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“Well, well, what do we have here?”
I gritted my teeth, not wanting to say a word that might put myself or Kane in even more danger than we already were.
“Kane’s woman, I take it?” he tried next.
“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” I answered, careful to keep my voice steady and calm.
“You’re in his cabin…” he said, raising a single eyebrow, an incredulous expression crossing his rugged features.
“I just stumbled on this place after getting lost in the woods. I needed somewhere to stay,” I tried.
“You’re a terrible liar, sweetheart,” he murmured, his lips curling into an evil smile. His tone chilled me as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice over my head.
“What do you want?” I spat.
He stepped closer, his presence almost suffocating, and I moved as far back as I could. When my back brushed against the wall, I scoffed with fear. I shouldn’t have hidden here. Now I was trapped.
“I’ve been chasing Kane for a long time now. I often wondered when the magic that birthed him would seek out a balance. You’re his one true mate, aren’t you?”
I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around the grip of the gun in my trembling hand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He took a step closer, his tall form casting a shadow over me.
“I don’t know what you want from me, but I have nothing to do with Kane,” I lied.
“Do you think you can protect him? Do you truly believe you can stand against me?” Aric’s voice turned dark and mocking.
“I won’t let you harm anyone,” I snarled as my heart raced, but I held my ground.
He chuckled, a sinister sound that sent shivers down my spine. “Sweetheart, you don’t even know what you’re protecting.”
“I know exactly who I’m protecting,” I growled, and his wickedly malicious grin grew tenfold. A bad feeling roiled in my belly, and I couldn’t help but swallow back a fresh wave of fear.
“You know, there’s an old legend. If I kill the great beast, I will be granted true immortality. But there is another. It speaks of the beast finding his one true mate. But it also says that this mate will be my downfall. An ironic twist of fate, don’t you think?”
“And you think I’m that mate?”
His smile was cruel as he leaned in closer, his dark blonde hair falling over one eye, emphasizing the scar that marred his rugged features.
“Oh, I’m certain of it. The prophecy is quite clear. The mate will bring about my destruction. I fully intend to prevent it.”
We circled each other in the dimly lit cabin, the tension between us palpable.
“You underestimate Kane. He’s stronger than you think,” I countered, my voice trembling but determined.
“Strong, yes, but not invincible. And neither are you,” Aric scoffed, his arrogance unyielding.
Aric’s sinister smile widened as he withdrew a gun from its holster, pointing it directly at me. The cold metal of the barrel gleamed ominously in the dim light, and I knew I was standing on the precipice of something that could shatter my world completely.
“Come out, sweetheart,” he taunted, his eyes devouring my body with a predatory hunger. “I want a good, long look at you. After all, I should enjoy the view before I end your existence.”
I clenched my teeth to suppress the fear bubbling up within me. Slowly, I stepped out of the closet, my fingers trembling as I pulled the gun out of my waistband and held it steady, its weight both reassuring and terrifying in my grip.
“You’re a beauty, aren’t you? It’s a shame I have to kill you.” Aric’s gaze roamed over me with a sickening hunger, his words dripping with malice.
He moved closer, almost as if he intended to touch me. In that moment, I seized the opportunity. With a quick, determined motion, I pulled the gun from behind my back and aimed it squarely at him.
The power shifted in an instant, and his smile faltered, replaced by shock and a flicker of fear.
