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 asuring 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 sowhere within my expression.
I froze for a mont, 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, soone I had once rejected countless tis, 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.
Imdiately, I shook my head, trying to push away the wave of warmth that threatened to engulf . "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 handso, more than I had rembered. The angles of his face, the strength in his jawline, the way his amber eyes seed to pierce straight through , it was disarming. And for a fleeting mont, 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 . 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 to sit beside him. Relief and curiosity mingled within , 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 ," I said, attempting to keep my tone neutral, "why are you here inside of your brother?"
The mont 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.
"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 like a physical blow. I had known part of his past, but this... this raw honesty was sothing I hadn’t anticipated. The pain and loneliness hidden behind his composed exterior suddenly beca 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 an 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 mont, the room seed 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 ti, how much he had endured, and how resilient he had beco despite it all.
I stayed there beside him, silent for a mont, 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 so 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 ?"
The words hung in the air for a mont, and I imdiately realized how ridiculous I sounded. The question was trivial, almost childish. Why had I even asked that? My cheeks ward 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 amusent. "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 , there was sothing comforting in it. He continued to chuckle softly, a glimr 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 aning 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 movent sudden and entirely unexpected.
I froze for a heartbeat, my mind racing to process what I was seeing. My instincts scread at to retreat, to give them space, and imdiately, 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, bead with excitent. "How have you been, Noah?" she asked, her voice bright, eager, full of warmth and laughter.
And then her eyes t 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 now.
The room fell into an awkward silence for a mont, 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 mont Noah and I had shared was abruptly interrupted by her arrival. My heartbeat quickened, and I realized that things were about to beco far more complicated than I had anticipated.
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