Xavier

Her eyes turned to the man next to her. Xavier was not taking her back to the packhouse as she had expected. Instead, he walked further into the forest before stopping in a small clearing where he had left her moments before.

In silence, she watched him as he reached out for her. She did not flinch when his fingertips brushed her cheekbones in a gentle caress. Her eyes were filled with anxiety, desperation, fear, and most of all... she felt lost.

"I know you're afraid, Karenina," he murmured before putting his hand back to his side.

When he looked at her with his golden yellow eyes, he saw...