Chapter 3 I Don't Belong To You

Elena's fingers tightened around the wooden handle of the knife until her knuckles ached. She did not scream. She held her breath, her eyes fixed on the glowing gold eyes in the dark hallway.

A heavy boot stepped onto the creaking floorboard.

Kael Draven walked into the dim light of her living room.

He filled the small space. His broad shoulders seemed to block out the shadows. The heavy metal scent of pine and ozone flooded her nose. Her wolf whined low in her chest, pushing hard against her ribs, begging her to drop the knife and step closer.

Elena fought to keep her balance. She pointed the blade at his chest.

"You broke into my house," she said. Her voice shook, so she clenched her jaw to steady it.

Kael stopped a few feet away. He looked at the knife then back at her face. He did not look angry. He looked starving.

"You left the back window unlocked," Kael said. His voice was deep and rough. "Pack your things. You are coming with me."

"No."

Kael's eyes flashed. "There is a wolf watching your house. He has been circling it for weeks. You are not safe here."

"Then I will call the border patrol," Elena said. She took a step back, her bare feet sliding on the cold wood. "I am not going anywhere with you."

"I am the border patrol, Elena." Kael took a step forward. The space between them got smaller. "My pack controls this territory. My guards are the only reason that wolf hasn't broken down your door yet. You have no family. No pack. You cannot protect yourself."

The words hit her like a slap. The truth felt like a stab in her chest. She had spent years building a quiet, safe life. She worked hard. She paid her bills. She answered to no one.

"I don't need you to protect me," she said.

She threw the knife.

She didn't aim to kill him. She aimed for the wall beside his head. The blade spun through the air and sank into the wood with a heavy thud, vibrating right next to his ear.

Kael didn't flinch. He didn't even blink. He just stared at her.

"I am not a piece of property," Elena said. Her chest panted. Her hands were empty now, but she curled them into tight fists. "I don't belong to you. I don't belong to the bond. If I want to die in my own house, that is my choice. You don't get to walk in here and dictate my life just because fate tied us together."

Kael reached up. He pulled the knife from the wall with two fingers. His jaw was tight. His chest rose and fell fast.

"You think I want this?" Kael asked. The words were low. A muscle ticked in his cheek. "You think I want to be tied to a stubborn girl who has a death wish?"

"A girl who can aim," Elena corrected.

A heavy silence fell over the room. The air was thick. Elena could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. She could feel the heat coming off his body. It was pulling at her. It felt like gravity.

"Someone wants you dead," Kael said quietly. He stepped closer. He held out the handle of the knife. "They are hiding in the dark. I am standing in the light. Let me help you."

Elena looked at the knife. Then she looked at his face.

"No," she whispered. "Get out."

Kael's hand dropped. The muscle in his jaw ticked again. He set the knife on the kitchen counter with a soft click.

"The house is surrounded," Kael said. He walked past her toward the front door. His shoulder brushed hers. A spark of heat shot through her arm, making her gasp. Kael froze for a second. He closed his eyes. Then he pulled the door open. "Pack a bag. You have ten minutes."

He walked out into the night and slammed the door.

Elena stood alone in the dark. She pressed her trembling hands against her kitchen counter and bent her head. She swallowed the hard lump in her throat. The mate bond yanked at her chest, screaming at her to run after him.

She didn't move.

Elena grabbed a duffel bag from her closet. She stuffed it with clothes and her medical kit. She was not going with him because he commanded it. She was going because he was right. Someone was watching her. She was alone.

She pulled her jacket on and stepped outside. The cold air hit her face.

Kael was leaning against a black SUV in her driveway. His arms were crossed. He was staring at her front door.

Elena locked the door behind her. She turned to walk to her own truck.

"I am driving," Kael said.

"I am driving my truck," Elena shot back. "I am not leaving it here."

Kael pushed off the car. Before he could speak, a sharp howl cut through the night.

It was not Kael's wolf. It came from the dark trees across the road. It was a high, ugly sound. A warning.

Kael's head snapped toward the tree line. His eyes turned solid gold. His lips pulled back, showing sharp teeth. He let out a deep, rumbling growl that shook the driveway.

The howl stopped. The forest went dead quiet.

"Get in the car, Elena!" Kael said. The command was backed by the heavy weight of his Alpha power.

Elena's heart hammered against her ribs. She looked at the dark trees. Something was out there. Something that hated her.

She looked at Kael. He was a monster in a black suit. But right now, he was the only thing standing between her and the dark.

She opened the passenger door of the SUV and got inside.

Kael stayed outside for a long minute. He stared into the trees, his chest vibrating with a low growl. Then he walked around the car, got in, and started the engine.

"I'm only going for one night," Elena said. Her voice was quiet. She hugged her bag tight to her chest. "And I am not your mate."

Kael drove fast down the dark road. He didn't look at her. "We will see."

---

It was past midnight when they arrived at the Blackthorn mansion.

Elena stood in the driveway. The huge stone house loomed over her, dark and intimidating.

"I need to check the perimeter," Kael said. He didn't look at her. "Adrian will show you to a room. Do not leave the house."

Elena watched him disappear into the shadows. She felt a heavy, hollow ache in her chest. The distance felt wrong. She hated it. She hated that her body needed him.

The door slammed shut. Elena grabbed her bag and followed Adrian up the stairs. She was given a large bedroom with a heavy wooden door. She locked it immediately.

She barely slept.

Hours later, as the morning light started to leak through the curtains, Elena got up. She needed air. She needed to get away from the smell of pine and Kael that filled the house.

She unlocked her door and crept down the stairs. She pulled open the heavy front door.

Elena stopped.

The cold morning air blew into her face. She looked at the wooden door she had just stepped out of.

Carved deep into the thick oak, right next to the door handle, were words. The wood was fresh and torn.

He will not save you.

Elena's breath caught. Her hand flew to her mouth. Her fingers pressed hard against her lips to stop a scream. She took a sharp step back and hit a wall of solid muscle.

Kael stood behind her. He was dressed in black pants and a tight shirt. His body was rigid.

He was staring at the words. The air around him changed. It felt like the temperature dropped ten degrees. His eyes were completely gold. He raised a hand and laid it flat against the carved words. His fingers shook with a violent rage.

He turned to look at her.

"I told you," Kael said. His voice was a deadly whisper. "You don't belong to yourself anymore."