The young one hid in silence, eyes fixed on the ground as if trying to vanish. His dark tail trembled slightly behind him, betraying the storm he was trying to contain.
I approached slowly, without touching, but making my presence clear.
— What's your name? — I asked, curious and attentive.
He hesitated. After a few seconds, he answered in a near whisper:
— Kael.
The name seemed to carry weight. As if it had been spoken only a few times… or always with disdain.
— Kael… — I repeated, with a gentle smile. — It's a beautiful name.
He looked at me, surprised. As if he didn't expect anyone to say that with sincerity.
Azazel, still carrying the boar on his shoulders, watched in silence. His eyes no longer held the same hardness — but something lingered there. An internal conflict he couldn't hide.
— Let's head back — he said at last. — The meat needs to be prepared before night falls.
I nodded, and Kael walked beside me without a word. But something in his steps had changed. Less weight. Less fear.
As we walked back to Azazel's cabin, the sky began to blush with shades of orange. Morning was slowly fading.
I knew that morning had changed something. Not just in Kael… but in Azazel too. And maybe, without realizing it, in me as well.
We returned along the trail together, the silence between us now more comfortable. Kael walked at my side, still a bit withdrawn, but his shoulders were less hunched. Azazel led the way, carrying the boar with ease, as if its weight was nothing compared to what he bore inside.
When we arrived, Azazel placed the meat on a flat stone beside the fire and began preparing it with precise movements. Kael hesitated at the doorway, unsure if he was allowed to enter.
— You can come in — Azazel said, without looking at him. — I won't bite.
Kael stepped inside slowly, eyes scanning every detail. He sat in a corner, too far to be comfortable, but close enough not to seem ungrateful.
While Azazel tended to the meat, I washed my hands again and arranged the remaining fruits. The scent of roasting meat began to fill the air, mingling with the aroma of wood and damp earth.
— It'll take a while — Azazel said, turning to me. — But it'll be worth it.
Kael watched everything in silence, until he finally spoke:
— You live well here.
Azazel raised an eyebrow, surprised by the comment.
— "Well" is relative. But it's peaceful… when people don't meddle where they shouldn't.
Kael lowered his gaze, saying nothing. I felt the tension return, like a cold breeze slipping through the window.
— You two will eat with me — Azazel said, breaking the silence. — And then… I want to speak with you, Kael. Without Ophelia in the middle.
Kael nodded, without lifting his eyes.
The rest of the morning passed between preparations and silences. When the meat was finally ready, Azazel served generous portions to Kael and me. The flavor was strong, wild, but comforting.
After the meal, Azazel stood and looked at me.
— You can rest for a while. I need to settle a few things with him.
Kael stood too, and the two of them left without another word.
I remained seated, the taste of the meat still lingering, my heart uneasy.
I sat on the straw mat, watching the soft smoke rise from the fire. The scent of meat still hung in the air, mingling with the damp forest. But my mind was far from here.
Kael and Azazel had left only minutes ago, but the silence they left behind felt deafening.
I stood slowly and began to explore the cabin. It was simple, built of raw wood and animal hides hung on the walls. There were claw marks in some corners — old scars, perhaps from battles or memories Azazel chose not to erase.
I found a small shelf with curious objects: two massive teeth, a necklace of fangs, a piece of cloth embroidered with a canine paw. Everything there seemed to tell a story — one I hadn't yet been told.
Outside, I heard muffled voices. I crept to the window, careful not to make a sound.
Azazel stood with arms crossed, staring at Kael with a hard gaze. Kael kept his head down, fists clenched.
— You shouldn't have come back — Azazel said. — There are still people who want your head. And I won't be able to protect her if you keep getting close to her.
Kael lifted his eyes, and for the first time, his voice came out firm:
— I didn't ask to be his son! I just wanted to show I'm not what they say.
Azazel stepped closer, his face inches from Kael's.
— Then prove it. Not with words. With actions.
With a growl and a deep voice, Azazel added:
— And if you even think about hurting her… I'll tear you apart myself.
Kael didn't respond. He simply nodded, his eyes burning in silence.
I returned inside, feeling the weight of that exchange. The ferocity between them — it startled me, like two beasts ready to destroy each other.
And I… was at the center of it all.
Time passed slowly. The morning light had already begun to tilt, casting long shadows through the trees. I was still seated, eyes fixed on the door. Waiting.
When Azazel and Kael returned, the air was different. Neither spoke, but something in their eyes had shifted — a silent agreement, perhaps. Or just the exhaustion of words that hurt more than blows.
Kael entered first. His eyes met mine for a brief moment, and in them I saw a mix of shame and… hope? He sat in the same corner as before, but this time closer. As if trying to show he was making an effort.
Azazel followed, saying nothing. He sat near the fire, stirring the embers with a dry branch. The silence between us was heavy, but not uncomfortable. It felt like we were all digesting something far greater than the meat we'd eaten.
— Kael — Azazel said, without looking at him. — Tomorrow you're coming with me to the edge of the forest. I want to see what you can do.
Kael nodded, without hesitation.
— And you, Ophelia — Azazel continued, now looking at me — you'll stay here. I don't want you in the middle of this.
— I'm not fragile — I replied, voice firm.
— I know — he said, with a sigh. — But this isn't about strength. It's about what could be lost.
I said nothing. Because deep down, I understood.
The afternoon crept in slowly. Kael helped gather firewood, and Azazel left for a while, perhaps to think. I stayed near the cabin, watching Kael in silence. He seemed lighter, but still carried something in his eyes — an old pain that no compliment could heal.
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in orange and purple, Kael approached me.
— Thank you… for today.
— For what?
— For not treating me like a mistake.
I smiled and gently touched his arm.
— You're not a mistake, Kael. You're a story still being written.
He looked away, but smiled too. A shy smile, almost hidden. But real.
I stood slowly, still feeling the warmth of Kael's touch on my arm. I needed air. Silence. Space to sort through the thoughts and feelings tangled inside me.
I wandered aimlessly down the trail, guided only by the soft sound of water flowing nearby. When I reached the stream, I sat on a smooth stone by the edge, letting my feet dangle in the clear water.
I stayed there, watching the reflection of leaves dancing on the surface. The sky was already tinged with golden and rose hues.
The water flowed beneath my feet, cold and crystalline, while the sky turned gold. The stream felt refreshing and gentle, and I let myself sink into the silence.
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. Kael — his pain, his courage. Azazel — his restrained fury, his fierce protection. And me… caught in the middle, feeling things I couldn't name.
Then Azazel appeared in my thoughts with unexpected force. Not as the white wolf who protected me. But as the man who looked at me with intensity. Who touched me with care. Who made me feel… something.
My heart raced. I felt my face flush, and a strange wave surged through my body. It was as if the mere thought of him awakened something dormant inside me.
Desire?
No. It was more than that.
It was the need to be close. To understand what he hides. To touch him and say he's no longer alone.
I opened my eyes, startled by how quickly it had come. How could I feel so much, so soon?
But then I remembered: in this world, feelings don't follow human time. Here, when the heart recognizes something true, it doesn't hesitate. It surrenders.
Even so… I was shocked. Because I never imagined it would be him.
Azazel.
The name echoed inside me like a newly discovered secret.
And there, sitting on the stone with my feet in the water, I realized something had changed. Not just in