CHAPTER 4: A Bond Unseen
1187 Words
CHAPTER 4: A Bond Unseen
The forest was still, save for the rhythmic rustling of leaves and the distant hoots of nocturnal creatures. Selene trailed behind the Lycan, her heartbeat uneven, her senses heightened by the unnatural silence that stretched between them. The stranger moved with a calculated grace, his every step a whisper against the forest floor. He hadn't spoken since his command for her to follow, and though she knew she should be afraid, something inside her resisted the instinct to run.
She wasn't sure why she obeyed him. Maybe it was exhaustion. Maybe it was the strange pull that made her feel like she'd known him before—though she knew that was impossible. There was something unspoken in the way he had watched her, something ancient, unreadable.
Selene rubbed at the dull ache in her chest. Killian’s rejection had left her wolf weakened, but even through that hollow emptiness, she could sense something unusual about this man. Not just because he was a Lycan, but because his presence, powerful and magnetic, seemed to stir something deep inside her that she didn’t understand.
The stranger finally spoke without turning his head. "You're limping."
Selene stiffened. She hadn’t realized how much she was favoring her right leg, the bruises from her fall now a deep throb. "I’m fine."
"You're not." His voice was smooth, but there was something in it—a challenge, perhaps. "Sit."
She stopped walking, frowning at his back. "Excuse me?"
He turned then, and for the first time, she got a closer look at him under the moonlight. He was devastatingly handsome in a way that was almost inhuman— a sharp jawline, dark tousled hair, and silver eyes that seemed to peer into her soul. The moonlight illuminated the faint scars along his forearm, barely visible through the inked runes that marked his skin. He exuded danger, but there was something else there, something guarded.
"You’ll slow us down if you collapse," he said plainly, as if he had already decided she would listen.
Selene scowled. "I said I’m fine."
The Lycan arched a brow, then, in the next breath, he moved.
Fast.
Before she could react, he was in front of her, reaching out. She flinched, prepared to fight, but instead of grabbing her, he placed a firm hand on her shoulder and guided her down to sit on a nearby fallen log.
The touch sent a shockwave through her body, and she sucked in a sharp breath. It wasn’t a mate bond—she knew what that felt like, and this was different; wilder, untamed.
His silver eyes flickered as if he noticed her reaction. Then, without a word, he crouched before her and reached for her ankle.
She jerked back. "What are you doing?"
"Checking your injuries, stop moving."
Selene swallowed. "And why do you care about my injuries, Xander?"
"That’s because if you die out here, it’ll be inconvenient."
That stung more than it should have. Still, she allowed him to inspect her leg. His fingers, warm against her skin, sent an unfamiliar heat curling in her stomach. His touch was careful, practiced, as though he had done this many times before.
His expression remained unreadable as he examined the bruising along her shin. "It’s not broken. You’ll heal faster with rest."
Selene let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. "And what happens after that?"
Xander didn’t answer right away. Instead, he rose to his full height, his gaze flickering toward the darkened trees. She thought she saw something in his expression—a flicker of something almost... protective.
"For now, you rest," he finally said. "Tomorrow, we move."
---
The night was restless. Despite her exhaustion, Selene couldn’t sleep. Her body ached, but her mind raced, tangled with thoughts of what had happened—of Killian, of her exile, and now, of Xander.
She didn’t trust him. Not entirely. And yet, she felt safer with him than she had in weeks. He could have killed her. He should have. But he hadn’t.
Why?
A branch snapped in the distance, and Selene tensed. She turned her head slightly, her senses flaring.
Xander was already awake.
He stood a few feet away, his back to her, his posture rigid as he listened to the night. His muscles were taut beneath his shirt, every inch of him poised for a fight.
Selene sat up cautiously. "What is it?"
He didn’t look at her.
"Wolves."
Her breath caught. Killian’s wolves? Had they tracked her?
Xander turned then, his gaze locking onto hers. "We leave now."
Selene’s heart pounded. She scrambled to her feet, the pain in her limbs nothing compared to the rush of fear. Xander motioned for her to follow, and she didn’t hesitate.
The two of them moved quickly through the forest, their footsteps silent against the underbrush. Selene’s lungs burned, but she pushed forward, matching Xander’s pace as best she could.
The sound of pursuit grew closer. The snarls of wolves echoed through the trees, and Selene’s stomach clenched. Killian’s wolves were relentless. If they found her, they wouldn’t stop until she was dead.
Xander suddenly veered left, his movements swift and precise. Selene followed without question, trusting his instincts over her own. They slipped through the dense thicket. The river stretched below, its waters violent and unyielding.
Xander turned to her. "Can you swim?"
Selene blinked at him. "Are you serious?"
A howl split through the air, closer than before.
Xander’s expression hardened.
"Jump."
Selene hesitated for only a fraction of a second before she took a deep breath and leaped.
The icy water swallowed her whole, and for a moment, she felt nothing but weightless silence. Then, the current seized her, dragging her under.
She kicked frantically, breaking through the surface just in time to see Xander hit the water beside her. His presence was the last thing she registered before the current pulled her under again, twisting and turning in its relentless grasp.
Selene fought, her lungs screaming for air. Panic clawed at her throat. She flailed, desperate to stay above the surface, but the river was stronger.
Then, suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her up. She gasped for breath just as Xander’s voice reached her ear.
"Hold on to me."
She didn’t argue. She gripped his arm tightly as he guided them through the rushing current, his strength overpowering the pull of the water. He moved with practiced ease, navigating the river as if he had done this a hundred times before.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached the far bank. Xander hoisted her onto the shore before pulling himself up beside her. Both of them lay there, drenched and breathless, the adrenaline still pulsing through their veins.
Selene turned her head to look at him. "That was insane."
Xander let out a rough chuckle. "You’re alive, aren’t you?"
She exhaled, the tension slowly leaving her body. For the first time in weeks, she allowed herself to believe she might just survive this.
And somehow, she knew that Xander was the reason why.
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