Hana

Hana's POV

The night air greeted me as I was pushed outside; the cool air felt like a bucket of cold water being thrown at me. I adjusted the straps on the bag and put it over my shoulder. I shoved my hands into my pockets, trying to keep myself calm.

Who the hell just comes up to someone and demands things?

I should’ve gone home the moment I stepped into that bar, I should have turned around and left. I could have lied to my grandma and told her there was no one here, or that the bar had been burnt to the ground.

Maybe I could have just given him the bag, tossed it to him, and called it a night. But no, I was me. And me,

I don’t like being told what to do, especially by a wolf with leather boots, broad shoulders, and a jawline that could cut diamonds.

The scuff of boots echoed behind me.

“Are you following me?” I snapped, not even bothering to glance back as I tried to walk away.

“Making sure you don’t trip over your pride,” his voice came, smooth and smug, like he was enjoying this, like this was all a game to him.

I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly strained something. “I’ve survived twenty-three years without your babysitting. I think I can manage the revolutionary act of walking down a sidewalk. Also, for what it’s worth,

I have no idea why I came here tonight. I was told to bring this stupid bag and meet up with someone. The worst part of it all was that I had no idea who I was meeting. You probably scared them off.” I let out a frustrated sigh and picked up my pace.

“I’m going home, and no, you are not getting this bag, and no, you are not coming with me!” I glare over my shoulder. If he tries something, or anything. I’ll use my magic, banned or not, I do not care.

The street was too quiet as I continued down the road. I couldn’t find any taxis humming or zooming by. There were no drunken humans stumbling around; the only sound was our footsteps and the buzz of a dying streetlight overhead. My instincts prickled, the witchy ones that my grandma told me to never ignore.

But damn it, I wasn’t about to admit to him that something feels off.

Way off.

“Going home by yourself this late is never safe,” he said coolly. His voice had changed, though, sharper, scanning the shadows like a predator who’d scented blood.

I snorted because sarcasm was my armor. “And you’re what? My knight in shining leather boots if the boogie man jumps out?”

“I don’t do shining,” he muttered.

I was about to toss another smart remark when something flickered in his eyes. His whole body went rigid, head tilting slightly, like he heard something I couldn’t.

My stomach dipped. “What is it?”

“Stay behind me.”

Oh, hell no. “Excuse me? You don’t get to order me around—”

That’s when they stepped out of the alley. Three men. Except they weren’t men, not really. Their movements were too smooth, too sharp, like snakes disguised in skin. One smiled, lips peeling back to reveal teeth that were a little too long.

“Look what we found,” the tallest drawled, eyes dragging over me before settling on my unwanted shadow. “And a stray wolf who doesn’t know his place.”

Cael didn’t flinch. He shifted in front of me, broad shoulders blocking my view, like I wasn’t already boiling with indignation at being shielded like a toddler.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” I hissed, trying to shove past him. “I’m not some—”

He snapped his head back, blue light flaring in his eyes, and snarled, “Stay behind me.”

One of the men let out a laugh, and his smile. Oh gods, those were fangs.

My mouth went dry.

Vampires.

I’d heard the stories whispered between witches, blood-drinkers who prowled cities, feeding on humans stupid enough to stumble down the wrong street. Grandma said they were long gone. But here they were, very much not gone, and staring at me like I was a glass of wine waiting to be spilled.

One lunged.

Cael moved faster than I could blink, slamming the vampire into a brick wall with a crunch that made my stomach turn. His hands weren’t hands anymore; claws glinted under the flickering light. His teeth, sharp and unnatural, flashed as he growled low in his throat.

Every survival instinct I had shrieked at me to run.

But my stupid, traitorous body wouldn’t move. Rather, white light swirled around my hands.

“What the actual fuck,” I whispered, trying to figure out how my night keeps getting worse and worse.

Another vampire darted around Cael, straight for me.

My legs froze. Completely froze. Brilliant, Hana. Real survival skills you’ve got there, it’s not like your grandma isn’t the High Witch, a voice whispered in my head.

The vampire’s hand shot toward me, claws aiming for my throat, mouth open like he was about to enjoy the best meal of his life.

“MOVE!” Cael’s roar split the night.

My body refused to obey.

But his didn’t.

In a blur of motion, he was between us, slamming the creature into the pavement so hard the ground shook. His snarl echoed off the buildings, a wild, terrifying sound that had my heart trying to break through my ribs. His eyes burned blue, feral and beautiful, and I couldn’t look away.

This was no ordinary man. No ordinary wolf.

And gods help me… I wasn’t sure I wanted him to be.