CHAPTER 181: CHAPTER-181

Kaya looked at him from head to toe, her expression unreadable. Then, with a dramatic flair, she placed her hand on her chin—like she was seriously weighing something important.

Seeing this, Veer waited, and waited, lips puffed into a hopeful pout. And just like that, he got her silent approval to stay for a few days.

But what Kaya didn’t know... was that even if she had refused, Veer couldn’t have left.

.

.

.

A few days ago, back in the warmth of his cave—where fire crackled on the walls and the heat still clung to his skin—Veer had been in a deep sleep. But suddenly, his heart jolted. A tremor. A warning. Something terrible had happened.

He had shot up from his slumber, scanning the cave. Everything was there—food, supplies, even a few live animals he’d caught earlier. Nothing was out of place.

So why did his chest ache with unease?

And then, uninvited and vivid—Kaya’s image burned behind his eyelids.

Not food. Not safety. Kaya.

He grabbed his jacket in a hurry. As he flung it open, the wind howled through the entrance like a warning. The snowstorm outside had worsened.

His brother had tried to stop him. Had shouted after him.

But Veer didn’t stop.

Unlike eagles, who flew above the clouds to escape such weather—Veer could not do that. He tried. But in ten minutes, the cold had already begun to chew through his mind. His brain—numb. The blizzard bit at him like it had claws. Red streaks slashed across his skin where ice had kissed too deeply.

Ten more minutes, and he collapsed mid-air.

His wings refused to move. His hands turned blue. Lips too.

But he didn’t stop.

He walked.

Twenty more minutes, staggering through snow that reached his knees, eyes blurred, body practically frozen.

When he reached Kaya’s door, he knocked.

No answer.

Again. No answer.

He wanted to break it down. He almost did.

But one glance behind—at the snowstorm gnawing at the world—and he stopped. If he opened the door, the storm might devour the entire room.

He looked around.

That’s when he spotted it.

A small opening in the wall, barely wide enough for someone to crawl through on a good day. Normally, he could shrink and slip in. But now, his limbs were stiff, his wings nearly lifeless.

Still, he forced himself through.

It felt like tearing through flesh. Like someone had taken a blade to his wings and sliced. Agony.

And yet, the moment he dropped onto the floor inside—his eyes found her.

Kaya.

She was curled on the bed, her body writhing in pain, sweat clinging to her skin.

In that moment, his own suffering meant nothing.

He didn’t even know how he stood. But somehow, he did. Dragging his frozen feet forward, he stumbled to her side and reached out.

His trembling fingers touched her forehead.

Hot. Burning.

His eyes widened.

Something was wrong.

Terribly wrong.

He looked around the room, his chest heaving—not from exhaustion this time, but fury.

Why the hell was there no one here?

How could they leave a female like this, all alone, groaning in pain?

His fists clenched at his sides, and for a second, he thought of storming out to find someone—anyone. But the storm outside was still raging. And even if he left... there was no guarantee he could come back.

So, he did what he could.

He rummaged through the supplies he had carried with him—just in case. A packet of cloth. A small roll of bandage. A pouch of mustard oil.

It was supposed to be for cooking. For survival.

But now, it had another purpose.

His hands shook as he poured out a little oil, warming it between his palms before gently rubbing it into her burning skin. Wrapping her leg in cloth. Trying to bring her fever down. Talking to her softly, even though she couldn’t hear him. Hoping she would.

One day passed.

Then another.

And then—two and a half days later—Kaya opened her eyes.

And in that moment, it was like something inside him finally let go. A breath he didn’t realize he was holding. His shoulders sagged in relief. She was alive. She was okay.

And now that she was getting better—each hour returning color to her skin, a little more warmth to her voice—he was happy.

He didn’t want to leave her side.

He wanted to stay right here and wrap himself around her like a shield. To hold her all night. To make sure she was warm and safe and never in pain again.

But he wasn’t okay.

Even though he had managed to shrink back his wings, his back still throbbed with a dull, angry pain. And from what he could guess—he wouldn’t be able to return to his full form for another few days. His wings were useless right now. His muscles, torn and frozen stiff.

He’d pushed his body to its edge.

So that makes it three and a half days Kaya had been unconscious. And three and a half days he’d been by her side.

But even now, as the snow quieted outside and the fire whispered in the hearth, there was something strange about the way they lay.

His feet were clenched tight on the floor, one hand still gripping her. His body... almost melded into hers. Not in passion, but in something more aching. More fragile.

As if even in sleep, he couldn’t let go.

Kaya had never thought that living with someone could come with so many unexpected benefits.

Honestly, it was like getting a free butler—one who didn’t complain and somehow made everything feel like a five-star experience in the middle of nowhere.

Sure, he didn’t cook like Cutie, who always acted like he was auditioning for a cooking show. But surprisingly—he cooked better.

One day it was chicken. The next, fish. The day after that, a soup made with both—rich, layered, and surprisingly comforting.

And then another day, he roasted the fish until it crackled golden, then fried another batch and drizzled it with coconut oil.