CHAPTER FOUR:THE BONFIRE HEAT
1222 Words
ELARA — POV
The sun disappeared early behind the winter mountains, painting the snow in soft blue shadows as pack members gathered outside for the annual bonfire celebration.
By the time Harper and I stepped out, the fire was already roaring tall, golden, alive casting a warm glow across laughing wolves, clinking cups, children playing, and sparks drifting into the star-soaked sky.
But nothing warmed me.
Not really.
Not when Cassian had barely spoken to me since the hallway moment he tried so hard to pretend didn’t happen.
I kept replaying it
His hand on my waist.
His breath against my lips.
His voice breaking with want he refused to admit.
And I kept replaying Harper’s voice, catching us.
My stomach twisted.
“Come on!” Harper tugged my arm, oblivious to the weight crushing my chest. “We’re joining the pack circle before the fire blessing.”
I followed her through the crowd.
Music played softly. Wolves danced. Beta Kael handed out warm drinks. Warriors joked loudly near the logs.
Everyone was enjoying the night.
Everyone but me.
Because Cassian was somewhere in this crowd.
Watching.
Avoiding.
Burning.
I found him before he found me.
He stood across the fire, the flames lighting his sharp cheekbones and shadowing his eyes. He wasn’t smiling. Alphas rarely smiled but his expression was far darker than usual, carved with tension and hunger and guilt.
And the moment he saw me
He froze.
His gaze dragged down my body slowly, torturously, catching on my winter leggings tucked into boots, the oversized sweater hugging my waist, my hair tousled by the wind.
Something raw flickered in his eyes before he shut it down.
He looked away.
But I had caught it.
And it burned.
Harper grabbed two drinks and handed me one. “Tonight is going to be amazing,” she said, clinking her cup against mine.
I forced a smile. “Yeah.”
But my attention drifted again
Right to Cassian.
He wasn’t looking at me anymore.
He was looking at someone else.
A woman.
Tall. Beautiful. Confident. A trained warrior.
Her name was Talina.
I knew her vaguely a strong she-wolf Cassian often sparred with.
She touched his arm when she spoke to him.
My chest tightened.
Cassian didn’t move away.
Didn’t growl.
Didn’t glare.
He just listened, jaw tight.
Jealousy struck me like a slap.
Harper noticed my distraction. “Elara, you okay?”
“Fine,” I lied.
“No, you’re not. You’re watching my dad like you expect him to”
I cut in quickly, “Look, Beta Kael is waving at you. Maybe he needs you to help with something.”
Harper turned.
I slipped away the moment she looked, wanting space, wanting breath, wanting anything but the ache spreading through me.
I moved toward the lakeside edge of the gathering, where the crowd thinned and soft snow muffled the noise.
I needed a moment
“Elara?”
I turned.
Marek approached, hands buried in his pockets, smile warm and easy. “Looking for a little quiet?”
“Yeah,” I breathed. “Just needed air.”
“I get that.” He stepped closer—not too close, just comfortably near. “The Alpha’s events can be overwhelming.”
I nodded.
He tilted his head. “You look… distracted.”
“I’m just tired.”
“Or thinking about something,” he said gently.
“S-something like what?”
“Like someone.”
Warmth rose in my cheeks.
“Marek”
“I’m not trying to push,” he said. “I just… I like you, Elara. Always have.”
My breath caught.
He smiled softly. “If you want company tonight, I’m here.”
His sweetness made guilt coil in my stomach.
Before I could respond
A deep growl ripped through the air.
Both of us turned.
Cassian stood behind us.
Not close.
Not touching.
But the look in his eyes…
His wolf was right under his skin.
Marek stiffened. “Alpha.”
Cassian didn’t reply.
His gaze was locked on one thing:
Marek standing close to me.
I stepped back instinctively, my pulse racing.
Marek noticed the tension and raised his hands slightly. “We were just talking.”
Cassian’s jaw flexed.
His nostrils flared.
His pupils dilated fully wolf-black.
“That’s enough talking,” Cassian said.
His voice was smooth. Calm. Controlled.
That made it more frightening.
Marek swallowed. “Alpha, with respect”
“Don’t.” Cassian’s tone sharpened. “If you respect me, walk away.”
Marek’s eyes darted between us between Cassian’s lethal stare and my unreadable expression.
“Of course,” he murmured finally.
He left.
The moment he did, Cassian exhaled harshly, his control fraying.
He stepped closer.
Not touching, but so close heat radiated from his body into mine.
“Why were you with him?” His voice was low, rough, dangerous.
“Because I wanted air,” I shot back.
“Not him,” Cassian said, jaw clenched. “Air.”
“It’s a free pack, isn’t it?”
His eyes flashed. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?” I demanded.
“Pretend like you don’t know why I’m…” He stopped, swallowing hard. “Why this is difficult.”
The fire crackled behind us, music drifting softly through the cold night.
My heart pounded painfully. “Then tell me why.”
“Elara…” His voice fractured. He looked away like the truth might destroy him if he spoke it out loud.
So I stepped closer.
Close enough for our arms to brush.
His breath hitched violently.
“Tell me,” I whispered.
He shut his eyes.
For a moment one perfect, terrifying moment his forehead leaned toward mine like he couldn’t stop himself.
Then
He pulled back, chest rising sharply, gaze wild.
“This is dangerous,” he rasped. “Every time I look at you… every time you look at me…”
His hands clenched.
“I am an Alpha. I am supposed to have control.”
“Then why don’t you?”
He inhaled sharply.
“Elara,” he whispered, voice thick with restraint, “my control breaks when it comes to you.”
The world stilled.
The fire roared behind us.
Snow fell softly around us.
And his eyes dark, hungry, tormented held me like he’d been starving for years.
He stepped even closer, breath warm against my ear as he whispered
“If you knew the things I want to do… you’d run.”
My body trembled.
“I’m not running.”
His breath caught.
And then
“DAD!”
We jerked apart violently.
Harper stood ten feet away, staring in confusion the second time she had caught us too close.
Cassian moved first, expression hardening, mask slamming into place.
“Harper,” he said sternly, “step back.”
She hesitated. “What’s going on?”
“Pack business,” Cassian lied.
Harper frowned. “Then why is Elara involved?”
Cassian didn’t answer.
His gaze flicked to me tormented, furious, wanting and then he turned away before he could lose control in front of his daughter again.
He walked off into the firelit crowd, leaving me with a trembling heartbeat and a truth we could no longer hide:
Cassian wasn’t slipping.
He was falling.
And so was I.
- Writer
