The dense woods part as Ace approaches the familiar cabin at the edge of the forest.
The scent of pine and damp earth fills the air, a stark contrast to the lingering tension he left behind in the pack.
His steps slow as the small home comes into view_ a sturdy wooden structure, smoke curling from the chimney, a warm glow seeping from the windows into the dimming light of dusk.
Before he even reaches the porch, the door swings open.
"Ace!" Elira’s voice rings out, full of warmth and relief. She rushes forward, wrapping him in a tight embrace before he can say a word.
Ace exhales, letting himself sink into her motherly affection, just for a moment. "Hey, Elira."
She pulls back slightly, holding his face between her hands. "Let me look at you. You look thinner! Have you been eating properly? Is everything okay?" Her sharp gaze sweeps over him, searching for any sign of distress.
Ace chuckles, though it lacks its usual mischief. "I’m fine, really."
"Are you sure? Because Marsel has been pacing for days waiting for you. You should see the stack of letters he’s written." She shakes her head, finally stepping aside to let him in.
As soon as Ace enters, the scent of home_ woodsmoke, spices, something faintly sweet_ envelops him.
It’s a welcome contrast to the heavy, charged air of the packhouse.
Marsel sits by the fireplace, an old book open on his lap, but the moment he sees Ace, he shuts it abruptly and stands. His sharp, assessing gaze fixes on him.
"You finally decided to come," Marsel says, crossing his arms. There’s no anger in his voice, only deep concern masked beneath his usual gruffness.
Ace shrugs, trying to keep it light. "Well, you weren’t exactly subtle with your letters."
Marsel exhales, shaking his head. "Sit. You have a lot to tell me." Marsel says, for some reason he wants to wrap Ace’s tired frame into his arms, but he doesn’t.
Elira ushers him toward the chair before disappearing into the kitchen, muttering about making him something warm to drink.
Ace sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Where do I even start?"
Marsel gives him a long look. "Just heard that there were fierce fights. The challenge for leadership... something like that. I heard whispers that Kieran nearly lost. What happened."
Ace scoffs. "Yeah. Rehan challenged him. Am sure you know him. He tried to turn the pack against him, and honestly, he almost succeeded." His fingers curl into fists at the memory of Kieran, bloodied and struggling, the pack watching with uncertainty. "But Kieran won in the end."
Marsel’s brows furrow. "And yet you’re here, away from the pack."
Ace hesitates, staring into the flickering flames. "What now? Aren’t you the one who have crying for me?! Anyway, I needed space. I needed to think."
Marsel studies him, then sighs, as if already knowing the answer to his next question. "Does this have to do with Kieran again?"
Ace doesn’t respond immediately, but the silence is answer enough.
Elira returns, placing a steaming mug in front of him before sitting beside him, her hand resting gently on his knee. "What happened, Ace?"
Ace takes a slow sip of the drink before speaking. "Kieran... lately... he has been claiming that he loves me." The words taste strange even as he says them. He laughs, but there’s no humor in it. "Can you believe that?"
Elira and Marsel exchange a glance.
Marsel leans forward. "And you don’t believe him?"
Ace clenches his jaw, staring into the depths of his cup. "How can I? After everything? After the way he treated me, after pushing me away, rejecting everything we had
_ how do I just accept that now he suddenly wants me?"
Elira’s expression softens, but she doesn’t interrupt.
Marsel, however, doesn’t hesitate. "People can be blind to what they feel until they’re on the verge of losing it. Maybe that’s what happened to him."
Ace huffs. "That doesn’t mean I should just forgive him."
"No, it doesn’t," Marsel agrees. "But running away won’t give you the answers you’re looking for, either."
Ace falls silent, his mind turning over everything. The fight, the way Kieran collapsed in his arms, the quiet moment they shared. And the way Kieran watched him leave without stopping him. "Am not looking for any answers for now."
Elira squeezes his hand gently. "Stay as long as you need, Ace. But don’t shut yourself off from what you really want."
Ace swallows hard, unable to answer. He isn’t sure he even knows the answer himself.
He takes another slow sip of his drink, his mind drifting back to the letters.
They had felt urgent, almost desperate. He lowers his cup and looks up at Marsel and Elira, their familiar faces watching him with a warmth that should be comforting. But right now, it only makes his unease grow.
"The letters," he says, his voice steady but sharp. "You kept writing to me, even if I didn’t show up, am sorry, it was really tough. So? There must be something specific you wanted to say."
Marsel and Elira exchange a glance so brief that most wouldn’t have caught it. But Ace does.
Marsel clears his throat. "We just wanted you here, to know you are fine, Ace. We were worried."
Ace leans back slightly, crossing his arms. "Worried? Or is there something you’re not telling me?"
Elira reaches for her cup, but her fingers tremble slightly before she grips it tightly. Marsel looks down for a moment, then exhales through his nose.
Ace narrows his eyes. "What is it?"
Elira opens her mouth, then closes it again. Her usual easy affection now feels strained, as if she’s holding something back.
"We just wanted to make sure you’re safe," Marsel says after a moment, but his voice lacks its usual confidence.
Ace frowns. His instincts tell him there’s more.
"That’s not all, is it?" he presses.
Elira looks at Marsel again. The tension between them is palpable now, as if they’re silently debating something_ whether to speak or not.
The air in the room feels heavier. Ace grips the armrest of his chair, his heartbeat picking up.
"You’ve planned to tell me something," he says slowly. "Haven’t you?"
Neither of them answer immediately. The hesitation says enough.
Elira forces a smile, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. "Ace, you’ve been through a lot. Let’s not focus on that right now. It’s really not important."
Ace clenches his jaw. Why won’t they just say it? What are they hiding?
He looks between them, feeling something shift in his chest. A feeling he doesn’t like.
Before he can push further, Marsel changes the subject entirely, asking about the pack. About Kieran.
"Come on guys, I’ve been frustrated enough, do want to do that to me too? Whatever it is, just say it." Ace says loosing his patience.