Chapter 3: The Pull He Denied
1056 Words
He didn’t mean to come back.
He didn’t even remember deciding to.
One moment—
He was walking.
Away.
Far from that street.
Far from her.
Far from the mistake he had almost made.
And the next—
He stopped.
His steps slowed.
Then stilled.
His brows pulled together slightly.
“…Why?”
The word came out low. Confused.
Because this wasn’t where he was supposed to be.
This wasn’t the direction he had chosen.
And yet—
His body had brought him here.
Again.
---
The street was quieter now.
Daylight had replaced the cold darkness of last night.
Everything looked… normal.
Unremarkable.
Safe.
But his gaze didn’t move across the street.
It locked.
Immediately.
Like it had been searching for only one thing.
Her.
---
She stood near the edge of the sidewalk, adjusting the strap of her bag, her movements slower than they should have been.
Careful.
As if even standing still required effort.
His jaw tightened slightly.
'She should have recovered by now'.
But she hadn’t.
And something about that—
Stayed.
Uncomfortably.
Inside him.
---
“…This is not your concern.”
The words were quieter this time.
Less certain.
He forced himself to turn away.
Forced his feet to move.
One step.
Then another.
Distance.
That’s what he needed.
That’s what this required.
---
He stopped again.
A sharp breath left him.
His fingers curled slowly at his sides.
“…No.”
This time, the word carried weight.
Frustration.
Something dangerously close to anger.
Not at her.
At himself.
Because his body—
It didn’t listen.
It didn’t care.
It turned back before his mind could stop it.
His gaze found her again instantly.
And something in his chest tightened.
---
She started walking.
Slow.
Unaware.
Her steps unsteady—but determined.
And without permission—
Without decision—
He moved.
---
Not toward her.
Not directly.
But not away either.
His steps fell into rhythm behind her.
At a distance.
Far enough.
Hidden enough.
Safe enough.
But still—
Following.
---
“…This ends now,” he muttered.
But he didn’t stop.
Didn’t turn.
Didn’t leave.
Because the truth was—
He wasn’t deciding this anymore.
---
She turned a corner.
He followed.
She slowed.
He slowed.
She paused briefly near a storefront—
He stopped completely.
Blending into shadow without effort.
His eyes never left her.
Not once.
Not even for a second.
---
“…Pathetic.”
The word came out harsher now.
Sharper.
Because he understood what this was becoming.
And he didn’t like it.
Didn’t accept it.
Didn’t allow it.
---
She lifted a hand to her neck.
Pressing lightly against it.
Right where—
His gaze dropped instantly.
Locked.
There.
That pulse.
That same fragile rhythm beneath her skin.
His throat tightened.
Hunger flickered again.
Fast.
Dangerous.
Unwanted.
His jaw clenched hard enough to hurt.
“…Don’t.”
But the word came too late.
Because the image—
The memory—
Of her in his arms last night—
Came rushing back.
The warmth of her skin.
The sound of her heartbeat.
The way she had leaned into him—
Unconscious.
Trusting.
Defenseless.
His breath slowed unnaturally.
Not calm.
Controlled.
Forced.
---
She started walking again.
And again—
He followed.
---
Minutes passed.
Or maybe longer.
Time had started bending again.
Losing meaning.
Losing structure.
Because this—
This silent, unwilling chase—
Was becoming something else.
Something deeper.
Something more dangerous than simple curiosity.
---
Then—
She stopped.
Suddenly.
Abruptly.
No warning.
No reason.
---
His body froze instantly.
Every muscle locking into place.
His breath halted.
Because this time—
She didn’t just pause.
She turned.
---
Her eyes moved slowly across the space behind her.
Scanning.
Searching.
Not exactly where he stood—
But close.
Too close.
---
His entire body went still.
Completely.
Like even the smallest movement would break something.
Reveal something.
Expose something that should never be seen.
---
Her brows furrowed slightly.
Confusion.
A faint unease.
Her lips parted.
“…Hello?” she called softly.
The sound barely reached him.
But it didn’t need to.
Because he heard everything.
Always.
---
Silence answered her.
Still.
Cold.
Unmoving.
---
But he didn’t leave.
Didn’t disappear.
Didn’t step back into complete darkness like he should have.
Like he always did.
---
Instead—
He stayed.
---
His gaze fixed on her.
Sharp.
Unblinking.
Unnatural.
And for a moment—
A single, fragile moment—
Something shifted.
---
She felt it.
Not clearly.
Not fully.
But enough.
---
Her hand tightened slightly around her bag.
Her breathing changed.
Just slightly.
And her eyes—
They moved again.
Closer this time.
Closer to where he stood.
---
His jaw tightened.
Something unfamiliar rising inside him.
Not hunger.
Not exactly.
Something quieter.
Stranger.
More dangerous in a different way.
---
“…You can’t see me,” he whispered under his breath.
Not to her.
To himself.
---
But the words didn’t feel as certain as they should have.
---
Because she didn’t move.
Didn’t turn away.
Didn’t leave.
---
She stayed.
Standing there.
Looking.
Almost—
Waiting.
---
And for the first time—
He didn’t want her to walk away.
---
That realization hit him harder than anything else.
Sharp.
Unwanted.
Unforgivable.
---
His expression darkened instantly.
His body stepping back—
One step.
Then another.
Forcing distance.
Forcing control.
Forcing himself to remember—
What he was.
---
“…This ends here.”
This time—
It sounded like a command.
---
And finally—
He turned.
Disappearing into shadow again.
Like he should have done from the start.
Like he always did.
---
Behind him—
She remained still.
For a few seconds longer.
Her gaze lingering on the empty space he had just left behind.
Her brows still slightly drawn together.
Her heart beating just a little faster.
Though she didn’t know why.
---
“…someone was there…”
She whispered it to herself this time.
Quiet.
Uncertain.
---
Far from her—
Hidden once more—
He stopped again.
Just for a moment.
---
His eyes closed briefly.
His jaw tight.
His control strained.
---
“…I won’t come back.”
The words were firm.
Final.
Certain.
---
A promise.
---
And yet—
Something deep inside him—
Dark.
Silent.
Unyielding—
Didn’t believe it.
- Writer
