The Moonlit Heiress

Clara's chest against her chest. The shadows alive, reaching, twisting in pale light given off from street lamps

es rolled up, almost as if bracing for a fight. Yet it wasn't his movements that unsettled her; it

e whispere

into the clear night air-the black fur smudging into a black silhouette in the darkness-much larger than a regular wolf, hi

rt pounding in her ears. This couldn't

n, to hide, but she could not wrench her gaze away. Alex didn't ret

ble happened: Ale

inted tips. Distorted, his face showed teeth bared as the jaw extended forward. The body contorted further, melting away from a humanoid

even bigger than the one across from him. Eyes of an othe

hite-knuckled into the edge of the table. Her mind fought desperate

is a

ling through the air as every movement in that space was

street, a blur of fur and teeth; the snarls shook Clara to her soul. She wanted to look away,

–an almost made violence amidst the mayhem speaking volumes about the power behind them. He wasn't fight

ore than a few minutes, but finally, the guttural roar sprang the wolf onto the wet earth w

al snarl, Alex let it go, stepping back as it struggled to its feet. The defeated wolf cast one last look in Clara's direction, yell

er face bright red hot from the sight of him shirtless and skin shining with beads of sw

ere inside, Clara

ing the words out in a rush. "What are you

tired look in his eyes.

on. "You don't get to play the mysterious protector anymore. I just wat

ough his hair. "I told you th

antly her voice cracked. "I have the right to

ures in that fleeting moment. "You're right,"

her chest lead-weighted wi

olution in his tone. "You gotta trust me, Clara. There

en again, one look in those eyes and it was a different ball game altoge

old shiver traced her spine. "Wh

just Clara James. You're something more, something dangerous. And like it or not, you'r

s phone jangled through the tense silence shri

his face hard as he

said, his vo

w clamped and his ey

if you come near her

e down and his hand

said in that low,

n?" Clara asked as fe

" Alex said with a grim f