đ Episode 21: A Fragile Shelter
Lila's POV
The forest stretched endless and dark, the trees whispering secrets in the night. My legs trembled with every step, but Ethan never slowed. He kept me close, his hand firm around mine, his body tense as if he expected danger at any moment.
Finally, after what felt like hours, he stopped at the mouth of a small cave hidden by brush and moss. He pushed the greenery aside and guided me in.
"It's safe here," he murmured. His voice was hoarse, but steady.
I looked aroundâthe cave was shallow but dry, the air cool and still. Safe was a generous word, but compared to the horrors of the night, I clung to it.
"You should sit," I said, noticing the way his movements had grown sluggish. He didn't argue, lowering himself against the stone wall.
That's when I saw the full extent of his wounds. Deep claw marks carved across his chest and ribs, angry and raw. Blood still seeped from some of them.
My throat tightened. "EthanâŚ"
He waved me off, though his breath was uneven. "They'll heal."
I dropped to my knees in front of him. "Not if you bleed out first." My hands shook as I dug through my bag, finding a torn piece of cloth. "Let me help."
For a moment, he just watched me, those golden eyes softening, as though my stubbornness amused him. Then, with a faint smile, he nodded. "All right."
I pressed the cloth against the worst wound. He hissed, muscles going rigid, but didn't pull away.
"Sorry," I whispered.
"Don't be." His voice was low, rough. "I've felt worse."
My hands worked gently, but inside, my mind spun. A werewolf. My mate. Words that should have belonged to fairy tales or nightmaresâand yet here I was, kneeling before him, bandaging a man who wasn't fully human but somehow felt more real than anyone I'd ever known.
When I finally tied the makeshift bandage, I risked meeting his gaze. "There. At least it'll keep until you⌠heal."
His lips curved faintly. "You did well."
The compliment sent warmth through me I wasn't ready for. I sat back, my chest tight.
"You shouldn't have fought them all," I blurted. "You could've been killed."
"I would've been," he admitted. "If not for you."
I blinked. "Me?"
"You gave me something to fight for," he said simply. "That bond⌠it's stronger than you know. It pulled me back every time I was close to falling."
My breath caught. The weight of his words pressed against my heart, terrifying and comforting all at once.
"EthanâŚ" I whispered, but the words tangled.
He leaned closer, his golden eyes glowing softly in the cave's dim light. "I know it's overwhelming. And I won't rush you. But know this, Lilaâyou're not alone anymore."
The silence stretched, heavy with unspoken feelings. I didn't trust myself to speak, so I only nodded, my throat too tight.
Ethan's POV
The scent of herâfear and salt and something softer, something I'd come to craveâfilled the cave. I should have been focusing on recovery, on strategy, but all I could think of was the way her hands had trembled as she touched me.
She didn't realize it, but she'd already claimed me.
Her presence calmed the wolf inside me in ways nothing else ever had. It was dangerous, how badly I wanted her close, but I couldn't push her away. Not now. Not ever.
She sat against the wall beside me, her knees pulled to her chest. Her eyes looked heavy, exhaustion finally catching up to her.
"Rest," I said gently. "I'll keep watch."
Her gaze flicked to me, doubt shadowing her features. "And what about you? You're hurt."
I smirked faintly. "I've had worse nights."
Her lips pressed together, clearly unconvinced, but she didn't argue. Slowly, cautiously, she let her head tip against my shoulder.
The wolf in me stilled, content.
"Thank you," she murmured, already half-asleep.
I tilted my head down, pressing a silent kiss to her hair. "Always."
Lila's POV
When I woke, the first thing I felt was warmth. Ethan's warmth. He hadn't moved all night.
For a moment, I let myself simply exist there, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing, feeling the rise and fall of his chest.
Then the memory of last night came rushing back. The fight. The blood. His words. Mate.
My stomach twisted, fear and something elseâsomething frighteningly like longingâwarring inside me.
Carefully, I shifted to look at him. His eyes were closed, his lashes dark against his skin, but even in sleep, his hand rested near the small of my back as though guarding me.
I whispered into the quiet, more to myself than to him. "What are you doing to me, Ethan?"
His eyes opened, golden and sharp, as though he'd been awake the whole time. "The same thing you're doing to me," he murmured.
My breath caught.
And just like that, the fragile wall I'd built between us cracked a little more.
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⨠End of Episode 21