MY QUEEN

Chapter 4: Thoughts

Kai stood there long after Elena had walked away, watching her disappear into the distance. He felt unsettled, like he was at the edge of something he didn’t understand. His instincts told him to leave, to retreat into the woods where it was quiet, where he didn’t have to think or feel this pull toward her. But something held him in place.

After a few more moments, he finally turned and headed back toward the outskirts of town, his mind racing. He couldn’t let this continue. Getting close to Elena wasn’t an option. He wasn’t like the others around here—he wasn’t even fully human. The wolf inside him was always lurking, always waiting for the moment he’d lose control. And Elena didn’t deserve to get caught up in that.

He clenched his fists as he walked faster, his breath growing shallow. The more he thought about it, the clearer it became: he had to leave. He had to put distance between them before she got too close.

By the time Kai reached the dense forest that lined the town, the urge to shift had become overwhelming. His heart pounded, and he could feel the wolf pushing against his skin, itching to be free. Without a second thought, he darted into the woods, his feet pounding against the earth as he ran deeper and deeper into the trees.

The transformation was quick, his body shifting as he allowed the wolf to take over. His senses sharpened, and the world around him exploded with color, scent, and sound. He ran faster, tearing through the forest, trying to outrun the confusion swirling in his mind.

He couldn’t afford this. He couldn’t afford to let Elena see more of him. She’d see the monster he kept buried, and that was something he couldn’t let happen. Not to her.

The woods provided some relief, but as the night stretched on and the wolf in him settled, Kai found himself circling back toward the town. He knew it was dangerous, but something in him couldn’t fully let go of Elena. She was so different from anyone he’d ever met—so open, so warm, even without sight.

He shifted back to human form as the moon climbed higher in the sky, his skin prickling with the cool night air. He leaned against a tree at the edge of the forest, staring out toward the faint lights of the town. He couldn’t go back. Not tonight. Not after everything.

But even as he stood there, trying to convince himself to leave, his thoughts drifted back to Elena. Her smile. Her voice. The way she seemed to understand him, even though she didn’t know the truth.

Maybe that was the problem. If she knew who he really was, she wouldn’t smile at him like that. She wouldn’t want to talk to him or invite him into her world.

But what if she did?

The thought struck him like a blow to the chest. What if Elena didn’t see him as a monster, even after learning the truth? It seemed impossible, but part of him—an irrational, hopeful part—wondered if she’d accept him anyway.

Kai shook his head, trying to banish the thought. It was too dangerous. For her. For him. He had to let go.

With a deep breath, he pushed off the tree and began walking deeper into the woods again, away from town. Away from Elena. He didn’t know where he was going, but he knew one thing: he had to stay away, no matter how much it hurt.

Because if he didn’t, the consequences could be far worse than loneliness.