Elena never realized how quiet the forest could be until she found herself walking beside the man every pack whispered about. The moon hung low over the treetops, painting pale streaks across the path as Vincent led her deeper into the woods. He didn’t say a word, but his presence was heavy, dominant, tense, almost protective. She could feel the strange warmth she always felt around him, a pull she couldn’t explain, like her body responded to him before her mind even caught up.
The night air smelled of damp leaves and pine. Elena wrapped her arms around herself, partly because of the cold, partly because she didn’t trust her own heartbeat around him. He glanced at her once, quietly removed his jacket, and settled it on her shoulders without slowing his steps.
“You’re cold,” he said simpl
