chapter 4: the pull between us

Aria stood in the doorway like a ghost dragged out of the storm, pale, trembling, and wearing my jacket as if it belonged to her.

The sight hit me harder than any blow.

Her damp hair clung to her cheeks. Her hands shook where they gripped the doorframe. And yet… the moment my eyes landed on her, something inside me lurched forward like a beast breaking free.

My wolf rose sharply, snarling one word over and over—

Mate.

I stiffened.

No.

Not her.

Not the daughter of the man who destroyed everything I ever loved.

“Aria,” I said tightly, burying the chaos growing inside me. “What’s wrong?”

She stumbled a step closer. “I… I don’t know. My chest feels strange. My heart is racing. I’m hot… but freezing at the same time.”

Her breathing was ragged. The pulse at her throat fluttered wildly.

And then her scent—soft, warm, dangerously sweet—washed over me, and my wolf lost control.

I curled my hands into fists. “Sit,” I ordered, sharper than I intended. “You’re still weak.”

She obeyed, sinking onto the couch. For a moment, the room was silent except for the crackling fire and the frantic beat of her heart.

Then she whispered, “Why are you helping me?”

The question cut through me like a blade.

I turned toward the window, forcing coldness into my voice. “You were dying. And don’t misunderstand—I’m not helping you. You’re my prisoner now.”

“That’s not what I meant,” she murmured, her voice fragile. “You… hate my family. I see it in your eyes.”

My jaw locked. She wasn’t wrong.

Her father destroyed my pack. My life. Everything.

And she carried his blood.

But the closer she sat, the harder it became to hate her.

“You shouldn’t have come here,” I said. “You crossed into the wrong territory.”

She looked down. “I didn’t come here by choice. I was running.”

Her eyes lifted, shimmering with tears. “If you hadn’t found me… I’d be dead.”

The truth rolled off her scent. No fear. No lie.

I swallowed the words I wanted to say.

“You’re safe here for now,” I forced out. “But once you heal, you leave.”

Her expression fell, but she nodded. She tried to stand—only to collapse.

I caught her without thinking.

And everything inside me exploded.

Heat surged beneath my skin, wild and blinding. My wolf howled her name, recognizing what I still refused to.

Her breath caught as she clung to me. “W-what… what was that?”

I jerked away too quickly. “Nothing. You just need rest.”

But it wasn’t nothing.

It was the mate bond.

The gods-damned bond I would never accept.

She studied my face quietly. “Is it because of my father?”

The room froze.

My voice died in my throat.

“Go to sleep,” I said stiffly, turning my back. “You need strength.”

Her whisper followed me, soft but unflinching. “You can lie to yourself, Alpha… but your voice gives you away.”

I left before she could see the truth burning through my eyes.

In my study, I slammed the door and braced myself against the desk. My breath was uneven, my chest tight.

“Why her?” I growled into the empty room. “Why her?”

My wolf answered with calm certainty—

Because she’s ours.

I sank into my chair, dragging a hand through my hair. I thought of her trembling hands, her scent, the way her body fit perfectly against mine… everything I should have hated but couldn’t.

Dawn found me still awake.

Then—

A violent knock shattered the silence.

“Alpha!” Draven’s voice came urgently. “We have a problem!”

I stood instantly. “What happened?”

Draven rushed in holding a torn piece of filthy cloth. “Rogues. They crossed the east border.”

My stomach dropped.

“The east border?” I repeated.

He nodded grimly. “The same place we found her.”

Cold crept through my veins.

“What are you saying?” I demanded.

Draven placed the cloth on my desk. “They were tracking someone, Jason. And the scouts heard them…”

He swallowed.

“They said her name.”

My heart stopped.

Aria.

Draven met my eyes, voice low and grave.

“Alpha… they know she’s here.”