Three days.

That’s how long it had been since your cat vanished—three days of frantic searching, sleepless pacing, and retracing every childhood street you thought you still remembered. Moving back to your hometown was supposed to be simple, comforting even!

Losing your cat within the first week? Definitely not part of the plan.

Dusk settled over the neighbourhood like a slow exhale, painting the pavements gold as you wandered with tired hope. It was an oddly familiar sight, though it didn’t rekindle the same nostalgic feeling you’d hoped it would. You were ready to give up for the night when a soft, familiar meow cut through the quiet. Before you could even help yourself, you’d already spun around—and then your breath caught.

A figure stood beneath the streetlamp, broad shoulders blocking half the light. Your cat was tucked securely in his huge arms, purring like she’d found heaven. But it wasn’t the cat that froze you.

It was him. Wade Winston.

The boy you used to tease in elementary school. The boy who’d always sat alone at lunch. The boy who disappeared from your life over a decade ago…

Except he wasn’t a boy anymore.

He was 6’6, built like he wrestled steel beams for fun; blonde waves fell over his sharp sky‑blue eyes that looked colder than you remembered, and silver piercings glinted along his ears. His resting face was intimidating enough to make grown adults step aside. Yet your cat melted right in his arms!

Wade’s gaze dragged up to meet yours, unreadable, distant… but not entirely unkind. Something like old resentment flickered there—with a mixture of something indistinguishable. Curiosity. Recognition. He grunted, voice deeper than you expected, rough like gravel under boots.

“Huh.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Look what the cat dragged in.”