His jaw clenched.

He stood there until nothing remained. He turned away immediately after, and returned to his sit.

His eyes closed for a brief moment. When he opened them again, they had a faint hlint of grey flickering through them ad he listened to the sound outside the door, and beyond the corridors.

He listened further, and beyond. There was no footsteps, no lingering presence or scent. The place seemed free of any scent to bear witness.

Only then did he move.

........

The stable was at the far edge of the south wing grounds, abandoned, quiet, and forgotten. It was the perfect place for something that should not exist.

Torak moved through the shadows without a single sound. The night had settled fully now, wrapping the castle in a stillness that felt almost deceptive.

He reached the entrance, paused, and listened. His wolf didn’t stir, signalling safety. With her father around, he wouldn’t risk it.

He stepped inside gently, and her scent hit him immediately. It filled the space, all soft and familiar.

His fists clenched at his sides, shut his eyes, and sniffed her scent with the whole of him. He didn’t want this, and he didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want to see her.

He had given her distance. The distance she had wanted, and the distance she had asked for. Yet, here he was, following a single line written in her hand.

He felt so pathetic yet he couldn’t help himself. His jaw tightened, and he followed the scent anyway, and deeper into the stable.

He walked past broken beams, and scattered hay until he heard a movement. She stepped out from behind a stack of hay.

The moment she saw him, Adele stopped completely. She just... stood there, quivering softly.

Torak stared at her, and for the first time, he felt something close to fear. She looked so wrong and pale. She looked like something had been taken out of her and not replaced.

His restraint snapped. He felt his heart ripped out of his chest, and he moved immediately. He crossed the distance between them in seconds.

With no pause or permission, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her into him. He held her so tightly. Letting her go after seeing that look in her eyes would break him without repair.

"Heavens..." he murmured into her hair. He had his face buried against her head, breathing her in, and grounding himself in the only way that worked.

For a moment, he didn’t move. He just held her, while she shivered lightly in his arms. Each sniff she pulled in had his heart shattering on the floor.

He pulled back slightly when she manged to steady herself a bit. He placed his hands on her arms.

His eyes searched hers. "What’s wrong?" he asked, desperate.

Her lips parted, but no words came through them. She shook her head. "Just... hold me, Torak."

Her voice broke on the last word.

Her eyes glistened. They were so red and tired.

Torak didn’t ask again. He leaned forward, pressed a gentle and careful kiss to her forehead, then pulled her back into his arms.

The hug was tighter this time.

She didn’t resist, or pull away. Her hands gripped the fabric of his shirt, holding on.

Torak closed his eyes. His hand moved slowly up her back. His hand rested there. Her breathing slowed down, and he exhaled with relief.

"Who did this?" he asked quietly.

Adele shook her head against him. "Don’t," she whispered. Her fingers tightened slightly around his shirt. "Please... don’t ask me that."

Torak’s jaw clenched. His eyes darkened, but he didn’t push.

His hand moved to the back of her head, holding her there, and protecting her even if it was temporary, and would mean nothing to her at the end.

"You shouldn’t have called me," he said after a moment.

Adele’s breath hitched slightly. "I know." She said against his chest. "I thought you wouldn’t come."

He didn’t answer to that. In fact, he couldn’t. Rather, he tightened the hug. The answer was already in the way he hugged her.

If she asked him not to, he would never let go.

Silence settled between them.

Torak’s chin rested lightly against her head. His gaze turned unfocused, and became distant.

"You asked for distance," he said eventually.

Adele didn’t respond. Her grip on him didn’t loosen either. "I remember," she said softly.

"Then why—"

"I couldn’t breathe." The words came out before she could stop them.

Torak stilled. His hold on her tightened just slightly. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Adele exhaled slowly. "I thought I could do it," she continued. "Stay away. Pretend it didn’t matter." Her voice wavered. "But it does. Although wrong, it’s the only thing that feels right in my life."

Torak closed his eyes. Pain flickered across his face.

"This... isn’t something that ends well," he said, through his heavy heart.

Adele gave him a small, broken laugh against his chest. "I know."

She raised her face to him, rested both of her palms on his chest, and looked up at him. "Forgive me for being foolish, Torak."

Torak swallowed.

By the time she whispered "forgive me,"

it was already too late because he had forgiven her long before she ever thought to ask.

Theere had never been a moment, past or future, where she wouldn’t have it. There would never be a world where he would look at her, and refuse.

Torak’s gaze didn’t leave hers.

His hand moved without thought, rising to her face. His thumb brushed just beneath her eye, catching the faint dampness there before it could fall. His touch was gentler than anything in the world they lived in—too gentle for something that was never meant to last.

"You don’t need my forgiveness," he said quietly. His voice had lost its edge. What remained was soft. "Not for this."

Adele’s lips trembled faintly before she steadied them. Her fingers curled slightly against his chest, gripping the fabric like she needed something to anchor herself before she said what came next.

"I’m leaving tonight."

Torak stilled.

The words hovered between them, suspended for just a second too long before settling deep into his chest.

"With my father," she continued, her voice quieter now. "After dinner. We’re going to the seer."

Torak’s hand dropped slowly from her face.

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t speak. His eyes searched hers again, this time sharper, as though looking for something that would undo what she had just said.

"For how long?" he asked finally.

Adele shook her head faintly. "I don’t know."

"You’re telling me this now?" His voice was controlled, but underneath it, he was battleling to restraint it.

Adele’s gaze dropped briefly before lifting again. "I didn’t know how to say it," she admitted. "And I didn’t know if I should."

Torak let out a quiet breath through his nose. His hand moved back to her, gripping her arm firmly enough to keep her there.

He doest know why she wanted to see a seer for the Alphas but if that made her happy, then he’d let her have it.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked.

Adele didn’t pull away.

"No," she said softly. "I can’t leave you with a kiss. It would hurt more than just leaving without saying a word."

Torak’s grip tightened just slightly.

For a moment, he said nothing. His eyes lingered on her face, memorizing every inch of her face.

Then, slowly, he pulled her back into him again.

A/N: Dearest gentleman readers, welcome to my birth month. 🙊😻😘