He Knows

The morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a warm glow over the small kitchen. Selena stood in the middle of her new home, hands on her hips, surveying the mess before her. Dust clung to every surface, cobwebs stretched between the wooden beams of the ceiling, and the old furniture—left behind by her late parents—reeked of disuse.

She had spent the first few days unpacking the essentials, but now it was time for a deeper clean. If she was going to make a fresh start in Grayville, she wanted to do it right. With a determined huff, she tied her hair into a messy bun and grabbed a broom.

The little cottage was nestled at the foot of the mountain, a charming structure with ivy creeping up its sides and a wraparound porch that overlooked the quiet town. It had been her parents' home before their passing, and though she had rarely visited, she still remembered the warm scent of cinnamon and vanilla from her mother's baking and the low hum of her father's radio playing in the background.

She pushed those thoughts aside as she set to work. Dusting, sweeping, scrubbing every surface until the old wooden floors gleamed and the windows shone. It was exhausting, but there was something satisfying about watching years of neglect wash away under her hands.

After hours of work, she finally stood back, hands on her lower back as she stretched. The house felt lighter, more like a home than a forgotten relic of the past.

Her stomach growled, reminding her that she had barely eaten all morning. With a sigh, she grabbed her keys and headed into town.

…

The grocery store in Grayville was nothing like the massive supermarkets she was used to in the city. It was small, quaint, with wooden shelves stocked with fresh produce and locally sourced goods. The bell above the door jingled as she entered, and a few heads turned in curiosity.

She wasn't exactly a stranger, but being the new face in a town with a population of barely over seven hundred meant people noticed her.

"Morning, miss," the shopkeeper greeted, a stocky man with graying hair and a friendly smile. "You're the one who moved into the old Hartwell place, right?"

Selena nodded as she picked up a basket. "That's right. I'm Selena Hartwell. My parents used to live here."

"Ahh," the man's face lit up with recognition. "Marie and Thomas' girl! Well, welcome back to Grayville, Selena. I'm Pete, I run this place. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks, Pete." She returned his smile before wandering through the aisles, picking up fresh bread, eggs, milk, and some vegetables.

She was about to grab a pack of sugar when another voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You're the one reopening the bakery, aren't you?"

She turned to see a tall, burly man with rough hands and kind eyes watching her. He looked like the kind of man who had spent his life working with wood and tools.

"Yes, I am," she said cautiously. "I was actually planning on reaching out to a carpenter about a few renovations before I open it up."

The man grinned. "Well, you're in luck. Name's Henry. I'm the local carpenter."

Selena let out a relieved breath. "Perfect timing, then. The bakery's in decent shape, but it needs some work before I can get it running. Would you be available to take a look?"

"Absolutely," Henry said, rubbing his chin. "Tell you what, I'll swing by tomorrow morning, and we can go over what you need."

"Sounds great," she said, pleased that things were already falling into place.

They exchanged numbers, and after finishing her grocery run, Selena headed back home feeling lighter than she had in weeks.

…

A week passed in a blur. Between setting up her new home, handling the renovations, and getting to know the town, she had little time to dwell on the strange feelings that had haunted her since she left the city. The eerie sense of being watched had dulled, replaced by the comforting quiet of Grayville.

She found herself liking the slow pace of life here. The mornings were crisp, the air fresh, and the people—though curious—were kind. She had even begun experimenting with new recipes in her mother's old kitchen, the scent of baked goods filling the space just like it had in her childhood.

For the first time in a long time, Selena felt at peace. But beneath that peace, something still lingered. An ache. A whisper of a past she couldn't quite leave behind.

And she had a feeling that past was coming for her, whether she was ready for it or not.

x-x-x-x-x

Keiran stood in the dimly lit apartment hallway, his fists clenched at his sides. The old landlady's words echoed in his mind, each syllable igniting something dangerous inside him.

"She left two days ago."

His breathing was ragged, golden eyes burning with fury. She left. His mate. The woman who had unknowingly stirred his beast from its slumber.

The realization slammed into him like a sledgehammer. His pulse thundered in his ears, his claws threatening to break through his human skin.

"She's pregnant." The landlady had said it so casually, as if she hadn't just detonated a bomb in his soul.

Pregnant.

With his child.

A growl rumbled deep in his chest, primal and filled with fury. He spun on his heel, storming out of the building before he lost the last thread of control keeping him human.

Tobias, his ever-loyal Beta, followed close behind. "Keiran—"

"Don't," Keiran snapped. His voice was low, dangerous. His wolf was barely contained, howling for its mate, for its pup.

"She ran," Keiran continued, his tone dark with betrayal. "She ran from me."

Tobias hesitated before responding. "She's human. She doesn't know what this means. She doesn't understand what she is to you. And, she doesn't know you literally."

Keiran's steps faltered. His mate. His second chance at something he thought was long lost. And she had no idea what she had done to him that night. How she had unknowingly saved him.

For years, he had felt nothing. Ever since the hunters had taken his first mate from him, his beast had become hollow. A shell of what it once was. A King without a purpose. He had buried himself in duty, in bloodshed, in endless wars against those who threatened his kind. But nothing had mattered.

Then she came along. With her intoxicating scent, with the way her body had melted into his, the way her lips had trembled when she whispered his name in the dark.

Except… Are they safe?

The thought struck him like a blade to the gut. He had been so lost in the claiming, in the raw, unrestrained passion of that night, that he had never even told her his name.

And now, she was gone.

Tobias stepped in front of him, forcing Keiran to stop in the alleyway behind the apartment. "We will find her. You will find her. But right now, we need to think."

Keiran's growl shook the air between them. "There's nothing to think about. I need to find her now."

"You don't even know where she went."

Keiran stilled, his chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. He was right. He had no trail to follow. His mate—his pregnant mate—had disappeared into thin air.

A sharp pain lanced through his chest at the thought of her alone, carrying his child with no protection, no knowledge of what she had gotten herself into.

"She's in danger," Keiran muttered, his voice hoarse.

Tobias exhaled slowly. "Maybe. But we need to find out where she is before you tear this city apart looking for her."

Keiran's hands trembled with the force of his restraint. He was on the edge, ready to shift, to let his beast hunt her down. But he knew Tobias was right. If she had left the city, it wouldn't help if he lost control now.

"Fine," Keiran gritted out. "But I want every available tracker on this. She can't have gone far."

Tobias nodded. "We'll find her. And when we do?"

Keiran's eyes burned with something lethal. "She'll know she was never meant to leave me."