Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
F innar’s instincts screamed at him to grab Scarlett and run, to protect what was his. His claws flexed, ready to fight if necessary. The beast within him snarled at the presence of other males so close to her. Even Seren alone would have been difficult, but the presence of Korrin, a newcomer to the pack, made it even worse.
“Calm yourself, Finnar,” Seren ordered.
His body trembled, fighting the command. Scarlett gently stroked his back, her touch both soothing and maddening. Lingering traces of fear in her sweet scent made it even more difficult to control his protective urges.
“Now.” Seren’s voice rang with alpha power.
His fangs elongated, but he forced himself to lower his head slightly. His beast reluctantly submitted, recognizing their Alpha, but his eyes never left the two males. Scarlett’s touch was his only anchor, her presence keeping him from giving in to his more primitive instincts.
Korrin’s gaze drifted to Scarlett, and his growl returned. To his surprise, Korrin’s mouth curved into a small smile, his eyes flicking up to meet Finnar’s, and he gave a slow, deliberate nod of acknowledgement.
He managed to wrestle himself under control as Korrin moved to the adyani’s body and bent down, giving his back to Finnar.
“A clean kill, although I wonder why it was in our territory.”
“I will order a patrol,” Seren said, his focus still on Finnar. “I ordered you to stay away from humans.”
The alpha’s power pressed down on him. He fought against it, his need to protect Scarlett warring with the ingrained instinct to submit to his alpha. Sweat broke out across his skin as he struggled to maintain control.
“Please,” he whispered, the word foreign on his tongue. “Don’t take her away from me.”
His vulnerability surprised even himself, but he couldn’t stop the words. The thought of losing her made something deep inside him crack. His chest heaved as he waited for Seren’s response, every muscle straining with the effort to remain still. The disappointment in his alpha’s eyes sent a wave of shame crashing through his body, warring with his need to protect Scarlett.
“You disobeyed me. You didn’t stay away from humans and even worse, you took a female.”
His throat constricted. He thought he detected a flicker of sorrow in Seren’s expression, but it was gone so quickly he might have imagined it, replaced by the cold mask of the alpha.
“You leave me no choice except to exile you from our territory.”
The ground seemed to shift beneath his feet as Seren’s words sank in. Exile. His last tenuous connection to his past, to his people, severed. His chest tightened until he could barely breathe.
Before he could respond, Scarlett stepped out from behind him, clutching her shirt together. His hand shot out to pull her back but she evaded his grasp.
“You’re wrong,” she said fiercely. “I was lost in the woods when Finnar found me. He protected me.”
Seren’s skeptical gaze drifted down over her torn clothing, and he had to fight back another growl.
“He saved my life tonight,” she added, gesturing toward the dead adyani. “He’s done nothing wrong.”
“Why were you in the woods?” Seren asked, clearly unconvinced.
“I was on my way to my grandmother’s house but the bridge was washed out and I foolishly tried to find a way around it.”
His beast purred, impressed by her courage and her cleverness. Seren would have been able to detect a lie but she was telling the truth, if not all of it.
“Then we will escort you to your grandmother’s house while I consider the matter,” Seren said firmly, his tone brooking no argument.
No! His muscles tensed, ready to challenge the command, but then her small hand slipped into his, her fingers intertwining with his own. The simple touch helped calm the rage that threatened to overwhelm him. Her thumb brushed across his knuckles in a gentle caress as she looked up at him, her eyes wide and dark. Trusting.
Guilt filled him as the full force of his actions crashed down over him. No matter what she’d said to Seren, he had stolen her away from her life, from someone who meant so much to her—from her family.
Ignoring his beast’s howl of protest, he nodded.
“Now,” Seren commanded, already turning to lead the way.
He swallowed back his protest, even knowing that each step would take him closer to losing her. But her hand remained firmly in his as they began to walk, her warmth a lifeline in the darkness that threatened to consume him.
The forest gradually lightened around them as dawn crept in, but he barely noticed the changing light. His entire being was focused on her presence beside him, the warmth of her small hand nestled in his own. Her scent wrapped around him, sweet and intoxicating, making his chest ache with longing.
She stole another glance up at him, those dark eyes filled with something that made his breath catch. He wanted to pull her close, to bury his face in her hair and breathe in her essence. Instead, he forced himself to keep walking, hyper-aware of Seren and Korrin’s presence ahead of them.
Their shoulders brushed as they navigated a particularly narrow section of the trail, sending a jolt of electricity through his body. Her breath hitched at the contact, and his beast stirred, responding to the subtle signs of her attraction.
If things had been different… if he hadn’t let his bitterness drive him to take her… if he’d met her under other circumstances… The possibilities tormented him as they walked. He could have courted her properly, shown her male he could have been.
Her fingers shifted against his, and he tightened his grip reflexively, not ready to let go. Not yet. Each step down the mountain brought them closer to their inevitable separation, and the thought made his chest constrict painfully. He’d spent years nurturing his hatred of humans, but now this one small female had upended everything he thought he knew.
She stumbled slightly on a loose stone, and he steadied her automatically, his free hand catching her elbow. The contact sent another wave of awareness through him, and he caught a glimpse of pink staining her cheeks before she looked away. Even that small reaction affected him more than he wanted to admit.
The cottage materialized through the trees, the timbered walls glowing in the first rays of dawn, surrounded by a lush, colorful garden. His chest ached at the sight—it looked exactly like the kind of place that would nurture someone like Scarlett, peaceful and welcoming. The kind of home he’d never be able to offer her.
His fingers tightened involuntarily around her hand, memorizing the feel of her soft skin against his calloused palm. He needed to let go. Should let go. But his muscles refused to cooperate.
Before he could force himself to release her, she turned to him, those dark eyes searching his face.
“Come and meet my grandmother.”
The invitation caught him off guard. She wanted him here, wanted to introduce him to her family despite everything that had happened between them?
“Are you sure?”
The fierce nod she gave him made his chest ache even more.
Her gaze shifted uncertainly to where Seren and Korrin stood watching, but the alpha shook his head before she could speak.
“We’ll wait for you in the forest,” Seren said, an unmistakable warning in his voice.
He swallowed hard, all too aware that this might be his last chance to be near her. His beast howled in protest at the thought, but he pushed the sound down deep inside where it couldn’t escape, and forced himself to nod.
His legs felt like lead as they approached the cottage door. The scent of fresh-baked bread wafted through the air, mingling with herbs and flowers in the neatly tended garden. The scene reminded him of everything he had lost and his muscles tensed, old instincts screaming at him to retreat back into the familiar darkness of the forest.
But her hand was still tucked in his, her eyes warm as she smiled up at him.
“Come on,” she whispered, “She’ll love you.”
Love. When was the last time anyone had loved him? The memories of his family’s warmth had grown dim, overshadowed by flames and screams. Even his pack had been reluctant to accept him, wary of his anger and pain. But she wasn’t afraid of him. She looked at him like he mattered.
His gaze swept over her grandmother’s home again, noticing the careful mending of the thatch, the neat herb garden, the cheerful curtains in the windows. She belonged in this gentle world—but could there ever be a place for him here?
“Finnar?” She squeezed his hand, her dark eyes full of understanding. “You don’t have to do this if you’re not ready.”
The fact that she understood, that she would give him that choice, helped ease his doubts. He nodded and allowed himself to be drawn up onto the porch, casting a quick glance back towards the trees that concealed Seren and Korrin. Whatever welcome he might find here would be brief, but at least he would be able to remember her happy and content in this cozy home.