The Human Among Wolves (Aurora) novel Chapter 333

Chapter 333

Aurora

I sat on the edge of the bed for what felt like an eternity, my fingers curling around the edges of the blanket. The phone still pressed to my ear, though the line had gone dead. My mind raced, spinning out every possible scenario. Was he mad?

Angry? Concerned? And… why did it feel like my entire chest was tightening just at the thought of him waiting out there?

Mira called from the bathroom, her voice casual and oblivious. “I’m going to take a quick shower, don’t wait up!”

I swallowed, feeling a sudden weight settle over me. She wouldn’t know. She couldn’t know. And I had to decide fast.

I tied my hair into a ponytail, and for once I didn’t bother with contacts. There was no one in the hallways. My eyes were mine, and tonight,

that was enough.

Mira’s voice echoed faintly through the bathroom door, humming a tune didn’t recognize. Thank God. I tiptoed to the door, pressed my ear to it for a brief second, and, satisfied, eased it open. The hallway outside was dimly lit, almost eerily quiet, the thick carpet muffling my steps. My

pulse spiked with every soft thud.

I moved slowly, hugging the wall like a shadow, careful to avoid the faint reaks in the floorboards. My eyes flicked toward every doorway, every

window along the hall.

The hotel was asleep-or at least it seemed that way-but my instincts screamed that quiet wasn’t always safe. Every instinct in me–the wolf

inside-was on high alert, tense, restless.

I paused at the corner, listening. Nothing. Not a sound. I forced a slow breath, letting it fog in the cold hallway air that seeped in through the slightly cracked window panes. My boots made no sound. I was careful. Deliberate. Invisible.

The lobby was just down the hall, past the stairs. I took it slowly, pressing myself against the wall, glancing at the stairwell first. No one was coming down. The dim light from the lobby spilled faintly into the hall, flickering across the carpet in patches. My chest tightened. One misstep, one squeak, and I could ruin everything.

I finally reached the top of the stairs and crouched, listening again. Nothing. The distant hum of the night outside was faint, the occasional car or far-off bark of a dog. I pressed myself against the wall, sliding down one step at a time, silent as a ghost.

My wolf growled low in my chest, restless, sensing the tension in the air een before I could see anything.

The lobby stretched out below me, almost empty except for a lone night janitor quietly pushing a cart in the far corner, his back to me. I froze,

muscles tense. My heart thumped in my ears. I waited for him to move, walted for the perfect moment.

When his shadow passed out of the way, I darted across the final stretch of the stairs, landing lightly on the floor. My boots made a soft tap

against the polished wood, but he didn’t notice.

I crouched near a column, watching him as I adjusted the hood of my sweatshirt, hiding my face further. My wolf hissed low in my chest, restless and impatient, but I forced myself to stay calm, to stay hidden. My gaze flicked toward the front doors. Just a few more steps and I could be outside, and maybe… maybe get some clarity, some air, away from the pressure, away from everyone.

I waited for the janitor to disappear down the hallway toward the back service door. Then, I moved. My steps were cautious, deliberate. I passed

the reception desk, empty, the front clerk asleep behind the counter, drool faintly at the corner of his mouth. Good. I ducked lower as I passed,

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heart hammering in my chest.

Finally, I reached the door, my hand trembling as I gripped the handle. Outside, the night waited-cold, silent, empty. I pressed a foot against

the door, took a slow breath, and pushed.

The cold hit me instantly, biting through my hoodie, nipping at my skin. The hotel courtyard was empty, silvered by moonlight, snow soft and untouched beneath the pale lamps. I stepped out slowly, hesitating, every erve screaming. My breath came in shallow clouds, and I felt the

weight of the stillness pressing against me.

I froze.

Something was wrong.

It wasn’t just the cold. Not just the quiet. My instincts-the wolf inside-hissed, alert, tense. The night had shifted somehow. The air felt

heavier, thicker, waiting. I pressed my hands to my chest, forcing my heartbeat to slow, scanning the shadows along the building, the faint glow

of street lamps against the snow.

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“You came.”

The voice cut through the silence behind me, low and certain.

It wasn’t Zayn.

My breath caught as every muscle in my body locked at once. Slowly-too lowly-I turned around, my pulse thundering in my ears. The

courtyard lights flickered softly, casting pale reflections across the snow, and there she stood.

My eyes widened.

“Charlotte?”

She smiled, the expression sharp and deliberate. Moonlight caught in her air-icy silver-blonde, almost white under the lamps-making her look unreal, carved from frost itself. She stood comfortably, like she had been waiting all along, like this moment had always belonged to her.

“What do you want?” I asked, even though the answer already twisted in my gut.

She didn’t respond right away. Instead, she slipped her hand into the pocket of her jacket with slow, unhurried movements, never once

breaking eye contact. My chest tightened as she pulled out her phone.

She tapped the screen.

“Come outside. We need to talk.”

Zayn’s voice echoed through the cold air, distorted slightly by the speaker, but unmistakable.

My stomach dropped.

Understanding hit me all at once-sharp and sickening. She’d planned this Lured me out here. Alone.

She watched my reaction with clear satisfaction.

“You ruined my life,” she said calmly, almost gently. “He broke our bond because of you.”

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