kalix

The tension in the air was palpable as he turned his gaze toward me, his intense black eyes pinning me in place. I wanted to say something—anything—but my throat was dry, and the words lodged in my chest. 

Kalix padded closer, his heavy paws barely making a sound on the forest floor. Despite the wild, feral aura clinging to him, there was something protective in the way he stood between me and the direction the rogue had fled. 

He shifted seamlessly before my eyes, his body elongating, bones cracking until he stood in human form. His face was hardened, his chest rising and falling from the exertion of the fight. 

"You're bleeding," he said, his voice low but commanding. 

I looked down at my palm, now slick with blood. The sharp pain pulsed with every beat of my heart. "I'm fine," I lied, trying to sound braver than I felt. 

His jaw clenched. "Do you have a death wish? Are you done trying to get yourself killed?" 

"I was just—" 

He cut me off with a glare. "Don't. Just... don't." 

The harshness of his tone made me flinch. "I—I was just...," I started in panic. "I thought—" 

"You thought wrong," he cut me off, his eyes narrowing. "You can't survive out here in your condition." 

I bit back a retort. He was right, as much as I hated to admit it. 

Kalix took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. "Do you even know how lucky you are that I found you? One second later, and you'd be dead." 

I swallowed hard, feeling my resolve crumble under his glare. 

Without another word, he grabbed my arm and began walking. 

"Hey, I can walk on my own!" I protested, trying to pull away. 

"Good. Then keep up." 

I hesitated. The thought of returning to that place felt like defeat, but what choice did I have? I was injured, weak, and had just barely escaped death. 

Reluctantly, I nodded. Kalix's eyes softened for a fleeting moment, but it was gone just as quickly. 

"Good," he muttered. "And next time you try to run, Celia—" 

"There won't be a next time," I lied again, though we both knew I didn't mean it. 

He simply shook his head. "We'll see." 

The trek back was long and silent. My legs ached, and my pride was in tatters. But Kalix's grip was unyielding, his presence commanding. 

By the time we reached the pack house, I was too tired to argue anymore.