The forest near the east border was unnaturally quiet.
No birds.No insects.Not even the distant rustle of small animals.
Just the crunch of leaves beneath their boots as Theron and Aiden moved through the trees, Ronan and two guards following a few paces behind.
Aiden kept his senses wide open. His wolf was alert, uneasy, tail lashing behind his ribs even though he stayed in human form.
Theron walked slightly ahead, posture tense, every inhale measured.
Then—
The scent hit them.
Sweet. Sickly. Familiar in a way that made Aiden's skin crawl.
Evelyn.
Ronan wrinkled his nose. "That's her, no doubt."
Aiden swallowed. The scent tugged at memories he didn't want — the cold hallway where she cornered him, the way she'd smiled like she owned him, the way she'd touched his wrist as if marking something that didn't belong to her.
Theron stepped in front of Aiden instinctively, his body a wall of heat and muscle.
Aiden moved past him.
"I'm not hiding behind you."
Theron didn't argue. He simply placed a steadying hand on Aiden's back — just enough warmth to anchor him.
The scent trail led to a small clearing.
And that was where they found the first object.
A ribbon.
Blue silk, frayed at the edges, pinned to a tree with a wooden hair stick.
Aiden recognized both instantly.
"That's hers," he whispered.
Theron stepped closer, scenting the air, jaw tightening. "She planted this. She wants us to know she was here."
Ronan crouched down, picking up something half buried under leaves. "There's more."
A small bottle.
The cork still sealed. The glass painted red.
Theron snatched it before anyone else could. He brought it to his nose and inhaled carefully.
His expression darkened.
"A pheromone mix. Synthetic." He looked at Aiden, eyes filled with something sharp. "Used to lure or manipulate omega instincts."
Aiden stiffened, stomach twisting. "She left it for me."
"For us," Theron corrected grimly. "This is bait. She wants to provoke a reaction."
Ronan stood, ears lowered. "There's another scent here too. Faint. Like—fear. Someone else was with her?"
Theron scanned the trees again, golden eyes glowing faintly. "No tracks. No signs of a struggle. She didn't wait for us. She only wanted to leave traces."
Aiden exhaled, frustration boiling in his chest. "Why? What does she want?"
Theron's hand brushed his wrist — just a touch, grounding but gentle. "Aiden. Look at me."
Aiden did.
Theron held his gaze, voice steady but low. "She's trying to get between us."
Ronan blinked. "Uh—between you how—oh. Oh."
Aiden flushed and turned away. "We're not—we're nothing like that."
Theron didn't speak.
Which somehow said more.
Ronan coughed into his fist. "Well. Evelyn can smell feelings from two valleys away, so if she wanted to stir trouble… picking you two was easy."
Aiden's ears flicked out, betraying him. "Shut up."
Theron stepped closer to Aiden, ignoring Ronan, ignoring the guards, ignoring everything except the tension coiled in Aiden's shoulders.
"You didn't deserve the way she handled you. Or the fear she caused." His voice softened, warmth threading through the rough edges. "You are stronger than she thinks. Stronger than she will ever be able to break."
Aiden's throat tightened.
His wolf pressed against him, whisperingcloser closer closer.
But Aiden forced himself to step back.
"We should head home," he whispered. "Whatever she's planning… we'll be ready."
Theron nodded but didn't look away from him.Not once.
The moment they turned back into the forest, Evelyn's ribbon fluttered in a faint breeze, the silk dancing like a taunt.
A message clear as blood.
I'm not done with you yet.Especially you, Aiden.
And as they walked back toward the pack, Aiden's chest felt tight — not just with fear, but with an emotion he didn't want to name.
Something warm.Something dangerous.
Something like love.
They returned through the forest in silence, the echo of Evelyn's scent still clinging to the back of Aiden's throat. Ronan and the guards walked ahead, talking quietly, but Aiden stayed beside Theron.
Close, without realizing he was.
Theron noticed. He always did.
As they reached the edge of the territory, the trees thinned, sunlight breaking through in warm, gold patches. Aiden paused, letting the light hit his face. His wolf eased, his muscles loosened, the last edges of fear slowly releasing.
Theron stopped beside him, watching him with a softness Aiden pretended not to see.
"You did well today," the king said quietly.
Aiden scoffed. "I picked up a ribbon and smelled perfume. Barely hero-level."
Theron stepped just a bit closer—close enough for Aiden to feel the heat of him."Still. I was proud."
Aiden's breath caught in his throat.
Proud.
No one said that to him. Not like that. Not with such sincerity it felt like it wrapped around his ribs.
Aiden looked away, ears twitching. "Don't say stuff like that."
"Why?" Theron asked gently.
"Because…" Aiden muttered, tail flicking behind him even though he tried to hide it, "…it makes me feel weird."
Theron smiled—slow, warm, glowing. "Good weird?"
Aiden's cheeks heated. "Shut up."
Theron didn't press. Instead, he turned and began walking, but then paused again, looking back with an expression Aiden hadn't seen before.
Not commanding.Not kingly.Just… hopeful.
"Aiden," he said softly, "I'm returning to the human world tomorrow."
"Oh." Aiden tried to sound casual. Failed. "Business stuff?"
Theron nodded. "And some pack affairs. It will take a full day."A pause.Then—"I want you with me."
Aiden blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes." Theron stepped back toward him, closing the distance until their chests almost brushed. "If you want to come."
Aiden's heart thudded once, hard enough he swore Theron could hear it.
He tried to hide the smile threatening his lips, looking at the ground instead. "What for? You need me to… guard you? Keep you out of trouble? Make sure you don't drink like last time?"
Theron chuckled—a rich, deep sound that warmed Aiden's entire spine.
"That," he said, "and because I want your company."
Aiden's wolf perked up, tail wagging in his chest like a traitor.
You want this.You want him.Go with him.
Aiden swallowed.His voice came out quieter than he meant.
"...Okay."
Theron's expression softened in a way that made Aiden's knees go weak.
"Okay?" he repeated, as if savoring it.
Aiden shoved his shoulder lightly. "I said yes, didn't I? Don't make it weird."
Theron didn't.But he did touch Aiden's wrist lightly, fingers sliding down to lace gently between his for one bold, stolen second.
Aiden didn't pull away.
"Tomorrow morning," Theron murmured. "Meet me by the cars."
Aiden nodded, pulse racing.
They walked the rest of the way back to the pack side-by-side, leaves crunching softly beneath their feet, the fading forest light catching on their hair like evening fire.
For once, there was no tension tugging them apart.
Just a quiet warmth.
And as they reached the den, Aiden caught himself looking at Theron's profile—strong, golden, impossibly steady—and something tightened in his chest.
Something he didn't want to name yet.
But maybe… maybe he was finally ready to stop running from it.