slip away

Anya” he called, making it impossible for me to breathe. Nothing, I said absolutely nothing

“I… I have to go now” I said, suddenly pulling out of his hold. “you know how mum gets when I take too long” I said, forcing a smile as sweat threatened to breakout on my forehead.

Ethan’s fingers closed around my wrist before I even made it two steps down the hallway. His touch wasn’t harsh—if anything, it was careful, almost hesitant… but it still sent a rush of panic through me. The dim lights cast shadows along the walls as sun was yet to fully shine,  suddenly the quiet space between us felt too tight, too warm, too full of everything we weren’t saying.

“Anya,” he breathed, pulling me a little closer. Calling me with absolute fear in his voice

For a moment, a dangerous, stupid moment, I let him. His warmth seeped into my skin, his scent settling around me like some trap I kept falling into. My breath caught, betraying me. He looked down at me with those dark, searching eyes, the kind that made it impossible to hide anything.

“What is going on?” he asked softly.

My heart thudded so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I knew if I stayed still any longer, if I let him read the truth in my face, everything would crumble. Him. Me. All the running would be for nothing. The hate that would follow almost immediately.

I slipped out of his grip before he realized I was moving. One second I was close enough to feel his breath brush my cheek, and the next I’d stepped back—putting just enough space between us for air to return to my lungs.

“I have to go,” I said. My voice didn’t shake, but I felt the tremor all the way down to my bones. “I have to go. It’s a long way to Aunt Mallory’s.”

His brows pulled together, frustration flashing over his features. Not anger—he didn’t look angry. Just confused. Worried. Hurt.

“Go where?” he demanded, taking a step toward me. His voice had that low edge I hated because it made me want to tell him everything. “you don’t look okay, Anya. Talk to me.”

I shook my head, cutting him off before he could say anything else that might weaken me.

“I can’t,” I said.

“Yes, you can.” He reached for me again, slower this time, almost like he expected me to break. “Whatever this is…”

“Ethan.” His name left my lips sharper than I meant, but I needed him to stop. When I finally met his eyes, something inside me wavered. “you are not thinking what I am thinking right?” I felt my hold on my scent slipping.

Anxiety pooled at the pits of my stomach

I needed to get the hell out of here right this instant!!

His expression stilled. The hallway suddenly felt colder, the silence between us heavier.

“What am I thinking?” he was moving closer, as though trying to sniff me

I swallowed, forcing the words past the tightness in my throat. “look” I pushed him to the side again. “I know your wolf is probably going through some heart break and you said it yourself, we cannot be mates.”

For a long heartbeat, neither of us moved. I could feel him wanting to reach for me again, to pull me back. And god, a part of me wanted to let him.

But wanting him had never been the problem.

Staying was.

I stepped back fully, my hand curling around the strap of my bag like it was the only thing keeping me steady.

“I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but this is only an after effect of a spell. I did not mean to play with your emotions that way” I whispered. I couldn’t let him see my face anymore; I knew the truth would spill out if he looked at me for one second longer.

I turned away.

“Anya.” His voice cracked just a little—enough to nearly break my resolve.

But I didn’t stop.

I didn’t look back.

My footsteps echoed down the hall, each one pulling me farther from him, farther from the temptation of his touch, farther from the chaos I kept trying to outrun.

And as I walked away, all I could think was this:

If he reached for me one more time… I wouldn’t have been able to go at all.

It finally felt like I could breathe when I walked out of the house, the air finally returning to my lungs in full force.

“fuck” I muttered, finally letting my legs give out “that was close” I muttered, rushing home so that I could get the hell out of here. there was absolutely no way I was going to be able to stay here, at least not for now.

“you are back”  my mum smiled at me but I could not, not at the moment.

I ran up to my room, shoving any and every cloth my hands could touch

“the faster I leave, the better” the words rang in my head, over and over again.”

Soon, the bag was full swinging it over my shoulders as I made my way out of the room.

I moved as though my ass was on fire, not even bothering to move back.

“Honey..” my mum tried to call as I passed with my bags not even bothering to look at them.

“mum… dad.. I am going!!! i’ll send a bird when I reach!! Please don’t call” I let go of my invisible spell that wiped my scent. The spell was a lot more to handle for a long period of time, plus I was out of the pack in no time.

There was absolutely no reason to keep it in. “honey before you go, why don’t you say hello to our guest? Goddess knows it has been so long since we saw him here” my mum’s voice grew soft, cooing even.

I shook my head, not wanting to believe. But the only time she ever used that voice was…

I blinked, turning around to see the one person I was trying to get away from…

Ethan…