I need space from both of you.

Amara's POV

The nurse wrapped my ankle tightly, reminding me to keep weight off it. I nodded absentmindedly, my thoughts not on the injury but on Caden. His touch, his words, the way he looked at me—it all played on a loop in my mind.

When I finally hobbled out of the office on crutches, I wasn’t surprised to find Caden waiting for me, leaning casually against the wall. He straightened when he saw me, his expression softening.

“Didn’t think I’d let you limp around alone, did you?” he teased gently.

“I’m fine, Caden,” I said, though my heart betrayed me with a flutter.

“Yeah, you’ve said that a lot today,” he replied, taking the crutches from me and holding out his hand. “Come on. I’ll carry you again.”

My cheeks flushed. “I can manage.”

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. “Amara, you’ve been through enough. Let me do this for you.”

There was something so earnest in his voice, so unshakably kind, that I couldn’t argue. With a resigned sigh, I let him scoop me into his arms again.

“You don’t have to keep playing the hero, you know,” I murmured as he carried me down the hallway.

“I’m not playing anything,” he said, his voice quieter now. “I just... I want to be there for you, Amara. For once, let someone take care of you.”

His words hit me harder than they should have. I’d spent so much of my life guarding myself, refusing to let anyone in. And now, here was Caden, breaking down every wall I’d built.

When we reached the courtyard, the sunlight bathed us in its golden warmth. Instead of setting me down immediately, Caden hesitated.

“Do you mind if we sit for a bit?” he asked, gesturing to a nearby bench.

I nodded, letting him lower me gently onto the seat. He sat next to me, closer than he needed to, and the silence between us was charged with unspoken words.

“Why are you so nice to me?” I asked finally, breaking the tension.

He looked at me, his expression thoughtful. “Because you deserve it, Amara. You’ve been through so much, and yet you’re still standing. That kind of strength... it’s rare.”

I blinked, caught off guard by his sincerity. “I don’t feel strong. Most days, I feel like I’m barely holding it together.”

“And yet, here you are,” he said, his voice gentle. “That’s strength, even if you don’t see it.”

His hand moved hesitantly, as if he wanted to touch me but wasn’t sure if he should. Before I could stop myself, I reached out and placed my hand over his.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes met mine, and the air between us shifted. There was something deeper in his gaze, something that made my wolf stir restlessly within me.

Caden is right for us, she whispered. He would cherish us.

Caden’s not an option, I argued, but my conviction wavered as he leaned closer.

“Amara,” he murmured, his breath warm against my skin. “There’s something about you that I can’t ignore. It’s like you’ve become a part of me, and I don’t know how to let you go.”

My heart pounded, and I struggled to find the right words. “Caden, I—”

Before I could finish, the sound of footsteps interrupted us. We both turned to see Ryder standing a few feet away, his expression unreadable.

“What’s going on here?” Ryder asked, his tone colder than usual.

I pulled my hand away from Caden’s, guilt surging through me even though I’d done nothing wrong. “Nothing. Caden was just helping me.”

Ryder’s jaw tightened, his eyes darting between us. “Helping you? Is that what we’re calling it now?”

“Don’t start, Ryder,” Caden said, his voice steady but firm.

“I’m not starting anything,” Ryder said, stepping closer. “Just wondering why my brother seems so interested in someone who’s supposed to hate us.”

“That’s enough!” I snapped, surprising even myself. “I don’t owe either of you an explanation.”

Ryder’s gaze softened for a fraction of a second, but his frustration was evident. “Amara, we’re trying to protect you. Even if you can’t see that yet.”

I shook my head, the tension between the three of us becoming unbearable. “I don’t need protection. What I need is space. From both of you.”

With that, I stood up, ignoring the pain in my ankle, and walked away as quickly as I could.

Behind me, I heard Caden sigh and Ryder curse under his breath, but I didn’t turn around. I needed time to figure out what the hell was happening between us—and whether I could survive being caught in the middle of the two most complicated men I’d ever met.

---

That evening, I found myself restless, pacing my room as my thoughts refused to settle. The events of the day replayed in my mind on a constant loop—Caden’s kindness, Ryder’s anger, the way my wolf reacted to both of them.

You can’t keep running, my wolf said, her voice steady and firm. You need to choose.

Choose? I shot back. They’re both impossible. They’ve done nothing but torment me!

People change. You’ve seen it in Caden. Ryder too, though he’s more stubborn.

I groaned, sinking onto the edge of my bed. “Why me?” I muttered aloud. “Why is this happening to me?”

As if on cue, there was a knock at my door. My heart jumped, the familiar pull making it clear who was on the other side. “Amara, it’s me. Can we talk?”

Caden.

I hesitated but finally opened the door. He stood there, his usual calm demeanor tinged with unease.

“Can I come in?” he asked, his voice soft.

I nodded, stepping aside. He entered, his gaze sweeping over my room before landing back on me.

“I needed to see you,” he said. “After what happened today... I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

I crossed my arms, unsure how to respond. “Caden, this—whatever this is—it’s complicated.”

“I know,” he said, stepping closer. “But I can’t ignore how I feel, Amara. I care about you. More than I should.”

His confession made my chest tighten. I wanted to tell him I felt the same pull, but my mind was a tangled mess of emotions.

“Caden, I don’t know if I can do this,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “There’s so much history between us. So much hurt.”

He reached out, his fingers brushing against mine. “I’m not asking you to forget, Amara. I just want a chance to show you who I really am. The person I want to be—for you.”

His words melted something inside me, and for a moment, I let myself believe it could be possible. But before I could respond, there was another knock at the door.

This time, the energy was different—charged and intense. I didn’t need to open it to know who it was.

“Ryder,” I whispered.

Caden stiffened, his jaw tightening as the door swung open. Ryder stood there, his expression unreadable, but his stormy eyes betrayed his turmoil.

“Am I interrupting?” Ryder asked, his tone biting as his gaze flicked between Caden and me.

“Not now, Ryder,” Caden said, his voice calm but firm.

“Actually, I think now is the perfect time,” Ryder shot back, stepping into the room. “We need to talk, Amara. Alone.”

Caden moved to block him, his protective instincts flaring. “She doesn’t need this right now.”

“I’m not talking to you, Caden,” Ryder growled, his voice low and dangerous. “This is between me and her.”

“Enough!” I snapped, stepping between them. “I’m not some prize for you two to fight over!”

Both of them looked at me, their expressions softening slightly at my outburst.

“I need space,” I said, my voice trembling. “From both of you. I can’t think straight when you’re like this.”

Caden’s face fell, but he nodded, stepping back. “If that’s what you need, Amara, I’ll respect it.”

Ryder hesitated, his emotions warring behind his eyes. Finally, he muttered, “Fine,” before storming out of the room.

As the door closed, I sank onto my bed, overwhelmed by the weight of everything.

Caden hesitated in the doorway. “I’ll give you space, Amara. But I’m not giving up on you.”

With that, he left, leaving me alone with my thoughts—and the growing pull toward both of them.