CHAPTER 4
1539 Words
I blinked at the red glow of my alarm clock…2:13 a.m.
Perfect. Either I was about to get murdered, or it was raccoons again. Well, I was hoping it wss raccoons. I knew that it wasn’t. I could feel it.
Then came a knock against the glass. Slow. Deliberate.
I sat up, every nerve on edge. My window faced the woods…no one should’ve been out there.
When I pulled back the curtain, my heart stopped.
Nathan.
He stood outside like the night had been built around him, dark hoodie and silver eyes catching the moonlight.
I cracked open the window just enough to hiss, “Are you insane?”
He raised a brow. “You’re ignoring me.”
“Yeah, that’s intentional.” I snapped. “You’re the enemy, remember? You and your little army of homewreckers?”
His expression didn’t change, but something flickered behind his eyes. “I came to ask why you’re ignoring the bond.”
“The what-now?” I asked innocently, even though I knew exactly what he meant.
“The mate bond.” He said quietly, voice rougher this time. “Don’t act like you don’t feel it, Margot. It’s been pulling at you, the same as me.”
I crossed my arms. “Oh, you mean that annoying buzz under my skin every time you’re around? I figured that was just my body rejecting you like a bad rash.”
He smirked, almost amused. “Still got that smart mouth, huh?”
“It’s one of my better qualities.” I said. “Right up there with not letting invaders climb through my window.”
Nathan leaned a little closer, resting his hand on the frame. “You really think I’m here to destroy your home?”
“Aren’t you?” I asked.
He studied me for a long, silent moment, like he was trying to read something beneath the words. Then he stepped back, jaw tight.
“There’s more to this pack than you realize.” He said finally. “More than what you’ve been told.”
I frowned. “That’s vague and ominous. You practice that line in the mirror?”
Nathan’s mouth twitched. He swung one leg over the sill. “You’ll figure it out soon enough.”
“Sure.” I muttered. “Right after I figure out why psychopaths keep visiting me at night.”
He paused halfway out, eyes meeting mine again. “You can hate me all you want, Margot. But the bond doesn’t care.”
And then he was gone…melting into the dark like he’d never been there.
I sat on the edge of my bed, heart hammering, the scent of pine and smoke still lingering in the room.
“Unbelievable.” I whispered. “The guy breaks into my room, drops cryptic nonsense, and thinks I’m the problem.”
Sleep didn’t come back after that. Not for a long time.
By morning, I was running on caffeine and sarcasm.
The moment I walked into the cafeteria, I knew something was off. The air buzzed with tension and gossip.
“He was right behind Simon, like a ghost!” Someone hissed.
“Someone said he’s scouting targets.”
“He didn’t even ask to see the Alpha. That’s… weird.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’d think Nathan was Bigfoot the way everyone’s talking.”
Leah waved me over. “You look like you didn’t sleep.”
“I didn’t.” I said. “Some of us were busy fighting off hypothetical intruders. Or actual ones. Jury’s still out.”
Felix frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.” I said quickly. “Forget it.”
Simon strutted past just then, trying too hard to act casual. His shoulders were stiff, his voice loud. “Nathan’s lucky I didn’t call the guards. He’d have been tackled before he hit the hall.”
I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. “Yeah, Simon, I’m sure Nathan’s shaking in his boots over cafeteria guards and their pudding cups.”
Leah burst out laughing, nearly spitting out her drink. Felix covered his face, muttering, “Margs, seriously…”
Simon spun toward me. “You got something to say, Margot?”
“Oh, I said it.” I replied sweetly. “Would you like me to get you some crayons so you can write it down?”
The table went silent. Simon’s jaw clenched, but before he could answer, the lunch bell rang. Saved by the bell, literally.
Still, the uneasy hum in my chest wouldn’t fade. I kept glancing toward the doors, half-expecting Nathan to stroll in again.
Every time someone laughed too loudly or a tray clattered, I flinched. It wasn’t fear, though. It was something else…something I didn’t want to name.
By afternoon, rumors had turned into an official crisis. The Alpha called for an emergency pack-wide meeting.
The town hall overflowed with anxious faces. The air reeked of sweat, worry, and wolf pheromones.
The Alpha stood up front, trying to project authority. “There have been sightings of Nathan’s pack near our border.” He said. “We’re increasing patrols. Until further notice, curfew starts at sunset.”
Someone asked, “What does he want?”
“We don’t know yet.” the Alpha said grimly.
Leah leaned in beside me. “Translation. He has no clue what he’s doing.”
“Yeah.” I muttered. “He looks like he’d rather be hosting a bake sale than leading a pack.”
Felix elbowed me. “Can you two stop making jokes during a potential war briefing?”
“No.” I said, deadpan. “It’s how I cope.”
The Alpha continued, “The Beta is still out on patrol. He’ll report back soon.”
My stomach tightened. Dad had been gone all day. I tried not to show how much that scared me.
Then came the whispers again…snatches of words drifting through the crowd.
“He’s not coming to talk…”
“He’s going to claim…”
“Maybe he wants the pack itself.”
Leah whispered, “Claim what? The pack or Simon’s fragile ego?”
I snorted. “Honestly, he could take both. One’s a liability.”
A couple of elders glared at us, and Felix hissed, “You’re going to get kicked out.”
“Maybe they’ll exile me somewhere with better Wi-Fi.” I whispered back.
But my jokes were starting to crack. Beneath the humor, I could feel it…that same pull, that invisible thread tugging somewhere deep in my chest. Nathan was near. I could almost feel his presence hovering at the edges of the town, like a storm waiting to break.
Curfew came with armed patrols and howling winds.
Mom sat by the TV pretending not to worry. Every shadow outside looked sharper. Every gust of wind sounded like a warning.
I told her I was going to bed. I didn’t.
Instead, I slipped out the back door onto the porch, the boards creaking under my feet. The night was heavy and still, thick with the scent of pine and something else…something wild.
The bond hummed under my skin again, stronger this time. It was like an invisible heartbeat that didn’t belong to me.
“Okay.” I muttered to the dark. “If you’re out there again, Nathan, this is getting creepy. You can’t just stalk me twice in twenty-four hours.”
For a long moment, nothing. Then, from between the trees, something moved.
A shape…massive and silent…emerged from the shadows.
The black wolf stepped into the moonlight, silver eyes gleaming. My pulse jumped.
“Seriously?” I called out. “You stalking me now? You could at least bring flowers.”
He didn’t move. Didn’t even blink. Just stared.
“Fine.” I said. “Strong, silent type. That’s cool. I talk enough for both of us.”
A flicker of amusement rolled through the bond, though I didn’t know how I knew that. Then he turned, muscles rippling, and disappeared into the dark.
I stayed there long after he was gone, my heart racing like it couldn’t decide between fear and fascination.
“You want to play, Nathan?” I whispered. “Fine. Let’s play.”
When I finally went back inside, I shut the door and leaned against it. The house was too quiet. The air too still.
Something was changing…I could feel it in my bones.
The next morning, the world broke its silence.
I was halfway through brushing my hair when the sirens started. The sound was sharp, shrill and unmistakable.
Mom’s mug slipped from her hand, shattering across the kitchen floor.
Outside, wolves shouted, boots thudding across dirt roads.
Then…boom.
A red flare exploded in the sky, leaving a streak of smoke curling above the trees.
The border signal.
I ran to the window. From here, I could see it…smoke rising from the north line.
Something big was moving toward us. Nathan wasn’t watching anymore.
He was coming. And deep inside me, the bond snapped tight, burning hot and bright. Like it had just woken up for real.
Whatever was about to happen, I knew one thing for sure.
This was only the beginning.
- Writer
