Fire on the Border

AYLA’S POV

The night air felt cold and sharp on my skin, filled with the smell of blood and smoke drifting from the forest. I stood on a small balcony outside the Great Hall, watching the forest edge burn in the moonlight.

Darius stood nearby, his posture rigid, every muscle coiled like a spring. The guards patrolled the perimeter, whispers of urgency passing between them.

“They’re close,” he said, his voice low but steady. “Northern Watch reports they’re moving faster than expected.”

I swallowed, feeling the truth sink in. These weren’t just stories. The danger was real, alive, and I was caught in it.

“Will you… fight?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Darius’ eyes found mine, intense and unreadable. “Do you think I let anyone threaten my lands without answering?” His gaze hardened. “Especially tonight.”

DARIUS’ POV

The girl watches me like she can see past the surface, past the Alpha mask I wear. That makes her dangerous because of her mind and her curiosity.

The Northern pack was always reckless, testing limits and daring me to respond. Tonight, they would learn why no one crosses my land—but keeping Ayla safe made things more complicated. I couldn’t let her fall into their hands. Not yet.

I step closer to the balcony’s edge, scanning the forest. “They don’t know we’re ready. That gives us the advantage. But we’ll need scouts inside the trees before they reach the clearing.”

Ayla’s eyes widen, and I see a mix of fear and fascination on her face. She wants to look away but doesn’t. She wants to run but stays. Orders carry an edge I can’t mask. “I won’t have you in harm’s way.”

AYLA’S POV

He told me to stay, but I didn’t. My curiosity was more substantial than the fear in my stomach. I moved closer to the balcony railing, trying to see the shadows in the forest.

Then I saw them, figures moving quickly through the trees. They weren’t just scouts, but hunters. They moved with purpose, dangerous and organized, heading straight for the edge of the village.

My heart leapt. “Darius…” I called, trying to keep my voice steady.

He turned quickly, the moonlight catching his sharp features. For a moment, his expression was unreadable, then it changed to cold fury.

“Good,” he murmured, almost to himself. “You see them. Now you know why I can’t let you wander freely.”

Before I could answer, a horn sounded as a warning from the sentries. Shadows moved faster, and the trees filled with rustling and flashes of steel.

DARIUS’ POV

This is it. The first strike. My pack, my rules, my land.

I motion to my guards. “Form the line. Protect the perimeter. Ayla, behind me.”

She hesitated but obeyed. I didn’t have time for defiance now. Not with the enemy this close.

As the first Northern warrior broke through the trees, I moved fast, every step precise and deadly. I heard Ayla’s breath quicken behind me, and I felt something stir inside, protective, possessive, primal.

One strike. Two strikes. The enemy faltered, confused by the speed and precision of our defense.

Then I saw her, Ayla. She wasn’t cowering or frozen. She watched with wide, steady eyes. She didn’t scream or run. She was observing, analyzing. My gut twisted with something new, respect, maybe even admiration.

This girl could survive. And maybe… she could even challenge me someday.

AYLA’S POV

I couldn’t move yet, but I could think. Every action and fight, every move Darius made, looked like a predator’s dance. I realized he wasn’t just fighting for the land. He was fighting for control, dominance, and survival.

Something stirred inside me. It wasn’t fear, not yet. It was a strange mix of respect and fascination.

And then, without thinking, I shouted directions to a guard, pointing out a blind spot in the enemy’s approach. My voice rang across the clearing. The guard moved just in time, thwarting a potential attack.

Darius’s head snapped toward me. I’ll never forget his eyes, dark, stormy, and hard to read. But in that moment, I saw a spark: recognition, approval, maybe even interest.

The enemy retreated under the combined force of Darius’ pack and the strategic advantage I had unknowingly provided.

By the time silence fell over the clearing, the forest no longer whispered with danger. But my pulse hadn’t slowed. Not entirely.

Darius came closer, and I caught his scent: wood, iron, and something faintly human. “You could have been killed,” he said, his voice low and almost a growl.

“I… helped,” I said, barely meeting his eyes. His lips curved in a way that was half smirk, half threat. “Yes. And you intrigued me. That’s dangerous, Ayla. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I whispered, though a part of me didn’t. He stared at me for a long moment, and I felt like he could see right through me. Then, without another word, he turned and walked into the Great Hall, leaving me shaking with adrenaline, fear, and something I couldn’t name.