The heat from the flames intensified every second.
Adrian quickly grabbed my arm, running towards the back, away from the window.
When I realized we were heading towards the back door, I pulled my arm back.
"No!" I said firmly, my voice rising above the roar of the flames.
"We have to get out of here!"
"They're waiting for us to leave!" I shouted.
"And what do you suggest? Stay here and turn into charcoal?!" He yelled back.
"Come with me." I said, heading towards the closet.
"We can't hide now, Ayla!" He shouted.
I ignored him, moving everything out of the way to reveal a hidden door.
I grabbed my backpack that was on the side, took out the flashlight and pointed it inside the hideout. Then, I threw the backpack in and entered, sliding through the narrow tunnel.
"Get down here!" I said as soon as I reached the ground, stepping aside.
It wasn't long before Adrian came down as well.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"It's an emergency passage." I said.
I continued walking, using the flashlight to guide me through the tunnel, and he followed close behind me...
When we finally reached the end, I turned with difficulty, placing my foot on the exit and pushing the door...
Because of the snow, it was difficult, and it was stuck.
Come on...
I kept pushing and pushing...
The smell of smoke was already filling the tunnel, and each breath was becoming more difficult...
My heart raced, adrenaline coursed through my veins...
I can't die like this, not now....
Go!
I pushed harder and harder....
"Help me!" I whispered, and then, in one last attempt, I kicked the door, causing it to burst open.
I crawled out, and Adrian followed right behind.
The icy night air filled our lungs as we moved away from the door.
I threw the backpack on my back, pulled Adrian up to his feet, and then pulled his arm, starting to run...
He followed, and we ran and ran...
The icy air made my lungs ache...
I couldn't feel my feet, my hands, the adrenaline and the cold made my face numb....
I just ran without looking back...
I didn't know where we were going, I just knew we had to keep running, getting further and further away from the danger that threatened us. The distant sound of flames mixed with the howling of the wind, a sinister symphony that echoed in our ears as we ran through the darkness.
I don't know how long we've been running, but I heard Adrian yelling for us to stop, but fear still pulsed through my veins, pushing me to run faster, farther.
I only stopped when I felt his fingers closing around my wrist, pulling me back forcefully.
I struggled against him for a moment, debating with myself, trying to get away to run, my body trembling with adrenaline and terror.
"You have to stop running, Ayla!" Adrian said, his voice firm.
Breathless and blinded by the fog of terror, I finally stopped, my chest heaving with the desperate effort.
"Look at your feet," he said, almost like an order.
Reluctantly, I looked down and saw my bare feet, purple from the intense cold.
In desperation and with the adrenaline, I hadn't even cared if I was wearing shoes or not.
I walked over to a log that was there, sat down, opened my backpack, took out the spare pair of shoes, and put them on.
Rage bubbled inside me as my mind kept replaying the flames engulfing my home.
I looked at Adrian, his face emotionless, as if nothing affected him, and that only made me angrier.
"Look what you did!" I said, my voice trembling with rage. "They followed you to my house! Because of you, my house must be ashes by now!"
Adrian shook his head disapprovingly.
"None of that! It wasn't my fault. They didn't sniff me out, they sniffed you out," he replied, his voice cold and assertive.
"There's no way they could track me, I don't smell like an animal like you do!" I insisted, my voice growing more and more irritated.
"Yes, you do. You have an unbearable vanilla scent," Adrian replied calmly.
I was stunned by his statement, feeling a mixture of disbelief and indignation.
"Vanilla?" I repeated incredulously. "I can't believe you're blaming me for my perfume!"
He shrugged, unapologetic.
"You should choose a less noticeable perfume. It's not a good idea to attract wolves with the smell of dessert."
I glared, feeling the rage growing inside of me.
"Look, I know this wasn't easy, but if you had trusted me from the beginning, maybe we could have avoided all of this," he said.
"Trust you? Why? Because you're a wolf? Excuse me if I'm not jumping for joy at the thought of trusting a wild animal that lives inside a man!" I replied, my voice thick with disdain.
He looked at me, his eyes conveying a mixture of frustration and resignation.
"Believe it or not, Ayla, I'm not happy about this. But Dark just wants to protect you, even if you don't realize it."
"Protect? This 'protection' just set my house on fire!" I shouted, the words escaping me in a torrent of emotion.
I paced back and forth, trying to breathe, trying to control the emotion, but it was impossible to hold back the tears of rage and sadness that streamed down my face.
He took a step towards me.
"Ayla, I know this is difficult, but we need to fi-"
"Don't tell me what to do!" I snapped, my voice choked with rage and grief. "You have no idea what I'm going through. I lost everything...everything I had...My whole life! All my memories are now turning to ashes!"
He looked at me for a moment as if fighting an internal struggle within him.
"Look, I wa-"
"Shut up!" I said through gritted teeth, my voice coming out almost as a growl, making him take a step back. "You have no right to tell me anything. You have no idea what I'm feeling!"
I turned away, unable to bear another moment of that conversation. I felt like I was standing on the edge of an emotional abyss, about to fall at any moment, but all I did was keep walking, my heavy steps echoing in the silence of the night.
Adrian followed beside me, but his imperturbable posture bothered me more than he could imagine.
I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I wanted to unleash all the pain and frustration that was consuming me. But something inside me stopped me from doing that at that moment. Maybe it was the shock of the loss, or maybe it was the wounded pride that kept me from showing my vulnerability in front of him.
Adrian continued to walk beside me, his silence so deafening....
It was as if he were in a completely different world from mine, a world where my pain and my loss had no meaning...as if he didn't care what I was going through.
I wanted to confront him, I wanted to yell at him, I wanted to shake him until he understood the magnitude of what had happened. But the words died in my throat, choked by the pain and despair that consumed me.
I took a strap off my backpack, turning it forward, just to get the compass inside.
"Where do you want to go?" he said, looking at the compass.
"To that damn village," I replied, my voice thick with bitterness. "I have no choice."
I knew that going to Adrian's village wouldn't be easy, but at that moment, I had no other choice.
Everything I knew and loved had been consumed by the flames, and I couldn't keep wandering aimlessly in the darkness of the night.
"Let me lead the way," he said.
"Do whatever you want," I mumbled.
Despite the penetrating cold that enveloped me, I refused to give in to exhaustion.
Every step felt like a superhuman effort, but I knew I had to keep going.
The biting dawn wind blew against us, as if trying to push us back into the abyss of darkness we were leaving behind.
Finally, after a journey that seemed like an eternity, we spotted the village in the distance. The faint lights of the streets looked like an oasis of safety in the dark night.
My heart beat faster as we got closer, a mixture of hope and apprehension flooding my thoughts.
"We're almost there," Adrian murmured, his impassive expression hiding any emotion he might be feeling.
With each step closer to the village, the promise of a new beginning became both more solid and more terrifying.
I didn't know what awaited me there, but I was determined to face the unknown...I had nothing left to lose....
Adrian seemed determined to find a way into the village without arousing suspicion. He led me through a maze of dark alleys and hidden passages.
He knew the place like the back of his hand, and I began to wonder what his real role was here...
He said he was an alpha, but I have a feeling it's more than that....
As we moved on, I kept my guard up, aware that I was in unfamiliar territory and that the slightest wrong move could put us in danger. On the other hand, Adrian seemed completely at ease, guiding me firmly through the silent streets of the sleeping village.
The place was beautiful, I couldn't deny it....
The houses were well built, the streets clean and well paved...
It was all very well organized...
During the day this place must come alive and become even more beautiful.
I continued to follow Adrian to a rustic-looking, imposing house.
He led me to the door and opened it, silently gesturing for me to enter.
"Where are we?" I asked, looking around a little suspiciously, as he closed the door.
"This is my house," Adrian answered, turning on the light. "And you will be staying here from now on."
"Why am I going to stay here? Won't it be bad for you, having a stranger sleeping in your house?" I asked with a slight sneer.
"No, because you won't be a stranger to the others here."
My brow furrowed in confusion.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean you will be my bride," he said, staring intently at me.
I was in shock....
My mind froze for a moment, trying to process what he had said....
I shook my head slowly in denial, as if my mind was slowly shutting down.
Without thinking twice, I lunged at him, my fists clenched, ready to finish him off.
As my hand went for his face, he blocked it, grabbing my arm. When I tried with the other hand, he grabbed me again.
"You can't do that!" I shouted, fighting against his firmness.
"I know you're angry, Ayla, but I have no choice," he said, his eyes conveying a mixture of frustration and calm. "Neither of us do. Dark wants you here, and things will get complicated if you're not around."
I was still shaking with rage.
"To hell with this! I won't stay here another minute!" I yelled, trying to break free, struggling, but that only made him grip my arms tighter.
"Ayla, stop it!" he ordered, his voice deep and authoritative.
I tried to struggle more.
"Let me go!" I shouted, fighting against his strength.
Adrian spun me around, pushing me against the wall, his imposing body blocking any chance of escape. His eyes pierced mine with intensity, his expression serious and determined.
"You will be quiet," he growled, his voice low and threatening.
"And if I don't?" I challenged, my voice trembling with rage and fear.
He stepped closer, his warm breath brushing my skin.
"If you don't be quiet, I'll make sure you regret it." His voice was a dark whisper, echoing in the space between us.
I felt a shiver run down my spine as his words hit me.
I took a deep breath, trying to control the rage that was simmering inside me. As much as I wanted to fight, I knew I was at a disadvantage against him at that moment.
"You're crazy if you think I'm going to become your bride just because a wolf inside you wants me to!"
The whole situation seemed surreal, and I refused to accept it calmly.
"You don't understand, Ayla," he said. "There's no other choice for us. You need to stay here."
"And if I just kill you? Then what? Who will stop me or keep me here?" I challenged, my voice sounding firmer than I expected.
His grip tightened momentarily, but his eyes remained fixed on mine, unblinking.
"You wouldn't be able to," he stated, with an almost challenging confidence.
That was a fact....I wouldn't kill him....it was beyond my physical and emotional capabilities, but I couldn't give up.
"Don't challenge me," I said through gritted teeth as a traitorous tear rolled down my cheek.
Adrian took a deep breath and released my arms, stepping away.
That expression....as if he was struggling internally...
"Come, I'll show you to your room." His voice sounded a little softer now, maybe even a little apologetic.
With no choice, I followed him....I was exhausted and needed to rest...
He led me to a small but cozy room with a simple bed, a nightstand, and a window that looked out over the sleeping village.
"This is where you will stay," he said, avoiding my gaze. "Get some sleep. I'll take care of the rest tomorrow." His voice sounded more like an order than a suggestion.
"You can't just lock me in here and expect me to accept all this!" I protested.
He just gave me a serious look before leaving the room, leaving me alone with my uncertainties and fears.
"I'd rather die than be your bride!" I shouted at the closed door, but my words echoed in the emptiness of the room, unanswered....
I felt my chin tremble, along with my whole body...
I just threw myself on the bed and let all the tears fall...
All the pain I was feeling, coming out of me in the form of tears....
Everything I had....
Everything I had left of my family....
I lost everything...
I curled up in bed, feeling helpless, vulnerable, with an agonizing pain in my chest...
"Sorry....I failed to protect you...."
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