Maria.

I could feel the intensity in his gaze, the weight of his amber eyes locked onto mine. "Maria, just say the word, and I am ready to take you away," he said slowly, carefully, as if measuring every syllable. His voice was steady, yet it trembled with a quiet urgency that betrayed the depth of his emotions. "I promise you," he added, leaning ever so slightly forward, searching my face as though the answer to his words lay hidden somewhere within my expression.

I froze for a moment, the words echoing in my mind, threatening to tear through the walls I had built around my heart. The idea of leaving, of being taken away by him, someone I had once rejected countless times, was overwhelming. I could feel the pull of the bond, the connection that had never truly broken, even in the years we were apart. But I couldn’t let myself succumb to it.

Immediately, I shook my head, trying to push away the wave of warmth that threatened to engulf me. "I am fine, Noah. There is no need to be worried," I said quickly, forcing my voice to sound light, casual, even cheerful.

I plastered a fake smile onto my face, a mask I had perfected over the years, hiding the turmoil inside.

But as I looked at him, standing there so close, so earnest, I couldn’t ignore the undeniable truth. He was handsome, more than I had remembered. The angles of his face, the strength in his jawline, the way his amber eyes seemed to pierce straight through me, it was disarming. And for a fleeting moment, my heart jingled unexpectedly, a small, traitorous flutter that I quickly silenced.

"Stay calm, Vernia," I whispered softly, barely above a breath, directing my words to the wolf inside me. My inner wolf stirred at the intensity of his presence, sensing the emotions radiating from him, and I had to remind myself to remain composed.

Noah must have sensed my unease, for he slowly let go of my hands. Without a word, he walked over to the bed and gestured for me to sit beside him. Relief and curiosity mingled within me, and I gladly accepted, lowering myself carefully onto the mattress. The closeness of him made my chest tighten, but I pushed the feeling aside, focusing instead on the questions I had yet to ask.

"So tell me," I said, attempting to keep my tone neutral, "why are you here inside of your brother?"

The moment the words left my mouth, I saw the change in him. His expression shifted, shadows of sadness clouding his features. His eyes, once bright and searching, grew heavy with grief, and I felt the sudden weight of a story unspoken pressing into the space between us. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Five years ago," he began slowly, voice low and solemn, "they died in a rogue attack. I am the only one left."

The words struck me like a physical blow. I had known part of his past, but this... this raw honesty was something I hadn’t anticipated. The pain and loneliness hidden behind his composed exterior suddenly became vivid, and I felt a pang of guilt for the thoughtless question that had triggered it.

"Oh my... I am so sorry," I murmured, lowering my eyes. My voice was quiet, laced with genuine remorse. "I really didn’t mean to bring it up. I wasn’t aware."

He shook his head gently, a faint, sad smile brushing his lips. "It’s alright, Maria. You definitely didn’t know about it."

And in that moment, the room seemed to breathe with a softer, quieter understanding. The weight of grief lingered in his eyes, yet there was also a trace of relief, relief that I had not judged, relief that I was here, listening. I realized, perhaps for the first time, how much he had endured, and how resilient he had become despite it all.

I stayed there beside him, silent for a moment, letting the gravity of his words settle around us, each heartbeat drawing us closer to an understanding neither of us had spoken aloud.

I tried to steady my thoughts, to regain some semblance of calm after the intensity of our earlier conversation. My nerves were still stretched thin, and yet a small, mischievous impulse rose to the surface. I wanted to lighten the mood, to steer us away from the heaviness that had filled the room.

"So," I said cautiously, my voice almost tentative, "after this long trip... did you bring anything for me?"

The words hung in the air for a moment, and I immediately realized how ridiculous I sounded. The question was trivial, almost childish. Why had I even asked that? My cheeks warmed slightly at my own stupidity.

He didn’t even pause to answer. Instead, he burst out laughing, the sound deep and infectious, echoing through the room. I felt my lips twitch involuntarily at the sight of him so unguarded. Then, almost playfully, he reached out and tapped the side of my head lightly, a soft, admonishing gesture that made my heart skip.

"You still haven’t changed," he said between chuckles, shaking his head in amusement. "How can you still be so... dumb?"

I frowned, crossing my arms briefly, feigning irritation, though I couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at my lips. His laughter filled the space, warm and genuine, and even as he mocked me, there was something comforting in it. He continued to chuckle softly, a glimmer of relief in his eyes. "I wouldn’t have even known you were here if..." His words trailed off, and I felt the weight of meaning in his silence.

I opened my mouth, ready to answer him, to respond to his teasing in kind, when suddenly, without warning, the door to his room burst open with force.

Anabel rushed inside, moving with unrestrained energy and joy, her arms swinging wide as she leaped toward him. Before I could react, she clutched him tightly in a hug so strong that he stumbled backward, falling flat onto the bed. The force of their entangled bodies left them both in a compromising, awkward position, the movement sudden and entirely unexpected.

I froze for a heartbeat, my mind racing to process what I was seeing. My instincts screamed at me to retreat, to give them space, and immediately, I shifted to one side and stood upright, adjusting my posture and forcing my hands to my sides as if nothing had happened.

Anabel, completely oblivious to my presence, beamed with excitement. "How have you been, Noah?" she asked, her voice bright, eager, full of warmth and laughter.

And then her eyes met mine.

Her joyful expression faltered slightly, confusion flashing across her features. "What... what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice carrying a mixture of surprise and curiosity, directed at me now.

The room fell into an awkward silence for a moment, the air heavy with tension and unspoken questions. I stood there, watching the interaction, feeling the sudden shift in energy as the playful, light-hearted moment Noah and I had shared was abruptly interrupted by her arrival. My heartbeat quickened, and I realized that things were about to become far more complicated than I had anticipated.