Chapter 2: Eyes That Remember
654 Words
Sky
Pain.
It came first. Like a thousand needles pressing into every nerve, each heartbeat a thunderclap in his skull.
Then—light.
Firelight. Soft, golden, flickering against a ceiling made of wood and dried herbs. The scent of lavender. Something sweeter underneath it.
And her.
He turned his head, muscles groaning in protest, to find the girl.
No—the woman.
Sitting in a chair beside the fire, knees tucked up under a knitted blanket. Her skin glowed like honey in the firelight, and her hair—long, wild, golden curls tangled with living flowers—framed her face like a halo. One eye the blue of summer skies. The other green, like the heart of the forest.
Lila.
His heart skipped, then roared. He knew that name. Had whispered it in dreams. Had seen her face in visions he never told his pack about.
She was real.
And she was more beautiful than even the gods had dared show him.
"You’re awake," she said gently, voice smooth as warm milk and just as dangerous. "That’s good."
He tried to move. Pain lanced through his chest. He growled.
Her hand was already there—firm on his shoulder. Not afraid. Not commanding. Calming.
"You shouldn’t move. Not yet."
Sky stared up at her, his wolf just beneath the surface, watching. Assessing.
She tilted her head, a small smile playing at her lips. "Do you understand me?"
He blinked once.
"Can you shift?" she asked, tone cautious now. "Back into… your human form?"
Sky hesitated. Every instinct told him to hide, to stay cloaked in fur and fangs, to shield his name and face from those who might use it. But something about her—about this place, this energy—told him she was no threat.
She was a revelation.
With effort, he let go of the shift.
Bones cracked. Muscles twisted. His body realigned, reformed. He didn’t cry out, didn’t grunt. Just breathed through it.
When it was over, he lay on the furs—naked, covered in a woven blanket, sweat on his brow.
And Lila?
Still there. Still calm.
Still watching him like she knew him.
"Thank you," he rasped. His voice was rough, deep, a little raw.
"You’re welcome," she said softly. "You were bleeding out in the forest. I couldn’t just leave you."
He looked at her more closely now. Not with desire—though that simmered just beneath the surface—but with understanding.
"You’re a witch," he said.
She flinched slightly but didn’t deny it. "Yes."
"You're not like the others."
Her smile faded a little. "No. I’m not."
A beat passed between them. He could hear her heartbeat—steady, strong, curious. And something else… fear? No. Not quite. Caution.
He stood suddenly. The blanket dropped. Lila turned her head—finally modest—but didn’t flee.
"I need clothes," he muttered.
She pointed to a bundle folded near the fire. "My father's. They should fit. He… he’s not here anymore."
Sky didn’t ask. He dressed silently, the fabric clinging to muscles still sore from battle.
"Why were you in the forest?" she asked.
"Tracking something. Or someone."
She nodded slowly. “And did they do that to you?”
“No,” he said. “He did.”
She frowned. “He?”
Sky met her gaze again. “A dragon.”
Her breath caught.
Then—
“I’ve dreamed of you,” she whispered, almost to herself.
He froze.
“What did you see?” he asked carefully.
Her eyes met his, firelight dancing in their strange colors. "A wolf with Fenrir’s eyes. A man I didn’t know. But I… felt him. You.”
The bond sparked then—tangible, electric, terrifying.
They stood only feet apart. Nothing touched, but everything buzzed. Her magic reaching for his wolf. His soul reaching for hers.
And the locket on her chest?
It began to hum.
- Writer
