The danger found them so soon than she'd expected. It loomed in the woods like an angry lion. Their bond had deepened but the night outside was no longer quiet. The wind had changed and she sensed it.
Aria felt it in her bones. The forest wasn't just breathing anymore, it was watching.
Over the cabin window, she remained still. Her fingers tight around the edge of the wooden frame and her breath fogged the glass. She noticed the shadows moved between the trees. It was too fluid to be wind and too silent to be a human.
"Someone had followed us." She said, almost in a whisper as her gaze snapped to the bed where the stranger, Damien was propped up on one elbow.
Even though he was still half-healed, there was nothing weak about him. His gold eyes burned in the lantern light, sharp and aware- depicting his true predator nature.
"They found you," she hissed.
He didn't ask how she knew. His nostrils had done the job, catching the same scent she had—smoke, steel, and blood. "Rogues…at least three." He said, snapping to his feet.
"Get out," Aria mumbled as she reached for the dagger strapped to her thigh. "I'll distract them while you make an escape."
"Not happening." He had bluntly refused, shoving her to the exit she had showed him. "They're here for me. You won't survive if you try to fight them alone."
"You're barely standing." Her eyes narrowed as they seized at him but he insisted. His lips curved into something dark. "I'm still an Alpha."
His cold voice sent a shiver down her spine; she had no intentions of admitting it, but the way he carried himself—the weight of his presence and the pulse of his power. It all spoke one truth; he wasn't just another wolf. He was dominant and dangerous.
The rogues were yet still on the move; positioning themselves. Outside in the woods, a twig snapped and then another. It sounded even more closer than before. Three shadows emerged from the tree line; wolves in human form, their eyes glinted in the moonlight.
"They'll tear this place apart," Damien said lowly. "If I shift, I can take them down."
Aria's pulse spiked, her eyes glowed with fire. "And lead them straight to the village when they track your scent? No." She quickly objected. "I wouldn't opt for that".
"Then we fight together." His eyes sparked, ready to devour whatever step forward at any moment.
A load kick suddenly brought the door flaring open, the moment his words had ended. The wood splintered with a deafening crack. Aria was the first to move.
Silent and swift, her blade sliced across the intruder's arm before he could blink. He snarled, revealing sharp canines which lunged at her. Damien was right behind her before any blow; moving with fluid, brutal grace.
With a single blow, the rogue hit the floor, his bone snapped. "Two more," he growled, his voice half-shifted.
The others poured in and soon, the cabin became a storm of teeth; fists, and fire. Aria ducked a blade and spun low, slamming her dagger into a shoulder. Blood sprayed and in a quick turn, a hand grasped her from behind. It was a rogue but before she could react, Damien's wolf broke free.
In a skip of a minute, she saw it; the full weight of his power. Witnessing an alpha shift for the first time was breathtaking.
His canines elongated and his gold eyes glowed. His strength hit the room like a wave and in a single roar, he ripped the rogue off her as if he was made of paper.
Shaken by his wrath, Aria trembled, stumbling back in the process as she catches her breath; watching him fight—no, command the fight.
Every movement was precise, ruthless, and protective. Not just an Alpha but the predator he was.
He stood panting with blood dripping down his knuckles; his chest heaving as the last rogue hit the ground. His gaze was locked on her. And suddenly, the room felt too small. The air too thick.
She didn't realize when she had backed against the wall until he stepped closer. Not threatening—just drawn. Like gravity itself had chosen her.
"You shouldn't have done that," she whispered. "Fought with me, I mean." She stammered as he closed in even more now. Close enough that she could feel his heat and make out the smell of the wild forest scent clinging to his skin.
"And let them touch you?" His voice was a growl. "Never."
Her breath caught. For a moment, danger blurred with something deeper—hotter. His hand brushed her wrist, a single touch that set the mate bond blazing like wildfire.
"Damien," she breathed, not sure if it was a warning or a plea.
His forehead nearly touched hers; their eyes locked and their breath matched each other like destiny.
"Say my name again." He muttered. The words sank under her skin like a spell. She hated how much it affected her. How much he affected her.
"Don't—" she started, but his thumb brushed against her pulse, silencing her.
"You're mine," he murmured, the wolf in his voice unmistakable.
She stiffened. "I belong to no one."
And yet, her heart betrayed her—beating in time with his. Outside, the moon hung low and heavy. Inside, the danger had passed, but the real threat now stood inches from her, wearing a golden gaze and her heartbeat."
The heat of the bond; It was awake