Branches clawed at her skin, whipping her face as she barreled through the dense forest. The place was unknown.
Autumn’s bare feet pounded against the damp earth, twigs snapping beneath her as she sprinted through the suffocating darkness of the woods.
Her breath came in ragged gasps, her pulse a deafening drum in her ears.
She dared a glance over her shoulder...shadows writhed between the trees, something hunting her, something with teeth and hunger and no name... no identity.
A sharp, stabbing agony lanced through her foot. She stumbled, biting back a scream as she clutched her injured sole. Blood welled between her fingers.
"What did I step on?"
She cried out, stumbling to a stop. She had stepped on something sharp, barefoot, and it pierced through her sole. Gasping, she bent down, trying to brush the debris away. Her fingers trembled. She reached for what had hurt her, expecting a rock, maybe thorns. But when her eyes focused...
Her scream caught in her throat.
It was bone. A skull.
And not just one...millions. Skulls blanketed the forest floor like a carpet. Bloodless, empty sockets stared back at her. Ahead of her, they piled into a mountain...like forming a ghastly altar.
She opened her mouth to scream. Nothing came out.
"You only sound good when you scream my name."
Her eyes snapped open.
Standing there... already dressed in dark armor, daggers,guns and what not. His war gear. His expression was unreadable.
Her heart lurched. Without thinking, she lunged for him, arms wrapping around his torso from behind, her cheek pressed desperately against the cold metal of his armor, trembling. "I... I had a nightmare!"
Kieran did not turn right away. He stilled. Then, slowly, he pried her hands away, turning her to face him. His grip was firm, his thumbs brushing over her knuckles...a fleeting tenderness before his smirk returned, sharper,teasing."I didn’t know this feisty kitten could be scared by nightmares."
She shook her head violently, her eyes brimming. "No! You don’t understand..." Her voice cracked as she started sobbing. "It’s not a good thing.Not when we are going into war... Not now...It’s a bad omen." Kieran’s smirk faded.
Autumn wiped her face hastily, glanced at the clock. "It’s five. Alright! Gimme some time. I will get ready!"
She turned to move but was stopped by Kieran’s firm grip.
"Where do you think you are going?" he asked quietly. "Won’t you see me off?"
"See you off?" she blinked at him, confused. "Well, no!"
"No?" he repeated, one brow raised.
"I am coming with you, of course. Just... five minutes!" She tried to slip away again, but he caught her wrist, spinning her back around.
"You are not coming with me."
Autumn stared at him, stunned. "Why not?"
"Because you are going to the fortress..
" Fortress with Dax? "
Kieran nodded grimly.
"Your Beta isn’t going with you either?" she asked, rubbing her temples as if her brain could not keep up. "You said he didn’t even know about that place. Or about your father."
"I know what I said," Kieran said tightly. "But dire situations require dire choices." He stepped closer, resting his forehead against hers. "You need to go with him. You will be...safe. And he will help with the blood drawing process."
"And you? " Autumn started, but stopped when she saw the look in his eyes. It looked like he wasn’t just preparing for battle. He was preparing to lose.
Her voice cracked. "Kieran..."
He did not speak. Just stared at her like he was memorizing her. might be the last time. Then suddenly, he grabbed her by the back of her neck and crashed his lips onto hers.
It was not soft. It was wild. Desperate. Hungry.
He kissed her like he was drowning in her. Like she was the only air left in the world.Only solace.
Her fingers clutched his armor, pulling him closer, grounding herself. His tongue invaded her mouth , mapping her like he was afraid he would forget. She whimpered into the kiss, tears breaking loose from the corners of her eyes... she could feel she was losing something as well... but what...
When he finally pulled back, both their chests were heaving.
"I hate this," she whispered, shaking. "I want to go with you. I mean I know you need the blood. I can make it quick and come back... I swear I have seen worse. A little blood won’t weaken me. And I can fight... Kieran I promise I won’t slow you down!!! "
Ahh!!! The way he called her baby... Autumn knew she could die a million deaths just to hear that.
Kieran cupped her face with both hands. "But if I look back in the middle of war and you are hurt...I will lose control. I can’t afford that."
"No." He kissed her forehead.Then the tip of her nose. "You should know this Autumn...you are my weakness.And my strength. You being alive... you being safe... that’s what will keep me standing."
She did not know what to say. Did not know how to breathe around the ache in her chest.
"Kieran... what if something happens to you?" she asked, barely able to speak the words.
He smiled sadly. "Then I will haunt your dreams like I did tonight. Only sexier."
"Not funny." She smacked his chest.
"Fine," he murmured, brushing her hair back. "Then remember this...listen well..." Kieran grabbed her cheeks, squeezing them hard as he forced her to look at his eyes.Like directly.
Like he wanted to tell her something through his eyes and was begging her to focus on that...and not the words coming out of his mouth. "...no matter what happens out there...I love you. And if fate has a shred of mercy, I will come back to you...eventually.I always will."
Autumn broke. She buried her face into his chest, tears soaking into his shirt.
"I believe in you," she whispered. "You better come back to me, Kieran Blackmoon. Or I will find a way to kill you again.I swear. "
He chuckled softly, resting his chin on her head. "That’s my girl."
’ My girl? ’ Autumn’s heart jumped with joy before plunging into the depths of despair all at once. She was feeling so broken... something wasn’t right... she could feel it... feel it coming... but she held onto him nevertheless. He was all that felt real at the moment.
They stood there, wrapped in each other, while outside, the first sliver of dawn crept into the sky.
A knock at the door. Dax’s voice...tense. "Alpha. It’s time."
Kieran did not flinch. Did not release her.
Autumn clutched his armor, her nails scraping against the metal. "This isn’t goodbye."
His thumb brushed her cheekbone, smearing tears she had not realized she had shed. "No," he whispered smoothly. "It’s not."
Then he stepped back.
And walked out the door.
Leaving her standing there, barefoot, in a room that suddenly felt too cold.