Silas’s P.O.V
Zoya's eyes were wide in shock as she stared at me, her mouth slightly agape. I could see the fear in her eyes, and I knew that she had seen everything that had transpired between me and Anika. I watched as her gaze shifted from me to the spot where Anika had disappeared into the forest, her face pale and her hands trembling.
I saw the shock in Zoya's eyes, and my heart sank. By the way she was reacting, it was clear that she had seen and heard enough to make her afraid of me. At least she must have witnessed Anika switching to her goddamn wolf form. I knew it was a lot to process for a human being, but I hated it, the way she was now looking at me in fear.
I tried to reach out to her, to approach her, to comfort her, explain everything and calm her down in the process, but she backed away from me, her expression filled with terror. I could feel my heart breaking at the sight of her fear, knowing that I was the cause of it. I tried to speak, to explain to her what had happened, but the words caught in my throat.
“Zoya—” I stuttered, my hand outstretched, and I couldn't help the slight tremble that escaped my lips, the desperation that came woven tightly with my voice. “I can explain—”
Zoya turned and ran, her feet unsteady on the uneven ground. I followed her, my eyes fixed on her injured leg, as she limped her way up the hills. I knew that she was in pain, but she didn't slow down, her fear driving her forward. I called out to her, my voice filled with concern, but she didn't stop.
I watched as she stumbled and fell, her body shaking with sobs, and I knew I had to follow her. I rushed to her side, dropping down beside her and gently taking her hand in mine. Her skin was cold to the touch, and her breathing was ragged as she struggled to catch her breath.
As I caught up with her, I could smell the blood emanating from her wounds. It made me remember with a start that she was still injured, yet she was trying her best to get as far away from me as she possibly could, and my heart sank even further.
I tried to catch her arm, to stop her from running, but she pushed me away with all her strength. I could tell she was scared, it was in her scent and I knew that I was the one who caused it this time.
I reached out once again, wanting to comfort her, make sure she was alright, but she wouldn't let me, and when I reached for her again, and she pushed me away for the last time, I could not help but respect her desire to get the hell away from me and just… watch her go. I knew she needed time and space to process what she had just seen, and that was the most solace I could give her.
As I watched her go, I felt my own emotions starting to bubble up inside of me. I was angry at myself for getting into this situation, angry at my brother for what he had done, and angry at the world for being so unfair, angry, even, at the Moon Goddess. But most of all, I was afraid.
Afraid for Zoya, afraid for myself, and afraid of what the future might hold.
But in that moment, as I watched her go, most likely back to her cabin, I knew that I had to follow her. I couldn’t let her do this alone. I vowed to protect her, to keep her safe from harm, even if she was currently considering me to be the enemy.
I let her get ahead of me, let her think that she had the lead in this game. If it made her feel safe, then so be it.
As we walked, I kept my senses alert, scanning the shadows for any signs of movement.
The forest was alive with the sounds of the night, but I was on edge, especially since I knew that my packmates were still out there, searching for Anika.
I was no longer worried about Anika however. She looked like a woman who could handle herself well. After all, she had entered an enemy pack on her own, without the fear of getting caught and detained, and had found me on her own as well. She would find her way out the same way as she had arrived.
Finally, we saw the lights of her cabin in the distance, and Zoya seemed to relax a little. I could tell that she was relieved that we were no longer in the unfamiliar parts of the forest, her shoulders no longer seemed slumped and her pace quickened as well.
And that was when I felt the cold breeze nip at my skin, and it was then that I realized that I was naked. I hadn't even thought about it before, until now. Nakedness was nothing to a wolf, and nobody seemed to mind it. However, tonight I felt like I was an alien inside my own skin, and I did not like it one bit, this feeling of self-consciousness and nakedness that suddenly descended over me.
The sound of keys retelling brought my attention back to Zoya and I watched as she scurried back into her cabin, locking every door behind her. I tried calling out to her, but to no avail. She wouldn’t listen, if anything, she hurried in her task of shutting all doors, pulling the hatches on all windows.
The realization hit me like a ton of bricks that none of this would be happening if I had confronted her about my past, about who I really was. In all honesty, I had never hoped to explain anything to her at all. She was human after all, and I hadn't planned to stay that long in her life for her to find out.
I stood outside of Zoya’s cabin, feeling helpless as she locked herself in, and I stared numbly at the wooden door, counting the lines that swirled along its surface. The door in front of me was made of heavy oak wood, with intricate carvings etched into its surface. The deep, rich color of the wood indicated that it was well-aged and well-cared for.