Chapter 7

Her mind felt clouded as the man’s eyes held her captive. Their breaths mingled as they stared at one another. Despite herself, Ella found a smile growing on her face and her heart skipped a beat.

Ella finally snapped back to her sensible self and stepped away, removing her gaze from Cassius. Blood rushed to her face, tinting her cheeks bright red as she realized they were both naked. She looked around for something to cover herself up with.

“I-I’m sorry I ran into you,” Ella said, backing away even more, trying to hide her naked body from him.

A smirk played on Cassius’s lips. “Don’t be sorry. It’s not every day I meet such a beautiful woman.”

He noticed Ella’s discomfort and walked over to a fallen trunk. He pulled a worn blanket out from under it and offered it to her. She hesitantly took it from him, wrapping it around herself. While she did this, Cassius grabbed a shirt, pants, and boxers from under the same log and put them on.

“Is this where you live?” Ella asked, curious as to why he had a blanket and clothes stashed at the bottom of the hill.

Cassius snickered. “I consider these woods my home and often spend time hunting in them. That's why I have multiple stashes. It can be hard living as a lone wolf.”

“Huh,” Ella mused. “Makes sense, I guess.”

Ela wasn’t quite sure what to do next. Do I say thanks for the blanket, shift, and leave? Do I stay? Would he want me to stay?

As if reading her thoughts, Cassius commented, “You still haven’t told me what’s wrong. You got me worried, seeing you out there running blindly. You are under my protection now, and some comfort, I hope.”

He moved toward Ella slowly. “Do you want to talk about it? Sometimes talking with a stranger you may never see again can help untangle complicated thoughts.”

It would be nice to talk about everything going on to somebody that isn’t in the thick of it.

Ella allowed Cassius to envelop her in his arms, sitting down along with him. She started explaining everything - starting with the whole reason she was back at her Pack’s compound. Ella explained her conflicting feelings with Adam. She revealed how he would only be able to heal if she let him claim her again, but Ella wasn’t sure if she was ready to open herself back up to him after everything he had done.

“I just don’t know if I can trust him again,” Ella elaborated, pulling her blanket closer around her. “But I feel stuck because I have to decide so soon. That much was clear to me when he fainted right into my arms earlier.”

Noticing Ella pulling on the surrounding blanket, Cassius stood up to start a fire. He quickly found some stones to create a circle in which he could build one. He gathered some kindling and came back over next to Ella.

“Sounds like quite the predicament,” Cassius replied, crackling more kindling with his bare hands for the fire.

He set the kindling inside the circle of rocks and created a teepee of twigs on top of it.

“Are all men this capricious and stubborn? Or is it just Adam?” Ella asked as Cassius struck two differing stones together to create a spark.

The kindling quickly caught fire as Cassius softly blew on the embers glowing within.

“Most men are. Some just don’t know when to ask for help,” Cassius replied as he gathered some larger sticks to place on the flames.

“What a shame,” Ella sighed, staring into the growing fire. “Guess I’m left to fend on my own and to sort out my own feelings.”

After placing a few larger pieces of wood onto the fire, Cassius moved toward Ella, sitting next to her once again.

“Maybe he can’t read you very well. Or perhaps he just doesn’t know a good thing when he has it,” he said caringly, grabbing Ella’s hands and moving them over the fire.

“That feels good,” Ella commented, leaning closer to the warm fire. “Thank you.”

He smiled kindly back at her, the flames’ dancing reflected in his eyes.

“And thank you for listening. I feel like a tremendous weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Ella continued with a happy sigh.

“I’m glad I could help,” Cassius replied soothingly. “I just wish I could do more.”

Ella’s heart leaped at his words. Cassius was so kind, so willing to comfort her - someone he didn’t even know. Ella felt so safe and comfortable with Cassius in that moment that she leaned into him, laying her head on his shoulder. His arm wrapped around her, accepting her closeness. It feels like I’ve known him much longer than just a few hours.

Ella sighed, letting the rest of the tension flow out of her body. They sat, staring at the fire. At one point, Ella had drifted off, and Cassius sat still, not wanting to wake her. The fire died down as time went on.

Ella awoke to the chill of the air as the sun had dipped in the sky. She looked up to see Cassius still holding onto her, keeping watch as she slept. Ella tilted her face up and Cassius looked down at her with his loving blue eyes. Her heart fluttered and Ella felt herself blush a little.

Ella then noticed the fire had gone out quite a bit ago, and the sky was darkening rapidly. Her heart was suddenly gripped with anxiety as she realized how late it was. Ella scrambled up.

“Shoot! I didn’t realize how late it was. I have to get back,” she rambled.

Cassius stood up and held out his hand. “Wait.”

Ella hesitated, just about ready to shift back into her wolf and find her way back to Pack territory.

Cassius gave a small, slightly shy smile. “I really enjoyed your company today.”

He paused, unsure if he should say what he wanted to.

“I enjoyed your company too,” Ella replied.

The smile on Cassius’s face widened.

“You know where to find me if you ever want to see me again,” he answered. “I wouldn’t mind another visit from an angel such as yourself.”

The corner of Ella’s lips lifted up in a half-grin. She nodded before shedding the blanket and shifting into her wolf. She started to bound off, but turned around for a moment, letting out an appreciative howl. Cassius gave a small wave and Ella turned back around, racing back to her father’s house.

Ella sniffed out the clothes she had discarded earlier, picking up each item with her teeth until she had the entire outfit. She ducked behind the nearest building to change before continuing on to the house she grew up in.

Ella quietly let herself in through the door, not wanting to wake up Aaron and Emme, who her father would have put to bed by now. Her father sat at the kitchen table, phone placed before him. His head turned as she walked inside. He let out a relieved sigh, stood up, and walked over to give Ella a hug.

“I was so worried about you,” he said, squeezing tightly.

“Sorry, Dad,” Ella replied, wrapping her arms around him.

“What happened?” He asked, pulling away and holding her at arm’s length.

“I just needed to go for a run,” Ella answered, not caring to elaborate on what really happened. “The physician took Adam away to the hospital and told me to leave. I went on a run to clear my head.”

“I wish you would have called,” her dad replied with a sigh.

“I know, I should have. I just wasn’t thinking clearly,” Ella replied guiltily. “With Adam’s collapse today, it donned on me that I don’t have much time to debate whether or not I will let him reclaim me. It’s a decision that needs to be made now.”