His Delicate Love

27

The memory of the lone wolf's words haunted Riley as he watched the pack drag Annie away. He could still feel the cold press of the leader's gaze, the sneer in his voice as he'd delivered the threat that had left Riley with no choice.

"You're gonna bring us that girl," the lone wolf had sneered, his voice low and menacing, "or we'll bring the whole pack to burn down and kill everyone in Windhallow... and you'll be dead."

Riley had stood there, his heart pounding, fear clawing at his throat. He had always found solace in the forest, venturing far enough that the pack didn't notice or care; as an outsider, he often felt invisible. The forest was his escape—a place that reminded him he was alive and gave him the freedom to breathe, away from judging eyes. He even had Annie, his one true friend, who always made him feel seen. She was the only one who treated him with warmth, who saw beyond his troubled past. Annie was his anchor, his only true connection in Windhallow.

But he had ventured too far that day. The rogue wolves had found him, lurking in the shadows. He'd felt their hatred, their cruelty, and their determination to see him suffer. The leader, eyes gleaming with vicious satisfaction, had closed in on him, delivering the brutal ultimatum: betray Annie, or lose everything.

Riley hadn't wanted to do it. The thought of putting Annie in harm's way made him sick. She was the one person he would never want to hurt, the one soul in Windhallow who had treated him with kindness. But with the threat of annihilation hanging over him—over everyone he cared about—he had felt trapped, hopeless.

And yet, a spark of hope had flickered deep in his heart, one that he clung to as the wolves took Annie away. Killian will come for her, he thought, desperately trying to justify his betrayal. He's strong, and he loves her. He'll save her, he has to.

But as he watched Annie's tear-filled eyes vanish into the shadows, a crushing guilt settled over him. He had betrayed her trust, sacrificed the one person who had seen him as more than a burden.

As Riley followed the lone wolves who dragged Annie deeper into the dark forest, he did the only thing he could think of to make things right. Silently, he began marking a trail—a faint scent trail that Killian, with his sharp instincts and unwavering love for Annie, would be able to pick up if he searched. Riley kept a careful distance, making sure the rogue wolves didn't notice him slipping back to leave the trail, his every step filled with desperation and regret.

"Forgive me, Annie," he whispered under his breath, his heart aching with the weight of his betrayal. "I won't let them hurt you."

Each mark he left felt like a small act of redemption, a promise to the friend he had betrayed in his moment of weakness. He prayed silently to the Moon Goddess, hoping his efforts would lead Killian straight to her.

With every faint mark he left, Riley's hope grew, though it was laced with fear. He had seen Killian's fierce devotion, the way he guarded Annie with his whole heart. He'll find you, Riley thought desperately. And he'll tear them apart if they so much as touch you.

Riley continued marking the path, his hands shaking as he thought of the danger he was placing himself in. But he knew this was his last chance to make things right, to give Killian a lead, a direction—anything that would bring him closer to saving Annie.

————-

Killian lay in bed, his body exhausted but his mind restless, haunted by thoughts of Annie. The Alpha had ordered him to rest, knowing the toll the day's events had taken on him. But every time he closed his eyes, he saw her face—Annie, vulnerable, frightened, somewhere out there beyond his reach.