Chapter Seven: Shadows Between Us
They moved swiftly, the threat of the wolves pushing them to keep going despite the fatigue settling into Ember's limbs. She could still hear the faint echoes of their howls in the distance, growing fainter but never far enough for comfort.
Ember's mind raced as they moved, her thoughts flickering between the danger stalking them and the complicated mess of emotions she felt toward Ash. She'd caught glimpses of something between them—something that made her heart race, something that made her want to trust him. But there was always that doubt. The fear that letting him in meant opening herself to more than just emotional pain.
Ash followed close behind, silent and focused, but Ember noticed the way he kept glancing over his shoulder, the way his posture had shifted. He seemed tense, distracted, as if something was weighing on him too. They hadn't spoken since leaving the clearing, and the quiet between them was growing heavier, filled with unasked questions.
As they moved deeper into the forest, Ember felt the ground beneath her feet start to slope upward. They were nearing the base of the mountains, where the terrain would become even more treacherous. Her breath was coming in short, sharp bursts, but she pushed on, determined to reach higher ground before the wolves caught up to them.
"Ash," she finally said, her voice breaking the silence. "What do you know about the wolves? You've been part of this pack before. You must know more than you've told me."
Ash glanced at her, a shadow passing over his face. He hesitated, his golden eyes flickering with something unreadable. "I've told you what matters," he said, his tone guarded. "We're being hunted."
Ember's frustration flared. " You were one of them. You know how they think, how they track. And yet you've barely said a word."
Ash's jaw tightened, and he kept walking, his eyes fixed ahead. The silence stretched between them, thick and uncomfortable.
"Why won't you answer me?" Ember pressed, her voice sharper now. The fear she had been holding back started to creep in, mixing with her suspicion. "What are you hiding, Ash?"
He stopped abruptly, turning to face her, his eyes darkening. "I'm not hiding anything, Ember. I left the pack. I'm no longer one of them."
"But you were!" Ember shot back, "You were part of them, and now they're hunting us, hunting me. I have a right to know what we're up against. If you're keeping something from me—"
"I'm not keeping anything from you!" Ash's voice was harsh, his golden eyes flashing with anger. "I'm trying to keep us alive, Ember. That's all that matters right now."
Ember recoiled slightly, the intensity of his words taking her by surprise. But the seed of doubt had already taken root in her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Ash's past than he was letting on, something deeper that he hadn't or wouldn't share.
Before Ember could respond, a sharp sound cut through the night air—a distant howl, closer than before.
Ash's eyes snapped to the treeline, his body tensing. "They're getting closer. We need to keep moving."
She nodded, her breath shallow, and they continued up the steep incline, their pace quickening as the howls echoed behind them.
The terrain grew rougher as they climbed, the ground uneven and covered in loose stones that made every step a challenge. The trees thinned out the higher they went, revealing the jagged peaks of the mountains silhouetted against the dark sky.
They reached a small plateau just as the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon. Ember stopped, her chest heaving as she caught her breath, her eyes scanning the valley they had just climbed from.
The wolves were nowhere in sight, but she knew they were there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Ash stood beside her, his expression hard as he surveyed the landscape. "We'll have to take the mountain pass to lose them," he said, his voice clipped. "It's dangerous, but it's our best shot."
Ember nodded, but her mind was still racing with doubts. She glanced at Ash, her heart heavy with the weight of everything unsaid between them. "Ash..." she began, her voice hesitant.
He turned to look at her, his golden eyes meeting hers, but this time, there was no softness, no hint of the vulnerability he had shown before. Only determination.
"We'll talk later," he said, his voice firm. "But right now, we need to survive."
