Chapter Five

Roman woke to cold sheets.

For a moment, he didn’t move. His arm was still stretched across the empty space where Ellie had been, the faint warmth already fading. The room was quiet, the early morning light soft and pale against the walls.

He exhaled slowly, dragging a hand over his face.

She was gone.

He didn’t know why that bothered him as much as it did. Maybe it was the abruptness. Maybe it was the silence. Maybe it was the way last night had felt too close, too real, too… dangerous.

He sat up, elbows on his knees, staring at the spot where she’d slept. The pillow was still indented. A strand of her hair clung to the blanket.

He swallowed hard.

Then he stood, pulling on a shirt, trying to ignore the way his chest felt too tight.

He needed air.

He needed space.

He needed—

“Roman.”

He froze.

Alexander stood in the doorway, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

Roman straightened. “What?”

Alexander’s gaze flicked to the bed, then back to Roman. “She was here.”

It wasn’t a question.

Roman didn’t answer.

Alexander stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “You want to tell me what’s going on?”

“No.”

“Roman.”

Roman clenched his jaw. “She was drunk and upset. I gave her somewhere to sleep. That’s it.”

Alexander raised an eyebrow. “You don’t look like someone who ‘just helped.’ You look like someone who didn’t sleep because he was too busy staring at the ceiling thinking about her.”

Roman didn’t respond.

Alexander sighed. “Look… I’m not judging. I’m just trying to understand why you’re acting like you’re about to jump out of your own skin.”

Roman looked away.

Alexander stepped closer. “Is this about tomorrow?”

Roman’s throat tightened. “Everything is about tomorrow.”

Alexander studied him for a long moment. “You care about her.”

Roman’s jaw flexed. “Of course I care about her.”

“No,” Alexander said quietly. “I mean… you *care* about her.”

Roman didn’t deny it.

He couldn’t.

Alexander let out a slow breath. “Does she know?”

“No.”

“Are you going to tell her?”

Roman’s voice was barely audible. “I can’t.”

Alexander frowned. “Why not?”

Roman shook his head. “Just… drop it.”

Alexander didn’t push, but his eyes lingered on Roman with a new kind of understanding. “Fine. But whatever this is… be careful. She’s already overwhelmed.”

Roman nodded once.

Alexander left.

Roman stood alone in the quiet room, staring at the door long after it closed.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow everything changed.

***

Ellie didn’t know where she was going until she got there.

Her feet carried her on instinct, down the back steps, across the yard, and toward the training grounds. The morning air was crisp, cool enough to sting her lungs, but she welcomed it. She needed something sharp, something grounding, something to cut through the fog in her head.

Her wolf was restless again—pacing, whining, pushing against her ribs like it wanted out. Like it wanted something she couldn’t name.

She stepped onto the training field and inhaled deeply.

Here, she could breathe.

Here, she could move.

Here, she could pretend everything wasn’t falling apart inside her.

She dropped her bag, pulled her hair into a messy knot, and started stretching. The familiar motions soothed her, loosening the tightness in her chest. She rolled her shoulders, shook out her arms, and began running drills—footwork first, then balance, then speed.

Her body moved on autopilot.

Her mind didn’t.

Every time she blinked, she saw Roman’s face in the dark.

Every time she inhaled, she smelled his scent on her skin.

Every time she exhaled, she felt the ghost of his arm around her waist.

She pushed harder.

Faster.

Her wolf surged, claws scraping at the inside of her chest.

*What is wrong with me?*

She didn’t know.

She didn’t know anything anymore.

She didn’t know why she’d gone to him last night.

She didn’t know why he’d held her like she mattered.

She didn’t know why her wolf reacted to him like he was—

No.

She couldn’t think that.

She wasn’t of age yet.

She couldn’t sense her mate yet.

She couldn’t feel anything real yet.

So why did it feel real?

She stumbled, breath catching.

“Ellie?”

She turned.

Alexander stood at the edge of the field, hands in his pockets, expression softer than she’d ever seen it.

“You okay?” he asked.

She forced a breath. “Yeah. Just needed to run.”

He nodded, stepping closer. “You’ve been out here a while.”

“I needed it.”

“I figured.” His eyes flicked over her face, reading more than she wanted him to. “Tomorrow’s a lot.”

She swallowed. “Yeah.”

“And you’re… you know. You’re you. You overthink everything.”

She let out a weak laugh. “Thanks.”

“It’s not an insult,” he said. “It’s just true.”

She looked away, wiping sweat from her forehead. “I’m fine, Alex.”

“You don’t have to be.”

The words hit harder than she expected.

He hesitated, shifting his weight. “Look… if you’re nervous, that’s normal. If you’re scared, that’s normal too. Everyone freaks out before their ceremony.”

“Did you?”

He snorted. “I threw up twice.”

She blinked. “Seriously?”

“Ask our dad.”

She laughed—really laughed—and Alexander’s shoulders relaxed a little.

“That’s better,” he said. “You looked like you were about to punch a tree.”

“I considered it.”

“Don’t. The trees didn’t do anything.”

She rolled her eyes, but the tension in her chest eased a little.

Alexander watched her for a moment, something thoughtful in his expression. Not suspicious. Not knowing. Just… protective.

“If you need anything,” he said quietly, “I’m around.”

She nodded. “Thanks.”

He gave her a small smile—the kind he only used with people he actually cared about—then turned and headed back toward the pack house.

Ellie watched him go, her wolf still pacing, still restless, still loud.

She wasn’t calmer.

She wasn’t settled.

But she wasn’t alone.

And somehow, that helped.

***

Roman found her an hour later.

He didn’t approach at first. He stood at the edge of the field, watching her move—fast, sharp, angry. Her punches landed harder than usual. Her footwork was sloppy. Her breathing was uneven.

She was unraveling.

And it was his fault.

He stepped forward. “Ellie.”

She froze.

Turned.

Looked at him like she wasn’t sure whether to run toward him or away from him.

He swallowed. “You left early.”

“I needed air.”

He nodded, though something flickered in his expression. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“You always say that.”

She let out a breath, shaky and uneven. “I just… needed to run.”

His eyes softened. “I figured.”

They stood there for a moment, the silence stretching between them. Not awkward. Not tense. Just… full.

“Ellie,” he said quietly, “come with me.”

She hesitated.

Then nodded.

He led her toward the woods, away from the noise of the pack house, away from the training grounds, away from everything.

The deeper they walked, the quieter it became.

Finally, she stopped. “Roman… what are we doing?”

He turned to her, jaw tight. “Talking.”

“About what?”

“You.”

Her breath caught. “Me?”

“You’re… off,” he said, voice low. “You’re restless. You’re scared. You’re pushing yourself too hard.”

She looked away. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

“Roman—”

“You’re not,” he repeated, stepping closer. “And I can’t just stand there and pretend I don’t see it.”

Her chest tightened. “Why do you care so much?”

He froze.

She stepped closer. “Roman… what are you hiding from me?”

He didn’t answer.

She reached for him without thinking, fingers brushing his wrist. “Roman.”

He inhaled sharply.

Then everything snapped.

He grabbed her face with both hands—not rough, but desperate, like he’d been holding himself back for too long and something inside him finally broke.

Her breath hitched.

His forehead pressed to hers, his thumbs brushing her cheekbones, his breath warm against her lips.

“Ellie…” he whispered, voice wrecked.

Her hands slid up his chest, fingers curling into his shirt.

Their noses brushed.

Their lips hovered a breath apart.

Her wolf surged, wild and electric.

He leaned in—

“Roman!”

They jerked apart.

Alexander stood at the edge of the clearing, eyes wide, chest rising and falling like he’d run the whole way.

Roman stepped back so fast he almost stumbled.

Ellie’s face burned.

Alexander looked between them, confusion and something like realization flickering across his face.

“Alpha needs you,” he said, voice tight. “Now.”

Roman didn’t look at Ellie.

He couldn’t.

He walked past her, jaw clenched, shoulders rigid.

Alexander hesitated, then followed.

Ellie stood alone in the clearing, heart pounding, breath shaking, lips tingling with the kiss that almost happened.

Her wolf pressed against her ribs, restless and loud.

She didn’t understand what was happening.

She didn’t understand why she wanted him to kiss her and why he almost did.