Luna Everleigh's POV
***
The wooden doors swung open with a low creak.
Rhydian stepped inside first, his broad frame momentarily blocking the glow of the lanterns within. The air inside the lodge was warm, carrying the faint scent of cedarwood and something wilder, something undeniably him.
I hesitated at the threshold.
This wasn't just a cabin—it was a den. A place of power.
My gut twisted as I stepped inside, my fingers brushing against the smooth grain of the wooden walls. The space was larger than I expected. A grand stone fireplace dominated one side of the room, its embers crackling softly. Dark furs were draped over heavy chairs, and carved wooden shelves lined the walls, filled with old books, strange trinkets, and glass bottles filled with substances I didn't recognize.
This was his home.
And I had been brought here.
The door shut behind me, making me flinch.
"You can rest here," Rhydian said simply, walking past me as if the tension coiling in my body was nonexistent. "You've had a long night."
I let out a sharp breath. "You act like I chose this."
He turned, his silver eyes gleaming under the low light. "You didn't. But it doesn't change the fact that you're here now."
Something about his tone—calm, assured, absolute—unsettled me.
I was caged in a world I didn't understand, surrounded by wolves that didn't want me here, and yet…
I wasn't afraid of him.
I should have been.
Instead, I was something far more dangerous. Drawn to him.
I clenched my fists, trying to ground myself. "I want answers, Rhydian."
A flicker of amusement crossed his face. "And you'll get them. But first—" He nodded toward the far side of the room, where a large, inviting bed was covered in thick furs. "Rest."
I narrowed my eyes. "So, what? You're keeping me prisoner?"
His expression darkened. "I'm keeping you safe."
There was something in his voice—something that made my stomach tighten.
But before I could push him further, the door creaked open once more.
And an unfamiliar voice filled the room.
—
To be continued...