Chapter 4

The sharp sting of pain pulled Greg back into the waking world, his surroundings a blurred haze. His body screamed in agony as his chest heaved, fighting for breath. Blood seeped from his side, painting the forest floor beneath him. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, and that was when he caught the whiff of something alluring, some enticing, unfamiliar scent among the damp earth and his blood.

A shadow moved above him. He blinked again, focusing on the figure leaning over him. It was a woman's pale face streaked with dirt and glistening tears, her long black hair tumbling in messy waves around her face, her lips quivering as if she was caught between fight and flight.

"Help me," he rasped, his voice broken and hoarse.

She jerked, hesitating. Her wide, blue eyes darted around as though expecting someone to leap out of the shadows.

"Please," he tried again, his words sharper this time despite the strain it took to say them.

She sniffled, wiping at her cheeks with trembling fingers. For a moment, Greg thought that she would turn and leave him to bleed out in the dirt. But then she dropped down onto her knees beside him, muttering something he could not quite catch. She fumbled with the hem of her dress, tearing a strip of fabric free and then ripping it into smaller pieces with surprising strength.

"This… this might not help much," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Greg clenched his teeth as she pressed the makeshift cloth against his wound. Pain erupted in his side, and he groaned, his body arching slightly.

"Stay still," she said, her tone firmer now. Her fingers were nimble yet gentle as she worked to bandage his wound.

While working on him, the fog cloaking Greg's brain finally began to break apart. He frowned hard, the sharp ache in his side turning muted. Something was happening-miraculous and unbelievable, yet it happened. Warmness radiated from her fingers, not simply at surface contact but deeper into his tissue. His breathing stabilized; he felt the ache in him continuing to recede further into the passing seconds.

"You're. Healing me," he replied, his voice much firmer now.

She froze; her hands stopped dead. "What?"

"You’re healing me," he repeated, his gaze locking onto hers.

She pulled her hands back as though burned, staring down at her own fingers in shock. "I—I didn’t mean to," she stammered. "I’ve never done anything like that before."

The surprise in her voice sounded genuine, and Greg believed her. His mind reeled at the implications, but he shoved his questions aside for the moment. He needed to focus on the woman who had quite literally saved his life.

"Thank you," he said, his tone softer now.

She looked down, her cheeks flushing. "I… couldn't just leave you there."

Greg sat up slowly, testing his strength. He was still sore, but the wound had closed significantly. His sharp senses picked up on the way her fingers twitched, the nervous glances she cast around the forest. Something was wrong.

"You’re running from something," he stated, watching her closely.

Her shoulders tensed, but she didn’t deny it. She looked away, her gaze distant. "It’s nothing," she mumbled.

"It's not nothing," Greg pressed. "You wouldn't be this scared if it were."

She hesitated for a long moment before exhaling shakily. "The Pale-Moon Pack," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I… I'm not safe there. I needed to get away."

Greg's jaw tightened. The Pale-Moon Pack was known for its notoriously arrogant cruelly sick and greedy Alpha Derrick. They were also known for being very backward and regressive in their mentality. If she was running from them, she had every reason to be terrified.

"You're safe now," he said, his voice firm.

She gave a harsh laugh, her breath faintly sour with the scent of booze. "Safe? With someone bleeding out in the woods? I have to be insane."

Greg smiled wryly and spoke in a soft voice. "You're not insane. You're drunk."

Her lips quivered as if she wanted to smile in return, but her fear overshadowed any trace of amusement. Greg's heart softened. This woman-whoever she was-obviously had been through hell.

"I'll help you," he said abruptly.

She stared at him, her eyes rounding. "What?"

"I'll help you escape," he reiterated.

"You don't even know me," she said, shaking her head. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I know what it's like to run," he said simply. "And because you saved my life. I owe you."

She looked at him, a doubt and hope etched in her face. "You can't promise that."

"I can," Greg said firmly. "And I will."

Something flickered in her eyes—trust, fragile and tentative. She nodded slowly, and Greg felt a spark of relief.

The air between them shifted, the tension giving way to something deeper. He couldn't ignore the pull he felt toward her, the way her scent made his pulse quicken. Judging by the way her breath hitched when their eyes met, she felt it too.

"What's your name?" he asked, his voice low.

"Lyra," she whispered.

"Lyra," he repeated, testing the name on his tongue. "You look like a Lyra."

She smiled weakly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. The fear was still there, just below the surface.

"Stay with me tonight," he said, the words tumbling out before he could catch them.

Her eyes went wide with alarm. "I—"

"Lyra," he interrupted softly, "I won't hurt you. I swear it. Whoever's after you, they won't find you. Not tonight. You're safe with me."

She hesitated, her lips parting as though she wanted to argue. But then she exhaled, her shoulders sagging. "Okay," she said quietly.

Greg's chest tightened as he saw the vulnerability in her eyes and the tentative trust she placed in him. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"You don't have to run alone anymore," he said softly.

Lena's breath caught, and something inside of her snapped. She leaned in, her lips grazing his in a soft, searching kiss. Greg's heart thundered as he kissed her back, the world fading away until there was only the woman who had saved him, and whom he was now determined to protect.

The kiss deepened, and they fell back upon the earth, fears and uncertainties momentarily forgotten as they succumbed to the pull between them.