Page 46 of The Wolf

I turn to her, and the weight of our situation presses in again. “Yes, we’ll leave before dawn,” I respond, though my eyes quickly drift back to Julia. “She’s not taking this well. I don’t know how to say goodbye.”

Farah’s face softens, but there’s still that unyielding strength behind her eyes. “Honey, it’s not a goodbye.” Her gaze holds mine for a long moment, anchoring me in the midst of my spiraling thoughts. “We’ve prepared for this. You’ve done everything you can. We’re ready.” She doesn’t sound all that convinced, though. There’s something in her tone that betrays the uncertainty I’m feeling too.

Still, she presses a hand to my shoulder, grounding me in the present. Her touch is warm, the way it always has been—a quiet reminder of the strength she’s carried for centuries, a strength that somehow always feels like it’s shared with me.

“I know this isn’t easy, but Julia is strong,” she continues, the words more of a reassurance. “She’ll come to understand, in time. It may hurt, but she’ll manage.”

I nod, but the worry still gnaws at me. “I know. It’s just harder than I expected. I don’t want to leave her here, alone.”

“She’ll be alright, Alexander,” Farah repeats, her voice calm and practical. “You’re a king. And sometimes, that means making the difficult calls. You have to lead your people to the front lines. It’s not a place for her to be. This isn’t about leaving her behind, it’s about keeping her safe. She’s protected here.” Farah gives my arm a brief, comforting squeeze. “Vernox is watching.”

I glance toward the tower, where the gargoyle sits hunched over, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. “I’ve noticed. I’m still hesitant about him.”

“He’s not going to do anything unwise.”

“I’m not so sure,” I mutter, my unease growing. “Are you?”

“No.” She sighs, and I catch a flicker of something in her eyes. Worry? Or just the exhaustion of carrying centuries of wisdom, still forced to play this never-ending cat and mouse game with the hunters. “But Julia has her way of making others fall for her.”

I can’t deny it. Julia has this pull, this quiet magnetism that draws people in. Even the most hardened beings can’t resist her kindness, her warmth, her vulnerability. But that doesn’t mean I’m convinced that fucking gargoyle can be fully trusted.

Once again, my gaze shifts to Vernox’s unmoving form. There’s something about his stillness that deeply unsettles me. But I’ve vouched for him as an ally, and here he is, watchingover Julia. Not much he can do to mess things up—he can’t even step foot outside the castle grounds, bound by its limitations. His cunning, though, still bothers me. There’s too much I don’t know about him. And that makes him dangerous. He’s a liability, no matter how you spin it. Yet, he’s all I have now. Our numbers are stretched thin, and I can’t afford to pull anyone from the operation. It’s all hands on deck. Even with Satan involved, there can’t be any slip-ups. Not this time. Not with everything at stake.

I take a deep breath, my focus shifting back to Julia. Her eyes are gleaming with tears but her smile is soft, almost serene, as if she’s genuinely happy here, in this place, with us. My instincts scream at me to protect it. Protect her. The only thing that matters now is keeping her safe—and convincing her to believe in this world she’s only just beginning to understand.

“Go,” Farah prompts me gently. “Enjoy your time together.”

I give her a nod and make my way toward Julia and Penny.

My sister’s head shoots up. “Well, well,” she says, standing up from the log with a theatrical stretch. “Finally decided to grace us with your presence, huh?”

“I couldn’t watch you getting all mushy any longer.” I roll my eyes.

“How sweet of you!” she hisses, showing her fangs. “And here I was convincing Julia that you’re not alwayssobroody.”

“We’re good. I’ll take it from here.”

She starts to leave but stops mid-step, spinning dramatically to face me, her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know that at least I’m not the one who growls at everyone who breathes wrong.”

I snort. “Julia doesn’t mind the growling.”

“Yeah, we’re all well-versed in what Julia likes,” she retorts, her grin widening to a wicked edge.

“And you’ve made it weird. Congratulations!” I laugh lightly despite myself.

She flips me the finger and disappears into the crowd.

Amused, I shake my head after her. “I mentioned how fucking annoying she is, didn’t I?” I say jokingly, turning my gaze to Julia. Her posture is relaxed but her eyes a little distant. I walk over to the log where she sits and crouch down in front of her, wanting to be close.

She smiles and brushes the fur on top of my head. “I missed you,” she whispers before leaning in for a kiss.

I close my arms tightly around her waist, letting the kiss linger for a moment, tasting her warmth and sweetness blooming on my tongue. When we pull away, I can see the quiet exhaustion on her face. “You okay?” I ask, tucking a loose curl behind her ear.

Julia nods. “Yeah, just… tired, I guess.”

I know she doesn’t mean physical fatigue. It’s been mentally draining two weeks for her with worrying, and it’s only going to get worse with me being gone.

“What can I do to make it better?” I ask, my voice dropping lower, my tongue tracing a slow path along her exposed neck.

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