In The Arms Of Night

Chapter Forty Five ; In the Arms of Night

Selene’s POV

The forest was cold. My feet were bleeding. I couldn’t feel my toes anymore, and the air cut my skin like tiny knives.

But I kept running.

Ronan’s hand gripped mine tightly, and I could feel the way he limped—he was hurt. He never said a word about it, but I saw the blood on his leg. I saw the way he winced each time he took a step.

Still, he kept going. For me.

We had escaped Evric’s pack by luck, but that didn’t mean we were safe. Not yet. The forest was dark, and every sound made me jump. The howl of a wolf in the distance. The snap of a branch. The cold wind brushing against the leaves.

Ronan pulled me behind a thick tree. He held up a hand, telling me to stay still. I held my breath.

Voices.

Footsteps.

Guards.

They were close. Too close.

I pressed my back against the tree, holding in my breath as the guards passed just a few steps away from us. I could feel Ronan’s heartbeat through his fingers. Fast. Scared.

When the footsteps faded, he turned to me.

“We have to keep moving,” he whispered.

I nodded, too scared to speak.

We walked in silence, through mud and thorn bushes, until Ronan suddenly stumbled. I caught him before he fell, and that’s when I saw it.

His leg. The cut was deep. Blood was running down his boot.

“Ronan—your leg—”

“I’m fine,” he said quickly, but his voice was weak.

“No, you’re not,” I said, kneeling beside him. I tore the bottom of my dress, hands shaking, and wrapped it around the wound. “You should have told me.”

“I didn’t want to slow us down.”

“You could’ve died.”

He looked into my eyes then, and for a second, everything else disappeared. The cold. The fear. The blood.

“I’d rather die than lose you again.”

Tears burned my eyes, but I blinked them away. “Don’t say that.”

He placed his hand on my cheek, and I leaned into it, just for a second.

We found a cave not far from where he fell. It was small, hidden behind thick vines and rocks. We crawled inside, our bodies aching. The ground was hard and cold, but at least it was dry. Safe, for now.

Ronan sat down slowly, leaning back against the wall. I sat beside him, rubbing my arms to stay warm.

“I’m scared,” I whispered. “What if they find us?”

“They won’t.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I’ll protect you,” he said, eyes closed.

“You’re already hurt,” I said, tears finally falling. “All because of me.”

He opened his eyes and pulled me closer. “Not because of you. Because of love.”

My heart broke all over again.

We sat in silence for a while, listening to the wind outside. The moonlight peeked through a crack in the cave, casting a silver glow on his face.

“I missed you,” I said, my voice small.

“I never stopped looking for you.”

“I thought you gave up.”

“Never.”

I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling his warmth.

“I was so alone,” I whispered. “When Sasha made me her maid… when I ran away… I thought no one would come for me.”

“I came,” he said softly. “Even if it was too late.”

“It’s not too late,” I whispered.

We stayed like that for a long time, holding onto each other, trying to find peace in a world that had given us none.

But peace didn’t last long.

In the middle of the night, I woke up.

The fire Ronan had built had burned out. The cave was colder than before. I sat up slowly, heart beating faster.

There was a sound outside.

Footsteps.

Branches moving.

And then—silence.

I reached for Ronan’s arm, whispering, “Wake up.”

But he didn’t stir.

My breath caught in my throat.

Something—or someone—was out there.

And they were close.