Chapter Six

Kiara POV

Sleep refused to come.

No matter how tightly I shut my eyes, my mind wouldn’t rest. The hospital room was quiet, yet every small sound felt too loud the faint ticking of a clock, the soft hum of machines, the distant footsteps echoing somewhere beyond the walls.

I turned slightly on the bed, wincing as pain pulled through my muscles. My body was healing faster than it should, the doctor said. But healing didn’t mean forgetting.

The moment I closed my eyes, memories waited for me.

Cold floors.

Harsh voices.

Pain I had learned to endure in silence.

I swallowed hard and stared at the ceiling again.

Safe.

They kept saying that word, but safety felt like something meant for other people not for someone like me.

A sudden knock broke the silence.

My heart jumped.

The door opened slowly, and Alpha Theodore stepped inside.

Even before I saw him clearly, I felt his presence. The air shifted, warmer somehow, heavier. My breathing grew uneven without reason, and I hated how aware I became of him instantly.

“You’re awake,” he said quietly.

I pushed myself up slightly. “I couldn’t sleep.”

He nodded as if he had expected that answer. Closing the door behind him, he moved closer but stopped a few steps away, careful not to invade my space.

For an Alpha, he was strangely cautious around me.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

I hesitated. No one had asked me that before not truly.

“Confused,” I admitted. “And scared.”

His gaze softened, though his posture remained straight and controlled. “That’s understandable.”

Silence stretched between us, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt… steady.

“I spoke with the doctor,” he said after a moment. “Your healing is accelerating.”

I looked down at my hands. The bruises that once covered my skin were already fading.

“I don’t understand it,” I whispered.

“You will,” he replied. “In time.”

His calm certainty made something inside my chest loosen slightly.

“Why are you helping me?” I asked suddenly. “You don’t even know me.”

For a brief second, he didn’t answer. His jaw tightened, as though he was choosing his words carefully.

“Because you were hurt under another Alpha’s rule,” he said finally. “And that makes you my responsibility now.”

Responsibility.

The word should have sounded cold, yet warmth spread through me anyway.

Before I could stop myself, I asked softly, “Is that the only reason?”

His golden eyes met mine, and the air between us shifted again thick, charged, almost electric.

“I don’t know yet,” he admitted.

My heartbeat quickened.

A strange warmth bloomed inside my chest, stronger than before. It spread slowly through my body, making my skin tingle. I gripped the blanket, confused by the sudden sensation.

Alpha Theodore stiffened.

“You feel it too?” I whispered.

His expression darkened slightly. “Yes.”

The warmth intensified, turning into something restless, alive. My senses sharpened the sound of his breathing, the faint scent of pine and rain clinging to him, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

It was overwhelming.

“What’s happening?” I asked, panic creeping into my voice.

He took a slow step back, as if creating distance helped him think. “Your wolf is reacting.”

“I don’t have a wolf,” I said quickly.

His gaze didn’t waver. “Something inside you disagrees.”

A sudden pressure filled the room. My breath caught as a strange sensation brushed against my mind, like a whisper just beyond understanding.

Then

A low growl echoed faintly.

My eyes widened. “Did you hear that?”

Alpha Theodore’s shoulders tensed instantly. His eyes flashed brighter, almost glowing.

“Yes,” he said quietly.

The growl hadn’t come from outside.

It came from inside me.

Fear surged through my chest. My pulse raced as warmth turned into heat, spreading through my veins like fire. Images flickered behind my eyes silver light, running through forests, wind rushing past my skin.

I gasped, clutching my head.

“Kiara,” he said firmly, stepping forward before stopping himself again. “Focus on my voice.”

I tried, but the sensation grew stronger. A presence stirred deep within me ancient, powerful, awake.

Mine.

The word echoed faintly in my mind.

“I can’t control it,” I whispered.

“You’re not shifting,” he said quickly, studying me. “Your wolf is only awakening.”

“My wolf…” The words felt unreal.

His breathing grew heavier, like he was fighting something within himself too.

“My wolf is responding to yours,” he admitted quietly. “And that should not happen unless ”

He stopped himself.

“Unless what?” I asked.

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he turned away sharply, running a hand through his hair as if trying to regain control.

“You need rest,” he said, voice strained. “We’ll continue this tomorrow.”

Fear rushed through me. “Please don’t leave.”

He paused at the door again.

“You are under my protection,” he said firmly. “Nothing will happen to you here.”

Then he left.

The door clicked shut, and the warmth slowly faded, leaving behind an aching emptiness.

I lay back against the pillow, breathing heavily.

My wolf.

The words repeated in my mind again and again.

Outside the window, movement caught my eye a shadow crossing the courtyard below. Too fast. Too large.

Watching.

A chill ran down my spine.

Someone knew I was here.

And whoever it was… wasn’t coming to help.