Chapter 13: The Price of Protection

Isabella’s heart raced as Alexander’s words echoed in her mind. A bounty on her head. The reality of her situation pressed down on her chest like a weight she couldn’t lift.

"Why me?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Alexander’s piercing gaze met hers. “Because you’re important to me. And that makes you a target.”

She swallowed hard. Those words, meant to reassure her, only added to her unease. She didn’t ask for this—not his protection, not his affection, and certainly not this chaos.

“I need air,” she muttered, stepping toward the cabin door.

Alexander grabbed her wrist before she could leave. “You can’t go out there.”

“I just—” She shook her head, frustration bubbling to the surface. “I need a moment, Alexander. A moment to breathe, to think. To process all of this!”

His grip loosened, but his expression remained hard. “You can have all the time you need. But inside. Out there, you’re as good as dead.”

---

A Battle of Wills

Isabella paced the small living room, her mind spinning. She felt like a prisoner—trapped not just by the physical confines of the cabin, but by the situation Alexander had dragged her into.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she demanded, spinning on her heel to face him.

Alexander leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. “I didn’t want to panic you.”

“Panic me?” she repeated incredulously. “You think I wouldn’t panic if I found out I had a price on my head?”

“I was trying to protect you.”

She laughed bitterly, the sound hollow. “Protect me? By keeping me in the dark? That’s not protection, Alexander. That’s control.”

His eyes narrowed, his tone sharp. “I’m doing what I have to do to keep you alive, Isabella. You don’t understand how dangerous this world is.”

“Maybe I don’t,” she shot back. “But I’m not a child, Alexander. I deserve to know what’s happening to me.”

---

A Moment of Reflection

The tension between them hung heavy in the air, the silence punctuated only by the crackling of the fire. Isabella sank onto the couch, burying her face in her hands.

“I didn’t ask for any of this,” she murmured.

Alexander’s expression softened, and he took a tentative step toward her. “I know you didn’t.”

She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Then why me? Why now?”

He hesitated, his jaw tightening. “Because you’re the only one who ever made me feel like I could be something more. Someone better.”

The vulnerability in his voice caught her off guard. For a moment, she saw past the cold, calculating exterior to the man beneath.

“Alexander...” she began, but before she could finish, the sound of a vehicle approaching broke the moment.

---

Unwanted Visitors

Alexander’s demeanor shifted instantly. He moved to the window, peering out into the darkness.

“Stay here,” he ordered, his voice low and commanding.

“Who is it?” Isabella asked, her voice shaking.

“Probably not anyone friendly,” he muttered, pulling a gun from his waistband.

Her heart pounded as she watched him move toward the door, his every step radiating tension.

The knock that came was calm, measured. Too calm.

“Open the door, Gray,” a voice called from outside. “We just want to talk.”

Alexander didn’t move. “What do you want, Ryan?”

Isabella’s stomach churned at the name. Ryan. The man Alexander had warned her about. The man who wanted her dead.

“Let’s not make this difficult,” Ryan said smoothly. “You know how this ends if you don’t cooperate.”

---

The Standoff

Alexander opened the door just wide enough to see the man standing on the other side. Ryan was tall and lean, his sharp features illuminated by the headlights of the car parked behind him.

“You’re trespassing,” Alexander said coldly.

Ryan smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m here to offer you a deal.”

“I’m not interested.”

“Not even if it saves the girl?”

At that, Isabella stepped forward, despite Alexander’s warning glance.

“What do you want with me?” she demanded, her voice steady despite her fear.

Ryan’s gaze flicked to her, and his smile widened. “Ah, the infamous Isabella. You’ve caused quite a stir, you know. People are willing to pay a fortune for your pretty little head.”

Her blood ran cold, but she didn’t let it show. “Why? I’m no one special.”

Ryan chuckled. “Oh, but you are. And I’d be happy to explain... if your protector here would just hand you over.”

“That’s not happening,” Alexander growled, stepping in front of her.

Ryan sighed dramatically. “Pity. I was hoping we could resolve this peacefully.”

He signaled to his men, who stepped out of the shadows, their weapons drawn.

---

A Narrow Escape

The air was thick with tension as Alexander sized up the situation. Outnumbered, but not outmatched.

“Get down,” he murmured to Isabella.

Before she could process his words, he moved, his gun firing with deadly precision. The cabin erupted into chaos as Ryan’s men returned fire.

Isabella dove behind the couch, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear Alexander shouting orders, the sound of gunfire deafening.

“Isabella, move!” he yelled, and she scrambled toward the back door.

She barely made it outside when Alexander grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the forest.

“Keep running,” he urged, his voice sharp.

“What about you?” she asked, panicked.

“I’ll be right behind you. Just go!”

She hesitated for a moment before nodding and taking off into the trees.

---

Into the Unknown

The forest was dark and disorienting, the shadows seeming to close in around her. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves made her jump.

“Alexander?” she called softly, but there was no response.

She kept moving, her breath coming in short gasps. She didn’t know where she was going, only that she had to keep going.

When she finally stopped, her legs trembling from exhaustion, she realized she was completely alone.

And for the first time, she truly understood just how dangerous this world was.

In the distance, she heard footsteps. But they weren’t Alexander’s.

“Found you,” a voice said, and she froze, her blood turning to ice.

Ryan’s men had caught up to her.