Chapter 3

Evelyn couldn’t stop thinking about Damien. There was something about him—his presence, his eyes—that stirred a mix of intrigue and unease within her. She rarely met people in the forest, especially someone as striking and mysterious as him. And then there was the wolf from the previous night.

“Coincidence,” she muttered to herself, though the thought didn’t sit well. She hated how her mind insisted on drawing connections between the two encounters.

The day passed slowly. Evelyn tried to distract herself with chores, but her thoughts always circled back to the enigmatic stranger and the wolf. By evening, she had convinced herself that she needed answers—or at least to stop letting her imagination run wild.

Bundling herself in a warm coat and scarf, Evelyn ventured back into the woods.

Meanwhile, Damien stood on a hill overlooking Pinehaven. The moon hung low in the sky, casting silvery light over the trees. He knew he shouldn’t seek her out again, but something about Evelyn called to him.

“What are you doing here?” Logan’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

Damien turned to see his beta approaching, arms crossed and his expression stern.

“I told you to be careful, Damien. Humans are unpredictable,” Logan warned.

Damien sighed, his frustration evident. “She’s not like that.”

“How would you know? You’ve met her once.”

“That’s all it took,” Damien said, his voice soft but firm. “I can’t explain it, Logan. There’s something about her—something different.”

Logan frowned, his wolf instincts unsettled by Damien’s attachment. “You know the risks. If she learns about us—”

“She won’t,” Damien interrupted. “Not yet.”

Logan hesitated but nodded. “Just don’t let your guard down.”

As Logan disappeared into the forest, Damien felt her presence again. Her scent, faint but sweet, lingered in the crisp night air. He followed it without hesitation, weaving through the trees until he saw her standing by the same path where they’d met earlier.

“Evelyn,” he called out, his deep voice startling her.

She turned, her wide eyes reflecting the moonlight. “Damien. You’re… here again.”

Damien gave her a small smile. “I could say the same about you.”

Evelyn hesitated, unsure how to explain herself. “I just… needed some fresh air.”

“In the middle of the woods, at night?” Damien teased gently, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.

“I like the quiet,” she admitted, crossing her arms. “But I could ask the same of you. Do you live out here or something?”

Damien chuckled, the sound deep and warm. “You could say I’m more comfortable here than anywhere else.”

Evelyn tilted her head, studying him. “You’re… different.”

“Different how?” Damien asked, his amber eyes glinting with curiosity.

She shrugged, feeling foolish for voicing her thoughts. “I don’t know. There’s just something about you.”

Damien’s expression softened. “I could say the same about you.”

Evelyn’s cheeks flushed, but before she could respond, a distant howl echoed through the forest. She stiffened, her eyes darting toward the sound.

“That’s close,” she said, her voice tinged with unease.

“It’s just a wolf,” Damien said quickly, his tone calm. “They’re harmless unless provoked.”

“Harmless?” Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “You sound like you know them personally.”

Damien smirked, but his heart raced. “You could say I’ve spent enough time in the woods to understand them.”

Evelyn narrowed her eyes, his words only deepening her suspicion. “Have you ever seen one up close?”

“Once or twice,” Damien replied, his voice measured.

“I saw one last night,” she said, watching his reaction closely. “A huge black wolf with amber eyes.”

Damien froze, the weight of her words hitting him like a thunderclap.

“It didn’t act like a normal wolf,” she continued, her tone thoughtful. “It was… calm. Almost like it understood me.”

“That’s… unusual,” Damien said carefully, masking his rising anxiety.

Evelyn studied him, her gaze sharp. “You don’t seem surprised.”

Damien forced a chuckle, hoping to deflect her suspicion. “I’ve heard stories about wolves acting strange during the full moon. Maybe it was just curious.”

“Maybe,” she murmured, though she wasn’t convinced.

The air between them grew heavy, the tension palpable. Damien’s wolf stirred restlessly, sensing her growing curiosity.

“I should get going,” Evelyn said finally, sensing she wouldn’t get any straight answers from him tonight.

“I’ll walk you back,” Damien offered, his protective instincts kicking in.

Evelyn hesitated but nodded, allowing him to accompany her.

As they walked, her thoughts churned. There was more to Damien than he was letting on, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was connected to the wolf.

Damien, meanwhile, wrestled with his own turmoil. He knew he couldn’t keep his secret forever, but revealing the truth could risk everything—for him and his pack.

As they reached the edge of the forest, Evelyn turned to him. “Thank you… for walking me back.”

“Anytime,” Damien said softly.

Their eyes lingered on each other for a moment before Evelyn stepped inside, leaving Damien alone under the moonlight.

Neither of them realized it yet, but their bond was deepening, pulling them into a whirlwind of love, danger, and truths neither of them was prepared to face.

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