Chapter 6 6

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the pain. A dull, throbbing ache pulsed through my head, like a drum beating from the inside out. My whole body felt sore, heavy, like I'd been run over by something massive. My inner thighs ached, a lingering reminder of what had happened last night. And then-like ice water being poured over me-the realization hit.

I had slept with Dalton.

My breath hitched, and I squeezed my eyes shut, willing it all to be a dream, a twisted, fevered nightmare brought on by exhaustion. But as I shifted, feeling the soreness in my limbs and the warm, lingering scent of him on my skin, I knew it was real. It had happened.

Oh God.

My stomach twisted violently. I had cheated on Cole.

A cold, sinking feeling settled in my chest as the weight of what I'd done crashed over me like a tidal wave. Cole, the man I had loved, the man I was supposed to marry. The man who was probably still searching for me, praying that I was alive, waiting for me to come back to him.

And I had thrown it all away.

I buried my face in my hands, trying to suppress the shame, the regret clawing at my insides. How had I let this happen? I had been lost in the woods, hurt, desperate-and Dalton had been there, taking care of me, giving me warmth and comfort. But none of that excused what I had done.

It wasn't me, I tried to tell myself. It was the alcohol from the party.

Except... there had been no alcohol here. No party. Just me and Dalton, tangled together in the firelit cabin, our bodies pressed against each other, his hands exploring me like I belonged to him. And worst of all? I had wanted it. I had kissed him first.

My throat felt tight, and I struggled to breathe as I turned to look at the bed beside me. But Dalton wasn't there. The sheets were rumpled, still holding his warmth, but he was gone.

Good.

I needed to leave. Now.

I tried to move, to push myself up, but the moment I did, pain shot through my leg like fire. A sharp gasp escaped me, and I fell back against the mattress, wincing. Right. My injury. The wound that Dalton had been nursing, the very reason I hadn't left already.

I clenched my fists, frustrated, angry at myself. I needed to get out of here before I made another mistake.

But what if I ran into something worse in the woods? What if I got lost again, or my leg gave out, and I was left helpless, easy prey for whatever creatures lurked beyond the safety of the cabin? Dalton had warned me about the dangers, and I had seen what lived in these forests-the shadows, the strange noises at night, the feeling of being watched.

I swallowed hard, my body trembling.

I was trapped.

I had nowhere to go, no way to leave. And the worst part? I didn't know what was more terrifying-the thought of staying with Dalton after what had happened... or the thought of leaving him behind.

A deep voice cut through the whirlwind of thoughts in my head.

"What's wrong?"

I froze. My breath caught in my throat.

Dalton.

He stood in the doorway, his golden eyes steady on me, his expression unreadable. His presence filled the room, his tall frame casting a shadow over the floorboards. He looked... normal. Like nothing had happened. Like last night hadn't just rewritten everything.

I stared at him, my heart hammering against my ribs. What's wrong? Was he serious?

I let out a sharp, bitter laugh, shaking my head. "Are you joking?" My voice was hoarse, strained from the emotions clawing at my throat.

Dalton's brows furrowed slightly, like he was actually confused. "No." He took a step closer, and I instinctively shifted back, ignoring the way my leg throbbed in protest. "You look upset."

Upset? I felt like I was losing my mind.

I clenched the sheets around me, my nails digging into the fabric as anger, shame, and frustration all collided inside me. "You're standing there asking me what's wrong like-like nothing happened." I gestured between us, my hand shaking. "Like last night didn't happen."

Dalton's expression didn't change. If anything, he just tilted his head slightly, observing me. "It did."

I scoffed. "Oh, so you do remember?" My voice was dripping with sarcasm, but I didn't care. "Because for a second, I thought maybe I imagined it all. Maybe I imagined cheating on my fiancé. Maybe I imagined sleeping with someone I barely know. Maybe I imagined-"

Dalton cut me off, his voice calm, steady. "You didn't imagine anything."

I hated how composed he was. How unaffected he seemed, while I was spiraling.

I ran a hand through my tangled hair, my head still throbbing. "You don't get it," I muttered. "I was supposed to marry him."

Dalton was quiet for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. Then he said, "And now?"

And now?

I swallowed hard. That was the problem. I didn't know.

I clenched my jaw, looking away. "Now, I leave. I-I shouldn't even be here. I don't belong here. I should be home, with Cole, not in some godforsaken cabin in the middle of nowhere, sleeping with a..." I trailed off, my chest heaving.

Dalton's lips quirked, just slightly. "A werewolf?"

My skin prickled. I shook my head in disbelief. "You say that like it's normal. Like I'm supposed to just accept that werewolves are real. Like I'm supposed to accept that I-" I exhaled shakily, my hands curling into fists. "That I let this happen."

Dalton stepped forward again, slow and deliberate. He wasn't angry. He wasn't smug. He just... was. Unshaken. Steady. The complete opposite of me.

"You act like you regret it."

My heart stopped.

I opened my mouth, ready to say of course I regret it. Ready to scream it if I had to.

But the words wouldn't come.

Because deep down, past the shame, past the guilt, past the overwhelming confusion-there was a tiny voice in the back of my mind whispering something terrifying.

Do you?

I squeezed my eyes shut, inhaling sharply. "I have to go."

Dalton exhaled through his nose. "With that leg?"

Damn him.

I gritted my teeth. "I'll figure it out."

He was silent for a moment, then, "You're running."

I snapped my eyes back to his, fury bubbling in my chest. "What else am I supposed to do?" I demanded. "Stay? Pretend like everything's fine? Like I didn't just throw away my entire future in one night?" My voice cracked. "Like I didn't just ruin everything?"

Dalton's gaze held mine, steady, unwavering.

"You didn't ruin anything," he said simply.

I let out a shaky laugh, my hands trembling. "You don't know that."

"I do." He tilted his head slightly, his golden eyes sharp, thoughtful. "You're afraid. And you think leaving will fix it."

I shook my head. "I know leaving will fix it."

Dalton studied me for a long moment, then, in a quiet voice, he asked, "Will it?"

I had no answer for that.

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