Refuge In The Pines
Cleopatra’s POV
The familiar crunch of leaves underfoot seemed to echo louder with each step I took. The night was still, save for the occasional rustle of wildlife. My thoughts churned as I ventured deeper into the forest, toward the place no one knew about except me—my sanctuary. The hidden cabin. It was my escape from the world, a place of solace where no one could find me, not even Alpha Kane.
After leaving Rob and Lucien behind, I ran for hours in my wolf form, letting the endless trees dull the ache of the mark Williams had left on my neck. His scent still clung to me, a constant reminder of what I had become. His, because of the baby, not because of love. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.
It had been years since I last visited. Back then, Alpha Kane had demanded I assassinate Mr. Alex and his family. I couldn’t do it the first time, nor did I do it the second time. Not when I saw Alex’s wife struggling through labor, her cries of pain filling the room. Instead of following Alpha Kane’s orders, I helped her bring her child into the world.
I saved them and told them to come to this cabin, far from the reach of death that loomed over them. I was their savior, and they didn’t even know the danger they had been in.
The memory of that day stayed with me, always lingering in the back of my mind like a whisper in the dark. Now, as I ran through the dense trees, the scent of pine and earth filling my senses, I wondered how they would react to my sudden arrival.
The cabin came into view, small and unassuming, nestled between towering pines and a stream that cut through the forest. I could see the soft glow of a fire through the windows. They were home. A wave of relief washed over me, but it did little to ease the ache gnawing at my heart. After changing to my human form and putting on my clothes, I went closer to the porch.
I hesitated at the door, hand raised to knock but frozen mid-air. What would they think of me if they saw me like this? How would it feel being in the same house with someone who attempted to assassinate your entire family? The thought made my chest tighten. But before I could talk myself out of it, the door swung open.
“Cleopatra?” Mr Alex’s voice boomed, his face breaking into a wide smile. “Come in, come in!”
His warmth was immediate, enveloping me in a hug before I could respond. I felt myself sag into the embrace, the tension in my body slowly unraveling.
Weird. We were never friends to begin with, why the warm welcome?
His wife appeared behind him, cradling their little son, their daughter peeking shyly behind her. Her eyes sparkled with gratitude, a stark contrast to the exhaustion I remembered from that fateful night.
“You’re finally here. We’ve been praying that you would stop by,” his wife, who he introduced as Alina said softly, stepping aside to let me in. The warmth of the fire seeped into my skin, and for the first time in what felt like ages, I exhaled, really exhaled, as though I had been holding my breath for too long.
The cabin was modest but cozy. Wooden beams lined the ceiling, and the hearth crackled with the comforting sound of burning logs. They’ve really made a home out of it.
The scent of freshly baked bread and something sweet hung in the air, and I couldn’t help but feel like I’d stepped into a different world. A world where I wasn’t Cleopatra, or Shadow, but just a woman in need of a safe haven.
“How have you been?” Alex asked, guiding me to a seat near the fire. “You look… tired.”
I gave a tight smile, trying to ignore the lump in my throat. “I’ve been doing my best.”
Alina sat across from me, her eyes full of unspoken understanding. They didn’t ask me why I had helped them, why I had defied orders. Maybe they both had sensed the conflict within me. Or maybe they didn’t care, grateful just to be alive.
As we talked, the warmth of their kindness wrapped around me like a soft blanket. The longer I stayed, the harder it became to suppress the emotions I had been holding back. I wanted to talk about Williams, about the bond that now tethered us. About the way his mark burned on my skin, not with love but with something far more complicated. Longing filled every corner of my heart, an ache that only grew with each passing moment. But how could I voice that? How could I explain that despite everything, I still yearned for him? That I wanted him not out of obligation, but because I needed him in ways I couldn’t understand?
How would I start explaining when they don’t even know anything that is happening, or who I really am.
“Are you alright?” Alina’s voice cut through my thoughts, her gentle gaze meeting mine. She must have noticed the way I kept absently touching my neck, the place where Williams had claimed me.
I blinked, nodding quickly. “I’m fine. Just… thinking.”
They didn’t press me further, and for that, I was grateful. Instead, we ate in comfortable silence, the crackle of the fire the only sound in the room. But even as I sat there, surrounded by warmth and kindness, I couldn’t shake the growing sense of unease building inside me.
Suddenly, a sharp sound broke through the stillness of the night. It was distant but unmistakable. A howl.
My blood ran cold.
Alex’s eyes flicked toward the window, his brow furrowing. “What was that?”
I stood abruptly, my heart hammering in my chest. I knew that sound. It wasn’t just any wolf. It was a warning.
Who could it be?
My breath hitched as I realized what it meant. Was I followed?
“It sounded like a wolf,” Alina’s voice trembled, her eyes wide with concern. “We’ve not seen one since we came here.”
“I should go and check it out,” I whispered, the words barely audible.
The howl came again, louder this time. Closer.
Panic surged through me, and before I could stop myself, I was already moving toward the door.
I barely registered their protests as I slipped outside, the cool night air biting against my skin. My eyes scanned the darkness, searching for whoever it was. My heart pounded as I stood frozen at the edge of the clearing.
There, in the distance, a silhouette emerged from the shadows, his eyes glowing with a dangerous intensity.
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