LEILA’S POV:
Locking up the café, I felt a prickle of unease skitter down my spine, as if soone were watching . The street was deserted, lit only by the soft glow of the street lamps and the quiet hum of a few distant cars. I glanced over my shoulder, scanning the shadows, but no one was there. Just an empty stretch of sidewalk and the quiet of the evening.
Get a grip, Leila, I thought, trying to shake the feeling. Ever since I’d left the pack, my nerves had been on high alert. Living among humans was peaceful, but the quiet could be unnerving. No pack mbers constantly around, no familiar scents, no steady hum of my old life. The calm felt strange, unsettling even. Or maybe I just missed the comforting sounds that used to be my background. And yet, I couldn’t help but admit I also felt... free. Just and Ash, with no one to answer to.
But right now, my senses felt heightened, and not in a good way.
With one last look around, I shrugged it off and made my way ho, hoping my unease would fade with each step. The café was only a few blocks from Lucy’s place, and usually, the walk was short and uneventful. Today, though, every shadow seed to stretch just a little longer, every rustling leaf seed a bit louder. And then there was the unsettling feeling that my every step was being mirrored. It was almost as if I could *feel* eyes trailing my every move, soone lurking just beyond my line of sight.
But again, each ti I looked back, there was no one.
"Okay, Leila, this is ridiculous," I muttered to myself, picking up my pace. The night was cool and crisp, and I zipped up my jacket, hoping it would take the edge off my nerves. I couldn’t help but think of that cocky guy from the café earlier, Chase. His piercing gaze had been intense, like he was looking right into —and maybe that’s what had rattled in the first place. But he was harmless... wasn’t he?
By the ti I reached Lucy’s door, I’d just about convinced myself I was being paranoid. Lucy had been a godsend, letting stay in her guest room while I figured things out. She was genuinely kind, and I appreciated having a roof over my head and a safe place for Ash, especially after everything we’d left behind. But as I reached the front steps, I still couldn’t shake that nagging feeling.
I quickly unlocked the door and slipped inside, double-locking it behind . Lucy was already asleep, so the house was quiet. I tiptoed down the hall to the guest room and found Ash fast asleep, his tiny face so peaceful it almost hurt to look at. He was my reason for all of this, my reason to keep moving forward. Seeing him safe and happy was worth every sleepless night and all the uncertainty.
After checking on him, I went to the window to pull the curtains shut. Outside, the street was still empty, but I could’ve sworn I caught a shadow shifting, just out of sight. I took a deep breath, telling myself it was nothing—just my tired mind playing tricks on .
But sowhere deep down, I knew there was sothing more to this feeling.
Could Drake have found ?
The thought made my stomach drop, and my heartbeat drumd loudly in my ears. But no... no, if he’d tracked down, he would’ve already stord in here, all Alpha arrogance, demanding I return with him. He wouldn’t waste ti lurking in the shadows. Drake was straightforward, especially when it ca to getting his way. He would barge in without hesitation, commanding like I was still under his thumb. That’s what he did best.
I took a few deep breaths, trying to ground myself. Get a grip, Leila. Maybe it’s just all the stress getting to you. The cafe was new, the people were new, and being away from the pack had left my senses ungrounded. It’s normal to feel a bit on edge, right?
But still, a part of whispered that maybe it wouldn’t be so ridiculous to go to another city. Just pick a place on the map, pack up Ash, and vanish again. It wasn’t like I hadn’t done it before. I didn’t owe Drake anything anymore; he made that abundantly clear the last ti I saw him. Maybe this ti, I could start fresh—sowhere without painful mories or constant reminders.
Then again... running from a shadow wasn’t exactly sustainable. I didn’t want to live my life on the run, second-guessing every stranger, every unfamiliar street. Ash deserved stability, a real ho, not just another temporary place where I’d constantly look over my shoulder.
But that prickling sensation wouldn’t go away.
Maybe I should look outside again, just to be sure.
I cracked the curtain just slightly and peeked out. The street was quiet—no signs of anyone or anything unusual. Just the streetlight casting a golden glow over the sidewalk. No Drake, no shadows moving, and certainly no nacing alpha ready to drag back.
But just as I was about to let the curtain drop, I caught sight of a figure leaning against a lamppost across the street. A tall figure, blond hair glinting under the light. Even from a distance, I could tell he was watching the house.
"Chase," I whispered, the na slipping out before I even realized it.
What was he doing here? And how had he found ? I’d only t him at the cafe a couple of tis, always with his annoyingly confident smirk and those unnervingly intense eyes. He was just another custor, or so I’d thought. But then, he seed to have a habit of turning up whenever I was around, striking up conversations that seed innocent enough but always seed to hint at sothing more. But showing up outside Lucy’s house?
Now, I wasn’t so sure I’d misread him.
What in the world is this man doing spying on ? Did he have so agenda I didn’t know about, or was he just one of those annoying guys who didn’t know how to take a hint? Either way, Chase was barking up the wrong tree, and he’d better hope he didn’t have any ill intentions—because if he did, I wouldn’t hesitate to tear him apart. I’d already been through too much to let so cocky, too-handso-for-his-own-good human throw off balance.
I locked the window and door to the guest room and took a few breaths, pushing back the irritation and bracing myself. He didn’t know who he was dealing with. A puny human ssing with a wolf? He wouldn’t stand a chance. It was almost funny.
Almost.
With my jaw set and my fists clenched, I made my way to the front door and out into the night, barely bothering to slip on shoes as I crossed the lawn.
Why was this guy stalking ? Did he think I was just going to let him hover around like so creep? If Chase had so kind of agenda, he was in for a rude awakening.
If he was out there lurking around with ill intentions, I’d rip him to shreds before he even knew what hit him. Chase didn’t know who he was dealing with—I was a wolf, and I didn’t take lightly to threats, especially with Ash in the picture now. My life had changed, and I’d go to any lengths to protect my son.
With a fire burning in my chest, I stord outside, fully prepared to confront him. The night was still, and there wasn’t a soul in sight, but I could feel him. I knew he was out there sowhere, lurking.
"Co out," I called into the quiet street. "I know you’re here."
I barely had ti to brace myself before he appeared, materializing like a shadow behind . He leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear. "Be careful what you wish for," he whispered, a hint of dark humor in his voice.
I reacted on instinct, spinning around and punching him square in the face. The impact was satisfying, the crunch of his nose even more so.
"What the hell?" Chase groaned, clutching his nose, his eyes wide with shock.
I crossed my arms, staring him down. "Why are you spying on ?"
"Spying?" He managed, still wincing as he adjusted his crooked nose. "I wasn’t spying. I was—"
"Oh, you were what? Stalking ?"
His expression softened into that irritatingly cocky smile. "I was... keeping an eye out, making sure you were safe."
"Get lost, Chase. Before I decide to do sothing worse," I warned, turning my back on him, heading straight for the house. How in the hell did he manage to get behind without sensing him. Looking around I realized I had my back facing a bush he might have been hiding there.
But even as I shut the door and bolted it behind , I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Chase than t the eye.
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