Unlikely Encounters
Juno’s POV
These debt collectors are killing me. I’ve barely escaped them, and now I find myself lost in the middle of nowhere. A forest? Seriously? How does a forest even exist in the middle of a city? Trust me, I’m as confused as you are.
I limped through the thick underbrush, wincing with each step. The pain in my leg was a sharp reminder of how far I’d come to avoid those damn collectors. My leg was bleeding from what I assumed was a cactus, great, just what I needed. As if the night couldn’t get worse.
The moonlight barely cut through the trees, casting eerie shadows on the ground. I kept moving, pushing through the brush, trying to ignore the sting in my leg. But then... I heard it, a rustling sound. My heart skipped a beat. My fingers automatically brushed over the cold steel of the pocket knife I kept tucked in my waistband. I didn’t know why I had it; I just did. Call it instinct.
I spun around, ready to defend myself, only to freeze when I saw the silhouette of a man walking toward me. At first, I didn’t even react. A person. It was just a person. Probably another lost soul like me.
But then he stepped into the moonlight, and I froze.
He looked to be in his twenties. His face was partially hidden by a sleek black mask, the kind you’d expect from someone out of a spy movie. His eyes, though, piercing, like he could see right through me, watched me with an unsettling calm. His clothes were dark, practical, military-style gear that blended with the shadows, and his posture exuded control. But it was his build that stood out: tall, broad-shouldered, like he’d seen the inside of a gym more times than I cared to count.
For a moment, we stood there, just a few inches apart, and I could feel the tension in the air.
“What are you doing here?” His voice, low, commanding, sent a shiver down my spine.
I couldn’t help the nervous chuckle that escaped me. “Got lost, I think…” My voice came out shakier than I intended.
He didn’t believe me. I could see it in his eyes. “This place is dangerous at night. You better leave.”
I nodded slowly, his tone as if he was used to giving orders and people listening. But something about him… the way he held himself, the authority in his voice, something about it felt familiar, as if I’d heard that voice somewhere before. Or seen those eyes.
Where had I seen him?
Before I could dig deeper into that thought, a rustling sound broke my focus.
“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath.
I turned instinctively, my senses going on high alert. The air was thick with tension, the night suddenly colder.
Then, I saw them, shadows moving fast, a pack of wolves creeping through the trees, their eyes glowing in the dim light. My heart raced. “Oh no. Shit.”
He whispered, “Run.”
I couldn’t, my leg was bleeding, and the pain was unbearable. I barely held myself up, every step a reminder of how much I was struggling.
As we slowly took a few steps back, he knelt down quickly. I caught his signal, my heart pounding in my chest. Without thinking, I jumped onto his back, and he started running.
He held me tight, his grip unshakable, as though he could carry me for miles without breaking a sweat.
Minutes turned into what felt like hours, the sound of wolves’ growls fading behind us. After what felt like twenty minutes, I gestured for him to stop. He halted, breathing hard, and dropped me onto the ground.
I quickly patted his back, trying to catch my breath. He pulled out a small bottle from his jacket, unscrewed the cap, and took a long swig. It looked like liquor, but who was I to judge? He had his preferences.
We sat on a large rock, both of us catching our breath. His eyes were glowing in the moonlight, piercing through the darkness as he turned toward me.
“Remove the mask. It may suffocate you,” I said, concerned.
“No need. I’ll manage.” His tone was cold, dismissive, like nothing could touch him.
Then, his gaze sharpened, and he asked, “Who are you?”
I sighed, the weight of my situation settling on me again. “Juno Draven. I was running from debt collectors… and got lost.”
He nodded like it was the answer he was expecting. Then, without another word, he stood up and began walking. I followed, limping behind him, trying to keep up.
“Need a carriage, princess?” he mocked, his voice laced with amusement.
I frowned, irritated by his arrogance. But before I could retort, he suddenly scooped me up in a bridal carry. I yelped in surprise, hitting his chest.
“Put me down!” I shrieked, struggling against his hold.
He didn’t even flinch. He just kept walking, his steps steady as though it was the most natural thing in the world. I was caught between shock and disbelief.
We finally emerged from the maze-like forest, the streetlights flickering as I glanced up at the time. 1:39 AM. “Dang,” I muttered.
Suddenly, he leaned in closer, his face inches from mine. For a moment, I was lost in his deep sea blue eyes, that depth, that quiet intensity that seemed to pull me in.
“You never met me. Got it?” he breathed under his skin, his voice low, almost a warning.
I snapped back to reality. “Why?”
“No questions.” His voice was firm, commanding.
I nodded, swallowing the sudden lump in my throat. Without another word, he strode toward a sleek motorbike parked nearby. I stood frozen for a second, not entirely sure what just happened, before he looked over his shoulder.
“Want to spend the night here?” he asked casually, as if we hadn’t just nearly been eaten by wolves.
I blinked, realizing I had no other choice. Slowly, I climbed onto the back of the bike.
“Where do you live?” he asked, revving the engine.
I gave him the address, detailing it with a sense of dread creeping up my spine.
“Hold tight, baby girl. This ride’s gonna be tough.”
I barely had time to brace myself before we were flying down the road. The wind whipped against me, my heart racing, and I held onto his waist tighter than I intended. His body was hard, steady, and I felt heat spreading across my face. Was it the adrenaline or something else?
We tore through the streets like the wind, faster than I ever thought possible. By the time he dropped me off in front of my apartment, I was dizzy with both excitement and confusion.
I muttered a shaky, “Thank you,” my voice barely audible as he revved the bike and drove off, disappearing into the night.
Before he zoomed off, I asked, “Who are you?”
He looked over his shoulder. “Your mysterious savior…”
As he disappeared into the dark, I watched in awe.
As I walked inside, I finally allowed myself to breathe. I pulled off my jacket and something small fell out. An antiseptic cream. I stared at it, confused. How the hell did that get there?
And then it hit me, he had put it in my pocket.
Who was he? I thought to myself as I tried to sleep, my mind still racing with questions I didn’t know how to answer.
Axton’s POV
After reaching home, the first thing that came to mind was her. Juno. Her dark, wavy hair, a little tangled from our encounter in the woods, framed a face that was striking in its raw beauty. High cheekbones, and those damn piercing brown eyes that seemed to look right through you. Even when she wasn’t speaking, she radiated a quiet, untouchable strength.
Why the hell was I thinking about her?
I shook my head, trying to push her out of my mind, but it wasn’t easy. I knew I had to get some rest, Derek would be flying in tomorrow, and I still had a million things to do. But sleep didn’t come easy, not when her image kept flickering in the back of my mind.
I eventually managed to drift off, but it didn’t last long. I was jolted awake, gasping for air, my chest tight as the nightmare clawed its way to the surface once again. It was always the same, those dark images chasing me, the ones I couldn’t outrun, no matter how fast I tried to go. I swallowed hard, trying to shake it off.
I reached for the glass of water on the nightstand, the cool liquid doing little to calm the storm inside my head. As I sat up, something clicked.
Derek.
I cursed under my breath, realizing I had completely forgotten about the meeting. He was flying in today, and I had to be there. I didn’t have time to waste. I jumped out of bed, changed quickly, and grabbed my keys.
I had one stop to make on the way, Benny’s. The food there wasn’t anything special, but it was familiar. It was the kind of place me and Derek go when we wanted to forget the chaos of our lives, even if only for a few minutes.
I drove there in silence, my mind racing. When I pulled up, I noticed something strange, a girl darting from the back of the store, a bag of food clutched in her hand as she sped down the alley.
I followed her without thinking. There was something about the way she moved, the way she seemed to glide, even in her haste. As I caught up, she spun around, and I barely had time to react before she pointed a knife at me.
I smirked, twisting her arm to disarm her before shoving her against the wall. The second the mask came off, I froze.
Juno.
Her eyes widened, but only for a moment. She rolled her eyes in that way of hers and muttered, “You caught me.”
“Yeah, I did,” I said, my voice colder than I intended. I looked down at her, the same curiosity from the forest creeping back in. “What the hell are you doing?”
She didn’t answer, but her gaze flickered up to mine, suddenly recognizing me. “Wait… Young Marshal?”
I grinned. “You know me?”
“Of course,” she shot back, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Who doesn’t know The Devil’s Son?”
I stepped closer, my breath against her ear as I whispered, “Being a bad girl, huh?”
Her eyes flashed with defiance, but she didn’t back down. “I don’t mind you arresting me. Want to do it? Go ahead.”
Before I could respond, I heard a voice, one that I really didn’t need to hear right now.
“Axton!”
I turned to see Leane, her arms crossed, her lips twisted in that all-too-familiar pout. “Why are you flirting with a commoner?”
I sighed, irritated. This was just getting worse. This woman thinks I'm her freaking boyfriend.
I tightened my grip on her hand, and to her surprise, I pulled her closer. She winced a little at the sudden movement, but I held her firm. I didn’t care that Leane was watching.
“Isn’t it obvious enough?” I said, my voice steady, eyes locked on hers.
Juno, ever the troublemaker, pinched me in the back. I winced but stayed in place. Leane’s jaw dropped as she watched us, clearly stunned.
“I don’t believe you…” Leane muttered, her voice wavering in disbelief.
Without thinking, I grabbed Juno by the waist, pulling her close again. I leaned in and put my lips to her, not caring about the shock around us, not caring about Leane’s stuttering protests.
Time seemed to stop, everything around me fading as I kissed her. I felt her shock, felt her resistance, but something inside me didn’t want to pull away.
When I finally broke the kiss, Juno didn’t look angry. She didn’t look anything, really, just shocked. Leane, on the other hand, was frozen in place, her mouth hanging open as she processed what she had just witnessed.
“What the hell? You-you Axton!" Leane screeched before stomping off. She was my father's best friend's daughter.
I shot her a smirk before glancing back at Juno. “Thanks for the help,” I said with a chuckle.
Without another word, I turned and headed back to my bike, grabbing the bag of food. I revved the engine, speeding off, leaving Juno standing there, confused and slightly breathless.
I didn’t have time for this. Derek was waiting. And I had enough chaos in my life without adding anything more.
But damn… Juno... I’d never be able to shake her now.
