Human

The ride was never-ending. More than minutes had passed, I think. The lantern light flickered weakly, and the cold bit at my skin.

Mr. Wolfe was silent behind me, but his weight pressed into my back, grounding me. I tried to focus on guiding the horse, but exhaustion clawed at me. My arms ached from holding the reins, my legs stiff from hours of riding.

Every now and then, I felt Mr. Wolfe shift slightly. His breathing was consistent yet shallow, which just showed me how much agony he was experiencing.

Finally, the soft glow of lights broke through the darkness. The manor.

I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding as a wave of relief passed over me. “We’re here,” I said, looking over my shoulder.

Mr. Wolfe said nothing, but he tightened his hold on my waist.

With the exception of the distant mutter of voices from the manor, the courtyard was quiet.

At the entrance, Mr. Wolfe's alleged friends were relaxing with drinks in hand and their laughter resounding through the crisp night air. They looked at us as we approached.

As we got closer, they turned to face us.

“Finally,” one of them remarked with a grin. “We were beginning to think you’d chosen to make camp in the woods. ”

I ignored him, focusing on helping Mr. Wolfe off the horse. His jaw tightened as he leaned on me, his injured ankle barely brushing the ground.

Kai chuckled. “You’re lucky Dylan’s a beta. If he’d been an omega, who knows what might’ve happened out there.”

Laughter erupted from the group, casual and careless.

My chest tightened, anger flaring in my veins. “Is this funny to you?” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. “He was injured, lost in the woods, and you didn’t care. You just sat here and—”

“Dylan,” Mr. Wolfe interrupted, his voice quiet but firm.

I turned to him, my breath catching at the look in his eyes. He shook his head slightly, a silent plea for me to let it go.

I swallowed hard, biting back the rest of my words.

The alphas laughed again, their voices fading as Mr. Wolfe and I made our way inside.

The manor’s doctor was waiting for us.

He examined Mr. Wolfe’s ankle with practiced precision, his expression calm as he cleaned the scrapes and wrapped the injury tightly. “It’s a clean break,” he said finally. “You’ll need to stay off it for a while. Rest is the most important thing right now.”

Mr. Wolfe nodded, his face unreadable.

Once the doctor left, I helped Mr. Wolfe to his room. He leaned heavily on me, his movements slow and stiff.

“You didn’t have to yell at them,” he said quietly as we reached his room.

"Yes, I did," I said firmly in response. "Boss, they did not give a damn. They didn’t even think about coming after you.”

He didn’t argue, but his silence spoke volumes.

I helped him lie down, propping his leg up on a pillow. His eyes fluttered closed for a moment, his exhaustion clear.

“Do you need anything?” I asked, standing awkwardly by the bed.

He shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. “No. Just…stay close.”

I hesitated, unsure if he meant it.

“Please,” he added softly.

That single word unraveled something in me.

I nodded, pulling a chair closer to his bedside.

Hours passed. The room was quiet, save for the faint sound of Mr. Wolfe’s breathing.

I’d almost fallen asleep when I heard him stir.

His face twisted, beads of sweat forming on his brow. He shifted restlessly, his breaths growing quicker, more uneven.

“Mr. Wolfe?” I said, leaning closer.

He didn’t respond. His hands clenched the sheets, his entire body tense.

“Tristan,” I said again, louder this time, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He jolted awake, his eyes wide and unfocused.

“It’s okay,” I said quickly, grabbing his hand. “You’re safe. It was just a dream.”

His breathing slowed as his gaze finally landed on me. For a moment, he looked…lost.

After pausing, I leaned closer and wrapped my arms around him.Initially tense, he eventually relaxed and rested his head on my shoulder.

“It’s okay,” I said again, speaking gently. “You’re okay. ”

Every moment seemed to drag on forever, and the atmosphere in the room felt heavy.

“What happened? ” I asked softly.

Mr. Wolfe remained quiet.

Concerned that I had gone too far, I hastily added, "You are not required to tell me.”

He leaned back a bit, his eyes searching mine. Finally, in a strained voice, he stated, "I do not want to discuss it.”

I nodded, though I wanted to ask more.

He leaned back against the pillows, his demeanor once again cautious. “Stay,” he suddenly declared, his voice barely above a whisper.

“What did you say? ”

“Stay with me,” he repeated, his gaze falling to the sheets. “Just for a little while. ”

I froze, wondering if I had heard him right.

“I…” My words trailed off. “I don’t believe that’s a good idea. ”

“Please,” he implored, his tone gentler now. “Just let me hold you. It’s…just for tonight. ”

My chest tightened.

I felt inclined to refuse. I understood I should. But the way he stared at me, the vulnerability in his voice—I couldn’t bring myself to decline.

“Okay,” I responded softly, shifting to the other side of the bed.

The mattress shifted under me as I lay down beside him.

Mr. Wolfe edged closer, wrapping his arm around my waist. I felt his warmth, which melted the cold that had crept into my bones.

It felt unusual to be this close to him.

“I care about you, Dylan,” he whispered, his voice soft and low.

“For what? ”

“For everything,” he answered simply.

I was left wordless, so I remained silent.

Despite our closeness, Mr. Wolfe didn’t make any further advances. His breathing slowed, becoming steady as he fell asleep. I gently ran my fingers through his hair.

I stayed awake a little longer, gazing at the ceiling.

What I felt toward him, toward this circumstance, toward us, I did not know.

All I knew was that, for the first time in a long time, Mr. Wolfe…. Tristan seemed…human.

And for now, that was enough.