Page 7 of Wolf Revealed

"Artemis," he began, standing at the threshold, his towering figure casting a shadow in the low light. "I need to be there for you."

His words hung heavy in the silence of the cabin, their sheer audacity making my blood boil. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into the flesh of my palms. How dare he waltz back into my life and claim to have my best interest at heart? Yet, underneath the anger, there was a sliver of fear — fear of having him close again, fear of the unresolved feelings that might surface.

"No," I snapped, glaring at him. "You don't get to decide that."

A silence filled the cabin then, one so thick that even the crackling of the fire seemed muted. I crossed my arms over my chest, daring him to argue. He held my gaze, his eyes softening. It seemed like he was about to argue, but he sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Artemis," he implored again, his voice gentle, almost pleading. "Let me help. I can't let you go alone."

The stubborn set of his jaw, and the resolve in his eyes, mirrored my own. And as much as I hated to admit it, a part of me recognized that his presence would be beneficial. He was a seasoned fighter, a shifter with strengths that could help on this journey.

"Alright," I conceded, breaking the intense silence that had taken over. "But we're not doing this your way. We don't talk about... about what happened. We focus on finding Mira. That's it."

Relief dawned upon Ronan's features, but he quickly masked it, nodding in agreement. We were bound by a shared purpose now, our past a forbidden territory as we stepped into the uncertain journey ahead.

As the day passed, my resolve firmed, and I busied myself preparing for our journey, focusing on the tasks instead of the emotional tumult within. Ronan respected my need for space, focusing on his preparations, his every move echoing our shared past. The arrival of the night found me taking in the familiar comforts of our village, unsure of what awaited us upon our return.

By dawn, I stood ready. My gaze met Ronan's, his silent nod affirming our mutual resolve. We were stepping into the unknown, leaving the safety of our village and the protection of Magic Mountain to Luna, Gretel, and a handful of loyal shifters they'd mustered. It was a small defense, but it was our only hope.

As the sun peeked over the horizon, I took a deep breath, meeting Ronan's serious gaze with my own nod. Leaving the familiarity behind, we ventured together into the dawn, bound by our mission. My heart ached for the security we left behind but beat fiercely for the revelations ahead.

Chapter Four

Resurfacing Memories and Rising Tides

Artemis

The sun began its descent, casting a warm glow over the sandy beach, signaling the time for us to rest. We both shifted from our wolf forms to our human ones, our transformations smooth and almost second nature. My clothes didn't shift with me, leaving me standing bare under the slowly dimming sky.

Caught unguarded, Ronan's eyes strayed, lingering over my exposed form. His eyes, usually calm and controlled, were now wide and slightly disoriented, clearly affected by my nudity. It was a look I was all too familiar with that stirred up a flutter of feelings I'd buried long ago.

I quickly stepped back, wrapping my arms around myself defensively. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, and I quickly turned, grabbed my clothes, and put them on. "Could you try not to look so...predatory?" I scolded, struggling to keep my voice steady. His silent admiration had sent a wave of embarrassment coursing through me and a faint glimmer of something else—satisfaction? I quickly shook off the unsettling thought.

Ronan blinked, snapping out of his daze. He averted his gaze quickly, a slight blush tingeing his cheeks. "Sorry," he murmured, running a hand through his tousled hair as he set up camp. But the tension hung thick in the air, an unspoken acknowledgment of the electricity still sparked between us. Despite our avoidance, there was no denying the undercurrent of attraction that still pulsed beneath the surface.

As the night set in, we sat by a small fire, Ronan on one side and me on the other, a comfortable silence settling between us. But beneath it, the unsaid words, the avoided topics, and the lingering look all echoed the storm yet to come. We continued our journey, our past dancing around us like the shadows thrown by the fire, constantly there but just out of grasp.

The resonance of the sea in my ears was interspersed with Ronan's attempts at conversation. His voice rumbled in low growls and huffs as he tried to steer our discussion toward our shared past. I could sense the unease threading through his words, the caution in his approach. He was treading on delicate ground, probing for a reaction. But I wasn't ready to delve into those waters yet.

"We need to talk about...us," Ronan began hesitantly. His voice, usually confident and assured, trembled with trepidation.

I diverted my gaze from him, focusing on the sand beneath me, the pull of the receding tide at my feet. "I think our focus should be on finding my sisters," I responded curtly, avoiding his eyes, hoping he'd catch my cue to steer clear of that path.

Ronan fell silent for a while, his presence a constant reminder of our intertwined past. I could feel his gaze on me, the unspoken words hanging heavily between us. I steeled myself against them, the wall around my heart fortified with every step we took.

It wasn't long before he tried again. "Artemis, I—" He began, his words lost in the roar of a crashing wave. The timing was uncanny as if nature was trying to shield me from his confessions.

"Look, a seagull!" I quickly interrupted, pointing toward a white bird swooping overhead. My attempt to divert the conversation was transparent, but I was desperate to maintain the distance.

He sighed, a deep rumbling sound that spoke volumes of his frustration. But he respected my boundaries, falling into a resigned silence. Despite our tension, we continued onward, our shared purpose binding us together. The ghosts of our past were locked away for now, but I knew they couldn't be ignored forever.

As we sat by the fire's dying embers, the nocturnal song of the sea, our only company, Ronan, broke the silence. His voice echoed in the still air, the words tumbling out hesitantly.

"Artemis, when I left... it was never about leaving you," he began, the shadows from the fire dancing across his face, accentuating his sincerity. "I... I left because I thought I was protecting you."

His confession hung heavily between us, the sound of his words mingling with the whispering wind. His intention, the reason for his departure, was now laid bare between us, raw and untamed, and it sent a pang of realization through me.

I turned to look at him, his face lit by the dying embers of our fire, his eyes intense and vulnerable. "Protecting me?" I questioned, trying to mask the tremor in my voice. "By leaving me alone, injured?"

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