Chapter 17: Breaking Point

Sabine's POV - One Week Later

A week had passed since I'd agreed to stay on Cole's pack territory, and it felt like I was suffocating. Every day, without fail, both Owen and Cole—always in their wolf forms—would position themselves near my little cabin. They lay beneath the trees, their eyes never leaving the structure, silently watching over me like I was some kind of fragile prey. No matter how many times I reminded myself that I was safe, the constant surveillance gnawed at my nerves. I felt like an animal in a cage, and it was driving me insane.

I had no privacy, no space to breathe. They seemed to think that I needed constant protection, but all it did was make me feel like a prisoner. They thought they were doing it out of care, but all it did was remind me that I wasn't in control of my own life. I was a liability to them. A rogue. A threat.

But I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to escape. Just for a little while. I needed to be free of their watchful eyes, if only for a few hours.

So, when the morning light filtered through the trees, casting long shadows over the forest floor, I slipped quietly from the cabin. I didn't shift into my wolf form—no, that would make it too easy for them to track me. Instead, I walked, the crunch of leaves beneath my boots the only sound.

The further I went, the more my heart calmed. The cool forest air filled my lungs, and for the first time in a week, I could think clearly without the constant pressure of their eyes on me.

I had a destination in mind—there was a clearing not far from the cabin, a place I had discovered during my first few days here. I knew there were berries, some edible roots, and perhaps a small rabbit or two. It was nothing much, but it was enough to make me feel like I wasn't completely at their mercy.

I didn't know how long I had been walking when I heard it—the faint rustle of leaves, the soft padding of paws against the forest floor. My heart skipped, a mixture of frustration and dread rising in my chest. I knew who it was before I even turned around.

It was them.

Owen and Cole.

They had found me.

I could feel their presence before I saw them, their pack bonds pulling them toward me like a magnet. I clenched my fists, determined to keep moving, but I wasn't foolish enough to believe I could outrun them. They were faster. Stronger. And they would follow me until they had what they wanted.

Sure enough, Owen emerged first, his wolf's eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart race. I hadn't even noticed how close they'd gotten until his low growl filled the air, his muscles tensing beneath his sleek, dark fur.

Behind him, Cole appeared, his massive wolf form even more imposing. His golden eyes were sharp, almost predatory. I hadn't seen him shift since I'd arrived, and I'd almost forgotten just how overwhelming his presence was.

"Sabine," Owen's voice echoed in my mind, a calm yet urgent tone, "where are you going?"

I refused to answer, instead pushing forward, hoping against hope that I could make it far enough before they caught up.

But Cole's voice cut through the air, a command rather than a plea. "Enough, Sabine. You can't just run off like this."

I froze, biting back the urge to snarl. "I don't belong to either of you," I muttered, the frustration evident in my tone.

"Not yet," Cole said, stepping forward. "But you will. You're our mate, Sabine. You belong to the pack."

I shook my head, trying to calm the fury rising in my chest. "No. I don't belong to anyone. Not like this."

Owen moved in front of me, his wolf's gaze softening as he met my eyes. "You don't have to choose between us yet. We can give you space—"

"Space?" I interrupted, my voice cracking with a mix of anger and sadness. "I'm not some prize to be fought over. I need to be alone."

Cole's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening. "That's not how this works, Sabine."

I stepped back, my heart pounding. "You're right," I said, almost in a whisper. "This isn't how I wanted any of this to work."

The silence that followed was thick, the tension palpable between us. Neither of them moved, their eyes locked on me, unwilling to let me go.

And yet, for all the power they held over me, the weight of their watchful eyes, I knew one thing with absolute certainty.

I wasn't ready to be claimed. Not by either of them.

"I'll come back," I said, turning to leave. "But only if I can have my own space. A room, a house. Somewhere I can think. Alone."

Both of them hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of me being alone.

"You're part of the pack now, Sabine," Owen said softly. "But we'll respect your wishes. For now."

I didn't look back as I turned, my body tense, every step away from them a small victory. The forest felt quieter now, emptier, but I wasn't sure whether it was my own isolation or the presence of the wolves that filled the space around me.

But one thing was clear—I couldn't live under their watchful eyes forever. Not until I understood what I wanted. And right now, all I wanted was space to breathe.

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