The sun rose slowly that morning, but the light felt weak.
I woke up with pain all over my body. My arms hurt. My back hurt. Even my heart felt heavy.
The small room was cold and smelled like old wood and smoke.
I looked around. The blanket on the floor was torn. My clothes were still wet from last night.
I tried to sit up. My head spun a little.
For a moment, I wished I could just disappear.
I had dreamed again. The same dream — the forest, the red eyes, the sound of breathing behind me.
But when I opened my eyes, it wasn't a dream anymore.
I still felt like someone was watching me.
---
Mira was already awake. She was by the fire, making porridge.
When she saw me, she frowned.
"Lazy girl," she said. "Still sleeping? The sun is up."
I stood up quickly. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean to—"
She waved her hand. "Enough! Go wash those dishes outside. And don't you dare touch anything with those dirty hands until you finish."
I picked up the plates and went outside. The cold air hit my skin like needles.
The sky was gray, and fog hung low around the trees.
While I washed, I looked up toward the forest.
For a second, I thought I saw something move between the trees — a shadow, tall and silent.
I froze. My hands trembled.
No… it was too far. Maybe it was nothing.
Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was there.
---
Later that morning, when I came back inside, I told Mira.
"Someone is watching me," I said quietly. "Last night, I saw eyes in the dark. And just now, I saw a shadow."
She stopped stirring the porridge and turned to me.
"Watching you?" she said, then laughed like it was a joke. "Who would want to watch you, poor girl? You think too much I think it because you have been resting too much.
Clara, her daughter, giggled from the corner.
"Maybe she's crazy," she said. "Or maybe it's her ghost friends!"
They both laughed harder.
I looked down. "I'm not lying," I said, my voice shaking. "I really saw it please believe me .
Mira dropped the spoon. "Enough nonsense!" she shouted. "You want to bring bad luck to this house with your silly stories? Go sweep the floor!"
I nodded, holding back tears. My hands shook as I picked up the broom.
---
The day passed slowly.
I worked, cleaned, cooked, and carried water from the well.
No one talked to me unless it was to shout or order me around.
My stomach hurt from hunger. I hadn't eaten since morning.
When the sun began to go down, I was still sweeping the floor.
Clara walked by and kicked the bucket I had just filled with clean water.
"Oops," she said, laughing. "Look what you made me do."
I stared at the spilled water. My eyes burned, but I said nothing.
Mira came and slapped my arm. "Why are you standing there? Clean it again!"
My knees hit the floor. I started wiping. My hands were bleeding a little, but no one cared.
---
When night came, I felt empty.
I couldn't stop thinking about the red eyes, the forest, the shadow.
I had no one to tell. No one who cared.
Then I thought of Jason.
Even if he was cold and cruel, maybe he would listen.
He had saved me once, after all.
So I gathered my courage and walked to his house.
The main building was large, made of stone. The windows glowed with warm light.
I climbed the steps and reached the hall. The air smelled of wine and perfume.
I was about to knock when I heard a sound — soft voices, laughter, and something else.
I pushed the door a little, just enough to see.
My heart stopped.
Jason was there… but he wasn't alone.
A woman sat on his lap, kissing him and riding him passionately like it was her last time while she moaned loudly saying "don't stop alpha don't stop"
He touched her waist, with one hand his other hand squeezing her breast with force his face calm and cold.
I froze. The room felt too small. My chest hurt so much I could barely breathe.
The woman turned her head and saw me. She smiled — not kindly, but with cruel amusement.
"Oh," she said. "It's the little stray. Did you come to watch?"
Jason's eyes flicked to me, sharp and cold. He didn't say a word.
For a second, our eyes met.
I looked away.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to ask why he looked at me like that, why he saved me only to treat me like trash.
But instead, I ran.
---
I ran out of the house and down the steps.
The cold wind hit my face. My eyes stung with tears.
"I hate him," I whispered again and again. "I hate him."
But the more I said it, the more my chest hurt but something in me felt kind of jealous even though i.hate him I wasn't suppose to be jealous and besides he was the alpha he would never like a loser like me.
By the time I reached the small house again, it was already dark.
Mira stood by the door, angry.
"Where were you?" she yelled. "You left your work! Lazy girl!"
"I… I went to—"
"Don't talk!" she shouted. "You think you can live here for free? You do nothing! You eat my food, use my fire, and bring trouble!"
Clara came out and smirked. "Maybe she should sleep outside tonight, Mama. Like a stray dog."
Mira nodded. "Good idea. Out! Get out!"
She pushed me hard, and the door slammed shut behind me.
---
I started walking slowly.
I just wanted to find a place to sit. Maybe near the barn. Maybe where it was quiet.
But before I could, two men came out of the shadows — guards.
"Well, look what we have here," one said. "The Alpha's pet."
"I'm not—" I started, but they laughed.
"What are you doing outside alone?" the taller one asked. "Looking for trouble?"
"I don't have a place to sleep," I said softly. "They told me to stay outside."
The shorter one smirked. "Poor thing. Maybe we can give her a warm place, huh?" how about you come sleep on my dick it's warm loser.
They both stepped closer. My heart began to race.
I stepped back, shaking my head. "Please… I just want to be left alone."
The taller one reached for my arm. I pulled away, but he grabbed it again.
His grip was strong. I gasped.
"Let go!" I shouted.
He laughed. "Why? You think you can order us around?"
The other one leaned closer. "You smell nice for a poor girl."
Tears burned my eyes. I tried to twist away, but they held me tight.
Then —
A cold voice came from the darkness behind them.
"Let. Her. Go."
The men froze. They turned around.
From the shadows, someone walked out slowly.
Tall. Dark hair. Sharp eyes that looked almost silver under the moon.
My heart jumped.
The men quickly let go of me and stepped back.
"S-sir," one of them stammered.
The man ignored them. His eyes were on me.
He walked closer, slow and calm, but his gaze was sharp — too sharp.
The wind blew his hair back. There was something cold about his face, something that made me feel like I was staring at a wolf in human skin.
He stopped in front of me.
The guards lowered their heads and hurried away, leaving us alone.
For a long moment, it was silent. Only the sound of the leaves and my fast heartbeat.
Then, the man smiled — but it wasn't a kind smile. It was the kind that made your stomach twist.
"Hi," he said softly, almost like a whisper.
"I'm Ivar. Jason's brother."
My breath caught. His eyes gleamed, almost like fire.
He leaned a little closer.
"And I've been watching you."