Chapter four-The Life I Thought I Wanted

Weeks passed, and my new life in Crimson Snow Pack felt like heaven. My father didn’t know where I was, but my most trusted omega had my clothes and money sent to Crimson Snow Pack, swearing an oath not to reveal my location.

At first, I had been nervous.

Every sound, every unfamiliar face, every passing glance had made me feel like I didn’t belong, and that someone would recognize me, drag me back, and force me to face the consequences of what I had done.

But that fear didn’t last, not when Damon was there.

Not when he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered.

“You’re thinking too much again,” Damon’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I turned slightly, watching him as he leaned lazily against the doorway, his eyes fixed on me with that same easy charm that had drawn me to him in the first place.

“I’m not,” I said, though the faint smile on my lips betrayed me.

“You are,” he countered, stepping into the room. “You always get that look on your face when you are.”

I rolled my eyes lightly, but didn’t argue.

The room I stayed in was smaller than what I had been used to in Ironcrest, but it didn’t feel lacking. If anything, it felt… lighter and Less suffocating with no expectations and no watchful eyes.

No constant reminders of who I was supposed to be.

It was just me, and just us.

“I was just thinking about how quiet it is here,” I said.

Damon hummed softly. “You’ll get used to it.”

“I already am,” I admitted, and that was the truth.

Crimson Snow Pack was nothing like Ironcrest.

It wasn’t as structured, and not as disciplined. The warriors trained, yes but without the same precision I had grown up seeing. The packhouse wasn’t as grand, the people not as guarded.

Everything felt… freer. And for a while, I convinced myself that was enough.

Damon stepped closer, his hand brushing lightly against mine before he intertwined our fingers.

“No regrets?” he asked softly.

I met his gaze. “None.”

The answer came too easily.

His lips curved into a satisfied smile before he pulled me closer, pressing a light kiss to my temple.

“Good,” he murmured. “Because I don’t plan on letting you go.”

Something warm settled in my chest at his words.

“I’m not going anywhere either,” I said.

Weeks turned into months, something that almost felt permanent.

I fell into a rhythm of waking beside Damon, spending my days exploring the edges of the territory, occasionally watching the warriors train, though I never trained.

No one here pushed me.

No one expected me to be anything more than Damon’s… companion.

At first, it felt like freedom, but sometimes, Just sometimes It felt like something else.

“You don’t train here?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.

We were sitting outside, watching a small group of warriors train lazily in the distance.

Damon barely glanced in their direction.

“They train enough,” he said with a shrug.

“It’s not the same,” I said.

He looked at me then, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Still comparing everything to Ironcrest?”

I hesitated. “No.”

But he saw through it.

“Aria,” he said gently, “you left that life behind. You don’t need to hold onto it anymore.”

I knew that.

I had chosen this. Still…crimson snow pack looked too fragile.

“They’re not very disciplined,” I muttered.

Damon chuckled softly.

“Not everyone wants to live under strict rules,” he said. “Some of us prefer to actually enjoy life.”

I didn’t respond because a part of me understood what he meant.

And another part…didn’t

“Have you ever told your Alpha about me?”

The question came one evening, casual but deliberate.

Damon paused mid-step before glancing back at me. “Why would I do that?”

I frowned slightly. “Because I’m living here?”

“And?” he said. “You’re with me. That’s all that matters.”

Something about that answer didn’t sit right.

“But shouldn’t they know?” I pressed. “I mean… I’m not exactly…”

“Aria,” he cut in smoothly, stepping closer. “You worry too much.”

“I’m not worried,” I said quickly.

“You are,” he insisted, his tone softer now. “And you don’t need to be.”

His hand came up, resting lightly against my cheek.

“You’re safe here,” he said.

Safe? The word lingered in my mind.

I nodded slowly. “Okay.”

He smiled, looking satisfied.

That night, as we lay together, I traced absent patterns along his arm, my thoughts drifting.

“Damon?”

“Hmm?”

“When are we going to… you know…”

He turned his head slightly, watching me.

“Know what?”

I hesitated, suddenly unsure why I felt nervous asking.

“The mate bond,” I said quietly. “You said you would make me your mate.”

A brief pause so brief, that most wouldn’t notice it.

But I did.

“We will,” he said.

“When?”

“Soon,” he replied easily, brushing his fingers through my hair. “There’s no rush.”

No rush? I frowned slightly.

“I just thought…..”

“Aria,” he interrupted gently, “don’t overthink it.”

I fell silent because I didn’t want to argue, and didn’t want to ruin the moment.

Still…That small pause stayed with me longer than I expected.

Later that week, I walked through a part of the pack I hadn’t explored much before.

The moment I passed, a few wolves glanced in my direction, whispering quietly among themselves.

I slowed slightly.

“…that’s her, isn’t it?”

“…the one from Ironcrest…”

“…why is she here?”

I stopped. The whispers faded instantly.

I turned, my gaze sweeping over them. They avoided my eyes, pretending nothing had happened.

A strange feeling settled in my chest. It was not quite anger or discomfort, it was Something in between.

I didn’t say anything.

I didn’t confront them, and just walked away.

But for the first time since arriving, Crimson Snow didn’t feel entirely like home.

That evening, Damon found me sitting alone.

“You’ve been quiet,” he noted.

“I’m fine,” I said.

He studied me for a moment before sighing lightly.

“You’re thinking again.”

I huffed softly. “Is that such a bad thing?”

“When it makes you look like that? Yes.”

I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips.

“I just… heard some people talking earlier.”

“And?” he asked.

“They know who I am.”

His expression didn’t change.

“That was bound to happen eventually.”

“It doesn’t bother you?” I asked.

“Why would it?” he said. “You’re mine.”

The words should have comforted me, and maybe they did just a little but not completely.

That night, as I lay awake beside him, staring up at the ceiling, my thoughts refused to settle.

I had everything I thought I wanted.

Freedom, love, and a life away from expectations.

So why did something feel… off?

I turned slightly, looking at Damon as he slept peacefully beside me.

Maybe I was just overthinking. Maybe I just needed more time.

Maybe?

I closed my eyes, forcing the thoughts away.

I had made my choice and I wasn’t going to doubt it now.

For the first time, I truly believed I had escaped the life I never wanted.

I didn’t realize I had only traded one cage for another.