Chapter 5

Evelyn’s days settled into a strange rhythm. She’d wake up thinking about Damien, her mind replaying their encounters in vivid detail. The wolf from that first night lingered at the edge of her thoughts like a shadow, refusing to fade.

Despite her reservations, she couldn’t stop herself from wandering into the woods more frequently. Part of her hoped to see Damien again. Another part, the rational part, insisted she was being ridiculous. Yet, the pull she felt toward him—and the forest—was undeniable.

On the third evening after their last meeting, Evelyn stepped into the cool twilight of the woods, her heart inexplicably light. The soft crunch of leaves beneath her boots and the crisp air brought a sense of calm she hadn’t felt in years.

A rustling sound behind her made her pause. “Damien?” she called out, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

“Expecting someone?” His deep, familiar voice came from behind a tree.

Evelyn turned to see Damien emerging from the shadows, his dark clothing blending almost seamlessly with the trees. She placed a hand on her chest, trying to steady her racing heart. “Do you always sneak up on people like that?”

Damien smiled, his amber eyes glinting with amusement. “Only when they seem lost in thought.”

“I wasn’t lost,” she said defensively, crossing her arms.

“No?” Damien raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. “Then what were you thinking about?”

Evelyn hesitated, her cheeks warming. “Nothing important.”

“Nothing?” Damien teased. “You have the look of someone carrying the weight of a thousand questions.”

Evelyn sighed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re not wrong. I guess I just don’t understand you.”

Damien’s expression softened. “What’s there to understand?”

“You show up out of nowhere, always in the forest, always knowing exactly when to appear,” she said, her voice laced with curiosity. “And then there’s the wolf…”

Damien’s jaw tightened, but he kept his tone even. “What about the wolf?”

“It’s strange,” Evelyn said, her eyes narrowing slightly. “The night I saw it, I felt like it was… watching me. Not like an animal, more like…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “Never mind. It sounds crazy.”

Damien took a slow step closer, his gaze intense. “What if it’s not crazy?”

Evelyn blinked, caught off guard by his sudden seriousness. “What do you mean?”

Damien hesitated, the words he wanted to say caught in his throat. He couldn’t tell her—not yet. Instead, he changed the subject. “What if the wolf was protecting you?”

“Protecting me?” Evelyn echoed, frowning. “Why would it do that?”

Damien shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. “Maybe it saw something worth protecting.”

Evelyn’s breath hitched at the way he looked at her, his amber eyes piercing yet kind. She quickly looked away, her cheeks flushing. “You’re full of riddles, you know that?”

“I’ve been told,” Damien said with a chuckle.

They continued walking together, the forest around them growing darker as the sun dipped below the horizon. Evelyn found herself relaxing in his presence despite her lingering questions.

“So, do you spend all your time out here?” she asked, breaking the silence.

“Most of it,” Damien admitted. “The forest feels more like home than anywhere else.”

“Why?” Evelyn asked, genuinely curious.

Damien paused, considering his words carefully. “Out here, you can be yourself. No masks, no expectations. Just… freedom.”

Evelyn nodded slowly, understanding more than she expected. “That’s why I like it too. It’s quiet. No one’s judging you.”

Damien smiled. “Exactly.”

They reached a small clearing bathed in moonlight, the trees around them casting long shadows. Evelyn stopped, taking in the serene beauty of the scene.

“It’s peaceful,” she said softly.

Damien watched her, the moonlight highlighting her features. “It is.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was charged with something unspoken, a connection neither fully understood but both felt deeply.

Evelyn finally broke the silence. “I should head back. It’s getting late.”

“I’ll walk you,” Damien offered, his voice low but firm.

She didn’t argue, sensing his protective nature wasn’t something easily swayed. As they made their way back to her cottage, Evelyn couldn’t help but steal glances at him. There was something magnetic about Damien, something that drew her in despite the questions swirling in her mind.

When they reached her door, she turned to face him. “Thanks for walking me back… again.”

“Anytime,” Damien said, his voice soft.

Evelyn hesitated, feeling the urge to say more but unsure of what. Finally, she settled on a simple, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Evelyn,” Damien said, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he turned and disappeared into the night.

Evelyn watched him go, her heart racing. As she stepped inside, she couldn’t shake the feeling that her life was about to change in ways she couldn’t yet comprehend.

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