Matilda Anderson's pov
It had been weeks since that night. Weeks since Marco had first asked me to give him a chance. My leg had healed now, and I could move around freely. No more being confined to bed, no more feeling helpless.
And yet, despite my newfound freedom, I found myself lingering in his space more than I should.
Three more weeks. That's all I had left before the four months were up. Elera had told me that if I still didn't want to stay by then, she would let me go.
But the thought of leaving didn't sit right with me.
I should want to go.
He had kidnapped me. Torn me from everything I knew and brought me into this.
And yet. I felt safe here. Safe with him.
And that scared me.
Because it wasn't just safety.
It was the way he looked at me like I was the most important thing in his world. The way he always made sure I ate, rested, healed properly. The way he never pushed, never forced only waited, patient and steady, as if he had all the time in the world for me to come to him.
I felt special with him. Cherished.
And that feeling was what terrified me the most.
I stepped outside, needing fresh air to clear my thoughts. The cool breeze brushed against my skin, but it did little to ease the storm in my mind.
I don't want to go… but why do I feel this way about him?
Before I could think further, a sharp voice rang through the air.
"Rogues! Get the women and children inside!"
Then, suddenly, from the shadows of the trees, a massive wolf emerged.
It was unlike any of the pack wolves I had seen before. It was filthy, its fur matted with grime, its ribs visible beneath its rough coat. A strong, rotten stench clung to it, making my stomach churn. And its eyes blood-red, wild, and filled with a hunger that made my breath catch in my throat.
It growled low and stepped toward me.
I stood frozen. My body refused to move, my mind screaming at me to run, but my legs wouldn't obey.
Then, before the wolf could lunge, a fierce roar tore through the air.
"Move back, Rogue!"
Marco's voice.
I snapped my head toward the house just as he came rushing out, his entire presence radiating raw dominance. His golden eyes burned with power, his muscles tensed like he was ready to rip the wolf apart.
But instead of attacking, he.spoke to it.
My heart pounded. My fear tangled with confusion.
Why is he talking to a wolf?why did he call it Rogue,am confused.
The rogue hesitated, baring its teeth but not moving forward. Marco took another step, his voice commanding yet strangely calm.
"This is my territory. Stand down."
The air crackled with tension, my breath caught in my throat. Was this wolf just an animal? Or.was it something more?
The rogue circled Marco, its blood-red eyes locked onto him with hunger and rage. My heart pounded against my ribs as I watched, frozen in place. The tension in the air was suffocating.
Then, in a blink, the rogue lunged.
And Marco
Marco changed.
One second, he was a man, standing tall and commanding. The next, his body contorted, twisting and expanding in ways that shouldn't have been possible. His bones cracked, his muscles stretched, and in an instant, he was no longer human.
A massive, black beast stood in his place.
I screamed, stumbling back until my legs gave out, sending me crashing onto the ground.
This was no ordinary wolf.
It was monstrous easily twice the size of the rogue, its black fur sleek yet wild, shimmering under the moonlight. Clawed paws the size of my head dug into the dirt. And its eyes still the same golden fire, but now filled with something primal, something deadly.
Marco let out a deep, guttural growl that vibrated through my bones.
The rogue hesitated for only a second before foolishly attacking.
They clashed in a blur of teeth and claws.
Marco was faster.
The rogue barely got a hit in before Marco slammed into it, knocking it off its feet with sheer brute force. Snarls filled the air as they rolled across the ground, snapping at each other.
But it was clear this rogue was no match for him.
Marco was playing with it.
Each time the rogue tried to get up, he struck it back down. He was punishing it, making it feel weak, making it fear him.
The rogue let out a pained yelp, trying to scramble away, but Marco wasn't finished. He grabbed the smaller wolf by the scruff of its neck and threw it across the clearing like it weighed nothing.
I watched in horror as the rogue whimpered, its body shaking from the sheer force of Marco's strength.
Then Marco took a slow step forward.
The rogue, beaten and terrified, let out a desperate snarl before turning tail and bolting into the forest.
It ran for its life.
Marco didn't chase.
Instead, he stood there, chest heaving, eyes still burning with rage.
Then, slowly, his golden gaze flickered to me.
I held my breath, still sitting where I had fallen. My whole body was trembling.
Because I had just witnessed something impossible.
I couldn't breathe.
My heart pounded so hard it hurt, my chest tightening with panic as I stared at the massive black beast in front of me.
Marco.
No not Marco.
Not the man who had been staying by my side, not the one who spoke to me so gently, not the one I was starting to
No.
This was something else.
This was not human.
My body acted before my mind could process.
I turned and ran.
I didn't know where I was going. I didn't care. I just needed to get away.
My bare feet pounded against the dirt as I sprinted toward the trees. The forest was dark, unwelcoming, but I didn't stop. I didn't think.
I just ran.
I heard shouts behind me, voices calling my name, but I didn't slow down.
Then, suddenly arms.
Strong, unyielding arms wrapped around me, lifting me off my feet as if I weighed nothing.
I screamed, thrashing wildly, but it was useless.
"Matilda! Stop!" a familiar voice barked.
Darius.
I twisted in his grip, struggling, but he held me firmly against his chest, one arm locked around my waist. "Put me down!" I cried, pounding against him.
"You need to calm down," he said sharply, turning back toward the house.
I fought harder, kicking, twisting, but it was useless. Darius was impossibly strong, barely even reacting to my attempts to break free.
"No!" I sobbed. "Let me go!"
But he didn't.
He carried me straight back to him.
I saw Marco the moment we emerged into the clearing.
He had shifted back.
He stood there, bare-chested, his muscles still tense, his golden eyes locked on me. His face was unreadable, but his breathing was heavy, controlled, like he was trying to calm something inside him.
Darius came to a stop just a few feet away, still holding me easily.
"She ran," he said, his tone almost amused, but there was an edge to it. "Thought you might want her back."
Marco's eyes never left mine.
"Darius," he said, voice low, dangerous. "Put. Her. Down."
Darius exhaled through his nose before finally setting me on my feet.
I staggered back instantly, my whole body trembling.
Marco took a slow step toward me.
I took a step back.
His jaw tightened.
"Matilda," he said, softer this time.
I shook my head, my breath coming in uneven gasps. "You're. you're not human," I whispered.
His expression didn't change. "I never said I was."
Tears burned my eyes. My body felt like it wasn't my own like I wasn't even in control of my own emotions anymore.
"You kidnapped me," I choked out. "And now you expect me to to what? Accept that you're" I gestured wildly toward him, toward the ground where blood still stained the dirt. "That you're this?"
Marco took another step toward me.
I panicked.
Without thinking, I turned and bolted toward the house. My heart was hammering, my vision blurred, but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.
I ran inside, slamming the door behind me. My breath came in short, ragged gasps as I pressed my back against the wood, as if that alone could keep him out.
Outside, I heard voices.
"Marco," Darius said firmly. "Leave her."
Silence.
Then Marco's voice, low and dangerous. "She ran from me."
"She just found out what you are," Darius countered. "She needs time."
A deep growl rumbled through the air, sending a shiver down my spine.
I squeezed my eyes shut.