Safe in his cabin.
Aria’s POV
I wake to real warmth. Not the bite of cold earth or the gnawing hunger that’s haunted me for weeks, but a thick fur blanket draped across my body, the faint crackle of a fire nearby, and the steady scent of pine, smoke, and something else yet familiar and a little dark. The Lycan King, Darius Nightborn, is the most dangerous creature in our world. My wolf stirs instantly, tail wagging, pressing against the walls of my mind.
"Mate," She shouts.
“No! Not again. I will not go to hell again! That is what a mate bond means! Hell!" I snap at her, though my voice trembles even in thought. She whines, but I force her down, dragging my eyes open. I’m not in the woods anymore. I’m in a cabin, massive logs forming walls, pelts scattered across the floor, shelves lined with jars and leather-bound books. Light filters in from tall windows, casting golden stripes across the room. The air smells clean, faintly wild, but it’s his scent that dominates everything. My chest tightens. I shove the blanket off and push myself upright, ignoring the way my body protests. I’ve been half-dead for days, but somehow my wounds are already closing, my strength trickling back. He must have tended to me and fed me. The thought makes my stomach twist. The door creaks open, and there he is, the dangerous Darius. The Lycan King everyone fears. He fills the doorway, broad shoulders framed by sunlight, dark hair damp as though he’s just returned from a run. His eyes, amber and fierce, lock onto mine, and something primal shudders through me. My heart skips a beat. My wolf howls, desperate to throw herself at him. I hate it, this feeling inside me. I hate him. I hate the mate bond between us.
“You’re awake,” he says, his voice low, commanding like a king’s voice should be, though not unkind. I grit my teeth.
“Where am I?” I ask.
“My hunting lodge. On the edge of my territory. You are safe," Darius replies, stepping inside. The cabin seems smaller with him in it. Safe? The word stabs deeper than it should. Ethan once promised me safety, too. I narrow my eyes.
“What happens now? You're going to keep me here? Chain me up until I wag my tail and call you ‘mate’?” I ask, sarcastically. His jaw tightens, and for a second, a dangerous heat flashes in his eyes. He exhales slowly, crossing the room with measured steps. He stops a few feet away, close enough that his scent wraps around me, sharp and intoxicating.
“I don’t need chains, Aria. The bond is already there. You feel it as much as I do.” He says softly. My breath catches, and my body betrays me, heat coiling low in my belly and my wolf pawing desperately for him, but my mind screams in resistance.
“You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ve been through. How do you know my name?” I ask. Something flickers across his face, anger, but not at me. His fists clench.
“I know enough. I know someone broke you, and I know he’ll regret it. You told me your name last night, when you were half asleep,” Darius says. I look away, my throat tightening. The memories are too raw. Ethan’s voice, his rejection, Lilith’s smirk! They rise like poison in my veins.
“I don’t want another mate. I can’t… I won’t go through it again,” I whisper, my voice cracking despite my effort to keep it steady. Silence stretches between us. His hand moves slowly, deliberately, as though he’s taming a wild creature. He doesn’t touch me, he just lets his fingers hover near mine, close enough that the heat from his skin tingles along my nerves.
“I won’t be him. I won’t throw you aside. I won’t betray you.” Darius says. The words are rough, almost a vow. Why do I believe him? I hardly know him. No, I will not allow myself to be led into that trap again! I laugh bitterly, though it sounds more like a sob.
“That’s what mates say. Until they don’t mean it anymore," I say. His eyes blaze.
“Do not compare me to that bastard,” He growls. The air between us is thick, heavy with power. My wolf pushes against me, begging to submit, to trust. But my scars scream louder. My heart will not allow me to love again, even if he is my second-chance mate. I shove past him, my bare feet hitting the wooden floor. My body is still weak, but I won’t lie in his bed like some rescued damsel.
“I’m leaving," I say, sounding braver than I am feeling.
"You’re not strong enough,” He warns, turning to follow me.
“I don’t care. I will rather die than go through the hell of a mate bond again," I say. I make three steps before my knees buckle. Strong arms catch me before I hit the ground. Heat surges where his hands grip my waist and my shoulder, steadying me as though I weigh nothing. My breath hitches, and I hate myself for how safe I feel in that instant. He lowers me back onto the bed, his face hard with restraint. For a second, I see the wolf beneath the king, the possessive, feral beast that wants to claim me, mark me and keep me.
“Rest. Fight me tomorrow if you want. But right now, you will rest.” He orders, his voice rough with raw emotion. Did he feel the heat between us? I cannot allow that. My heart hammers as I glare up at him. I should scream, shove him away, anything to prove I don’t need him. But exhaustion wins. My body sinks into the furs. My eyelids are heavy. As darkness pulls me under again, his voice is the last thing I hear.
“You’re mine, Aria. Whether you accept it today or tomorrow, it doesn’t change the truth. The Moon Goddess gave us this bond, and I am not going to anger her. I want you to feel safe with me. Stop fighting me. Don't run away from me," He says softly and damn me, part of me doesn’t want to run away. Part of me wants to believe him.