Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: The Silent Bond

The woods whispered with a soft wind, carrying the earthy scent of moss and fallen leaves. Eli walked slowly, a basket tucked in the crock of his arm, humming under his breath. The air felt lighter out here, away from the noise and bustle of the city. His finger brushed over a low bush, the small, dark berries popping gently into his hand. But then-------------A prickle on the back of his neck. He paused. The forest had gone still. No birds. No rustle of leaves. Just the quiet hush of something watching. Eli turned slowly. And there------half-hidden in the undergrowth ------ stood a wolf. It larger than any wolf, sleek golden black fur gleaming in the dappled light. Golden eyes locked onto his, sharp and unblinking. A low, rough growl rumbled in its throat, and Eli's breath hitched. His hands froze over the basket, a few berries slipping between his fingers and falling to the dirt. The wolf ears flicked forward. It took a step toward him, the growl deepening --------a sound that vibrated in Eli chest like the warning before the storm. Eli heart pounded wildly, terror and fascination tangled in his veins. He couldn't run. He couldn't move. But then---something shifted. The wolf tensed......and then eased. The growl softened, fading into a quiet, rough exhale. Its gaze stayed locked on Eli, but there was something different now----------an almost thoughtful tilt to its head, a strange, watchful stillness. It wasn't the look of a predator stalking prey. It was the look of something......aware. Eli swallowed, his throat dry. His voice came out barely a whisper, more to himself than anything. ''Okay......okay, just stay calm...'' The wolf ear twitched at the sound of his voice. Its gaze lingered for one long, breathless moment......and then, with a huff. it turned, disappearing into the underbrush without a sound. Eli stood frozen, his pulse roaring in his ears. what the hell was that? It wasn't just fear, he realized as his breath slowed. There was something else under the surface, something he couldn't quite name. A feeling- like the air had shifted around him. Like he'd brushed up against a secret, hidden in the woods. He shook his head, gathering his basket with trembling hands, and hurried back toward the path. But as he walked, he couldn't shake the sensation that somewhere, in the trees beyond his sight, someone was still watching him. Eli tried to forget. Tired to shake the image of the golden----eyed wolf from his mind--the way it had looked at him, as if it knew him, as if it had been watching, waiting. But the memory lingered. It clung to the edges of his thoughts like the scent of rain before a storm. So, he threw himself into the bakery. Early mornings, flour-dusted counter, the soft hum of the oven---------that was safe. That was familiar. Until he walked in. The bell above the door chimed softly, and Eli glanced up-----expecting a regular, maybe an old couple or a student on their way to class. But it wasn't them. It was him. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dark hair falling in soft waves over a strong brow. Golden eyes that gleamed in the warm light of the bakery. For a heartbeat, Eli couldn't move. Couldn't speak, his breath caught in his throat like a fluttering bird. He knew those eyes. But...that was impossible. Then man------no, the stranger------walked in with a quiet, steady presence, like he belonged, yet didn't. There was something wild in the way he moved, a controlled tension, a sharpness under the calm. He didn't say much. Just gave a small nod, voice low, when he ordered. ''One black coffee.'' Simple. Direct. Eli scrambled to prepare it, hands suddenly clumsy, as if they weren't his own. The coffee mug nearly slipped, and as he caught it, a small bag of flour tumbled from the counter's edge. It hit the floor with a dull thud, sending a soft cloud of white dust into the air. ''Shit!'' Eli muttered, bending down quickly. But before he could reach it, the man was there. His hand---larger, warm, steady---brushed against Eli as they both grabbed for the bag. Their fingers barely touched, but it was enough. Enough for a quiet jolt to run, through Eli, sharp and sudden. His breath caught, his eyes flicking up. Then man's gaze held his----steady, unreadable, like dark water hiding something deep beneath the surface. And for a heartbeat, it felt like the world had gone still. Then man handed him the bag without a world, a faint frown pulling at his lips as if....concerned? Or was that his imagination Eli mumbled, ''Thanks.'' barely meeting his eyes. The man said nothing, just gave a slow nod before taking his coffee and sitting at a corner table. But Eli could feel his eyes, watching quietly, following his movements. And when Eli absentmindedly rubbed at the small scratch on his hand--the one from the berry brushes in the woods--------he didn't see the way the man golden eyes narrowed, the subtle, the subtle tension in his jaw, or the way his fingers curled tightly around coffee cup. He didn't hear the soft, low growl that barely escaped--deep in the man chest, too Quiet for anyone else to notice. But something in the air shifted--again. Eli felt in his bones, in the way the hair on the back of his neck stood on the end, in the fluttering beat of his heart. The man finished his coffee in silence, then left without a word---only a brief glance back, as if.......he didn't want to leave. Eli watched him go. the bell above the door tinkling softly as it closed. He stood there for a long moment, heart pounding in his chest, unsure of why the room suddenly felt colder without him there.