Chapter 5.
1570 Words
Kiera's P.O.V.
The door slammed open, the force rattling the walls. Rowan’s silhouette loomed in the frame, his sharp, storm-filled gaze locking onto mine. The air in the room seemed to thin, leaving only the heavy weight of his presence.
“So, this is what it’s come to,” he said, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade.
I didn’t flinch. My pulse raced, but I stood my ground, meeting his fury with unwavering calm. “I’m not going to apologize for this, Rowan,” I said evenly.
His eyes darted to Damian, standing a few steps behind me. The crackling tension between them was almost tangible, but I refused to let it consume me. Rowan wasn’t the center of my world anymore, and I wasn’t about to let him dictate my choices.
“You’re making a mistake,” he growled, taking a step closer, his hands clenched into fists.
“No,” I replied firmly, crossing my arms. “The mistake would’ve been staying silent. I deserve to choose what’s best for me, and you don’t get to decide that anymore.”
Rowan’s jaw tightened, his eyes searching mine for some hint of uncertainty. He wouldn’t find it. The old Kiera—the one who would’ve hesitated, who would’ve second-guessed herself—was gone. I’d burned her down the moment I realized that holding onto the past was suffocating me.
“Damian,” Rowan snarled, turning his wrath toward his father. “You knew this would happen. You’ve been waiting for this moment, haven’t you?”
Damian’s voice was calm but resolute. “This isn’t about you, Rowan. It’s about her. Maybe if you stopped thinking about yourself for one second, you’d see that.”
The words hit Rowan like a blow, and for a brief moment, his mask slipped. Pain flickered across his face before it hardened again, his walls going up.
“She was mine,” he said, his voice quieter but no less intense. “You had no right—”
“You lost me, Rowan,” I interjected, my voice strong and unwavering. “Long before Damian came into the picture, you lost me. And you know it.”
The truth hung heavy in the air, undeniable and unyielding. I could see it in the way Rowan’s shoulders sagged slightly, in the way his fists unclenched. But his pride wouldn’t let him admit it.
“You’ll regret this,” he said, his voice low and tight.
I stepped closer, looking him directly in the eye. “I’ve made peace with my choices, Rowan. Can you say the same?”
For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze darting between me and Damian. Then, with a bitter scoff, he turned on his heel and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind him.
The room was silent in the aftermath, the weight of what had just happened settling over us like a storm cloud.
Damian stepped closer, his hand brushing against mine. “You didn’t have to face him alone,” he said softly.
I looked up at him, the warmth in his eyes a stark contrast to the tempest that had just left the room. “I did,” I said simply. “Because this isn’t just about you or him. It’s about me. And I won’t let anyone take that from me again.”
Damian’s lips quirked into a small smile, pride evident in his gaze. “You’re stronger than you realize, Kiera.”
I wasn’t sure if I believed that yet, but I nodded, letting the moment settle between us. The battle with Rowan might’ve ended, but the war ahead—for my freedom, my heart, and my place in this world—was just beginning.
The door’s echo faded, but the storm Rowan had brought lingered in the air. My chest tightened, each breath a reminder of the confrontation that had just unraveled. I glanced at Damian, his steady presence grounding me in the aftermath.
“I didn’t expect him to let go so easily,” I admitted, my voice quieter now.
Damian tilted his head, his expression softening. “Rowan isn’t one to let go at all. But that doesn’t mean he can hold onto you.”
I turned away, my arms wrapping around myself as if to shield against the emotions threatening to surface. “He looked at me like I’d betrayed him, like I was the one who turned my back first.”
“Guilt has a way of twisting the truth,” Damian said, stepping closer. “And Rowan’s drowning in it. He knows he hurt you, Kiera. He just doesn’t know how to admit it.”
I let out a bitter laugh, the sound hollow in the quiet room. “Admitting it wouldn’t change anything. It’s too late for that.”
The truth of my words settled over me like a weight, but alongside it was a flicker of freedom. Rowan’s hold on me—his expectations, his regrets—they weren’t mine to carry anymore. I had broken free, and no amount of his anger could pull me back.
Damian’s hand found mine, his touch gentle but firm. “You did what you had to do. Don’t let his pain overshadow your growth.”
I met his gaze, the warmth there steadying me. “I know,” I said, my voice stronger now. “But it doesn’t make it easier.”
“It never is,” Damian replied, his voice low. “But you don’t have to face it alone anymore.”
The quiet didn’t last. A knock at the door broke the moment, and one of the pack’s younger members hesitantly stepped inside.
“Alpha Damian,” she began, her voice trembling. “There’s news from the northern border. They’re regrouping.”
Damian’s expression darkened, the softness replaced with the sharp focus of a leader. “How many?”
“Too many for a scouting party,” she said, glancing nervously at me. “It looks like they’re preparing for another attack.”
My heart sank. We’d barely survived the last fight, and the pack was still reeling from the losses. Another attack now could break us.
Damian nodded, already shifting into command mode. “Rally the scouts. I want eyes on their movements, but no one engages until I say so.”
The girl nodded and hurried out, leaving the room tense once more.
“I should go with them,” I said, stepping toward the door.
Damian’s hand caught my arm, his grip firm but not forceful. “You’ve done enough for tonight, Kiera. You need to rest.”
“I can rest when this is over,” I shot back, my eyes narrowing. “I’m not some fragile piece to be protected, Damian. You, of all people, should know that.”
His gaze softened, though his grip didn’t loosen. “I do know that. But you can’t fight every battle on your own. Trust the pack to do their part.”
I hesitated, the weight of his words settling over me. He was right, as much as I hated to admit it. I couldn’t be everywhere, couldn’t shoulder every burden alone.
“I’ll stay here,” I said finally, though the decision tasted bitter. “But if things get worse—”
“You’ll be the first to know,” Damian promised.
The hours passed slowly. I remained by the window, watching the darkened forest for any sign of movement. The tension in the house was palpable, every creak of the floorboards or rustle of leaves setting my nerves on edge.
Damian had gone to meet with the scouts, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The quiet was suffocating, each moment stretching endlessly as I replayed the confrontation with Rowan in my mind.
He’d looked at me like I was still his, like the choices I’d made were some personal betrayal. But I wasn’t his anymore. I wasn’t anyone’s but my own.
A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
“Come in,” I called, my voice steadier than I felt.
The door opened slowly, revealing Damian. His presence immediately eased the tension coiled in my chest, though the grim set of his jaw told me the news wasn’t good.
“They’re on the move,” he said, closing the door behind him. “We have until sunrise, maybe less.”
My heart clenched. “Do we have enough to hold them off?”
“We’ll have to,” he said simply, his eyes meeting mine. “But I need you to stay here, Kiera.”
“Damian—”
“No,” he interrupted, stepping closer. “You’ve done enough. Let me protect you this time.”
The raw emotion in his voice stopped me. He wasn’t commanding me as a leader or pleading with me as an ally. He was asking as someone who cared, deeply and undeniably.
“I don’t like it,” I admitted, my voice soft.
“I don’t expect you to,” Damian said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “But I need you to trust me.”
I nodded, though every instinct screamed at me to fight alongside him. “Just promise me you’ll come back.”
Damian’s gaze softened, his hand brushing against mine. “I will. I’m not leaving you, Kiera. Not now, not ever.”
- Writer
