The Intruder’s Warning
Kael paced outside the small hut, the air thick with tension. His dagger still glistened with blood, and his mind raced with the implications of the intruder. Whoever it had been wasn’t just a wandering rogue—they had come for a reason. His heart pounded as he turned back to the hut, where Isla waited, her expression torn between fear and defiance.
The door creaked as he pushed it open, stepping inside. Isla stood by the window again, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She turned to him, her eyes narrowing. “What’s going on, Kael? Who was out there?”
He hesitated, his jaw clenching. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me,” she snapped, taking a step forward. “You dragged me here against my will, and now someone’s after us? I deserve to know the truth.”
Kael exhaled sharply, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “It was one of Draven’s scouts,” he admitted. “He must have been tracking us.”
Isla’s stomach twisted. “And you… you killed him?”
Kael’s face hardened. “He gave me no choice.”
“No choice?” Isla’s voice cracked. “Kael, do you even hear yourself? You’ve dragged me into this—whatever this is—and now there’s blood on your hands.”
“I did it for you!” Kael’s voice rose, his hands balling into fists. “Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you, Isla.”
She took a step back, her back pressing against the wall. “This isn’t for me, Kael. This is for you. Your obsession. You don’t even see it, do you?”
Kael’s expression twisted, his dark eyes flashing with anger and pain. “You’re wrong,” he said quietly, his voice trembling. “I love you.”
“No,” Isla said firmly, her voice steady despite the fear twisting in her chest. “If you loved me, you would have let me go.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and final. Kael turned away from her, his shoulders tense. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the faint rustle of the wind outside.
“We can’t stay here,” Kael said finally, his voice cold and distant. “If Draven’s scouts are looking for you, it’s only a matter of time before they find us.”
“Good,” Isla said, her chin lifting. “Let them find me. I belong with my pack, with my mate.”
Kael turned to face her, his eyes dark and unreadable. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I know exactly what I’m saying,” Isla replied. “You think you’re protecting me, Kael, but all you’re doing is making things worse. Let me go, or Draven will come for me—and when he does, he won’t show you mercy.”
Kael’s lips pressed into a thin line, his hand tightening around the hilt of his dagger. “We’ll see about that.”
