Chapter 62 Romantic Tension
Dagnoth’s POV
The courtyard had grown quiet.
Most of the warriors had already dispersed after receiving their patrol orders, their footsteps fading into the outer paths of the territory. The torches along the stone walls crackled softly, their flames swaying in the cool night wind. Beyond the palace gates, the forest stretched dark and watchful beneath the moon.
But Dagnoth remained where he stood.
His gaze lingered on the palace above him, drawn again and again to the same window.
Her window.
He told himself it meant nothing. That he was simply ensuring the palace remained secure after the rogue activity earlier that evening. An Alpha had responsibilities. Vigilance was part of leadership.
Yet no matter how many times he forced his attention toward the gates or the guards stationed along the walls, his eyes inevitably returned to that same quiet window.
Dahila.
His jaw tightened slightly at the thought.
The conversation at the gate replayed in his mind with irritating clarity. The sharpness in her voice. The way she refused to step back from him. The way her eyes held his without fear.
Most people feared him.
They respected him, obeyed him, and kept their distance.
But Dahila never did.
She met him head-on, every single time.
And somehow that made her far more dangerous than any rogue.
A warrior approached quietly from his right, interrupting his thoughts.
“Alpha,” the man said respectfully. “The eastern patrol has been doubled.”
Dagnoth nodded once without looking away from the palace. “Good.”
“The outer gates are secured as well.”
“Good.”
The warrior hesitated for a moment, as if expecting further instructions. When none came, he lowered his head again before walking away.
Silence returned to the courtyard.
Dagnoth exhaled slowly.
He should go inside.
There were reports waiting for him in the war room. Territory matters that required his attention. Rogues had been growing bolder along the borders lately, and that alone should have occupied his thoughts entirely.
Instead, his wolf remained restless beneath his skin.
Because even from here, he could still smell her.
Faint.
Lingering in the night air.
His gaze drifted back toward the palace window again.
Then—
Movement.
A shadow passed across the glass.
His eyes sharpened instantly.
She was awake.
Of course she was.
Dahila did not strike him as someone who slept easily when her mind was troubled. And tonight… there were too many things to trouble her.
The memory of her standing at the gate returned vividly.
The stubborn tilt of her chin.
The way she had challenged him without hesitation.
And the moment his hand had almost reached for her face.
Dagnoth ran a hand through his dark hair with a quiet breath.
This was ridiculous.
He was the Alpha of the territory.
He did not linger in courtyards staring at windows like some restless boy.
With that thought, he turned toward the palace.
His steps were steady as he crossed the courtyard, climbing the wide stone stairs that led to the entrance. The guards straightened immediately when he approached.
“Alpha.”
He acknowledged them with a brief nod before continuing inside.
The palace corridors were quiet at this hour. Most servants had already retired, leaving only a few guards stationed along the halls. Their armor glinted faintly under the torchlight as he passed.
Yet despite the silence, Dagnoth’s wolf remained alert.
Aware.
Tracking something far more specific than danger.
By the time he reached the upper level of the palace, he already knew exactly where he was going.
Her door.
He had memorized its location days ago.
The realization should have irritated him.
Instead, he stopped outside it without hesitation.
For a moment he simply stood there.
Listening.
The room beyond the door was quiet.
Then—
Soft footsteps.
Approaching.
The door opened suddenly.
Dahila froze the moment she saw him standing there.
Her hand remained on the handle, her eyes widening ever so slightly before she quickly masked the reaction.
Moonlight from the open window behind her spilled across the room, illuminating her figure. Her dark hair fell loosely over her shoulders, slightly tangled by the wind. She looked as though she had been standing by the window moments earlier.
Watching the courtyard.
Watching him.
For a long moment neither of them spoke.
The tension between them thickened instantly.
“You followed me,” she said finally.
Her voice remained calm, but there was a hint of accusation beneath it.
Dagnoth leaned one shoulder casually against the doorframe.
“No.”
Her brow lifted slightly. “No?”
“I finished my duties.”
“And somehow that led you directly to my door?”
His gaze moved slowly across her face, studying the faint tension in her expression.
“Yes.”
Her lips pressed together, as though she were deciding whether to argue further.
“You have terrible timing, Alpha,” she muttered.
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She crossed her arms loosely. “Because I was just beginning to forget what an infuriating man you are.”
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
“You were thinking about me.”
“That was not the point.”
“But it is the truth.”
Her eyes narrowed at him.
“You enjoy being unbearable.”
“Only with you.”
Silence settled between them again, heavier this time.
Dagnoth pushed away from the doorframe and stepped forward slightly.
He didn’t enter the room.
But the distance between them shrank enough that the warmth of her presence became unmistakable.
Dahila did not step back.
That alone made something inside him tighten.
“You should sleep,” he said quietly.
Her brows drew together in confusion.
“That’s why you came here?”
“No.”
He took another step closer.
Now only a few inches separated them.
“I came because you keep running.”
Her heartbeat quickened visibly beneath the soft skin of her throat.
“And?” she asked softly.
“And I told you what happens when you run.”
Her voice dropped slightly. “You said you would catch me.”
“Yes.”
She held his gaze without flinching.
“And what happens when you do?”
For a moment, Dagnoth did not answer.
His eyes darkened slightly as he studied her face.
Then slowly—
His hand lifted.
He stopped just short of touching her cheek.
Close enough that she could feel the warmth of his skin.
But he didn’t close the distance.
Not yet.
His voice lowered to a dangerous murmur.
“I haven’t decided.”
Her breath caught quietly.
And for the first time since he arrived—
Dahila took a step back.
Not out of fear.
But because the space between them had suddenly become far too dangerous.
Dagnoth watched the movement carefully.
Then a slow, knowing smile touched his lips.
“Goodnight, Dahila.”
Before she could respond, he turned and began walking down the corridor.
His footsteps faded into the quiet palace halls, leaving her standing alone in the doorway.
Her heart was still racing.
Because now she understood something she hadn’t allowed herself to admit before.
Dagnoth wasn’t chasing her out of duty anymore.
And that made everything far more dangerous.
Because the Alpha of the territory—
Was beginning to enjoy the hunt.