Chapter 5

Alaric Dawnsworn

My fathers face was priceless when I came home WITH a rabbit. I’ve never seen him so proud.

Thank you, Ronan.

I can’t stop thinking about him. He was so beautiful up close. His teasing was annoying, though.

Something hit my window.

I jerk upright so fast that I nearly fall out of bed. My heart pounds against my ribs as I stare into the darkness of my room.

For a moment, I don’t move. Maybe I imagined it.

Then another soft tap sounds against the glass.

“What the hell…?” I mumble. Carefully, I push my blanket aside and climb out of bed. The wooden floor creaks beneath my feet as I cross the room. I pull the curtain back just enough to peek outside.

And nearly jump out of my skin.

Ronan.

The werewolf is standing beneath my window like this is completely normal behavior. The idiot is actually holding another pebble. The moment he notices me, a grin spreads across his face.

“There you are.”

I immediately let the curtain fall shut. Absolutely not. A second later, another pebble strikes the window.

Tap.

“Alaric,” Ronan calls quietly.

I groan and rub a hand over my face. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll leave.

Another pebble hits the glass.

He won’t leave.

With an annoyed sigh, I march back to the window and shove it open. Cold air immediately rushes into my room, making me shiver.

“What are you doing here?” I whisper-yell.

Ronan looks genuinely confused by the question.

“Visiting.”

“It’s midnight.”

“And?”

I stare at him. He stares back. The stupid grin never leaves his face.

“Normal people are asleep at midnight.”

A laugh escapes him.

“Good thing I’m not normal.”

I hate that he has a point. Moonlight filters through the trees and illuminates his face. His dark hair falls into his eyes, and for a second I find myself staring. Which is unfortunate. Because he’s annoyingly attractive. I quickly look away before he notices.

“Go away.”

“No.”

“Why?”

Ronan shrugs and bends down to pick up another pebble. He rolls it between his fingers before tossing it from one hand to the other.

“Because I was bored.”

I blink.

“That’s your reason?”

“It’s one of them.”

I narrow my eyes.

“What’s the other one?”

His grin widens.

“You.”

My stomach does an embarrassing little flip. Great. I hate that too. Heat crawls up my neck and settles in my cheeks. Ronan immediately notices. Of course he does.

“You’re blushing.”

“I’m cold.”

He glances at the open window.

“Your room looks pretty warm.”

I grip the windowsill tighter. The urge to throw something at him is becoming overwhelming.

“You’re insufferable.”

“That’s not what your face says.”

My face? What does that even mean? Before I can ask, my eyes drift to the forest behind him. The darkness stretches endlessly between the trees. A week ago I would’ve been terrified standing this close to a werewolf. Now I’m standing at my window arguing with one. Maybe I’ve lost my mind.

“You know,” I say quietly, “normal people usually introduce themselves before stalking someone through the woods.”

Ronan places a hand over his chest as if I’ve deeply wounded him.

“Stalking is such an ugly word.”

“What would you call it?”

He thinks for a moment.

“Observing.”

I let out a disbelieving laugh.

“You watched me fail to shoot a rabbit.”

“Several rabbits.”

“Wow. Thanks.”

“I’m just being honest.”

“You’re an ass.”

“And yet you’re still talking to me.”

Unfortunately, he’s right. Again. I hate how often that happens. For a moment neither of us speaks. The wind rustles through the trees behind him. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hoots. Ronan glances toward the forest and then back at me. His expression softens slightly.

“Did your father like the rabbit?”

The question catches me off guard. I look down at my hands resting on the windowsill.

“Yeah.”

Despite myself, I smile.

“He was actually proud of me.”

Ronan nods. A strange feeling settles in my chest. Because he looks genuinely happy about it. Not teasing. Not joking. Just happy.

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” I ask.

“What?”

“You gave me the rabbit because you knew I couldn’t catch one myself.”

A smirk returns to his face.

“Well, obviously.”

I roll my eyes.

“There he is.”

“There who is?”

“The annoying version of you.”

“I wasn’t aware there was another version.”

“There definitely isn’t.”

His laugh rings through the quiet night.

The sound makes me smile before I can stop myself.

Then—

A floorboard creaks somewhere inside the house. Every bit of amusement vanishes instantly. My blood turns to ice. Father. I see Ronan heard it too. His posture changes immediately. One second he’s relaxed. The next he’s alert. Dangerously alert. The shift is subtle, but it reminds me that beneath all the teasing and smiling, he’s still a predator.

Another floorboard creaks. Closer this time.

“Someone’s awake,” Ronan murmurs.

My pulse starts hammering.

“Shit.”

I glance toward my bedroom door. Then back to him.

“Go.”

Ronan doesn’t move. Instead, he tilts his head.

“Same time tomorrow?”

I stare at him.

“Are you serious?”

His grin returns.

“Completely.”

“No.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Ronan—”

Before I can finish, he takes a step backward into the shadows. Then his body begins to change. Even knowing what’s coming doesn’t make it any less shocking. Bones crack. Muscles shift beneath skin. Dark fur spreads rapidly across his body. Within seconds, the massive wolf stands where the man was. I still can’t believe this is real. The wolf lifts his head and looks at me. Golden eyes meet mine. For a brief moment, neither of us moves. Then he turns and disappears into the darkness between the trees. The bedroom door swings open barely two seconds later. I nearly jump out of my skin. My father stands in the doorway.

“What are you doing awake?”

I force myself to look calm. Couldn’t sleep, I tell myself. Act normal.

“Couldn’t sleep,” I say.

His gaze moves around the room before settling on the open window. My stomach drops. For one horrifying second, I think he knows. That he somehow saw Ronan. That he heard everything. But then he simply frowns.

“Close the window before you freeze to death.”

I nod, “Okay.”

Without another word, he leaves. I wait until his footsteps disappear down the hallway. Only then do I close the window and climb back into bed. My heart is still racing. Not because of my father.

Because of Ronan.

And somehow, that realization is far more terrifying.