Page 20 of Samuel
Maybe… I wasn’t ready to leave.
CHAPTER FIVE
BLAKE
I woketo the smell of something cooking in the kitchen.
For a moment, I just lay there, staring up at the ceiling that had become all too familiar over the past few days.
The old wooden beams, the rustic charm of the cabin—it was a world apart from the cold, sterile halls of the Guild, where I used to spend most of my time.
I wasn’t used to waking up without the sound of alarms or the pressure of a new assignment hanging over my head.
I wasn’t used to the luxury of staying in bed for as long as I wanted, without the constant fear that my next mission could be my last.
No, I realized with a strange pang of relief, I didn’t miss the Guild at all.
Sparring at the crack of dawn, being pitted against my fellow hunters as they tried to prove their superiority over each other, over me—I didn’t miss any of it.
It had been brutal, a dog-eat-dog world where the weak were always pushed to the margins.
And I had never been the strongest, not like Finn or the others. They thrived in that environment. I survived it. Barely.
The smell of coffee pulled me from my thoughts, and I dragged myself out of bed, stretching as I stood.
My body still ached from the wounds I’d suffered, but they were healing faster than they should, thanks to Samuel.
I ran a hand over the oversized shirt I was wearing, another one of Samuel’s.
I had secretly started to like wearing his clothes, even though I told myself I shouldn’t.
It was comforting in a way I didn’t want to think too much about.
I padded quietly toward the kitchen, the wooden floor creaking softly under my bare feet.
When I entered, Samuel was standing at the stove, his back to me as he worked a frying pan.
He didn’t need to turn around to know I was there.
“Morning,” he said. “Coffee’s ready. Pour me a cup too, will you? Breakfast will be ready soon.”
I nodded, even though he hadn’t looked back. Samuel always knew where I was—he could scent me, hear me.
I was getting used to it, to the way he could always seem to sense me.
There had been a time when that would have unnerved me, when the thought of being under constant surveillance by a shifter would have made my skin crawl.
But now… I didn’t mind it as much.
I shouldn’t get too comfortable, though. I still planned on leaving once I was strong enough.
This situation—whatever it was between us—was temporary. It had to be.
I grabbed two mugs and poured coffee into both, bringing one over to him. He took it with a nod of thanks, still focused on the pan.
I sat down at the small table, taking in the smell of the spread before me.
My stomach growled at the sight of eggs, bacon, and some kind of fresh bread that made my mouth water.
