Chapter 6

~ ANGELINA ~

Warmth.

That was the first thing I noticed. The pleasant heat cocooned me, a stark contrast to the biting cold I had endured for so long. My body felt weightless, floating in a hazy space between sleep and wakefulness. For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t in pain.

Then, slowly, awareness crept in.

I was lying on something soft—a bed. A real one, not the cold, hard ground I had grown used to. My fingers twitched, feeling the smooth fabric beneath them. My senses sharpened, picking up the scent of burning wood and something faintly herbal, like dried lavender mixed with pine.

I forced my heavy eyelids open.

A wooden ceiling loomed above me, its beams dark and sturdy. A fire crackled in a stone fireplace across the room, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Thick fur blankets draped over me, their weight comforting but unfamiliar.

Where was I?

My heart pounded as the memories came rushing back—the attack in the woods, the stranger in the green cloak, the way he had lifted me into his arms as exhaustion overtook me.

Had I really slept through the entire journey?

I sat up too quickly, and the sudden movement sent a sharp wave of dizziness crashing through me. A groan slipped past my lips as I pressed a hand to my throbbing temple.

A voice cut through the quiet.

“You’re awake.”

I froze.

The deep, calm voice belonged to the man who had saved me—the Alpha.

Slowly, I turned my head.

He stood near the fireplace, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his broad chest. His face was partially hidden in the dim firelight, but I could still make out the sharp lines of his jaw, the piercing gaze that pinned me in place.

Something about him unsettled me.

Something about him felt… familiar.

He studied me for a long moment before pushing away from the wall and walking toward me. His movements were slow, measured, like a predator observing its prey.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “Where am I?”

“In my home,” he said simply.

That didn’t answer much.

I glanced around again, taking in my surroundings more carefully. The room was large but simple—rustic wooden walls, a heavy wooden door, and only the bare essentials: a bed, a fireplace, and a small table with a pitcher of water and a bowl of something that smelled warm and hearty.

My stomach clenched painfully at the scent. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten a proper meal.

The Alpha must have noticed because he gestured toward the table. “Eat.”

I hesitated.

I didn’t trust him. I didn’t trust anyone. But my hunger overpowered my wariness.

Carefully, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. My body protested, my limbs weak from days of exhaustion. I expected the Alpha to just stand there and watch, but before I could move further, he stepped forward and—

Lifted me.

A gasp escaped me as his arms slid under my legs and back, effortlessly carrying me to the chair by the table. He set me down gently, then stepped back as if the action meant nothing.

My skin burned where his hands had touched me.

I clenched my fists, unsettled. “I can walk.”

“You were unconscious for nearly a day. Your body needs rest,” he said coolly.

A day? My breath hitched. I had been asleep that long?

I didn’t get a chance to dwell on it because the Alpha placed a spoon in my hand. “Eat.”

Something about his tone made it clear that arguing was pointless.

So I ate.

The first spoonful was enough to make my eyes water. It was warm, filling, real. I forced myself not to devour it too quickly, but I could feel the Alpha’s eyes on me the entire time.

I didn’t look up.

Silence stretched between us until I finally had enough courage to break it.

“You never told me your name.”

He leaned against the table, his expression unreadable.

“Killian.”

The name sent a shiver down my spine. It was strong, fitting for someone like him.

I swallowed another spoonful before daring to ask, “Why did you bring me here?”

Killian studied me for a moment before replying. “You were in my territory. Injured. Weak. I don’t leave strays to die in my land.”

His tone was matter-of-fact, but something about it felt… off.

I wasn’t some rogue wolf who had wandered into his land by accident. I had been running. Hiding. Someone had been after me, and he knew it.

I put my spoon down and met his gaze. “What do you want from me?”

His lips twitched slightly, but it wasn’t a smile. “You’re cautious.”

“You would be too,” I shot back.

A flicker of something passed through his eyes—approval? Amusement? It was gone before I could decipher it.

He pushed off the table and stepped back toward the fireplace. “Get some rest. We’ll talk in the morning.”

Just like that, he turned and walked toward the door.

Before he left, he glanced over his shoulder. “You’re safe here, Angelina.”

I stiffened.

I had never told him my name.

The door closed behind him, leaving me alone with the fire’s flickering light and the unsettling realization—

Killian knew exactly who I was.