Chapter 58

Chapter 58
Chapter Fifty-Eight

The coffee shop was quieter than usual, though Clara couldn’t relax. She kept glancing toward the window, watching the street where unfamiliar figures passed. They weren’t tourists—she could tell. Tourists smiled, laughed too loud, carried maps and cameras. These newcomers walked with intent. They scanned the town with sharp, assessing eyes, as though measuring every building, every person.

By the time Rowan arrived that evening, Clara was restless enough that she nearly jumped when the bell over the door chimed. Relief washed over her at the sight of him. His presence always steadied her, but tonight the weight of what she’d noticed pressed too heavily on her chest.

“Clara,” Rowan murmured as he crossed the shop, his brow furrowing at her expression. “What is it?”

She hesitated, biting her lip. But she knew hiding it wasn’t an option. “There are new people in town. They’re…different. Not like the usual out-of-towners. They ask strange questions—about the woods, about the history of this place. And the way they look at things—it’s like they’re hunting for something.”

Rowan went still, hazel eyes flashing with the dangerous gleam of his wolf. “Hunters,” he said, the word low, like a curse.

Clara’s breath caught. “Hunters? Of what?”

“Of me. Of my kind.” Rowan’s voice was steady, but beneath it simmered a fury she’d rarely seen unleashed. He stepped closer, tilting her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. “You did the right thing, telling me. These people…they don’t stumble here by accident. They came for wolves. For me. And if they suspect you’re close to me…” His jaw flexed, his hand tightening at her waist. “They won’t hesitate to use you against me.”

Fear curled cold in her stomach, but beneath it was something stronger—trust. “Then we’ll face it together,” she whispered.

For a moment, the Alpha in him bristled, fighting between his need to protect her and the truth in her words. Finally, he nodded, though his eyes burned with a promise. “I won’t let them touch you. Not now. Not ever.”

Outside, the sun dipped lower, shadows stretching across the town. And for the first time, Clara understood—this wasn’t just about rogues or borders anymore. Something darker was moving in the Hollow. And it was hunting them both.