The storm outside continued its relentless assault, the wind howling like an ancient beast awakened from slumber. Rain drummed against the wooden cabin walls, steady and strong, but inside, the tension was louder than the storm itself.
Aria's mind was still reeling from the events of the past hour—crashing her car, running through the woods, and now being rescued by a stranger with silver eyes and the aura of a legend. She sat huddled by the hearth, wrapped in an old but warm quilt, her soaked clothes hung near the fire to dry.
The man stood by the window, his tall form outlined against the lightning that split the sky. He hadn't offered his name, and something about his presence—calm, dangerous, controlled—made her hesitate to ask.
"You should drink this," he said, his voice low and gravelly. He offered her a steaming mug.
Aria blinked. "What is it?"
"Herbal tea. It'll help with the cold. I grow it myself."
She accepted it, the warmth seeping into her frozen fingers. "Thank you… for everything."
He gave a short nod, then moved back to his chair near the fire. Silence stretched between them like a drawn bow. The shadows played over his sharp features, accentuating his high cheekbones, strong jaw, and the faint scar running from his temple to his cheekbone.
There was something familiar about him, something buried deep in her memory, scratching at the surface.
"I'm Aria," she said softly.
He didn't respond right away. His eyes flicked toward her, unreadable. Then he said, "Luca."
Her breath caught in her throat.
Luca.
It couldn't be. That name… It stirred something in her.
She lowered her gaze to her mug, hiding her expression. "Do you live here alone?"
"Yes."
"That must get lonely."
He didn't answer, and the silence that followed was louder than any reply. She looked up and found him watching her with unsettling intensity. Not lustful. Not curious. Just…watching.
"You're not from around here," he said.
"No. Just visiting my aunt. I took a wrong turn. My GPS died, then the storm hit."
His eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "It's not safe to wander these woods. Especially at night."
"I figured that out the hard way," she muttered.
A flicker of a smile touched his lips, there and gone in a heartbeat.
She set the mug down. "How did you find me, anyway? I didn't think anyone lived this deep in the mountains."
He stood, walked toward the fire, and adjusted the logs. "I heard you. These woods echo sounds. The storm wasn't loud enough to cover your fear."
That didn't make sense. Not unless he had the hearing of a wolf.
Her gaze drifted to his hands. Calloused, powerful. His arms flexed beneath his black thermal shirt, and for a moment she imagined claws sprouting from those hands, tearing through the night like a beast on the hunt.
Get a grip, Aria.
Still, unease stirred in her chest.
Luca turned, his silver gaze pinning her. "You should rest. You'll be safe here."
There was something in the way he said safe that made her question whether it was a reassurance or a warning.
Aria nodded slowly. "Do you have a phone I could use? Just to let my aunt know I'm okay."
He paused. "No phone. No signal out here."
Of course not. She tried not to let frustration show. "Right. Off-grid."
She stood and stretched. The fire's warmth had seeped into her bones, but the heaviness in her limbs remained. "Is it alright if I sleep here tonight?"
Luca gestured to the small bed across the room. "Take the bed. I'll stay by the fire."
She hesitated. "I can't kick you out of your own bed."
"I don't sleep much."
Her brow furrowed. "Why?"
He didn't answer.
She moved toward the bed, then paused and turned to him. "Luca… Have we met before?"
His eyes flicked to hers with a flash of something unreadable. "No."
The lie was swift. Too swift.
Aria didn't press. Her instincts were screaming that something wasn't right, but she was exhausted. The adrenaline crash was hitting hard.
She crawled into the bed, the mattress surprisingly soft, and pulled the blanket around her. Still, sleep didn't come easy. She listened to the crackle of firewood, the rain against the window, and Luca's silent presence by the hearth.
The scent of pine and smoke filled the air… and something else. Something wild.
When her eyes finally closed, her last thought was a question she couldn't shake:
Why did his name sound so familiar?