Chapter Six_ Torn between two fates

Damien.

The air in the woods had been heavy, thick with the scent of my blood and the howl of something I wished I'd never heard.

My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, urging me to go back, to get to him.

To the nameless stranger that had rescued me.

I never should have let my guard down. Should have kept running. That was what rogues do. We did not get involved. We did not stay.

We survived.

But him...

I clenched my fists, the human side of me fighting the wolf, torn between instinct and reason. My legs were aching from the miles I'd covered since I'd heard the howl, but something kept pulling me back.

Him.

How on earth had that puny human run with an unconscious me through this woods?

My wolf growled low in my chest. "He's our mate."

He didn't understand why I was hesitating. It never did. Wolves weren't wired like humans, they didn't care about logic or consequences. And it knew the man was ours. Ours to protect.

Ours to stay with.

But we couldn’t stay.

Not with what was out there. Not with what I knew.

"Dammit." I muttered, raking a hand through my hair. I was halfway through the woods, caught between running as fast as I could and turning back.

I could still hear the faint sound of his breathing.

"What are you?"

Isn't that the million dollar question?

"Leave." The logical part of me insisted. "Keep running. He’ll slow you down."Rogues don't get to have mates, especially a male one. We're alone for a reason."

But my wolf was furious. "Go back. Go back!!" His voice roared in my head, rattling me.

I couldn't think straight.

The human and the wolf fighting, battling for control. Something we had never done before.

The nameless man might have been hurt, but he'd live. He was strong enough, stubborn enough. He didn't need me.

No one needed me.

But he was our mate.

I cursed under my breath, knowing I was already making the choice before I even realized it. The bond was too strong, too fierce to ignore.

No matter how hard I tried to fight it, my wolf would win.

It always did.

I turned on my heel, sprinting back toward the cabin.

The closer I got, the stronger his scent became... blood, fear, pain. It hit me like a punch in the gut, making my wolf snarl with protective rage. I pushed harder, my muscles burning as I closed the distance between us.

When I burst through the treeline, the cabin came into view, the faint glow of firelight flickering from inside. I could hear his ragged breathing, but there was another scent.

Someone else was in there.

"A threat." The wolf tensed, ready to strike.

I could hear voices inside. His voice.

And another man.

I moved silently, creeping closer until I was just outside the window, my breath heavy but controlled. Voices reached my ears, low but clear.

My mate's voice, tense and evasive. "I told you, nothing happened. I'm fine."

The other man.. the stranger.. was sceptical, pushing. "You don't look fine. There’s blood on your shirt, and you're acting.... different. What the hell did you see there?"

I felt the sharp sting of possessiveness cut through me like a blade.

How dare he?

This man had no right questioning him, being so close to him. He was mine. Ours.

I peered through the window, my eyes zeroing in on the scene inside. My mate was leaning against the edge of the fireplace, his face pale, but his posture defiant. His hand clutched his side, and the bandage covered the wound, his body still weak, but trying to hide it.

And then, there was the man standing too close to him. Taller than him, broad-shouldered, with dark hair and piercing eyes. He was watching him with suspicion, a frown pulling at his mouth.

My wolf growled again, louder this time, and I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the urge to burst in there and tear this man apart.

My mate's voice wavered slightly. "I told you, Frank, a mountain lion passed through, but it's over now. You don't need to worry."

Frank. So that was his name.

"Are you sure?" Frank pressed, stepping even closer, his eyes narrowing. "You're not telling me everything."

My little saviour stiffened, his body giving off a scent of unease. I could smell it from where I stood. "Frank, drop it. I'll write an article for it tomorrow."

But Frank didn't back down.

His eyes flicked around the cabin, like he was trying to piece together some great mystery my mate was so desperately trying to keep hidden.

My wolf didn't like that. He was getting too close. Too damn close.

I had enough.

Without thinking, I moved to the door, flinging it open with a loud crash. Both my mate and Frank jerked toward me, eyes wide. My mate's face paled even more when he saw me, and something like panic flashed in his eyes.

"You're back."

Frank recovered immediately, his stance defensive. "Who the hell are you?"

My gaze went to my mate first, checking for signs of distress. His breathing was laboured, but he was upright.

Alive.

My wolf pushed forward, desperate to close the distance, to be near him.

But I had to focus on the immediate threat.

Frank.

I levelled my gaze at him, my voice low and threatening. “I’m a friend.”

Frank scoffed, clearly unconvinced. “Friend? He didn’t mention any friends coming around.”

I gritted my teeth. My wolf was pacing inside me, ready to fight, to tear this man apart for questioning my place here. Our place here.

“I don’t owe you an explanation,” I growled, stepping into the room, the tension thick between us.

Frank turned his gaze to my mate, eyes filled with suspicion. "Elliot, who the hell is this guy?"

Elliot.

So that was his name. Fucking delicious.

Elliot's eyes flickered between me and Frank, clearly torn as he struggled to find the right words. I could see the panic in his eyes, the desperation to keep everything hidden.

"He's... just a friend. He came for a visit. That's all."

A friend.

It felt like a punch to the gut, hearing the words fall from his lips. I wanted to be more than that.

I was more than that.

My wolf growled in protest, but I pushed the feeling down, my focus shifting back to Frank, who was still glaring at me, clearly unsatisfied with the answer.

Frank crossed his arms. “Just a friend? Then why does he look like he’s ready to rip my throat out?”

I took a step closer, my fists clenched at the side. "Maybe because you're harrasing him.."

"That's enough." Elliot’s voice was quiet but firm. A warning.

I shot a glance, my wolf snapping at the leash. His voice might have been steady, but I could feel the bond between us tightening, pulling at my very core.

I wanted to claim him, to stake my place by his side, to protect him from anyone who dared to come between us.

Frank stared at me, his eyes dark with challenge. "There's something you're not telling me, Elliot."

I felt the wolf surge inside me, claws itching to come out, to tear this man apart for pressing Elliot when he was weak, vulnerable. “Back off, Frank. Now.”

Frank's eyes flicked to Elliot again, searching for the moon goddess knows what. "Elliot, do you really know who this guy us? What if he's..."

"I said drop it!" Elliot’s voice cracked, and for a second, I saw a flicker of fear in those Hazel eyes. And it wasn't directed at Frank.

But at me.

Fear of what I could be.

Frank's gaze hardened, but he finally backed off, raising his hands in surrender. “Fine. I’m done for now. But this isn’t over, Elliot.”

With one last glance at me, he turned and stalked toward the door, his footsteps heavy with frustration. The door slammed behind him, leaving a thick silence in the room.

I exhaled, trying to rein the storm of emotions that swirled inside me. Anger. Frustration. Desire. The urge to claim Elliot this very moment...

Elliot let out a shaky breath, sinking onto the couch, his head in his hands. "I thought you were leaving."

"I did," my voice was low, rough. "I came back. You were hurt. I couldn’t just stay away."

He lifted his head, meeting my eyes. "You can't stay here..." He didn't know my name.

"Damien."

I closed the distance between us, my chest heaving, the bond between us pulsing. "I couldn't stay away. You're going to be stuck with me."

Elliot let out a weak chuckle. "Lucky me."

The tension in the room had lessened, but I could still feel the weight of the decisions I made weighing me down.

I wasn't sure how long I could keep my wolf at bay.

Not when it wanted him so bad.