Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the wolf lunging at Mira. Saw her stumble. Saw the blood.
Saw himself running toward her without thinking.
He woke up before dawn, heart pounding, sweat clinging to his skin. The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of the twin moons outside.
Mira was still asleep.
She lay on her side, facing him, her breathing soft and steady. Her hair had fallen over her face, and her hand was curled loosely near her chin.
She looked peaceful.
Vulnerable.
Human.
Not the unstoppable, infuriating, level‑99 force of nature she pretended to be.
Evan sat up quietly, rubbing his face. “Get a grip,” he whispered to himself. “She’s Mira. She’s always been Mira.”
But that didn’t help.
Because Mira wasn’t the same girl who stole his crayons and declared herself his rival.
Or maybe she was — and he was just seeing her differently now.
He didn’t know which option scared him more.
*
A soft rustle made him look up.
Mira blinked awake, her eyes hazy with sleep. “Evan…? Why are you up so early?”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
She sat up slowly, stretching her arms above her head. “Nightmare?”
“No.”
“Liar.”
He sighed. “Fine. Maybe.”
She scooted to the edge of her bed, her feet brushing the floor. “Come here.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Because you look like you’re about to pass out.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.”
He hesitated.
Then he moved.
He sat beside her, leaving a careful inch of space between them.
Mira closed that inch immediately.
“You don’t have to pretend you’re okay,” she said softly. “Not with me.”
He stared at the floor. “I’m not pretending.”
“You are.”
He clenched his jaw. “I just… I keep thinking about yesterday.”
She nodded. “Me too.”
“You could’ve died.”
“But I didn’t.”
“That’s not the point.”
She turned toward him, her knee brushing his. “Then what is?”
He swallowed. “I don’t want to lose you.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and fragile.
Mira’s breath caught.
“Evan…”
He shook his head. “Forget it. I didn’t mean—”
“Yes, you did.”
He froze.
She reached out and took his hand again — the same way she had last night — but this time, she didn’t let go.
Her fingers intertwined with his.
Warm. Steady. Certain.
“You don’t have to say anything else,” she whispered. “I just… I’m glad you said that much.”
He looked at her, really looked at her.
Her cheeks were pink. Her eyes were soft. Her thumb brushed his hand in slow, nervous circles.
She was scared too.
That realization hit him like a punch.
“Mira,” he said quietly, “why are you holding my hand?”
She blinked. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No,” he said too quickly. “I mean— I don’t— It’s fine.”
She smiled, small and shy. “Then I’ll keep holding it.”
His heart did something dangerous.
*
A knock at the door made them jump apart like guilty teenagers.
“Adventurers!” the innkeeper called. “Breakfast is ready!”
Mira cleared her throat. “We should… go.”
“Yeah,” Evan said, voice cracking. “Breakfast. Food. Yes.”
They stood, both pretending nothing had happened.
Both failing miserably.
Mira opened the door, but before stepping out, she glanced back at him.
“Hey, Evan?”
“Yeah?”
Her voice softened. “Thanks for staying with me last night.”
He swallowed. “Anytime.”
She smiled — the kind of smile that made his chest feel too tight — and walked out.
Evan followed, his thoughts a chaotic mess.
He had no idea what today would bring.
But he knew one thing:
Whatever was happening between him and Mira…
It wasn’t rivalry anymore.
It was something deeper.
Something scarier.
Something he wasn’t ready to name.
Not yet.
But he could feel it growing.
And so could she.
---
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