The night sky is a canopy of stars as Odin and Anna leave the abandoned factory behind, their footsteps crunching softly on the gravel road. The tension of their encounter with Nikolai hangs heavy in the air, but there’s also a strange stillness now—a fleeting reprieve in the chaos.
They walk in silence for a while, the weight of the moment pressing on them
Finally, Odin speaks, his voice low and rough. “You shouldn’t have stayed.”
Anna stops walking, turning to face him. “I’m tired of this, Odin. You keep saying I should leave, that I should save myself. But don’t you see? I already made my choice. It’s you. It’s always been you.”
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. Odin looks at her, his face a mask of pain and longing. “Anna, you don’t understand what you’re giving up. What you’re risking.”
“I understand perfectly,” she says, stepping closer to him. “I’m risking my safety, my peace, my life. But what’s the point of any of that if I lose you?”
Odin’s breath hitches as her words sink in. He’s spent years building walls, shutting people out, convincing himself that love is a weakness he can’t afford. But here she is, standing before him, breaking down every defense he’s ever built.
“I don’t deserve you,” he whispers, his voice cracking.
Anna shakes her head, her eyes shimmering. “You don’t get to decide that. I see you, Odin. Not just the man who fights, but the man who cares. The man who risks everything to protect me.”
Before he can respond, she closes the distance between them, her hands reaching for his face. Her touch is gentle, grounding him in a way he’s never known. “Stop pushing me away,” she murmurs. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Odin’s resolve crumbles, and in the next heartbeat, he pulls her into him, his lips crashing against hers. It’s a kiss filled with all the things he’s been too afraid to say, a raw and desperate confession of everything he feels.
Anna melts into him, her fingers threading through his hair. The world around them fades away, the danger and uncertainty momentarily forgotten. All that exists is the two of them, tangled in the fragile, electric pull of their connection.
When they finally pull apart, their foreheads rest against each other, their breaths mingling in the cool night air.
"I’m scared,” Odin admits, his voice barely above a whisper. “Not for me—for you. I’ve lost too much already. I can’t lose you, too.”
Anna cups his face, her thumb brushing over his stubbled jaw. “You won’t. We’ll face this together, Odin. No matter what comes.”
The journey continues under the blanket of stars, and they find temporary refuge in an old, secluded cabin at the edge of a dense forest. It’s a humble place—dusty furniture, a small fireplace, and a creaky bed—but it feels like a sanctuary compared to everything they’ve been through.
As Anna lights a fire, Odin watches her from across the room. There’s something mesmerizing about the way she moves, her quiet strength and determination shining through.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks, glancing over her shoulder.
Odin smirks, leaning against the wall. “Just trying to figure out how I got lucky enough to have you in my corner.”
Anna chuckles, shaking her head. “You really think this is luck?”
He crosses the room to her, his presence warm and solid. “Maybe not. Maybe it’s something better.”
She looks up at him, her heart skipping a beat. “You know, for someone who claims he doesn’t deserve love, you’re surprisingly good at it.”
Odin’s smile fades, replaced by something more vulnerable. “I’ve never had a reason to believe in it before. Not until you.”
A blanket draped over their shoulders. Anna rests her head on Odin’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
“What happens when this is all over?” she asks softly.
Odin hesitates, his fingers brushing through her hair. “If we make it through, I’ll take you somewhere far away. Somewhere safe. A place where no one knows our names, and we can start over.”
Anna tilts her head to look at him. “You really think we can have that?”
He presses a kiss to her forehead. “I don’t know. But if it’s with you, I’m willing to try.”
For the first time in weeks, Anna feels a glimmer of hope. The road ahead is uncertain, and the shadows of their pasts still loom, but in this moment, wrapped in each other’s arms, they dare to dream of a future worth fighting for.
YOU ARE READING
Wild West of the Heart
RomansNothing changes if it is meant. If it were in her density to have him as her life companion. People have to go through that situation of life, even they don't choose. Life is too short to understand the meaning of those four letters i.e. LOVE. Th...
