through the trees. I didn't answer right away, because the truth was complicated—and neither of us had time for complicated.
Before I could respond, a branch snapped somewhere behind us. Not close, but close enough to make both of us freeze.
Aria's hand instinctively went to her side, silver light sparking faintly along her fingertips before she clenched her fist, forcing it down. Her breathing hitched. "They're close."
I reached for her arm—not rough, but enough to ground her. "Then we keep moving. Stay quiet. And whatever happens… keep that power buried unless you have no choice."
Her jaw tightened, but she nodded.
We took off through the trees, moving swiftly but silently. The wind carried more scents now—wolves, at least five, maybe more. Whoever they were, they were closing the distance.
And as we ran, one thought gnawed at me, sharper than any threat behind us.
It wasn't just the other packs we had to worry about.
It was how much longer Aria could keep herself under control…And how much longer I could keep pretending I didn't want the mate I'd cast aside.