Adanna didn't sleep.
Her body still ached in places she didn't want to think about, but her mind—her mind was a mess. She tossed, turned, pulled the thin blanket over her head, then kicked it off again. Every time her eyes closed, she saw him—his mouth, his hands, the way he said her name like he owned it.
And then, worse—the way she'd walked away, shoving the moment into silence.
By dawn, she was already dressed, hair tied back, eyes rimmed red. The small cabin they'd given her suddenly felt too small, walls pressing in like judgment. She slipped outside into the morning mist, hoping the cool air might clear her thoughts.
But the pack was already stirring. And the whispers were already waiting.
"…saw them slip out of the courtyard…"
"…she's not even one of us…"
"…you know what strays are like. Always clawing for a place in the bed before the pack."
Adanna's chest tightened. She kept her head down, but each word hit like a stone.
By the time she reached the mess hall, her hands were trembling. She took the farthest table, picking at the bread on her tray though her stomach turned.
It didn't take long before Selene's voice carried across the room, loud enough for half the pack to hear.
"Funny, isn't it?" Selene said to no one in particular. "Some people think they can climb their way into respect by spreading their legs."
Laughter rippled through the tables.
Adanna froze. The bread tore in her hand, crumbs scattering. She wanted to stand, to scream, but her throat locked.
A chair scraped. Leander's voice cut through the room like a blade.
"Say that again."
The hall went dead quiet.
Selene turned, all mock innocence, though her eyes glinted. "Oh? Did I hit a nerve?"
Leander strode toward her table, shoulders tense, fists clenched. "If I hear you spit her name again, you'll regret it."
Gasps. A few stifled laughs. The room buzzed like a storm waiting to break.
Selene leaned back, smirking. "Protective, aren't we? That just makes it worse, you know. Makes it look like exactly what everyone's already thinking."
Leander slammed his hand against the table, rattling cups. "Enough."
For a moment, no one breathed.
Then Selene tilted her head, lips curling. "Touchy. Maybe she really does have her claws in you."
Adanna couldn't take it. She shot to her feet, voice shaking. "Stop it. Both of you."
Every head swung her way. Heat flushed her face, but she forced herself to keep going. "I don't need you to fight my battles," she snapped at Leander, though her chest still burned at Selene's words. "And I'm not here for your approval," she added, glaring at the room.
A heavy silence followed.
Finally, Selene gave a cold laugh, tossing her hair. "Suit yourself."
The tension broke, conversation resuming in low murmurs. But the damage was done. The whispers would only spread thicker now.
Adanna grabbed her tray and stormed out, not looking back.
She didn't make it far before Leander caught up.
"Adanna, wait."
She spun, eyes blazing. "What? What else do you want me to say, Leander? You heard her. You heard them all."
"I don't care what they say."
"Well, I do!" The words ripped out of her, raw. "You don't understand—you've always had a place here. You've always been feared, respected. Me? I'm the curse. The reject. And now—now they'll just call me the slut who—"
Her voice broke before she could finish.
Leander's expression shifted, anger melting into something heavier. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You think that's what I see when I look at you?"
Her breath caught. "It doesn't matter what you see."
"The hell it doesn't." He reached out, then hesitated, hand hovering near her cheek but not touching. "I don't regret what happened last night. Not for a second."
Adanna blinked hard, tears threatening. "I do."
The words came sharp, but her voice cracked, betraying her.
Leander's jaw tightened, but he nodded slowly, stepping back. "Then I'll carry the weight of it. But don't you dare let them define you by it."
Adanna turned away, hugging herself, fighting the ache in her chest.
For a long moment, neither spoke. The mist hung thick around them, the pack's voices distant.
Finally, Adanna whispered, "I don't know how to do this, Leander. I don't know how to be here without breaking."
His answer was quiet, but steady. "Then break. And I'll be here to pick up the pieces."
Adanna didn't respond. Couldn't.
She walked away before her heart betrayed her again.
Adanna didn't want to go back inside.
Not to her cabin. Not to the mess hall. Not anywhere.
Her feet carried her instead to the far edge of the Heath, where the grass gave way to tangled brambles and the forest pressed close. She found a fallen log and sat, elbows on her knees, staring at the dirt.
Her chest hurt. Her head hurt. Everything hurt.
She muttered to herself, bitterly, "Why do I always end up being the fool?"
A voice behind her startled her.
"Because you care too much."
Adanna jumped, spinning around.
It was Mira—the healer's apprentice, a girl younger than her with wide brown eyes and hands always stained from herbs. Mira offered a small, uncertain smile, holding a bundle of leaves.
"Sorry," Mira said quickly. "I didn't mean to sneak up. Just—saw you out here. Thought you might… want tea or something." She held out the bundle. "Chamomile. Helps settle the stomach."
Adanna blinked, stunned into silence. No one had offered her kindness in weeks.
"…thanks," she murmured, taking the leaves.
Mira sat beside her on the log, tucking her knees up. "They're cruel, you know. The way they talk. But… it's not just you. Selene's got a sharp tongue for anyone she feels threatened by."
Adanna let out a bitter laugh. "Threatened? By me?"
"Mm-hm," Mira said simply. "You're stronger than you think. Even if you don't see it yet."
For a moment, Adanna almost let herself believe the words.
But then the memory of Selene's smirk slammed back, and her throat tightened. "They'll never let me forget this. Last night. Him."
Mira was quiet for a while, then said softly, "Do you regret it?"
The question hit harder than she expected. Adanna turned away, staring at the trees. "Yes," she whispered. Then, after a pause, "No. I don't know. Both."
Mira nodded, as if she understood more than Adanna wanted her to. "Sometimes it's both."
By evening, Adanna forced herself back to the pack house. She couldn't hide forever—not without proving Selene right.
The hall was buzzing again, warriors gathered after patrol. The smell of food and smoke filled the air. She walked in, shoulders squared, ignoring the stares that followed her like shadows.
But Selene wasn't the type to let things lie.
"Well, look who finally crawled back," Selene drawled, leaning against the wall near the fire. A few packmates chuckled.
Adanna's jaw tightened. She kept walking.
Selene's voice followed, louder this time. "Careful, boys. Don't get too close. She might mistake you for her next meal."
The laughter grew sharper.
Adanna froze. Her pulse pounded in her ears. Slowly, she turned, meeting Selene's eyes.
"Say that again."
The room hushed.
Selene smirked. "What, hit a nerve? Thought you didn't care what anyone said."
"I don't," Adanna said, voice shaking with fury. "But I'm done letting you use me as your entertainment."
Selene pushed off the wall, sauntering closer. "And what are you gonna do about it? Hm? You're not pack. You're not even wanted here. One word from me, and they'll all remember what you are—a cursed stray who got in over her head."
Adanna's hands curled into fists. Heat burned in her chest. "At least I don't need to tear others down to feel important."
Gasps. A few muffled laughs, this time not at her expense.
Selene's smile faltered. Just for a heartbeat, but Adanna saw it.
She pressed harder, voice steadier now. "You want to talk about claws? About beds? Maybe take a look at your own."
The hall crackled with tension.
Selene's eyes narrowed, sharp as knives. "You're going to regret that."
Before Adanna could answer, a voice cut through.
"Enough."
Leander. His presence filled the room, making the air itself feel heavier. He stood at the far end of the hall, arms crossed, gaze like thunder.
His eyes met Adanna's first—dark, unreadable—then slid to Selene. "This ends now. Both of you."
Selene opened her mouth, but the weight of his stare silenced her. She tossed her hair and turned sharply, retreating with a venomous glare at Adanna as she passed.
The hall slowly resumed its noise, though whispers swirled thicker than ever.
Adanna stood frozen, breath shaky, anger still trembling in her veins.
Leander crossed the hall in a few strides, lowering his voice when he reached her. "Why do you keep letting her bait you?"
"Because I'm sick of swallowing it," Adanna snapped, then instantly regretted the sharpness. She rubbed her face, sighing. "I'm sorry. I just… I can't take it anymore, Leander."
His gaze softened, just a little. "Then don't face it alone."
Her chest tightened, memories of last night slamming back into her body. Heat rose in her cheeks. She swallowed hard, whispering, "I don't know how to be around you right now."
Leander's jaw flexed, but his voice stayed low. "Then stay angry with me if you need to. Just don't shut me out."
Adanna looked away, afraid of what her face might reveal. "I don't know if I can trust you."
"Then let me earn it," he said simply.
Later, back in her cabin, Adanna lay awake again, Mira's words echoing in her mind. Do you regret it?
Her body remembered too well. The warmth of his hands, the way he breathed against her skin. Her lips tingled at the memory of his mouth. She pressed her face into the pillow, torn between shame and a hunger she couldn't kill.
Her heart whispered no.
Her head screamed yes.
And somewhere outside, under the same restless sky, she knew Leander was awake too.
Waiting.