Chapter Five

Chapter 5

The moment my fingers brushed against the stranger’s hand, a sudden rush of energy coursed through me. It was not magic—not like the power that pulsed through the Alphas or the gifted warriors of the Dauntless Pack—but something different. Something restrained yet potent, like a hidden storm waiting to be unleashed.

With a firm grip, the stranger pulled me to my feet and turned, moving swiftly through the trees. Their pace was neither too fast nor slow—measured, controlled. I had no choice but to follow. Behind us, the rogues were groaning, beginning to stir. If we lingered, they would come after us.

I stumbled as I tried to keep up, my exhausted body protesting every movement. My feet ached, my muscles burned, but I gritted my teeth and pushed forward. The stranger wove effortlessly between the trees, barely making a sound. Whoever they were, they had the precision and discipline of a warrior. Not a rogue, not a desperate wanderer, but something else entirely.

After what felt like an eternity, we reached a small clearing. A lone cabin stood in the center, its wooden structure blending seamlessly with the surrounding forest. No lights, no signs of life. The stranger didn’t hesitate. They pushed the door open and ushered me inside.

I hesitated at the threshold, my instincts screaming at me to be cautious. “Who are you?” I finally demanded, my voice hoarse from the chase.

The stranger turned, the faint glow of the moon illuminating their face. A man—tall, lean, and sharp-featured, with piercing dark eyes that held an unreadable intensity. His long black hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, revealing the faint scars that marred his jawline. He wasn’t old, but there was something ancient in his gaze, something that spoke of years spent surviving in the shadows.

“My name is Kade,” he said simply, his voice deep and smooth. “You’re safe for now.”

I crossed my arms, forcing my legs to stay steady. “Safe from them, maybe. But how do I know I’m safe with you?”

Kade studied me for a long moment before he sighed and walked past me. “If I wanted to hurt you, Alice, I would have left you to the rogues.”

My breath hitched. “You know my name?”

He nodded, pulling a flask from a shelf and tossing it to me. “Drink. You’re dehydrated.”

I caught the flask but didn’t take a sip. My mouth was dry, my throat parched, but suspicion gnawed at my mind. “How do you know my name?”

Kade leaned against the table, his expression unreadable. “I know a lot of things.”

I tightened my grip on the flask. “That’s not an answer.”

For a while, he said nothing. Then, after a long silence, he spoke. “The Dauntless Pack is predictable. When Alpha Clark rejected his mate in front of the entire pack, it was only a matter of time before she left.”

My stomach twisted. “You were watching?”

“I was waiting.” His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of something else—something unsettling.

“For me?” I whispered.

Kade didn’t answer. Instead, he turned and grabbed a small bundle of cloth from the table. He unwrapped it, revealing a set of dried herbs. “Eat this. It’ll help with your exhaustion.”

I stared at him, my heart pounding. Every instinct in me screamed that Kade was dangerous. But there was something else, too—something I couldn’t quite define. He had saved me. If he wanted me dead, he could have let the rogues finish me off.

Slowly, I took the herbs and chewed. The taste was bitter, but warmth spread through my body almost instantly, easing the aches in my limbs. Kade watched me carefully, his expression unreadable.

“Rest,” he said after a moment. “We leave at dawn.”

I stiffened. “We?”

“You’re heading to the Genie Pack,” he said. “You won’t make it alone.”

I frowned. “And what do you get out of this?”

Kade’s gaze flickered, something dark passing through his eyes. “Let’s just say our goals align.”

I wanted to press him, but exhaustion won. My body sagged against the chair, and despite my fear, my eyelids grew heavy. Kade didn’t say anything else. He simply turned and walked toward the far corner of the cabin, disappearing into the shadows.

I didn’t trust him. But for now, I had no choice but to stay.

As sleep pulled me under, one thought remained clear in my mind.

Who was Kade? And what did he really want?

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Morning came too soon. A soft rustling noise woke me, and my eyes fluttered open. The morning light seeped through the thick canopy above, casting golden rays over the forest floor. My body ached from the previous night’s ordeal, and as the memories rushed back, so did the image of the stranger who had saved me. Kade.

I sat up, my gaze immediately landing on him. He was already awake, crouched near the remnants of the fire he had built, sharpening a dagger with slow, methodical movements. His expression was unreadable, but there was something about the way he moved—calculated, as if he were always prepared for an attack.

“You’re awake.” His voice was deep, edged with an authority that made me instinctively straighten my posture.

“I—yes,” I murmured, stretching my stiff limbs. “Where are we?”

Kade didn’t answer immediately. He flicked his dagger against the rock one last time before sheathing it at his waist. “We’re a few miles from where the rogues attacked. I moved us during the night to avoid any of their stragglers.”

I blinked. “You moved us? I didn’t even wake up.”

“You were exhausted,” he said simply, standing to his full height. He towered over me, his form lean but powerful. “Eat.” He tossed me a piece of dried meat. “We leave in ten minutes.”

I sat up, groaning as my muscles protested. “You sure give a lot of orders for someone I barely know.”

He smirked. “And you complain a lot for someone who would’ve been dead last night.”

My stomach rumbled, and I realized just how hungry I was. I reached for the small pouch of food he had left beside me—a few dried fruits and nuts. As I ate, I watched him closely. Kade was an enigma. He had saved me, yes, but he hadn’t explained why.

Once we were ready, we stepped out into the morning light. The forest was quiet, but unease prickled at the edges of my senses. Something about this whole situation felt off.

“Who are you?- I already know your name, of course.” I finally asked, wiping my hands on my torn tunic. “And why did you help me?”

Kade exhaled slowly, as if debating whether or not to answer. Then, after a moment, he leaned against a tree and crossed his arms. “I have my reasons.”

I frowned. “That’s not an answer.”

He studied me, his eyes sharp, assessing. “Let’s just say I’ve been watching you for a while.”

A chill ran down my spine. “Watching me?”

“Not in the way you think,” he said, a hint of amusement flickering across his face before vanishing. “I knew you were traveling alone. I knew the rogues would come after you.”

My heartbeat quickened. “How?”

“Because they were looking for someone like you,” he said. “A lone wolf, vulnerable, unclaimed by any pack. Easy prey.”

A shudder passed through me. “So you—what? Decided to play hero?”

Kade tilted his head slightly. “I don’t play hero, Alice. I interfere when necessary.”

His cryptic words only deepened my confusion, but I decided not to press further for now. Instead, I asked, “Where exactly are we going?”

Kade’s expression remained neutral. “You still want to reach the Genie Pack, don’t you?” he said, surprising me.

I hesitated and straightened before nodding. “Yes, you know about them?”

His lips curved slightly. “Of course. Everyone who values knowledge knows about the Genie Pack.”

Something about his tone intrigued me. “Are you a scholar?”

Kade let out a low chuckle. “Something like that.”

I narrowed my eyes. What if I had escaped one danger only to walk into another? There was more to him than he let on, but for now, I had little choice but to trust him. He had saved me, and he knew the path better than I did. If he was willing to help me get to the Genie Pack, I would take that chance.

We moved through the dense forest, navigating the terrain with ease—or at least Kade did. I struggled to keep up, my body still sore from the attack, and my limited endurance showing. He barely seemed to notice my difficulty, setting a brisk pace that forced me to push past my limits. The terrain shifted from thick forest to rocky hills, the ground becoming uneven and treacherous. I stumbled more than once, but Kade barely slowed.

“Slow down,” I huffed after an hour of trekking. “Not all of us are built like warriors.”

Kade glanced over his shoulder. “Then you need to learn to be.”

I scowled but bit back a retort. He wasn’t wrong. If I wanted to survive, I had to be stronger.

We traveled in silence for a while before Kade finally spoke again. “Tell me, why the Genie Pack?”

I hesitated. I wasn’t sure why I felt reluctant to share my story, but something about Kade made me feel exposed, vulnerable.

“I don’t belong in my old pack,” I admitted. “I never did. They valued strength, not intelligence.”

Kade nodded as if he understood. “And you think the Genie Pack will be different?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. “They value knowledge.”

Kade didn’t argue, but there was something in his eyes that made me wonder if he knew something I didn’t.

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