The Wolf Who Loved His Enemy‘s Daughter

Kieran’s POV “Don’t move. ” I stopped so abruptly that Skyler nearly walked into me. “What is it?” he whispered. I lifted a hand, keeping my eyes on the narrow path ahead. Beneath the sprawling branches of an oak tree, someone was lying in the leaves. At first, I thought it was a dead animal. Then the man moved. Skyler caught my arm. “Kieran, we should leave. ” “He’s injured. ” “He’s human, ” Skyler whispered, his grip tightening around my arm. reason to leave him. ” “That should be enough I pulled free. “Not when he’s bleeding to death. ” I took another step forward. The man was sprawled against the roots of the tree, one hand pressed tightly against his side. Blood had soaked through his shirt and darkened the leaves beneath him. His clothes were torn, his boots were caked with mud, and a thin line of blood ran from his temple to his cheek. Skyler lowered his voice. “We are too close to the border already. ” “He could die. ” “And if he is pretending?”I glanced back at him. “Why would anyone lie about being half-dead?” “Because humans are not stupid. ” Neither was I, but leaving the stranger there felt worse than the possibility that Skyler was right. I approached slowly, keeping enough distance between us to react if the man suddenly attacked. He did not. His breathing was shallow, and when I crouched a few feet away, his eyes opened. His eyes were brown and they looked tired and afraid. They settled on me with such desperate focus that my suspicion faltered. “Please, ” he whispered. The word barely carried through the trees. I looked at his wound again. Skyler stepped closer. “Kieran. ” “He needs help. ” “You know what your father says about humans crossing our borders. ” “I know exactly what he says. ” My father had spent years warning me about humans. He spoke about their armies, their expansion, and the wars that had cost our people territory and lives. We had grown up hearing stories of raids and broken treaties. The border guards were instructed to report even the smallest sign of human activity. Finding one injured man inside our territory was not something I could simply ignore. But whatever danger he represented, he was still bleeding. I crouched lower. “How did you get here?” The stranger tried to sit up. Pain tightened his face, and he stopped halfway. “Bandits, ” he said. His voice was rough. “They attacked me on the road. ”“Which road?” Skyler asked. The man looked at him. “I don’t know. ” Skyler gave a humorless laugh. “You don’t know?” “I was traveling through the forest. They came after me and I ran. ” “From where?” The stranger hesitated. “South. ” “That tells us nothing. ” I shot Skyler a warning look. “He’s injured. ” “That does not make him harmless. ” The stranger closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he looked at me. “I am not asking you to trust me. ” His breathing caught. “I am asking you not to leave me here. ” I studied him carefully. There was fear in his face, but I couldn’t tell whether it came from his injuries or from the fact that he had been discovered by two werewolves. Either way, I had made my decision. I stood. “Skyler, help me carry him. ” He stared at me. “You cannot be serious. ” “He needs a healer. ” “And your father is going to love hearing that you brought a human into the territory. ”“I will explain. ” “You always say that before doing something reckless. ” “Then you already know how this conversation ends. ” He muttered under his breath but came forward. I held out my hand to the stranger. He stared at it for a second before taking it. His palm was cold. I pulled him upright, but his legs immediately gave way. I caught him around the waist before he hit the ground. “Easy. ” He leaned against me, breathing hard. “Thank you. ” “Can you walk?” “I think so. ” “Then let’s get you somewhere safe. ” Skyler moved to the other side and helped support him. We started through the trees. The stranger limped between us, putting most of his weight on me. Every few steps, I glanced down at the blood spreading beneath his fingers. “How long have you been out here?” I asked. “I don’t know. ” “You don’t remember?” “I remember being attacked. ” He swallowed. “After that, I woke up beneath the tree. ”Skyler glanced at him. “Convenient. ” The stranger ignored him. I wasn’t sure whether to believe the story, but there was no point interrogating him while he was struggling to remain upright. The forest stretched around us, familiar and quiet. I knew these paths better than I knew most of the territory. My father had taken me hunting here when I was younger, and Skyler and I had spent countless afternoons racing through the trees when we should have been training. Today, the familiar forest felt different. The stranger kept looking around. At first, I assumed he was simply trying to understand where we were. Then he asked, “How far is your settlement?” “Not far. ” “And the border?” I looked at him. “Why?” He seemed to realize his mistake. “I was wondering how far I had traveled. ” Skyler gave me a sideways glance. I said nothing. A few minutes later, we reached a small stream. I stopped and helped him sit against a tree. “Rest for a moment. ” Skyler knelt beside the water and drank. I followed, then looked back at our guest. He was watching us. “What is your name?” “Rowan. ”I nodded. “Kieran. ” “And he is Skyler. ” Skyler lifted his head. Rowan gave him a faint smile. “I remember names. ” “You remembered. ” “Good to know. ” I ignored the exchange. “Where are you from, Rowan?” His gaze moved toward the trees. “Far from here. ” Skyler sighed. “It is the only one I have. ” I studied him. “That’s not an answer. ” “You don’t know where you came from?” “I know where I came from. I simply don’t think it matters anymore. ” There was something in the way he said it that made me curious. “Why not?” Rowan looked at me. “Because I have nowhere to return to. ” For a moment, none of us spoke. I wasn’t sure what had happened to him, but I suddenly felt less interested in proving him suspicious. I stood. “We should keep moving. ”Skyler helped him up. As we continued, the trees gradually thinned. The patrol route came into view, and I spotted two guards moving between the trees. One of them noticed us and immediately approached. “Kieran. ” His eyes moved to Rowan. His expression changed. “He’s human. ” “I know. ” “What happened?” “I found him near the border and He was injured. ” The guard’s hand moved toward the weapon at his belt. “Take him to your father. ” “That was the plan. ” The guard studied Rowan for another moment before stepping aside. We crossed the boundary into Arden territory. The sight of home should have made me relax. Smoke rose from the chimneys below, hunters returned with their catch, and children chased one another between the houses. The mountains surrounded the settlement like walls, protecting everything I had ever known. I had grown up believing those mountains were enough to keep danger away. I believed my family and our territory was safe. And I believed the injured human walking beside me was simply a stranger who had been unlucky enough to cross our path. Rowan stumbled. I tightened my grip around his arm. “Almost there. ”“Thank you, ” he said quietly. I glanced at him. “You keep saying that. ” “Perhaps I have enough reasons. ” I smiled. “Maybe. ” We continued toward my family’s home. Behind us, Rowan turned his head. His gaze traveled over the guards, the settlement, and the paths leading toward the eastern border. He studied each one with careful attention before facing forward again. I didn’t notice. I was too busy wondering whether my mother would be angry when she saw the human I was bringing home. I had no reason to question the stranger. Not yet.