Chapter 5
1251 Words
Ayla’s POV
The arrow missed me by inches.
I could still hear the whistle it made, the sharp hiss as it sliced through the air. If Cassian hadn’t moved when he did, it would have gone straight through my chest.
He stood a few feet ahead, blood spreading across his shoulder where the arrow had grazed him. His jaw was tight, his eyes glowing faintly gold as his wolf tried to break free.
“Cassian,” I whispered, stepping closer. “You’re hurt.”
He didn’t look at me. His eyes stayed fixed on the trees. “Stay behind me.”
The silence that followed was too heavy. Even the wind stopped. The scent of iron filled the air.
Then, slowly, he turned to face me. “They were aiming at you.”
I swallowed hard, my pulse pounding. “How do you know?”
“Because I’ve been hunted long enough to recognize it,” he said quietly. His voice was calm, but I could hear the storm underneath. “Who wants you dead, Ayla?”
The question made my throat tighten. I couldn’t tell him the truth. Not yet.
“I don’t know,” I lied.
Cassian’s gaze sharpened. “Try again.”
“I said I don’t know.”
He stepped closer, his voice lower. “Someone just tried to kill you. Don’t waste time lying to me.”
My eyes burned. “What difference does it make? You shouldn’t even care.”
He grabbed my arm, pulling me closer until I could feel the heat of his body. “I do care.”
The words hit harder than the fear. His hand was warm against my skin, and for a moment, everything else disappeared—the arrow, the danger, the lies. There was only him.
“You’re bleeding,” I whispered again.
He let go of me slowly. “It’s nothing. I heal fast.”
But the blood kept seeping through his shirt. Without thinking, I reached up and pressed my hand against the wound. His body went rigid. His breath hitched, and his eyes darkened.
“You shouldn’t touch me,” he said roughly.
“I’m trying to help.”
“You don’t understand.”
Before I could respond, his hand caught mine and held it there. His pulse thudded against my palm. For a second, he just stared at me like he was trying to remember something—something lost and important.
“My wolf,” he murmured, voice breaking slightly. “He doesn’t reject you.”
“What?”
“He hasn’t done that in years. You’re the only one he doesn’t fight.”
I didn’t know what to say. His eyes were burning into me, and my heart wouldn’t stop racing.
He released my hand suddenly and stepped back. “We need to go. It’s not safe here.”
He drove me to his mansion on the northern side of Silverpine. The drive was quiet. I stared out the window, trying to calm my thoughts, but everything inside me was trembling.
When we arrived, he parked in front of the gates. The house stood like a dark fortress against the fog, surrounded by tall trees and silence.
I hesitated before getting out. “You want me to stay here?”
“For now,” he said. “Until I find out who’s after you.”
I frowned. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough.”
“You’re not responsible for me, Cassian.”
He looked at me, his expression unreadable. “Maybe not. But I’m not letting you die.”
Inside, the house smelled of cedar and smoke. Everything was dark and orderly, just like him.
He motioned toward a guest room upstairs. “You can stay here tonight. I’ll have someone bring your things.”
“I can’t stay.”
“You can,” he said firmly. “You were almost killed. I’m not taking chances.”
His tone left no room for argument. I stepped into the room, the sound of my heartbeat filling the quiet space.
When I turned around, he was still standing at the door, watching me.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked softly. “Why me?”
His jaw tightened. “I wish I knew.”
Then he walked away.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my hands. My body was still shaking. I wasn’t used to anyone protecting me. I had spent years surviving alone, pretending I didn’t need anyone.
But the moment Cassian touched me, something inside me cracked.
I could still feel his warmth on my skin. The way his voice softened when he said my name. The look in his eyes when he thought I might die.
It scared me more than the arrow.
Because for the first time since I came back, I wasn’t sure I could keep my plan straight.
A few hours later, I left the room quietly. The house was silent except for the faint sound of rain against the windows. I found him in his office, sitting in the dark.
“Couldn’t sleep either?” I asked.
He didn’t turn. “You should be resting.”
“I can’t.”
When I stepped closer, the light from the fireplace caught the bloodstain on his shirt. It had dried now, but seeing it made my chest ache.
“Does it still hurt?” I asked.
His lips curved faintly. “Only when I breathe.”
I smiled a little to myself. “That’s every second.”
His eyes met mine. For a long moment, neither of us moved. The air between us grew heavier with every heartbeat.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I whispered.
“Because I can’t stop.”
He stood up slowly, the shadows shifting across his face. When he came closer, my breath hitched.
“Cassian…”
He stopped in front of me, his voice low. “You make it hard to stay in control.”
“Then don’t.”
He froze, eyes dark with conflict. His hand lifted like he wanted to touch me but stopped halfway. His wolf wanted me. I could feel it in the air. But there was something else too—fear.
He took a deep breath. “If I touch you, I might not stop.”
“Maybe I don’t want you to.”
The silence between us burned hotter than fire.
He reached out slowly, brushing his fingers against my cheek. My eyes fluttered shut. Every nerve in my body woke at once.
Then, just as suddenly, he pulled away.
“I can’t,” he said hoarsely. “Not yet.”
I opened my eyes, breathless. “Then when?”
His gaze lingered on me, filled with hunger and pain. “When it’s safe.”
He turned and walked to the window. The rain outside had turned into a downpour.
And that was when we saw it.
A figure standing just beyond the gates, cloaked in black, holding something shiny under the storm.
Cassian’s voice was calm, but I heard the fury beneath it. “They found you again.”
I took a step back, my stomach twisting. “Who?”
His eyes flicked toward me, sharp and knowing. “You tell me, Ayla. Because I think this isn’t just about you. It’s about what you’re hiding.”
The wind howled, shaking the windows.
And before I could answer, the lights went out.
- Writer
