The night was thick with an eerie stillness, and Bella found herself lying wide awake in the cramped tent, sandwiched between Ethan and Asher, their quiet breaths punctuating the silence. She shifted uncomfortably, her thoughts replaying the events of the previous night. The memory of their wolves’ fierce, curious gazes and the intensity with which they’d spoken to her felt as vivid as ever. She had tried to convince herself it had all been a dream—some manifestation of her subconscious stress—but deep down, she knew better.
Suddenly, the tent seemed to shudder with a surge of energy, as if a primal force had swept through it. Bella’s breath caught as both boys began to stir, their bodies tensing, eyes flashing open in the dark. But this wasn’t Ethan and Asher. No, it was their wolves—their eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light, and their expressions were raw and hungry, charged with something far beyond human comprehension.
Ethan’s wolf spoke first, his voice low and rumbling, filled with an authority that made Bella’s heart pound. “You’re hiding something from us… something important.” His eyes narrowed, and he leaned in closer, his gaze unwavering. “Why can’t we feel you the way we should?”
Bella swallowed hard, forcing herself to remain calm, though every instinct screamed at her to run. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she managed, keeping her voice steady. “I told you before—I’m just Ben. I’m… human.”
Asher’s wolf, whose gaze had been fixed on her, let out a low growl, his eyes flashing a dangerous shade of amber. “Lies,” he spat, his voice a quiet fury. “There is something inside you, something that should respond to us. Yet it’s blocked, hidden… Why?”
Her heart raced as she met his gaze, feeling the weight of his challenge pressing down on her like a storm. She opened her mouth to answer, but words seemed to fail her. There was no way she could explain her true identity without putting herself at serious risk. So, she did what she did best—she masked her fear and confusion with a calm facade.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she repeated, willing her voice to be convincing. “You’re mistaken.”
Ethan’s wolf wasn’t buying it. His eyes darkened as he leaned even closer, his breath hot against her ear. “We’re not mistaken. You’re different, and we’re not leaving until you tell us the truth.” His voice held an unspoken threat, a dangerous edge that sent a shiver down her spine.
Asher’s wolf moved in beside Ethan, their eyes united in their pursuit. “You say you’re human, but we can sense something else.” He inhaled sharply, his expression intense, almost predatory. “Something that doesn’t belong.”
Bella’s mind raced. She needed to deflect, to find a way out before their wolves dug any deeper. “Maybe you’re sensing something else around here,” she said, her voice shaking just slightly. “The woods are full of strange things.”
Ethan’s wolf gave a short, harsh laugh, his gaze piercing. “Nice try, but we’re not interested in anything else.” He leaned even closer, his tone dropping to a dangerous whisper. “We’re interested in you.”
Asher’s wolf nodded, his gaze fierce and unyielding. “If you were truly human, we would have no trouble understanding what you are… yet here we are.” He tilted his head, his eyes scanning her face with unsettling intensity. “There’s only one reason why our wolves would act this way around you.” His eyes narrowed, his voice barely a growl. “You’re hiding your scent, masking it somehow.”
Bella’s heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing louder than the last. She could see the unrelenting focus in their eyes—their wolves were too close to the truth, and she was trapped in their gaze, helpless against the weight of their suspicion. She wanted to pull away, but her body felt frozen, ensnared by the sheer force of their presence.
“I’m… not hiding anything,” she whispered, clinging to the lie even as it felt hollow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ethan’s wolf bared his teeth in frustration, his voice a deep, guttural growl. “Why can’t we sense your wolf? There’s no mark, no bond… and yet, everything in us tells us you’re ours.”
The intensity in his eyes made Bella’s breath catch, and she found herself shrinking back, unable to keep up the facade under their relentless gaze. “I—” she stammered, struggling to find words that would placate them. “I… don’t have a wolf.”
Asher’s wolf exchanged a glance with Ethan’s, both of them narrowing their eyes in a way that made her stomach twist with fear. “A wolf without a wolf?” Asher’s wolf challenged, his voice dripping with disbelief. “Impossible. Even if that were true, our bond should have sparked something inside of you.”
Ethan’s wolf moved closer, his face inches from hers as he studied her with fierce, predatory eyes. “We know what we feel, even if you’re too stubborn to admit it. You belong to us. Both of us.”
Bella’s pulse raced, the weight of their words sinking into her, each one a reminder of the dangerous game she was playing. They were drawn to her, but they couldn’t see her for who she truly was—and as long as she maintained her disguise, she could keep them at bay. She had to stay strong.
“I’m sorry, but you’re mistaken,” she said, her voice steadier now. “I don’t belong to anyone.”
Their wolves exchanged a look, a flicker of frustration and disbelief passing between them. But despite their confusion, they didn’t back down.
“You can deny it all you want,” Asher’s wolf growled, his voice a low, rumbling threat. “But we’ll find the truth, one way or another. We’re patient, Bella.”
At the sound of her true name, Bella’s heart stopped. She felt the blood drain from her face as she stared at Asher’s wolf, her mind scrambling to process how he’d seen through her facade.
But then, almost as if they’d been shaken awake, Ethan and Asher blinked, their eyes returning to normal, their wolves receding. They looked disoriented, the brief possession leaving them with blank expressions, unaware of the storm they’d just unleashed.
Ethan yawned and shook his head, running a hand through his hair. “Whoa… must have had a weird dream or something,” he muttered, sounding slightly dazed.
Asher gave a similar shake, looking around the tent with furrowed brows. “Yeah… strange,” he murmured, his usual calm exterior cracking for a moment.
Bella took a shaky breath, forcing herself to maintain composure even as her mind reeled from what had just happened. She didn’t dare let her guard down. She’d narrowly escaped their wolves’ probing instincts, but she knew it was only a matter of time before they returned, hungry for answers.
