Chapter 55 A place to be happy
I spent the rest of the day surrounded by people.
They came in waves, pack members of all ages, some shy, some bold, some clearly still trying to decide what I was to them. Many thanked me quietly, eyes bright with gratitude that felt too heavy to hold. Others brought gifts: hand-carved trinkets, flowers, jars of honey, and folded notes with careful handwriting. A few were simply curious, their questions tumbling over each other as they stared at me like I was a living legend.
A hybrid.
Did it hurt to shift?
Did I always know?
Could I do it again?
What did it feel like?
Mara hovered nearby like a watchful hawk, stepping in when voices got too loud or questions too invasive, but when I caught her eye and shook my head, she hesitated.
“It’s all right,” I told her softly. “I can answer.”
And I did. As best as I could.
I told them the truth, or at least the parts I understood myself. That I didn’t know what I was until I was thirteen. That shifting wasn’t something I controlled so much as something that answered when I called. That fear and anger made it stronger, but so did protectiveness.
That last one seemed to matter most.
By evening, the crowd thinned. The sun dipped low, staining the sky in bruised purples and golds. I realized with some surprise that I hadn’t seen Darius all day.
I was… grateful.
The quiet helped. It gave me space to breathe, to feel like myself instead of a symbol, a weapon, or a miracle that everyone wanted a piece of.
When night finally wrapped the estate in stillness, exhaustion hit me all at once. I retreated to my room and slept hard, until I didn’t.
The nightmare dragged me out of sleep like claws on bone.
I was running. Always running. My father’s voice called my name, close and distant all at once, and when I turned, the ground opened beneath my feet. I fell into darkness, my own reflection watching from above with glowing eyes.
I woke with a sharp gasp, heart racing, skin slick with sweat.
The room felt too small. Too quiet.
I swung my legs over the bed and stared out the window. The moon hung low, pale and full, pulling at something deep inside me. My beast stirred, not violently, not yet, but restlessly, like it wanted air.
I needed to move.
Downstairs, the lights were low. I was halfway to the door when voices stopped me cold.
Darius.
Thane.
Vincent.
They stood in the study, tension thick between them. Their voices were hushed, but I caught enough to know it wasn’t nothing.
When they saw me, all three went still.
Thane and Vincent exchanged a look, then nodded once, sharp, resolute.
“We’re loyal to you,” Vincent said quietly. “Whatever comes.”
Thane inclined his head. “Always.”
Something in Darius’s shoulders eased, just a fraction.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said quickly. “I was just… going for a walk.”
Darius turned to me immediately. “I’ll come with you.”
“No,” I said, too fast. “I just need air.”
He didn’t move. “It’s not safe.”
I lifted a brow. “For who?”
That earned me the faintest smile, but he still followed when I headed out.
We walked in silence at first, the gravel crunching beneath our feet, the night alive with distant sounds. I tried everything, short answers, longer strides, pointed looks, but he stayed right beside me.
“Can't I get some time to myself?” I asked annoyance lacing my voice.
I could almost see the wheels turning in his head. He took a step toward me, his bare chest gleaming in the moonlight, and I fought the urge to back away. “You’re not going anywhere alone,” he said, his tone commanding.
I smirked, letting a hint of defiance flash in my eyes. “Or what? You’ll chase me?”
His lips curled into a dangerous smile. “Try me.”
The challenge hung in the air, and before I could think better of it, I channeled the beast within me. My heart raced, my muscles coiled, and I bolted.
The world blurred as I ran, wind tearing at my hair, the ground vanishing beneath me. For a moment, just a moment, I felt free.
Darius’s wolf form burst from the trees, a blur of fur and muscle, and my breath caught in my throat. He was faster than I remembered, his paws eating up the distance between us with terrifying efficiency. I pushed harder, my lungs burning, my legs screaming in protest, but the lake was still too far.
I reached the shore, collapsing to my knees in the sand, my chest heaving. The beast inside me roared, demanding release, but I fought it back, my hands trembling as I clutched at my throat. Behind me, Darius shifted back into human form, his naked body gleaming with sweat, his eyes fixed on me like a predator sizing up
It's prey.
“Cover up,” I snapped, my voice shaky, but he just smirked, taking a deliberate step closer.
“You like what you see?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
I opened my mouth to retort, but he was already on me, his lips pressing to my neck, his hands sliding down my arms. My skin tingled where he touched me, and I shivered despite myself. “Stop,” I whispered, but my voice lacked conviction.
He kissed me then, his lips demanding, his tongue tangling with mine in a way that left me breathless. My resistance crumbled as I felt him harden against me, his body pressing into mine with a hunger that mirrored my own. I moaned softly, my hands tangling in his hair, and he took that as permission to strip me bare.
My sundress fell away, leaving me exposed to the cool night air and his hungry gaze. He knelt before me, his hands tracing the curves of my body, his lips trailing kisses down my collarbone, my breasts, my stomach. I arched into his touch, my breath coming in short gasps, my body aching for him.
“You drive me crazy,” he growled, his voice a rough whisper against my skin.
I didn’t respond, couldn’t respond, as he lifted me onto the sand, his body pressing into mine with a primal urgency. He thrust into me, hard and deep, and I cried out, my legs draping over his shoulders as he set a relentless rhythm. The sand was cool beneath me, a stark contrast to the heat of our bodies, and I clung to him, my nails digging into his back as he moved within me.
His kisses were fierce, his touches possessive, and I let myself get lost in the sensation, the pleasure overwhelming any lingering thoughts of resistance. He was a force of nature, untamed and unyielding, and I was helpless against him.
When it was over, he collapsed beside me, his breath ragged, his arm pulling me close. I lay there, my heart pounding, my body still trembling from the intensity of it all. He brushed a strand of hair from my face, his touch surprisingly gentle, and whispered, “You’ll be happy here.”
I bit my lip, the words catching in my throat. Happy? How could I be happy when the weight of my father’s death pressed down on me like a stone?
Because no matter how safe this place felt. No matter how right his arms felt around me.
He was still the man who killed my father.
And that truth would never let me stay.