I swallowed hard, feeling the press of the metal against my head. “I… I didn’t mean to intrude,” I stammered, trying to keep my voice steady. “I was just looking for shelter.”
The pressure lessened slightly, but the man didn’t move. “Turn around. Slowly,” he commanded, his voice as cold and unyielding as the barrel of the gun.
I obeyed, turning inch by inch until I could see him. My breath hitched as I took in his face. He looked exactly like Logan. The same sharp jawline, the same intense gaze, the same unruly dark hair. But there was something different-an edge, a hardness to his expression that Logan didn’t have.
He watched me, his eyes narrowing. “Who sent you here?”
“N-No one,” I replied, still in shock. “I… I don’t even know where I am.”
He tilted his head, studying me with a look of suspicion. “You expect me to believe that?”
I nodded, my pulse racing. “I swear. I was running from… something in the forest. I just… ended up here.”
He lowered the gun slightly, but his gaze remained sharp. “Name’s Liam,” he said gruffly, his voice low and controlled. “This cabin isn’t exactly a public shelter, you know.”
I forced myself to breathe, trying to process the uncanny resemblance. “I’m… Audrey,” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.
Liam’s gaze flickered, and he seemed to study my face with a strange intensity. “You don’t belong here, Audrey,” he said finally. “Not in this place. Not with people like me.”
“People like you?” I repeated, my curiosity overcoming my fear.
His expression hardened again. “People who are dangerous. People you don’t want to get involved with.”
I swallowed, still unable to shake the shock of his resemblance to Logan. “I think… maybe I’m already involved,” I admitted.
I took a shaky breath, gathering my courage. “You… you look like someone I know.”
Liam’s expression shifted, but he didn’t say anything. He just watched me, his gaze sharp.
“His name is Logan,” I continued. “You look exactly like him.”
Liam’s eyes narrowed. “Logan?” He seemed to taste the name, as if it were unfamiliar.
“Yes. Same face, same… everything.” I tried to keep my voice steady. “Are you… are you related to him?”
A flicker of something crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant. “Doesn’t matter,” he replied flatly. “I’m not him. And I’m not anyone you should be trusting.”
“But-” I started, but he cut me off.
“Whoever this Logan is, it has nothing to do with me.
“It doesn’t matter. I just… I didn’t mean to intrude.”
Liam chuckled, a low, rough sound that sent a shiver down my spine. “Oh, but you did,” he said softly. “And now you’re standing here, with nowhere else to go.” His hand trailed down the wall, fingers brushing my shoulder lightly before he leaned back, giving me a challenging look. “So tell me, Audrey… what are you going to do about it?”
I felt my throat tighten as I searched for an answer. “I don’t know,” I admitted, feeling the weight of his gaze. “I didn’t plan to end up here. I just needed somewhere safe.”
Liam looked at me, unimpressed. “Safe? With someone like me around?”
I hesitated. “You haven’t hurt me yet.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Yet,” he repeated, a hint of a smirk on his face. “That’s the key word.”
“Then… why haven’t you?” I asked, surprised at my own boldness.
He shrugged, looking away. “Maybe I’m curious. Or maybe I’m just deciding whether you’re worth the trouble.”
I swallowed. “I’ll leave if you want. I didn’t mean to cause any issues.”
He shook his head slowly. “It’s too late for that. You’re here now, and leaving isn’t as easy as you think. Not once you’ve crossed into this territory.”
“Territory?” I echoed, my heart racing again. “What is this place?”
He gave a humorless chuckle. “A place you shouldn’t have wandered into, that’s all you need to know.”
My pulse quickened, and without warning, I felt the familiar, uncontrollable heat rising within me. Fear surged as my bones began to shift, muscles tightening, skin prickling. I tried to suppress it, to keep control, but it was too late. My vision blurred, and I felt myself changing, my senses sharpening as I shifted into my wolf form.
Liam’s eyes widened slightly as he took a step back, but instead of shock, a dark, knowing look crossed his face. He smirked, his own form starting to change. Bones cracked, fur spread over his skin, and soon he was a wolf, too, standing opposite me.
We stared each other down for a tense moment, both wolves now, the air thick with challenge and something else, something unspoken. I felt an urge to run-away from him, from this strange place, from everything.
With a low growl, I bolted, my paws hitting the forest floor as I tore through the trees, branches scratching against my sides. But he followed, his powerful strides keeping pace with mine. The forest seemed endless as we raced through it, his presence close behind.
I glanced back, catching a glimpse of his eyes, bright and fierce. He was relentless, keeping up effortlessly, as if he was enjoying the chase.
I pushed myself harder, my paws pounding against the ground, lungs burning. But he was faster, each step closing the gap between us. I veered left, hoping to throw him off, but he matched my every move.
Finally, I felt him right behind me, close enough that I could feel his breath on my fur. Before I could react, he lunged, his weight hitting me from the side, sending us both tumbling to the ground. I tried to scramble away, but his grip was firm, pinning me down.
We shifted back, breathing hard as we lay there on the forest floor, his eyes locked onto mine, intense and unyielding.
“Running won’t get you anywhere here,” he said, voice steady and low. “You can’t escape this place, Audrey. Not until I let you.”
I glared at him, still catching my breath. “Why are you doing this? I don’t even know you.”