CHAPTER FOURTEEN:SAFE
1001 Words
NEVAEH’S POV;
The warm scent of sugar, coffee, and cinnamon wrapped around me the moment we swung open the doors to WhistleWho.The bell above it jingled…. a soft, cheerful sound completely at odds with the storm still tangled inside my chest.
Kiera didn’t give me time to hesitate. She guided me inside with a gentle push on my back, muttering something about needing to check on her sourdough before disappearing into the kitchen.
And then… I saw him.
Carter.
He was sitting in one of the corner booths, posture easy but his presence filled the space in a way that made him impossible to ignore.
The soft light from the dangling bulb caught in his bright white hair hair, and though he looked slightly out of place among the pastel cushions and handwritten menu boards, something about him… fit.
Our eyes met.
It was a quiet, deliberate moment like neither of us wanted to be the first to look away.
I swallowed and made my way over, every step feeling heavier than it should.
My pulse was still fluttering from the garage incident, but now it was for a different reason.
He stood as I approached and said. “Nevaeh.”
His voice was low, steady, but there was an undercurrent of something else….relief, maybe, or frustration carefully kept in check.
“Hey,” I murmured, sliding into the booth across from him as he sat back down.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. The hum of the bakery, the faint clatter from the kitchen and the occasional hiss of the espresso machine, all of it seemed amplified against the silence between us.
Finally, he broke it.
“You’re here,” he said quietly, like he wasn’t entirely sure I would be.
I swallowed, my fingers curling around the edge of the table. “Yeah… I’m here.” My voice sounded smaller than I liked.
His eyes softened for just a fraction of a second before hardening again. “I’ve been worried about you, Nevaeh.”
There was no hesitation in his tone, no casual politeness……just raw truth.
I let out a short nervous laugh. “That’s crazy, I’ve been worried about me too.”
His jaw tightened, but his gaze didn’t leave mine. “Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?”
I shrugged, wrapping my hands around the warm ceramic coffee cup that Kiera sneakily dropped on the table.
“Because… I didn’t even know how to tell myself. It all happened so fast. One minute I was engaged, the next I was dodging Harold like he’s some… unhinged stalker.”
His eyes darkened. “And today? At work?”
I hesitated. I didn’t want to see the look on his face when I told him. But Carter wasn’t someone I wanted to lie to.
I glanced down at my wrist before I even realized I did. The skin there was angry and red, an early bruise already blooming on the surface.
Carter’s eyes followed the movement, and when they landed on the mark, something shifted in his posture. His expression didn’t change much, but the air around him felt charged, it felt tense.
“What happened?” His voice was calm, but it was the kind of calm that carried weight.
I exhaled slowly. “You already know everything that’s been happening with Harold.” He gave a slight nod “He grabbed me. Wouldn’t let go. But Kiera showed up just in time.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw, but he stayed composed. “He f*****g grabbed you?”
I shook my head trying to be clear headed, it’s the first time I heard him swear. And it was hot.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to think about it.”
The silence between us this time was heavier.
“I quit,” I blurted.
His brow furrowed. “Quit what?”
“My job. Town Hall. I couldn’t keep pretending everything was fine while Harold lurked around every corner. I need… space. Time. Something.”
His gaze softened, just slightly. “Then take it.”
I looked at him with a soft smile. “I will”
I breathe in, ready to lighten the atmosphere. “So… what now? Are you planning on hovering over me for the next month?”
One corner of his mouth lifted, but there was no teasing in his tone when he answered. “I do have plans to make sure you’re safe. I want to take you somewhere, somewhere Harold can’t get to you.”
I blinked. “And where exactly would that be?.”
Carter’s gaze stayed locked on mine as he said, “My realm….The werewolf realm.”
For a moment, I thought I’d misheard him. “I’m sorry… the what?”
His expression didn’t change. “You deserve a break, Nevaeh. And if you come with me… no one there will lay a hand on you. Not unless they want to lose it.”
He leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “Come with me.”
My breath caught. “Come with you?”
His lips curved in the faintest of smiles. “Yes, Nevaeh”
I blinked. Once. Twice. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m completely serious.” His eyes held mine with quiet intensity. “You’ve been through hell these last few weeks, Nevaeh. You need a break, a real one. Somewhere Harold can’t get to you. Somewhere you can breathe.”
I stared at him, repeating what he just said like it would help my comprehension process. “The werewolf realm?”
“Yes.” He didn’t look away. “You’d be safe there. With me.”
And that those last two words sent a shock through me I wasn’t ready for.
I sat back in the booth, my fingers tightening around the coffee cup, feeling the heat bleed into my skin.
Safe.
With him.
And I wasn’t sure which part of that terrified me more.
- Writer
