Page 5

CHAPTER FIVE

IVAN

As Nathan asked to use my bathroom, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt for not offering sooner.

He looked so vulnerable, so out of place, and all I could think about was how good he would look in my clothes.

“Of course, it’s at the end of the hallway,” I answered, trying to sound casual. “Feel free to take a shower. You can borrow some of my clothes. They’ll be a little big on you?—”

“I don’t mind, thank you,” Nathan said, his voice soft but grateful.

I watched him as he walked down the hallway, his steps slow, almost hesitant.

My mind began to wander, imagining how he would look in my oversized t-shirt, the fabric draping over his lean frame.

The thought sent a wave of heat through me, and I quickly shook my head, berating myself. What was I thinking?

Nathan had just been through something traumatic, and here I was, picturing him in ways I had no right to. I needed to get a grip.

As the sound of water running reached my ears, I found myself thinking back to when I handed Nathan my phone.

His expression had deflated, and he’d told me he didn’t have anyone to call.

No one? That didn’t sit right with me. How could someone like him not have anyone in his life to turn to?

It made me want to know more about him, to understand what had led him to this moment—being hunted, alone, and terrified.

But I knew I had to tread carefully.

Pushing him too hard might scare him off, and the last thing I wanted was to lose the fragile trust he seemed to be placing in me.

Still, the thought of him leaving gnawed at me.

My dragon was restless, insistent that Nathan should stay, that he belonged here. With me.

It was possessive, maybe even selfish, but I couldn’t help it.

The bond I felt with him was something I hadn’t experienced before, and it frightened me as much as it intrigued me.

I wanted him to stay—not just for tonight, but for longer. Much longer.

The doorbell rang, jolting me from my thoughts.

I opened the door, expecting the pizza delivery, but instead found Draven, the newest member of our pack, standing there with a grin.

“Hey, I spotted you flying overhead just now. You back?” Draven asked, his tone light.

I liked Draven well enough. We’d gone on missions together, shared a few beers, even played pool when I was in town.

But tonight, his presence felt like an intrusion.

I couldn’t explain it, but the idea of Nathan seeing another alpha, especially so soon, didn’t sit well with me.

“Yeah, I’m back for now,” I said, keeping my voice neutral.

Draven raised an eyebrow, sniffing the air. I growled instinctively, and he took a step back, raising his hands in mock surrender.

“I see you have company, so I won’t bother you. Have a good night, Ivan. By the way, Zane’s invited everyone for a lunch BBQ this weekend. Why don’t you bring your new friend?” Draven asked.

I gritted my teeth. Draven was just being friendly, but the thought of taking Nathan to a pack gathering seemed too soon, too intimate.

“I’ll think about it,” I replied shortly.

“Good night, Ivan,” Draven said, giving me a knowing look before he left.

I closed the door, feeling more rattled than I cared to admit.

Draven’s invitation had thrown me. Was I really considering introducing Nathan to my pack?

What did I know about him, really? We were practically strangers, yet every instinct I had told me to keep him close, to protect him.

My dragon rumbled in agreement, its voice low and possessive in my mind.

Before I could dwell on it, the real pizza delivery arrived.

I paid for it and carried the boxes inside, trying to focus on the mundane task of setting up dinner.

But my thoughts kept drifting back to Nathan. What was I doing? Why did I feel this overwhelming need to keep him with me?

“Hey, pizza’s here,” I called out as I heard the bathroom door open.

Nathan emerged, a towel draped around his shoulders, his hair wet and tousled.

He was wearing my shirt, and it fell to his knees, the fabric swallowing his slender frame.

He looked...good. Too good. A wave of possessive desire surged through me, and I had to force myself to keep it in check.

The last thing he needed was me pouncing on him like some kind of predator.

Nathan’s gaze met mine, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. His eyes widened slightly, and he swallowed, his throat working.

“Your eyes,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

“What about them?” I asked, my voice coming out as a low growl.

“There’s streaks of gold in them,” he said, almost mesmerized.

His gaze flickered with something that looked like both fear and want, and it made my pulse quicken.

I realized I was losing control, letting my emotions and instincts get the better of me.

Nathan had been through enough tonight without me adding to his turmoil.

I needed to calm down, to be the protector he needed, not the threat he feared.

I cleared my throat, forcing a smile.

“I hope you like pepperoni and Hawaiian,” I said, trying to shift the focus back to something simple, something normal.

“Sounds good,” Nathan replied, his voice steadier, though his eyes still lingered on mine as if searching for something.

I busied myself with opening the pizza boxes, handing him a plate as I tried to ignore the way his presence filled the room, the way his scent mingled with the steam from his shower.

Every part of me wanted to reach out, to pull him close, to claim him. But I knew that wasn’t what he needed right now.

I had to be patient, to let him come to me on his own terms.

We sat down to eat, and I forced myself to focus on the food, on the mundane act of sharing a meal.

But the air between us was thick with unspoken words, with a tension that was impossible to ignore.

I could feel his eyes on me, and every time our gazes met, I saw that same mix of emotions in his eyes—fear, curiosity, and something deeper, something that made my dragon stir with anticipation.

I wanted to ask him more about what had happened, to understand the full extent of the danger he was in.

But I held back, not wanting to push him too soon.

Instead, I made small talk, asking him about the food, if he was comfortable, if he needed anything else.

He answered politely, but I could tell his mind was elsewhere, and I didn’t blame him.

He’d been through hell, and here I was, trying to make small talk over pizza.

But as the night wore on, the tension between us didn’t ease. If anything, it grew stronger, more palpable.

And despite my best efforts to stay focused on being a good host, my thoughts kept drifting back to one thing—Nathan, wearing my shirt, sitting across from me, looking like he belonged here.

Like he belonged with me.

It was a dangerous thought, one that I knew I should push away.

But as the night deepened and the distance between us seemed to shrink, I realized that it wasn’t just my dragon that wanted to keep him close. It was me, too.

And that was something I wasn’t sure I could ignore for much longer.

"I can't take your room. Where would you sleep?" Nathan asked after I showed him to my bedroom.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine with the couch," I told him.

I had made sure to clean up my room before showing it to him, so it wouldn't look as messy as the rest of the apartment.

Nathan bit his lower lip. He looked so adorable that I was tempted to kiss him right then and there, but I somehow managed to resist.

"Well then, good night, Nathan," I said.

"Good night, Ivan." Nathan looked like he had more to say, but whatever it was, he kept it to himself and shut the door.

After Nathan went to bed, I lingered outside his door, listening to his breathing as it evened out into the soft, rhythmic pattern of sleep.

Part of me wanted to stay, just in case he had a nightmare or needed something, but I knew I had other things to take care of.

With a last glance at the closed door, I turned and headed back to the roof.

The night was still, a heavy darkness hanging over Sky Stead, and I felt the familiar pull of my dragon form.

I undressed quickly, leaving my clothes in a neat pile on the roof, and shifted.

The transformation was always painful, but the result was worth it.

I stretched my wings, feeling the wind catch in the membranes, and took off into the night sky.

It didn’t take me long to retrace my steps.

The woods where I had found Nathan were easy to spot from above, even in the dark.

The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting long shadows that seemed to shift and move as I flew over them.

My senses were heightened in this form, and I scanned the area, searching for any sign of the alpha who had been chasing Nathan.

The memory of the violent alpha was enough to make me growl, but there was no sign of the intruder.

Good. If he had any sense, he was far away from here by now.

I continued flying, my mind on my next task: retrieving my truck.

The coyote shifter bikers who had been around the bar earlier were trouble, but I wasn’t about to let them keep my vehicle.

Besides, my phone and wallet were likely still in the truck, and I needed those back.

The bar was a rough place, a low building with peeling paint and a parking lot filled with motorcycles.

I landed a distance away, out of sight, and shifted back to human form.

I stole a pair of denim pants from a biker who was having sex with a woman in the back of his truck, quickly pulling them on before making my way toward the bar.

As I approached, I could see the bikers milling around, drinking and laughing loudly.

The atmosphere was tense, though, like a pack of wolves waiting for the right moment to strike.

I kept to the shadows, using my enhanced senses to navigate the darkened edges of the lot until I spotted my truck.

It was parked at the far end, away from the bikes, but someone had smashed the windows.

The sight made my blood boil, and my dragon stirred angrily inside me, but I forced myself to stay calm.

Drawing attention to myself here would only make things worse. I moved quickly, checking the truck for any signs of my belongings.

The wallet and phone were gone, probably taken by whoever broke the window, but the keys were still in the ignition.

I climbed in and started the engine, the familiar rumble soothing my nerves.

A few of the bikers turned to look at me, suspicion clear in their eyes, but I ignored them. I wasn’t looking for a fight, not tonight.

As I pulled out of the lot, I noticed a few of them getting on their bikes, clearly intending to follow me.

I cursed under my breath but kept driving, keeping my speed steady and my senses alert.

I was a good driver, and I was confident I could lose them.

The chase was brief but intense.

They stayed on my tail for a while, the roar of their engines growing louder as they tried to catch up, but I took a sharp turn down a narrow, winding road that led deeper into the forest.

The trees closed in around me, blocking out the moonlight, and I felt the familiar thrill of the hunt as I pushed the truck to its limits.

The bikers were still behind me, but their headlights wavered as they struggled to keep up.

I knew the exact moment I lost them.

The road took a sudden dip, and I hit the gas, speeding down the incline before taking another sharp turn.

The bikers hesitated, their lights flickering uncertainly, and then they were gone, the sound of their engines fading into the night.

I slowed down, the adrenaline still pumping through my veins, but my thoughts were already back on Nathan.

I didn’t like leaving him alone, even if it was just for a short time.

The idea of him waking up and finding me gone made my chest tighten with something I didn’t want to name.

I just needed to get back to him.

When I finally pulled into the parking lot of my building, the night was quiet again.

I parked the truck and headed inside, taking the stairs two at a time.

My mind was still racing from the chase, but it all faded away when I reached my apartment door.

I listened for a moment, reassured by the steady sound of Nathan’s breathing coming from the bedroom.

He was still asleep, peaceful and unaware of the chaos I’d just left behind.

That was good. He needed rest, and I needed to keep him safe.

I made my way to the couch and lay down, staring up at the ceiling.

Sleep wouldn’t come easily, not with the image of those bikers still fresh in my mind, but at least Nathan was safe. For now.

As I closed my eyes, I couldn’t help but think of the way he had looked at me earlier, his eyes wide with trust and something else I didn’t want to name.

I wasn’t sure what was happening between us, but I knew one thing: I wasn’t going to let anything hurt him. Not now, not ever.