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🌙 Episode 9: Shadows Between Us
Lila sat curled on her sofa, her knees hugged to her chest, staring blankly at the flickering TV screen. She hadn't slept since last night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Ethan — his eyes glowing gold, his body moving like something not human.
She couldn't deny it anymore. Whatever he was, it wasn't normal.
When a knock sounded on her door, her heart jumped. She didn't need to guess who it was.
She opened the door to find Ethan standing there, rain still dripping from his hair. He looked restless, tense, like he hadn't slept either.
"Can I come in?" he asked quietly.
She stepped aside without a word.
He glanced around her small apartment as though checking for danger before turning to her. "Are you alright?"
Lila crossed her arms. "I'm alive, if that's what you mean."
He flinched at the edge in her voice. "I meant—are you hurt?"
"No," she said flatly. Then her eyes narrowed. "But I want the truth, Ethan."
He stiffened. "Lila—"
"No more games," she interrupted, her voice trembling but fierce. "I saw you last night. The way you moved, the way your eyes… glowed. That wasn't normal. That wasn't human."
His jaw clenched, and for a moment she thought he might finally admit it.
Instead, he said softly, "You were terrified. You're imagining things. Adrenaline does strange things to memory."
Her stomach dropped. "You're lying."
His gaze locked with hers, intense and unyielding. "I'm trying to protect you."
Her chest tightened with frustration. "Protect me? By making me think I'm going crazy? By keeping me in the dark while men—whoever they are—try to hurt me?"
"Lila, please," he said, stepping closer, his voice low and rough. "You don't understand the danger."
"Then make me understand!" she demanded, her voice breaking.
For a heartbeat, the world stilled between them. His hand twitched, like he wanted to reach for her, but instead he turned away, his shoulders rigid.
"The less you know, the safer you'll be," he murmured.
Tears burned her eyes. "Do you hear yourself? I almost died last night, Ethan. I can't be safe if I don't even know what I'm running from."
He turned back, his golden eyes flickering before he forced them down to their usual dark shade. "You have to trust me."
"I did," she whispered. "But you keep proving I shouldn't."
The hurt in her voice cut deeper than any blade. Ethan's chest ached, but he forced himself to stay silent.
Finally, she stepped back, her voice cold. "Maybe you should go."
His wolf howled in protest, but he obeyed, walking out her door without another word.
The silence he left behind was deafening.
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That night, Lila lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
She couldn't stop replaying the fight in the alley. The speed, the strength, the way the rogues had taunted her about what she was to him.
He was hiding something. Something big.
And if he wouldn't tell her, she'd find out herself.
She slipped out of bed, her resolve hardening. From her window, she had a clear view of the street below. If Ethan came again — and she was sure he would — she'd follow him.
She needed answers.
Even if it meant walking straight into danger.
---
Ethan, meanwhile, paced his office like a caged animal.
Marcus leaned against the desk, watching him. "You lied to her again."
"I had no choice," Ethan muttered, running a hand through his hair. "If she knew the truth, she'd be a target. More than she already is."
Marcus raised a brow. "And you think keeping her blind will keep her safe? She's stubborn, Ethan. She'll keep digging."
"I know," Ethan said, his voice raw. "That's what terrifies me."
He stopped pacing, staring out the rain-streaked window. His wolf strained inside him, restless, agitated.
"She's planning something," Ethan whispered, feeling the tug of the bond like a warning.
Marcus frowned. "Then you'd better be ready. Because if she follows you where you're going tonight…"
Ethan's eyes glowed faintly in the reflection. "She won't survive what she finds."
---
Hours later, just past midnight, Lila's breath caught as she spotted a familiar figure moving down the street below.
Ethan.
Her pulse thundered. She grabbed her coat and slipped silently out of her building, keeping her distance as she trailed him through the darkened streets.
He moved fast, purposeful, like he knew exactly where he was going.
Lila kept to the shadows, her heart hammering, every nerve on edge.
Finally, he turned down a deserted road leading toward the old forest at the city's edge.
Her breath hitched. Why would Ethan Blackthorn, billionaire hotel magnate, be walking alone into the woods at midnight?
She followed, every step pulling her deeper into secrets she wasn't ready for — but couldn't turn away from.
---
Far ahead, Ethan paused at the forest's edge, his head tilting slightly.
He didn't need to turn to know she was there.
Her scent carried on the damp night air, familiar and intoxicating.
His wolf growled softly. She's following us.
Ethan closed his eyes, torn between fury and a desperate need to protect her.
"Damn it, Lila," he muttered.
Because if she saw what came next…
There would be no going back.
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✨ End of Episode 9