An Unexpected Awakening (I)

**Shaira's POV**

I woke slowly, feeling the warmth of Angro's body next to mine. The night had been cold and the jungle unforgiving, but with him by my side, I hadn't felt the chill. The first rays of sunlight filtered through the thick vegetation, casting soft shadows over our makeshift shelter. I opened my eyes lazily and found Angro's gaze fixed on me, a mixture of tenderness and determination shining in his eyes.

"Good morning, love," he murmured in a low, deep voice, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on my forehead. "I’m going to find us some breakfast. Stay here and rest a little longer."

I nodded, smiling as I watched him rise with agility. I settled back into the blanket we shared, feeling the emptiness left by his warmth. I observed him moving away with confident steps, disappearing into the trees. Even in the stillness of the morning, he moved with the grace of a hunter, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful to have him by my side. Since we escaped, he had proven himself to be not just a fierce warrior, but also a caring protector, always making sure I had everything I needed.

I lay back down on the blanket, savoring the peaceful moments. My thoughts drifted to everything we had shared in the past few days. I had discovered a side of Angro that made me fall in love with him more each day. It wasn’t just the strength he displayed in facing the dangers that surrounded us, but the way he looked at me, as if I were the only thing that mattered in his world.

I closed my eyes, smiling as I recalled how he had held me in his embrace the night before, whispering promises of eternal love as we shared the warmth of our bodies beneath the starry sky. It was a moment where time seemed to stand still, where our fears and worries disappeared, replaced by the certainty that, together, we could face anything.

The cool morning air caressed my skin, and even though I tried to enjoy the moment, a sense of unease began to grow in my chest. I opened my eyes and looked around. The sound of the birds had diminished, as if the jungle itself were holding its breath. I tried to shake off the feeling of anxiety, telling myself it was just the accumulated tension of the past days.

But then, something in the air changed.

The silence in the jungle was strange, almost unnatural. I slowly sat up, looking around with a growing sense of dread. Something was wrong, and the nervousness I had tried to shake off now felt like an urgent warning. I stood up, my muscles tense, listening for any sound that might break the stillness.

Suddenly, the crunch of leaves beneath heavy footsteps made me turn. Before I could process what was happening, a group of men emerged from the trees. A chill ran down my spine as I recognized the figure leading them. Omawit, his face rigid and a cold satisfaction in his eyes, advanced toward me, surrounded by a score of opranchi warriors. They were all armed, and their eyes reflected the same determination as their leader's.

Fear struck my chest, making my heart pound. I was surrounded, with no chance of escape. I took a step back, my mind working frantically to find a way out of this situation, but I was completely trapped.

"I finally found you, eteri," Omawit said, his tone a mix of disdain and triumph. His eyes swept over me with contempt, as if I were already a prisoner under his control. "Angro hid you well, but I always knew he couldn’t keep you hidden forever."

"What do you want, Omawit?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. I knew showing fear would only give him more power over me, and I wasn’t going to let that happen. I clenched my fists tightly, ready to defend myself if necessary.

He approached slowly, his men forming a circle around me, closing off all the exits. "What I want is simple," he replied, his voice as cold as stone. "I want you to pay for your betrayal. You’ve humiliated my sister, put our people in danger, and now you seek to get away with it."

"I'm not your enemy, Omawit," I said clearly, trying to calm the tension. "You should stop this obsession with me that has only brought pain to everyone, including your sister. All we want now is to survive."

"Survive," he repeated with a mocking smile. "That's what you say, but everyone knows the eteri always seeks what doesn’t belong to her." His words seemed to carry an even greater threat, and my heart began to beat faster as I saw several of his men step forward.

Before they could reach me, a shout broke the tense silence. "Enough!" Angro’s voice rang out with force as he appeared running from the trees, his gaze filled with fury and concern. He wasted no time in lunging at one of the warriors, quickly disarming him and pushing him away from me.

Omawit turned toward him with a mix of surprise and resentment. "Angro, you damned traitor," he said, gritting his teeth. "Are you really going to fight your own people for this woman?"

Angro stood between the warriors and me, raising a hand to keep them at bay. "If it means protecting her, then yes," he replied with a firmness that cut through the air. "She’s not the traitor here, Omawit, and you know it."

The tension was palpable. I knew a fight was about to break out, and my body braced for the worst.