Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Facing the Wolf

Noah’s

I sat at the dining table. The food in front of me—steak, potatoes, and some green vegetables—smelled better than anything I’d eaten in days. But I could barely focus on the meal, not with Enzo sitting across from me. His eyes were locked on me, and he had a small smile on his face.

It felt weird seeing him like that, not cold or angry, just… watching me. My stomach twisted, not from hunger, but from the intense way he looked at me, as if I were the only thing in the room that mattered.

I stopped, my fork halfway to my mouth, and cleared my throat. “You’re not eating anything,” I said, my voice quiet. “Aren’t you hungry?”

Enzo leaned back in his chair, his smile widening slightly. “Watching you eat is enough for me,” he said, his voice low, almost teasing. “It makes me feel full.”

I chuckled, surprising myself with the sound, and looked back down at my plate. For the first time since I arrived, I didn’t feel like a prisoner here. Enzo, the guy who had taken me, who had scared me to death with his wolf side, felt suddenly normal. It was as if we were just two people having a quiet dinner together.

I caught myself smiling at him, and it felt strange, like I was somehow betraying myself. How could I possibly smile at him after everything he had done?

When I finished eating, I stood to clear the table, my hands reaching for the plates, but Enzo’s voice stopped me instantly. “Put those down,” he said, his tone firm but not harsh. “That’s not your job, Noah. There are maids and servants for that. Just call them in.”

I froze, my hands still on the stack of plates. “I’m used to doing it myself,” I said, my voice soft. “It’s… it’s really fine.”

“No, it’s not fine,” he said, standing up slowly, his eyes still fixed on me. “You’re not a servant here in this house. Sit back down.”

I nodded, setting the plates down and sitting back in my chair, my hands fidgeting nervously in my lap. The maids came in, clearing the table quickly, their footsteps quiet as they left the room. Ren stayed, standing near Enzo, his scarred face blank but his eyes carefully watching me.

The room became silent again, too silent, and my heart started racing with anxiety. I needed to say something, anything, to break the tension. “Can I ask you something?” I said, looking at Enzo, my voice shaky. “If… if that’s allowed.”

Enzo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “You don’t need my permission to talk, Noah,” he said, his voice softer now, more reassuring. “Ask me anything you want. I mean it.”

I swallowed hard, my throat tight. “Now that I know werewolves are real,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, “what’s really going to happen to me? Are you… are you going to kill me? Or what is my fate?”

Enzo’s face hardened, and he stood, moving straight toward me. “Stop that kind of talk,” he said, his voice sharp but not truly angry. “No one is killing you, Noah. You are my mate. No one touches you but me. Do you understand that fact?”

I shook my head quickly, my hands trembling. “Your mate?” I said, my voice slightly louder this time. “What does that even mean? I don’t get it, Enzo. You keep saying that word, but what’s my fate? Am I stuck here with you forever?”

He stopped directly in front of me, his eyes locking with mine. “You’re not just stuck here,” he said firmly. “You are mine. My partner. My luna. That means you’ll stand by my side, and you’ll lead this pack with me. But for that to happen, there’s one more necessary step.”

I blinked, confused by his words. “What step?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly. “What are you talking about now?”

He sighed, his hand gently brushing my cheek, tenderly, but it still made me flinch away. “I would have to bite you,” he said, his voice low and serious. “Not like before, when I marked you. This bite would fully turn you into a werewolf. It would make you one of us, a true member of the pack.”

I froze, my heart pounding violently against my ribs. “Turn me?” I said, my voice high and small. “Into a wolf? Like you are?”

He nodded, his eyes holding a look of soft intensity. “Yes,” he said. “But I’m not going to force you into this, Noah. It is entirely your choice to make. When you are ready for it, you tell me.”

I stared at him, my head spinning with the impossible choice. “You promise me?” I said, my voice shaking but holding firm. “You promise you won’t turn me unless I fully say yes?”

“I promise,” he said, his voice firm and unwavering, a small, reassuring smile returning to his lips. “I swear I won’t force you.”

I nodded, my hands still shaking, but a strange wave of certainty washed over me: I believed him. For some reason, I did. I took a breath, another burning question coming to mind. “That night,” I said, my voice quieter, “when you first brought me here… you almost… forced yourself on me. But then you suddenly stopped. And now you’re acting so differently. Was that you back then? Or… was it someone else?”

He was silent for a long moment, his eyes dark with memory. Then he spoke, his voice low and full of genuine regret. “I’m sorry for that,” he said. “That was Moses. My wolf. He wanted to bond with you instantly, to make sure you wouldn’t be able to leave us.”

“Us?” I said, my voice sharp with sudden interest. “What do you mean, us?”

Enzo stood, placing his hands in his pockets. “Me and my wolf,” he said. “Moses. He’s truly part of me. He’s the one you saw when I transformed that night.”

I nodded, my mind flashing back to that terrifying moment—the huge wolf, the glowing red eyes, his deep voice inside my head. “Yes,” I said, my voice soft with realization. “I saw him clearly.” I hesitated, then looked up at him again, my heart racing with a newfound courage. “Show me again, Enzo.”

He froze, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. “Are you sure about that?” he asked, his voice cautious and concerned. “You were terrified last time. Are you absolutely certain you want this now?”

I nodded once, my hands trembling slightly but holding steady. “Yes,” I said. “I need to see it again. I need to know it’s truly real.”

He stepped back slowly, his eyes locked on mine. “Okay,” he said, his voice low and firm. “Just… don’t run away this time.”

His body tensed suddenly, bones cracking loudly, and I watched, my breath catching sharply, as he dropped to the floor. Dark fur sprouted rapidly, his eyes glowed red, and in mere seconds, a huge, massive wolf stood there, dark and imposing, staring directly at me.

I stood up, my heart pounding, but I didn’t run away this time. I stepped closer slowly, my hands shaking, and reached out, my fingers gently brushing against his thick, warm fur. The powerful pull of the bond hit me again, stronger than ever.

“Moses,” I wh

ispered, my voice steady, my eyes locked bravely on his red ones.